Have you been out today?

[Paul Metcalfe]

38 miles, the longest ride for many weeks and more painful than it should have been.

It was too hard to really enjoy but I enjoyed being back out there. I suffered up hills (slopes actually) that I didn't realise were there 12 months ago. Either the council have been busy increasing the gradient of my local roads or it's me.

I'm unfit and very overweight after a year's post PBP sabbatical.

Every long journey starts with a small step though, and that long journey is PBP2015 so I needed to take a small first step. 

I've enjoyed, guilt-free, my year off the bike, doing other stuff, mainly eating and drinking (I've done a bit of riding here and there, but very low mileage and no long rides/Audaxes finished).

Wish me luck as I try to lose 28 pounds and get some hill-climbing fitness back. It's going to hurt for a while.

PBP 2015? I did think you'd protested too much.

Good luck!

Yes, I know.  "Never, ever again", but I have a video of me saying that about BCM600 and I was there the following year.

A short memory is the main weapon in the Audaxer's armoury , A short memory and an ability to ride through the pain...two main weapons ....etc

It dawned on me that PBP2011 was a blur (partly sleep-deprivation and part trying to figure out the best way to allocate my time).  I think I'd like to return, knowing now what I didn't know then.  I think I've learned how to enjoy it and want to put it into practise.

[Wowbagger]

Blimey...

[Jurek]

That's exactly the sort of ride we were planning to do ourselves today!  But we were a bit slow getting up, and I've been in quite a bit of pain, so we didn't get moving...

Glad you had fun - sounds like people enjoyed it.

There was little planning, none really - it was mostly ad libbed - which adds to the attraction.
Hope there's a swift improvement with your discomfort.

[Feanor]

Picked up a couple of friends at Aboyne for a loop round Gairnshiel / Crathes.

Got stopped briefly where the police had closed the road at Crathes to let the Queen get home from church!
The cop guy told us to by-pass the road-block by riding through the car park, which we did.

Back to Aboyne, where I left the other 2 and continued to ride home, for a total of 154Km.
All in glorious sunshine.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/212399587

[clarion]

Got out in the end - just to Nonsuch for tea and ice cream (why not, eh? ) - but a ride nonetheless.

[Jurek]

Got out in the end - just to Nonsuch for tea and ice cream (why not, eh? ) - but a ride nonetheless.

\0/

[clarion]

Thanks for that.  And your earlier comment.

[Kim]

Went to collect some orange cardboard and do a token lap of the Skyride.  This mostly involved chatting to the guys on the Pushbikes stall for ages, but I did eventually go and ride the route.  It was of course greatly improved by the absence of motor traffic, though as predicted, small children and weary adults did seem to be struggling with the hill content rather a lot.  Surprisingly, there wasn't carnage on Edgbaston Park Road; as the uphill part of the route went through the Vale, there was the full width of the road available for the fast descent.  Other than a sign suggesting people slow for the steep hill, they didn't seem to be taking any special precautions.  More annoying was the bit further along, where the road was two-way and there simply wasn't room to overtake all the people walking their bikes up the hill.

The University quadrangle seemed to work quite well as a central area for stalls and entertainments.  Not least because it gave plenty of places to sit or hang around while the kids had room to troddle about on their bikes, but also because there's plenty of natural shelter and cash machines and so on nearby.

I can't really estimate numbers, but it seemed like fewer than last year, in spite of good weather.  Demographic was mostly families with younger children (a great many Trail Gators and child trailers were being used - suspect one of the hire companies was providing them), established cyclists of various flavours and a reasonable number of students (the ones I talked to seemed to reckon a bike ride and a burger was a good alternative to revision - can't fault the logic).  Everyone except the students and people manning the stalls seemed to be wearing a hi-vis tabbard.  The parking situation in Selly Oak is at term-time levels, with many bike carriers in evidence, so it does seem that the majority of families got here by car, though there are plenty of adults in hi-vis trundling around the pavements of Selly Oak atm, too.


So yeah, I expect that will go down as a success.  The hillier route did seem to make up for the relatively short length, and hardly any important motor vehicles were inconvenienced by the whole thing.  Pushbikes had handed out dozens of registration packs and got three people to sign up there and then, which I hope is more a symptom of people preferring to do these sorts of things online later, rather than the local groups' stalls all being tucked out of the way.   

[Wowbagger]

22 miles of quiet country lanes and overpopulated sea front.

[Bledlow]

40 mile morning ride. First 18 miles with the CTC, en route to a picnic in Windsor Great Park which we weren't going to. Mrs B  & I zipped off on our own during the very prolonged tea stop in a garden centre cafe which appeared to be designed for tropical plants - or maybe as a sauna - and bumped our rolling average speed up by almost 2 mph over the next 22 miles, despite them being hillier. Home for lunch.

It was advertised as a moderate to brisk ride. That used to mean something like the pace we did over the whole ride. Grade inflation is affecting bike rides.

