Author Topic: Have you been out today? (Read 3903672 times)

ElyDave · « **Reply #22075 on:** 15 September, 2018, 08:53:17 pm »

piffling by comparison with that ^^^

60km on the cruzbike, planned to be into the wind on the way out, tail/crosswind home with a bit of headwind. Unfortunately my planned route was closed at a crossroads and the alternative was far more headwind than crosswind.

Most annoyingly the pub I'd planned a halfway stop at was closed as well - I mean who ever heard of 11-3 and then 6-11 on a Saturday? The result was an hour riding whilst desparately needing the loo.

menthel · « **Reply #22076 on:** 15 September, 2018, 09:00:26 pm »

Yes! I did a whole 40km without entering Richmond Park once. I had to see some deer so detoured via Bushy Park.

orienteer · « **Reply #22077 on:** 16 September, 2018, 11:10:43 pm »

Led a Rough Stuff Fellowship ride in the Chilterns, starting from and ending at Lewknor (J6 M40).

Only three of us. South along Icknield Way until near Ewelme, then up the escarpment on the minor road to Cookley Green, then staying on the road to Russells Water. From there a bridleway to Pishill and lunch at The Crown. Up Hollandridge Lane to Christmas Common, Northend and down into the Wormsley Estate and back out near Cowleaze Wood, down Hill Road to Lewknor.

Twenty two miles. Was glad I used the Moulton ATB solo with e-assist, don't think I could have managed all the climbing without it.

T42 · « **Reply #22078 on:** 18 September, 2018, 04:23:25 pm »

45k. Kitted up to do >100 but obviously a week off and intensive work in the workshop were a bad preparation: I seem to lose condition faster than I used to. Turned back early, home for lunch.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #22079 on:** 19 September, 2018, 08:20:21 pm »

I rode to Two Tree Island to meet my pal Penny, where we walked her dog and then had a cuppa with toast/bacon butty, and then to the doc's to pick up a prescription for Phyllis. About 12 miles in total.

Andrij · « **Reply #22080 on:** 20 September, 2018, 03:53:55 pm »

Finally!

Out this morning for a 20km shake-down ride on the loaner bike. Wish I didn't have to wait nearly two weeks before hitting the road, but life kept getting in the way. Weather was lovely, and the roads around here roll just enough to build up some speed and cause one to shift a gear or three. Did a couple of very short stretches on main roads (wanted to stick to the residential streets until I was comfortable on the bicycle and used to riding on the right) and it was amazing - no one tried to pass me in my lane, anyone behind me pulled into the other lane to pass. Not so sure they'd be that considerate during rush hour. While cycling around here is picking up a bit, it appears to be more leisure than utility or commuting, so I think a cyclist on a busy main road scares drivers a bit. Which is good, as the road surfaces can be treacherous and one needs room to weave.

I'm planning a 130km towpath ride 'soon', but I still need to negotiate with my driver/host/mother and determine if she wants to do the 100km drive early in the morning to take me to one end of the towpath or late afternoon to pick me up (the other end of the towpath being around 20km from home).

ElyDave · « **Reply #22081 on:** 21 September, 2018, 08:29:20 am »

no chance, not round here for the last few days.

T42 · « **Reply #22082 on:** 21 September, 2018, 10:02:37 am »

Yesterday: 112 k round pretty much the same circuit as Tuesday last week, a wee road less travelled over the col de la Tête du Christ (see graven image below) and points east. Risked another chicken sandwich in the same café as last week too, but this time it didn't come back ten hours later. The bike decided to do a few more hills after lunch so I went along with it and am hurting today in consequence.

29°C on the road and the conifers giving off that wonderful scent; not bad for the legally last day of summer.

It was the Col du Katzenberg (Cat Mountain) before a local artist eroded it.

Weather sample:

Snakehips · « **Reply #22083 on:** 21 September, 2018, 09:42:17 pm »

Yes, but the rain, when it inevitably came, was much icier than I expected.

