Author Topic: Have you been out today?  (Read 3814719 times)

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22725 on: 17 November, 2019, 10:28:21 am »
I route tested my planned audax for the summer. There are some changes to be made but I'm very happy with the 'main event', the loop out in the Chilterns (though I'll. Red to add a couple of km in distance somehow - odd how komoot says 204 km but in reality it's shorter). Couple of slow flats but nothing the plug kit couldn't deal with.







YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22726 on: 30 November, 2019, 03:58:50 pm »
40-odd km coffee-shop ride with El Prez, he with his heart-block that kicks in and hurts when he makes a sudden effort and I with my right foot and ankle sending out jolts of pain every time I held it like that and pressed the pedal.  A right couple of old crocks.  Lovely day - 6°C, sunny & breezy - but it was The Lassie Who Can't Make Coffee on duty in the shop, so getting home to a cuppa was pleasing.  Think I'll have another.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22727 on: 30 November, 2019, 05:48:25 pm »
Early (for weekend values of early) spin through the lanes to Reigate.  I left late enough for the frost to have disappeared and enjoyed the autumn sunshine after what seems like weeks of rain. Got a sharp haircut, paid some Scout money in at a bank, visited my niece and returned. Saw a deer without road sense, a brace of parakeets and a buzzard.

55km. A nice run out.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22728 on: 30 November, 2019, 07:08:41 pm »
Blue loop at Thetford: 12km of easy mtb in the woods normally.  But this time with me on the MUni, mini1 running, and the dog taking the piss out of us.

Knackered.  All three of us, I think.

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22729 on: 01 December, 2019, 01:56:41 pm »
First ride since September for me today! Also the coldest day we've had for ages (it was -5 in parts). My fingers were not happy. However, it was good to get out with the few other souls who braved the club run, and the coffee stop was most welcome.

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22730 on: 01 December, 2019, 03:45:11 pm »
Went for a standard run out into the Peak from Hillsborough, cold but soon got warmed up on the first climb. Was fine descending the A57 down to Ladybower. The return climb up from Yorkshire Bridge near Bamford was shaded and there was ice on the ground.

My friend came off at a cattle grid and bumped his head (was wearing a helmet which has a visible crack where the impact was), his wife came to fetch him, he seemed okay but is getting checked out. I continued on gingerly and changed my route home opting for main roads which were fine.

Was harder than usual but to be expected because I've not been cycling much lately and I've had a bit of a cold this week.

Clear blue skies and beautiful views at the top of Higger Tor/Burbage Edge.

Snakehips

  • Twixt London and leafy Surrey
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22731 on: 01 December, 2019, 03:58:12 pm »
I managed a 22 miler just before the weather changed from cold to wet.
If you were in Richmond Park you might have noticed me.  I was the guy with the oily black hands  wielding a chain tool by the White Lodge, and then about 50 yds along the road doing it again rather more successfully the second time.
An nescis, mi fili, quantilla prudentia mundus regatur?

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22732 on: 01 December, 2019, 04:38:18 pm »
First ride for weeks, joined the short ride group from Uxbridge through a myriad of back streets to Ruislip for coffee and Harrow Weald for lunch in a Wetherspoons. About a dozen of us, I ducked out and caught the tube back from Rayners Lane, total 19 miles. Feel a lot better for it despite the cold, and managed to avoid the light rain later.

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22733 on: 03 December, 2019, 09:19:18 pm »
Went out for 40 odd km of main roads tonight. Sheffield to Hathersage and then back up the A57 and down the Rivellin Valley to Hillsborough. Sloppy roads and cold toes

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22734 on: 08 December, 2019, 09:06:16 am »
Yesterday.  For ages I haven't been on a longish ride so I decided it was about time despite the grimy, grey, greasy weather. 

Unfortunately I didn't quite get the clothing right as toward the end I was quite chilled and it was necessary to ride hard to keep warm..  My ride took me to Castle Howard via Thornton le Clay and then back via Bulmer.  Probably 45 to 50 miles which I did in about 190 minutes riding the wonderful British Eagle Touristique*.  Castle Howard was a heaving mass of cars all trying to find somewhere to park, guided by hordes of traffic marshals.  Getting out of York was easy enough, getting back in was a challenge but fortunately bicycles can go where cars can't.  I was pleased to have the dynohub powering my day time running lights but in fact the motorists were all well behaved, no exceptions.

