Your ride today....

[bluenotebob]

I wanted to do my March MCAM qualifying ride today – but it didn’t happen. I need to get a few ducks in a row before I can tackle a metric century and the first two are to get a good night’s sleep and wake up early – and neither of those ducks showed up on parade this morning.

I was full of bone-deep tiredness and no amount of coffee, roll-ups or wishful thinking will help me do a 7-hour ride. But I did drag myself out late morning for a 17km local loop on one of my mountain bikes – and after lunch I did a 32km ride down the Voie Verte from Mauron to Lézonnet and back.

Out of the shade of the trees, the temperature reached 19C – probably the warmest day of the year so far … a great improvement on those cold grey days in late February.

By the Lac au Duc near Lézonnet

 

[HLaB]

Beautiful day, I am glad I took it off. I joined some mates for a ride to the Old Forge cafe in Cranford. Oh and the sound came back on my 1030 after circa 6months and stayed back!

 

[roubaixtuesday]

First century of the year, indeed first in about 18 months.

Staffordshire Moors and the Peak:

Bosley Cloud / Cheddleton / Hartington / Monyash / Longstone Edge / Edale /Mam Nick

100.07 miles (!), 2200m climbing

 

[sevenfourate]

First century of the year, indeed first in about 18 months.

Staffordshire Moors and the Peak:

Bosley Cloud / Cheddleton / Hartington / Monyash / Longstone Edge / Edale /Mam Nick

100.07 miles (!), 2200m climbing

View attachment 764276

Congrats ! Sounds awesome……

 

[13 rider]

First century of the year, indeed first in about 18 months.

Staffordshire Moors and the Peak:

Bosley Cloud / Cheddleton / Hartington / Monyash / Longstone Edge / Edale /Mam Nick

100.07 miles (!), 2200m climbing

View attachment 764276

That last 0.08 miles makes all the difference 👍. Well done a lumpy ton at that

 

[HLaB]

The usual Saturday ride today. For some strange reason the 18.6mph average started to fall after the cafe despite the tailwind 🌞

 

[Donger]

That's it. I'm definitely out of hibernation now. Took advantage of the lovely mild, sunny weather to head out on a different sort of ride today. Took the canal path northwards into Gloucester docks ......

... before heading out across the flood meadows towards Maisemore, running the gauntlet of a herd of cattle on the way before picking up the path along the banks of the Severn ....

There are two or three ridiculous barriers along the way that required me to pick up the bike by the handlebars, lifting it completely off the ground to get the handlebars past the barrier:

From Maisemore, I headed up the hill to the top of the Woolridge to take in one of my favourite local views towards the distant Cotswold edge:

After a little detour to the riverbank at Ashleworth, I stopped off at the tithe barn, which was open for the first time I can recall:

I went past my favourite house at Ashleworth ....

.... before taking the flat road through the Hams and past the bird hide, from where I watched a couple of greylag geese, a pair of swans and various other small water birds:

I went out as far as the Yew Tree Inn at Chaceley Stock before turning for home and taking a couple of side roads to climb up to Tirley and then Hasfield to try out the gears on the new Marin. On the way back a lovely big black horse saw me riding along and decided to race me to the gate, really putting its back into it and putting in a great show of galloping. I stopped to say hello ....

before taking another very quiet little side road ....

.... then stopping off at the Ashleworth Hub cafe for a brownie and a black coffee before taking on the Woolridge again from the steeper side.All in all a fantastic little ride, taking in a few little hills that I would struggle to climb on the road bike as well as some very rutted roads and several miles of gravel/mud/stone chipping paths. A perfect ride for the Marin. 32.4 miles done.

 

[geocycle]

Gorgeous day for a ‘Spring Classic’ ride to Dent. This is a route I’ve done many times and usually marks the end of winter and the start of better things to come. I headed up Lonsdale to Ingleton and long climb started from Thornton into Kingsdale. The wahoo has taken to alerting me to climbs, which can be trivial but in this case it flashed up as 10 km long with an average of 8%, yikes! Fortunately, I know it well and after some double digit sections in the first 2 km it flattens out through the dale. The road is gated in two places which allows for a natural stop to admire the circling buzzards and a pair of ravens. The pull out of Kingsdale is steep and then the reward of the descent into Deepdale then Dentdale itself. The thought of fruitcake and Wensleydale cheese at my favourite Dent cafe spurred me on. Fortified, I climbed the steep roads from Gawthrop to descend through wonderful and empty Barbondale. I decided not to stop in Kirby Lonsdale and instead headed home. 90 km with 1200 m of climbing and a sunburnt face in March.

pictures are of Kingsdale, Dentdale and Barbondale.