ElyDave · « **Reply #22084 on:** 22 September, 2018, 03:47:38 pm »

got changed, filled bottles, got the bike out, got on it, started up the road and then got overtaken by the biggest round of CBA I've ever had.

Excuses - it was windy, it was drizzling (now proper rain), my legs were a bit tired

Rode 1.8km round the block back home again. Made cucumber soup instead, and packed my bags for tomorrow

mzjo · « **Reply #22085 on:** 23 September, 2018, 08:35:33 pm »

74kms in the Corrèze at a really not very fast speed (hideously slow, not even 10mph, there are advantages to the morale seeing speed in km/h) - but it was the first rider further than the baker's or the office since may (too hot and too tired getting back to work after the knee replacement). I have decided that the Monedières, the plateau of Millevaches and Mount Gargan are all distinctly lumpy places to ride after spending a considerable time doing 5-6km/h in bottom gear. It was all in a good cause, testing bits of a circuit for the club. AND it rained all morning at Limoges the kids tell me but I stayed dry all day and even had a bit of sunshine. I know people who will have been glad of the rain though!

Canardly · « **Reply #22086 on:** 26 September, 2018, 07:50:29 pm »

30 miles or so in the Bedfordshire countryside in brilliant sunshine with a small group of retired persons, the others all driving electric bikes. Bit of a headwind on the outward leg which seemed to me to be hard work due to driving the tourer with significant pannier. Lots of cyclists about which is good to see. Never ceases to amaze me how one day you can conquer the world and the next you are good for nothing. Biorythms I suppose (or old age). Good lunch at Willesden garden centre and brilliant wind assisted return via Cople and Moggerhanger. Memo to self: do not use short wash cycle for cycling shorts. Sore arse follows. Sudocrem is wonderful stuff.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #22087 on:** 26 September, 2018, 10:08:11 pm »

55 miles after work with a very dark finish and then a HUMUNGOUS moon. Training for the FNRttS.

robgul · « **Reply #22088 on:** 27 September, 2018, 07:07:55 am »

First Weds club ride for about 6 weeks and a shake-down cruise for my Van Nic Ventus after a re-fit with a complete new groupset, 25 instead of 23 tyres and a few spangly new titanium components. Excellent.

Rob

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22089 on:** 27 September, 2018, 11:14:24 am »

Another Weds night pub ride here, big turn out, speedy and "super chilled" ride, then I think it all got a bit much for some when we reached the pub; jersey swapping was ok but bib short swapping was deemed "all getting a bit too weird".

(click to show/hide)

T42 · « **Reply #22090 on:** 27 September, 2018, 11:25:32 am »

Set out yesterday thinking "long one today", got fed up before 20k & went home. Just back from doing the same thing this morning, only the rot set in at 10k. This happens to me every September when summer folds and there's nowt to look forward to but trogging round the same familiar roads for the next 6 months. Last time I had it this bad, though, was after PBP 2015, and then I managed to eat myself into a heart attack by Christmas (relatively easy for diabetics). Oh well.

Adam · « **Reply #22091 on:** 29 September, 2018, 06:01:01 pm »

Nice little 23 mile loop out to Goodwood Airfield for a late breakfast, a look at people zooming round the track in their own cars (lots of noisy Aston Martins being lapped by a massive but much quieter Bentley), and then back home on the Centurion Way.

Wish I'd been in shorts as it heated up quickly.

andyoxon · « **Reply #22092 on:** 29 September, 2018, 06:57:59 pm »

~120km into the Cotswolds via Witney, Burford, Bledington, Charlbury. Such great weather, and the Cotswolds looked amazing. Cold start though, so as it warmed up had to shed various bits of kit. Friend snapped his gear cable, but Mickeys Cranks in Witney were handy. I should start carrying spare cables again.

Thames at the Rose Revived.