* just thought, it's 32 this year!
Move Faster and Bake Things

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22735 on: 08 December, 2019, 09:31:23 am »
Big ride from London to the Enigma factory yesterday. 102 km long so not super big, but throw in 1400m of climbing and that's a recipe for sore legs this morning!

It was a really fascinating visit.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22736 on: 08 December, 2019, 09:06:23 pm »
My first Potter since my back went ping. A little flat 15 mile circuit with a friend I met in hospital last week. We stopped to eat at the walled garden centre at Dorney Court and spent 10mins sheltering under a bridge from a shower on the way back 🙂
the slower you go the more you see

Snakehips

  • Twixt London and leafy Surrey
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22737 on: 14 December, 2019, 07:45:21 pm »
I went out for two rides today.
The first one, a modest 11 miler in a howling gale just to keep the scoreboard ticking over towards my monthly target of 300 miles, which I hope to achieve before the big day.
The second one, a reminder of just how great cycling can be after dark in the cooler parts of the year. I did a mini Tour de Majestic, visiting the Kingston and Strawberry Hill branches, crossing the Thames twice and sampling a wide range of reds and desserts wines. I even ordered a case of
Mayu Carménère Appassimento 2016
An nescis, mi fili, quantilla prudentia mundus regatur?

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22738 on: 15 December, 2019, 09:32:02 pm »
A pretty poor weekend for me. I recently knackered out pretty every moving part on the Kona excluding wheels, shifters and rear mech, and so it's in for heavy servicing (and a new groupset....). So I borrowed a bike to try to attempt Paul's ditchling devil perm. Rolled up to the start line and I just didn't have the heart. The garmin was displaying a weird route for some reason, which I'm sure I could have figured out, but I didn't want to do it. The borrowed bike didn't fit me very well and after Thursday's shit news (which I'd seen coming) I decided I'd just not bother. Texted a mate and went to theirs for a pot of tea and a moan instead.

Spent today fettling the fixed gear into working condition for duty this week.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22739 on: 16 December, 2019, 02:04:26 pm »
A short, mostly off-road trip on the Landrover.  I chickened out yesterday because of forecast ice and snow, the snow didn't materialise but it was certainly cold enough.  Still a few patches of ice today and very clarty along a woodland track but worth it for some lovely views in the clear sunshine.  Only 16 miles however a nice couple of hours out in the fresh air.



Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22740 on: 16 December, 2019, 02:25:05 pm »
First ride in 9 days 'cos weather, 35k with a bit of climbing.  Saw two Great Egrets, picked up a parasitic wheelsucker who slipstreamed me happily no matter what speed I did but crawled when I bluffed him into overtaking. Fortunately he turned off after while. Cnut.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22741 on: 17 December, 2019, 03:20:01 pm »
First outside ride for a week, too busy last week, despite being at home. It was not the best weather but was the best day from a scheduling point, with lunch out tomorrow at the pub/Thai in the village, then Thursday brunch and theatre at the barbican.

Anyway, Kings Lynn and train back, deciding to follow NCN 11 rather than my alternative routes, not realising it was 10km shorter. Weather was foul, thick fog, cold getting in your bones, and intermittent drizzle, but you know what I loved every minute of it. 

NCN signing was intermittent as usual, but I managed to avoid previous errors. Those folks who make up these routes really have a strange understanding of bike suitable roads. Route 11 goes through Downham Market, which is fair enough, something has to. Only issue is the route through the town centre, of which there are many possibilities, so what do they do? Send it through a busy supermarket car park which also has HGV's parked waiting for the loading bay.  Next time I'll follow my instinct. 

Arrived at KL with half an hour before the next train, so time for a nice coffee and a bacon and egg sarnie, they were out of sausage. Blood glucose played nice all the way, so bonus there as well.

Lanes were thoroughly skoggy with beet harvest ongoing, so it was a wheels off hose down of the bike, and the chain is currently soaking in a jar of unleaded.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22742 on: 17 December, 2019, 05:46:48 pm »
Not much work today so I went out at about 3ish for a 30km loop.

Went up Lodge Lane which is apparently 1.13km at an avg gradient of 9% and has a max of 27%. Big oof!

Came back through the start of rush hour traffic, forgot how much I enjoy filtering through dense traffic.