Mrs B insists I say that the cafe resembled a greenhouse in every way: heat, humidity, & method of construction. Perhaps the owners confuse their main product lines with the people they sell them to, & think customers should be treated like plants. Let's hope that they don't go too far. Few customers would relish being covered in - yes, you guessed.

[Canardly]

36 far too hot miles including some off road and a visitation.

[smurphboy]

Had to go into work so combined it with a nice ride round the Somerset side of the old Avon. Out on the Whitchurch path, down to Chew for ice cream and a drink and then back through Ashton Court.

Only 20 miles but it was a lovely day and really unwound me after having to pop in to work on a Sunday.

[loafer]

New well had a great day out got a little damp towards the end .. but its only water ....left darlo 9 ish out to grt smeaton- hornby-appleton wiske-east harsey-ellerbeck-osmotherley- up past the Chequers Tea Room
then were due to go to hemsley our leader altered route at hawnby... off to kepwick which sounded fine till we ran out of tarmac came toroad split right was a b/path ....straight on was a sign in blue unsuiteable for motor ,s...should have said 4x4 only was loose stone and up on the tops (walk was nice) but not what you need on a carbon bike with 23 tyre,s...we got to kepwick dropped down to A19 then called at northallerton for food  then to yafforth right to danby wiske on to atley hill then straight back to darlovia croft to the club house (hole in the wall) for a few pints and the best bit my g/f was sat in the pub waiting to run me back to aycliffe 

garmin info http://connect.garmin.com/activity/212486613

larry

[sg37409]

Tandem to tighnabruaich with my youngest, lovely day for it. Met roberto who slowed right down and had a wee blether before he rode off to catch his mates.

[CrinklyLion]

A wander to one of the York bike shops to look at the Shinies with That Deano - fortunately for my new windows/dpc/bathroom fund they had no Helios tandems on display.  Then a pleasant afternoon's pootle (we knocked on CU and CA's door on the way past to see if they wanted to play but got no answer ) out to the Blacksmith's at Naburn, a truly epic journey that totally completely 100% justified the pizza that ensued.  And the three pints.  Each.

ETA, for Chocolatebike's benefit, that it was Boondoggle.  In a glass like this

[Dibdib]

A ride of two halves, tonight!

First bit was nice - I got home from work and the sun was shining, so I grabbed the bike and headed out. I've decided, after my pathetic showing at 'zilla's FNRttS, that I really need more practice on the steep stuff so I aimed for Marlborough over the downs via Wroughton and the horror which is Hackpen Hill. In total, about 250m of climbing from my front door so I needed to stop and catch my breath a couple of times on each of the big hills but I was determined not to give up and walk. And I made it eventually!

After stopping at Waitrose for a choccie bar and a can of coke, I didn't fancy climbing back over the downs so I wimped out and took the short way home down the A346. Just as well, really, that I saved a bit of energy as the sting in the tail was still to come...

Yup, Calamity Bloody Chris strikes again. I'd grabbed the wrong bunch of keys and was locked out of my house. Cue some very creative swearing, some less-than-successful attempts to clamber through a tiny open window, and the dawning realisation that there was only one thing for it. Back on the bike, and another seven mile loop to the office to fetch my emergency keys. I didn't even have my door pass with me, so it's a good job the office is open 24/7 and the security guard on duty recognised me!

Total: three hours, 39 miles, 325m ascent, and a well-earned pizza and a beer 

[Jurek]

Yeah.
Cheaty ride out to Cambridge. Me on the fixer. Pippa on her Yukon.
Cheaty 'cos we caught the train out to Broxbourne - to avoid the exit-London route which becomes §h!t if you do it any later than 06:30 am.
Cheaty 'cos I used the 24" gear for a bit up a 17% - in preference to being mown down by a rearward approaching moton.

X'lent because it was x'lent for the rest of the ride.

Lunch in Ickleton (not a made up place name) was very fine too.

Cheers, Pippa for the company

A fine day out.

[Wowbagger]

Jan and I exercised the tandem up and down the sea front for about 16 miles. Very agreeable.

[CrinklyLion]

I needed to collect some brake levers from Darlo, so I vaguely thought about riding there... but then I woke up a bit later than expected and it was raining and I had some Stuffs to do so I thought, sod it, I'll just get the train and baked a cake or 8 instead of setting off.  But then I got the Stuffs done and cheered up a lot as a result and the sun came out.  So, despite it being nearly one o'clock by the time I'd tried to top up my tyres, discovered the track pump is bust, called in to the corner shop to borrow theirs and deliver a cake, and finally got on my way just a bit late to ride the 50ish miles I set off anyway, with a vague plan to call in to THoFC so say hello to Tiermat and beg a cup of Fine Coffee before bailing to a train.  And a mighty fine ride it was too.  I stopped for crisps and pop at Tollerton and had to stop a several of times for phone calls and texts and stuff, partly because I was running quite late and adapting or indeed making plans on the fly.  And I still covered the 36 miles in about 3 hours 20 minutes which is only five minutes slower than when I rode it, without the stopping and texting and stuff, last year on my way to a pub run when I was actually reasonably fit and had a working bike computer to help me keep the pace up a bit. By my standards that's really not hanging about.  A natter and a coffee with Tiermat, to whom I delivered a cake, and a bonus LindaG in attendance who didn't get a cake this time because I hadn't known she'd be there.