IMG_20180929_085325586_HDR-001 by ao, on Flickr

Near Icomb

IMG_20180929_121935543_BURST000_COVER_TOP by ao, on Flickr

IMG_20180929_122739107-001 by ao, on Flickr

Bledington Church

IMG_20180929_123518351 by ao, on Flickr

menthel · « **Reply #22093 on:** 30 September, 2018, 01:49:01 pm »

Went out on an intro ride with my local small club. 50km and a coffee stop which was all rather nice!

phantasmagoriana · « **Reply #22094 on:** 30 September, 2018, 02:01:41 pm »

Went to ~~eat all the cakes~~ do some timekeeping for the club end-of-season TT. Standing around in the cold was rather cold; maybe I should have just ridden it instead to keep warm!

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22095 on:** 30 September, 2018, 03:50:43 pm »

Got up at silly o'clock yesterday to meet eight or nine like-minded suckers outside a pub. Wait, that doesn't sound silly! But the pub was closed – we met at six a.m. to ride the 25km or so to Chepstow for the start of the Border Castles 200km audax. Four of us were optimistic enough to wear shorts despite the temperature at time being 3 degrees in town, slightly less outside. Yes, I was one of the short-wearers. Probably their last outing till the spring. Once the sun rose, it became clear they had been justified. So we rode through the temperature inversions and mist of the Severn Vale, only to ride a further 205km of Monmouthshire and Herefordshire hills in order to see several castles: St Briavel's, Croft, Grosmont, White, Raglan. And then top it off by climbing Star Hill. Lovely day. Today I am eating and sleeping.

cycleman · « **Reply #22096 on:** 30 September, 2018, 07:12:54 pm »

25 miles circuit today. From home I went to the jubilee river which I followed to near the a4 before taking a rough bridelway to join the Thames towpath to maidenhead bridge passing under the sounding arch of Brunel s railway bridge which has the flattest arch in the world. I crossed the Thames and rode on to cookham where I stopped at Costa for a mocha. Suitably refreshed I went onward to bourne end and turned onto furlong road to join the a4094 for a short way before turning up kiln lane and climbed up the hill to pass the checkers pub at the top. I kept straight on till turning off right onto Woburn common road and left into green common road which winds it's narrow way to ship hill where I turned left towards the a355 which I crossed by beaconfield services. I rode along hedgerley lane before turning left down and up the valley along Andrew hill lane, turning left to pass the cross roads where the one pin pub used to be. The rest of the ride was mainly down hill back to slough .I was very pleased to have a have speed of 8.1 mph despite a fair bit of off road.

ElyDave · « **Reply #22097 on:** 01 October, 2018, 08:53:41 am »

After last weekend's aborted ride, I was up and out yesterday just after 7am. Not quite realising how nippy it was, my only concession was winter gloves. I saw as low as 2.5C on the Garmin, which had me questioning my choice of shorts, although the top half with a light merino wool long sleeved base layer (not one of the hol(e)y ones) was OK.

Ride from home to Coveney, Way Head, across the A142 to Haddenham up the steep side, then across past Wicken to the back of Soham and Fordham. Took a road I'd only used once from the other side, and through farmyard avoidance ended up back on the A142 at Soham, followed that back to Ely for the market and a nice coffee and almond croissant. Up the bank to Littleport before the backway into the village. Just under 75km at a decent pace

Canardly · « **Reply #22098 on:** 03 October, 2018, 04:16:36 pm »

37 miles or thereabouts with a small group to examine new cafe on the high street in Riseley Beds. It gets surprisingly lumpy thereabouts by East Anglian standards. Great day for cycling.

Jakob W · « **Reply #22099 on:** 03 October, 2018, 07:06:56 pm »

Yesterday: a quick spin over to Sutton Coldfield for coffee and cake at Under Pressure Espresso (good hipster coffee, and not too expensive). Only 16 miles or so, but the first time out on the bike other than for utility purposes in a while.