 

[ianrauk]

This weekends cycling shenanigans. What a glorious day for a bike ride. Out of the door at silly o'clock, it was still dark but the sun was rising. I chose to wear shorts for the first time this year and for a while I thought it may have been a mistake. 8° when I left home, in some places it dropped to 1.9°. But as soon as the sun was up it warmed up very quickly, reaching highs of 20°.
So, a fab Kent loop today. Down to Tenterden at the 55 mile mark where a fab saussy roll and Guinness and cream cake really hit the spot. Down onto the Romney Marshes before turning back north homewards. A quick refuel at the village of Wye in the Kent downs on the 90 mile mark before hitting the Pilgrims Way back to Rochester.
So..121 sunny miles for the day.
Imperial century month #171 in a row.
Imperial century #350
A few future Eddingtons as a bonus.
The nice, warm, sunny weather makes a huge difference, it makes cycling so much easier.

 

[Spiderweb]

Out after the footy at 2.15pm today. A very nice 15° in North Yorkshire. A short spin to Naburn on the outskirts of York and back via the Sustrans cycle route to Riccall then to Cawood and Ulleskelf. 31.33 miles with an average of 14.6 mph.

 

[HLaB]

Another gorgeous one today. Out in the morning with a local cycling group to Yaxley. As we started to part one rider asked me if I wanted to go further and it was too nice not too 🌞

 

[wafter]

Out fasted for eggs earlier on the Fuji since it was already in the kitchen and it seemed like a good opportunity to test the new brake levers.

Under-estimated how fantastic the weather was and ended up pushing the ride out to 35 miles; maybe half of this was on tracks / bridleways, most of the rest on quiet country roads.. Can't be arsed to list the specifics now the endorphines have worn off but this was the first leisure ride I've done in months, first time I've been out on the Fuji in ages and the longest leisure ride I've done probably since the summer.

Had lots of nice interactions with sound people - I think we all were breathing a collective sigh of relief that the weather was finally so pleasant.

With the commuting this puts me on 104 miles for the week, which is the most I've done since August. Unfortunately seems I've lost a lot of fitness in the past few months and for no good reason my legs ached when I set off.. this gradually improved and by the end turned into protesting quads and creaky knees.

Stopped for an assortment of dangling upon re-entering the village which was rewarded by a range of cracks and pops; also did some stretches in the hope of limiting the damage present on tomorrow's commute.

Eggs were wrapped in a fleece at the bottom of the pannier bags and survived depite the often rough terrain; so thankfully no impromptu omlettes today.

Brake levers generally did well; enthralling details will be posted in the bike's own thread.

A fantastic ride that reminded me of the halcyon days of the plague

 

[Marchrider]

15 mile today and 5 hours later my knee is still fine - back into action this week I hope
This stupid knee problem has cost me dear, from being 159 mile in the lead at the end of February down to a 14 mile lead now

YTD 1225 miles / Day 68 x 365 = 6575 - 6500 Target / 365 x 68 = 14 mile lead

 

[ColinJ]

A perfect ride for the Marin. 32.4 miles done.

Nice ride (route) and nice ride (Marin)!

I was thinking that the Marin's lowest gear looks crazy low but I just did the calculation and it is pretty similar to the 22/32 bottom gear on my mountain bike which has 26 inch wheels.

 

[sevenfourate]

15 mile today and 5 hours later my knee is still fine - back into action this week I hope
This stupid knee problem has cost me dear, from being 159 mile in the lead at the end of February down to a 14 mile lead now

YTD 1225 miles / Day 68 x 365 = 6575 - 6500 Target / 365 x 68 = 14 mile lead

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Hope your knee stays well 🙏

I had to take a full year off pretty much; obstaining from about every reasonably physical activity (Apart from anything work related; as that paid the bills) 🙄

Tough gig mentally when you’re an outdoor person. And apart from that very physically fit and raring to go.

Look after yourself…….😉