Then onto a TPE for the ten minute train journey instead of riding the last 18 miles so as not to be horrendously late in Darlo.  Tickets for the return bought while I was at the station, and although the pooter wouldn't let the nice East Coast lady book my bike on various staff made assorted commitments to getting me on the 23:18 one way or another when the time came.  Then off for a bit more cake delivery, brake collection, slightly silly Comedy Off Roading (altho I declined a quick spin round the bmx track) then nosh and a couple of pubs, all with that Deano.  A 5 minute trip back to the station to see my train pulling into the platform necessitating a quick sprint to the back where, happily, a guard was indeed waiting to let Valencia into his van.  Hurrah!  2 trains, 50ish miles ridden, 3 forumites spotted, 4 cakes delivered, one lentil shepherds pie and portion of chips eaten and a couple of pints drunk. Sushine, miles and smiles.  All good.

[why1040]

I am alone in The Chequers, Binham, having left my stoker sleeping with intent. We have been to Wells for fish and chips, Holkham for a swim (non-skinny) and back to the camp site. The weather has been lovely. Back to reality with a vengeance tomorrow on the 2 o'clock from Nardge. We have a vengeance reservation.

That means that we were on Holkham Beach on the same day, separately!!

I was camped between Holkham Beach and Wells, in a fabulous field with two big blue lorries-you could see them from the car park to the beach!   

I did some riding of the two-wheeled (as opposed to the four-legged) variety in the evenings with the dog, but not generally very far.

[Wowbagger]

I am alone in The Chequers, Binham, having left my stoker sleeping with intent. We have been to Wells for fish and chips, Holkham for a swim (non-skinny) and back to the camp site. The weather has been lovely. Back to reality with a vengeance tomorrow on the 2 o'clock from Nardge. We have a vengeance reservation.

That means that we were on Holkham Beach on the same day, separately!!

I was camped between Holkham Beach and Wells, in a fabulous field with two big blue lorries-you could see them from the car park to the beach!   

I did some riding of the two-wheeled (as opposed to the four-legged) variety in the evenings with the dog, but not generally very far.

What a shame we didn't meet!

We spent two nights camping at Stiffkey.

When we were at the beach the tandem was parked by the ice cream van.

[Wowbagger]

21 miles of the usual this evening. There's a definite change in the air - much cooler and fresher. It was almost too cold for shorts, sandals with no socks and a short-sleeved shirt.

[Andrew Br]

An ascent of Werneth Low for me this evening. Unlike (for example) Long Hill, the name isn't entirely accurate. It is in Werneth however.
I was put up to this by my good friend Cathy, recently returned from a long, unsupported tour on a heavy hybrid in a hilly part of Germany. She was on her Surly tonight so she was flying........
Our approach to the Low along the TPT wasn't the best for a skinny tyred road bike, but I was OK on the knobbly tyred tourer. It was the only part of the ride where I was at an advantage...........
We climbed up by the route we normally come down and it was very steep. Very, very steep.
The view from the top was rather splendid and, shock, horror, we carried on past the pub (a first for me up there) to make our way back via Stockport to Didsbury for a beer. Joy of joys they had London Pride. Marvellous.
Every time I eased the speed up a bit, Cathy was having none of it and she went racing on. It was even worse after the pub and it was really difficult trying to catch her. Thursday night's ride is going to be a bit of a tear up I think............
We parted at Levenshulme and I headed back to Chorlton CH ignoring the siren call of Bar. Which is unusual.
All in all it came to 32 miles but it seemed more like 50........

[Kim]

An ascent of Werneth Low for me this evening. Unlike (for example) Long Hill, the name isn't entirely accurate. It is in Werneth however.

One of these days I'm going to have to haul myself up that one on a bike (barakta's mum lives in Compstall).

I need another crack at descending Long Hill without the 35mph gusting sidewinds, too...

[Andrew Br]

An ascent of Werneth Low for me this evening. Unlike (for example) Long Hill, the name isn't entirely accurate. It is in Werneth however.

One of these days I'm going to have to haul myself up that one on a bike (barakta's mum lives in Compstall).

Let me know when you're up here and we'll try it.
Probably not by this route though:-


12-06-20 Werneth Low climb 1 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

I need another crack at descending Long Hill without the 35mph gusting sidewinds, too...

Gusty winds seem the norm, at least IME.