Smugness levels rarely get higher.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22743 on: 19 December, 2019, 02:35:58 pm »
Cold, foggy, coffeeless and unfinished loop, thanks to Lady P. The local cycle paths are crossed by field access points, and for ~5 km are even shared with agricultural traffic so the bike was thick with something sticky that was probably mostly mud chickened out of fixing it and so I sent a mayday to MrsT. Only 30 km. Looking at Météo France's website that's it until after Christmas. Bleh.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22744 on: 22 December, 2019, 04:45:06 pm »
Festive club run this morning, so I took the opportunity to dig out my festive tat and join in. Some of the other riders had made more of an effort, including Santa, Mrs Claus (the reigning women's RTTC 24 hour champion, no less), and an elf.  :thumbsup:

Jayjay

  • Layin' back a bit these days.
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22745 on: 22 December, 2019, 07:55:49 pm »
Riding back from the works "do" after staying overnight, working some excess calories away for a couple of hours. Trike is proper mucky though, from all the water, mud and rotting leaves laying on the surfaces.

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22746 on: 23 December, 2019, 10:09:40 am »
yesterday and coming through Rossendale from Bacup - Waterfoot there is now a cycle path through two reopened railway tunnels. Hard surface, lighting in the tunnels (could be brighter) but does offer a good route for pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists should any of you be going that way

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/17900076.waterfoot-tunnel-reopening-creates-new-route-east-lancashire-cyclists/

Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22747 on: 23 December, 2019, 04:51:23 pm »
yesterday and coming through Rossendale from Bacup - Waterfoot there is now a cycle path through two reopened railway tunnels. Hard surface, lighting in the tunnels (could be brighter) but does offer a good route for pedestrians, equestrians and cyclists should any of you be going that way

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/17900076.waterfoot-tunnel-reopening-creates-new-route-east-lancashire-cyclists/

Along a similar line it seems like the Queensferry tunnel in West Yorkshire will be used in a similar fashion

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22748 on: 23 December, 2019, 04:55:32 pm »
Nope. Not today, not yesterday nor the day before nor the day before that.
Not, in fact, since last Monday, when I cycled home with the beginnings of this blasted cold which persists still.

I’m going stir crazy!
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Have you been out today?
« Reply #22749 on: 24 December, 2019, 07:10:07 am »
My annual Consultant clinic at Addenbrooks yesterday, which has become an excuse for generally my last long ride of the year, as long as the weather allows.  Last year it was new years eve and was probably the nicest so far.

Yesterday, nice enough temperature, but I'd not realised how strong the headwind would be until I hit the river path, and thanked myself that I'd built in my usual half hour buffer for a coffee on arrival. I was barely making 24 kmh, slow for me and was thinking it was going to be a tough ride. A small section of COR, and past the veg-packing plant, hmm, that doesn't feel right. Rear wheel puncture, great.

Wheel off, tyre off, tube out, no problem. Can't find anything in there, so new tube in, can inspect the old one at my leisure. CO2 inflator, oops, tyre not seated right, that bulge looks iffy, have another go. Second time, the inflator unscrews the valve core as I take it off. Luckily I carry a back up pump on these rides as well, but it had taken me the best part of ten minutes by now.  Rest of the ride was straight forward enough, I even managed to find the start of the nice new cycleway at Anglesey Abbey, but I had speed/distance/time metrics going through my mind until I got there with about ten mins to spare. 

Appointment was good, saw the big boss man this time. 

Ride home was interesting. Decided to ride halfway, to Waterbeach and train from there, only I arrived half an hour before the next train. Instead of retiring to ye pubbe just up the road, I decided to ride back to Cambridge North where there are more trains. In my defence I'd never ridden this route before, but looked at it on a map and there seemed to be a path from Fen Ditton, along the river to the meadows, cross the river then back the other side.

No.

COR to the max, I was "riding" on 28mm road tyres, with mudguards on a grassy riverbank after several days heavy rain. Once the front wheel stopped moving, I got off and walked, winter MTB boots worked a treat. Picture the cross worlds.

Then when I got to the hard packed path, it was bloody shut! Not quite retracing my steps, but back through Fen Ditton to the Newmarket Road and Cambridge snarl ups. I always take the back route to the hospital as I find Cambridge quite an intimidating and nerve-wracking place to cycle. Ended up at Cambridge main state after the most roundabout route possible, and on a later train than if I'd waited at Waterbeach, 80km total, hosed half a fen off the bike when I got home.

Should have gone to the pub.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens