Author Topic: Have you been out today? (Read 3915203 times)

Kim · « **Reply #21525 on:** 19 November, 2017, 05:13:26 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 19 November, 2017, 05:06:22 pm

Oi, don't downgrade my incredible turn of speed! Even it it was due to, erm, a downgrade!

Oh, I'm sure your speed was perfectly sufficient. But there's a 30mph one I set off occasionally when doing speeds no greater than the high 20s (going any faster would require acceleration I don't have, or reckless behaviour at the preceding mini-roundabout). I'd say the actual cameras were a bit more resilient to this sort of thing, but that's probably because they're all switched off.

sg37409 · « **Reply #21526 on:** 19 November, 2017, 05:50:47 pm »

Cold 80km to Aberfoyle to pick up my Deep Purple ticket for Wednesday night.

Si S · « **Reply #21527 on:** 20 November, 2017, 12:32:34 pm »

Quote from: Si S on 19 November, 2017, 05:11:42 pm

Yes, the first time for a while 'just for fun'. Discovered what they've done to the old A556 from Over Tabley through Mere and Bucklow Hill. It's not often I'm struck with infra structure, but this is definitely in the getting there category. Essentially half the old DC is a segregated bridleway / cyclepath.

I'll post pics at some point but I liked it so much I rode it both ways then looped around to do it again. 46 km and a big

From this

to this

And it looks like it will connect into the back of Bowdon eventually

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #21528 on:** 20 November, 2017, 12:58:01 pm »

That does look pretty good. The easy, cheap and acceptable thing to do would have been to simply paint cycle lanes up each side, eliminating one general lane in each direction to leave a wide two or three lane road (or perhaps most likely two with a hatched area) and a usable cycle lane along each side. That would have been ok, but this is so much better.

T42 · « **Reply #21529 on:** 20 November, 2017, 04:15:19 pm »

"Usable" is moot in such cases, since motor traffic sweeps grit & divers debris over into the cycle lane. That path there looks well-nigh perfect, if they keep it swept.

Anyway, I put in an OK 45 km this afternoon. It was 4°C most of the way, i.e. 1° below the lower limit set by my cardiologist so I didn't do anything too strenuous apart from pounding up the final hill just for fun. No problems. Nasty cold drizzle on last 10k.

Senior moment once home: wiped the eTrex track instead of saving it.

Charlie Polecat · « **Reply #21530 on:** 20 November, 2017, 04:49:46 pm »

I rode 49 miles on the hike and bike trail yesterday. Temps in the low 60's - which is cool for around here - and blustery.

cycleman · « **Reply #21531 on:** 22 November, 2017, 07:42:11 pm »

43 miles out to twyford via Windsor and knowl hill and back via Dinton pastures and moss end and Windsor. A little breezy but nice and mild .

T42 · « **Reply #21532 on:** 23 November, 2017, 04:40:45 pm »

Hell of a ride. Set out with still air and 8°C, clad accordingly. About an hour in it got warmer, and at half an hour later it reached 18°C. At the same time the wind got up to nearly gale force, at times pushing the front wheel sideways. On one slope that I usually coast down at about 40 kph I had to pedal hard, and managed to reach 21 kph: the flat was murder. Had lunch at ~40k out, and when I got up to leave my quads felt like overstretched elastic. Unfortunately they went on feeling like that all the way home so I couldn't take advantage of the tailwind, but it was slackening off anyway. Knackered now. Glad I went out, though - beats sitting home and cursing.

According to Meteo France the wind was 30 kph ave with 60 kph gusts. I believe them.

cycleman · « **Reply #21533 on:** 25 November, 2017, 07:40:21 am »

A potter with Jonathan notp to Dinton pastures returning via moss end garden village . I rode ahead of Jonathan and stopped at junctions to wait for him and at the end of the ride I had a ave speed of 8.5mph over 41.43 miles . We stopped at Sam's Bikes at moss end garden village and met a nice man who had a very nice whyte full suspension mountain bike. I mentioned the forum so he might be reading this post.

ElyDave · « **Reply #21534 on:** 25 November, 2017, 05:52:32 pm »

60k around the fens today, I underestimated the wind, both directionally and strength and it was bloody hard work as a result, with about a 26.5km/h average to show for it thanks to some downwind legs. Crisp and clear and lovely bright sunshine, but chilly, and as the sun went down it very cold indeed, 2C according to Garmin.

Saw herons, egrets, kestrels and a group of three deer, muntjack I think - stopped to take a photo, but they spotted me and scarpered.

Stopped off for a craft beer on the way home at the Drayman's the best real ale pub in Ely

Feanor · « **Reply #21535 on:** 25 November, 2017, 08:07:25 pm »

I did a chilly and well-ventilated 100k local loop.

The wind was directly from the west, and pretty strong.
The outbound 50k leg was a fair struggle.
The homeward 50k leg was wind assisted, but I couldn't really make much advantage from it on account of my legs being ded from the outbound leg.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1289922262

View from the top:

Queens View by Ron Lowe, on Flickr

T42 · « **Reply #21536 on:** 29 November, 2017, 02:32:03 pm »

Went out thinking to take lunch at 40k but jacked it in when back started howling - too much wood-hauling yesterday. ~25k in toto.

Captain Offensive · « **Reply #21537 on:** 29 November, 2017, 04:03:20 pm »

Had the day off yesterday (Tuesday) was planning on spending the whole day out but recovering from a cold so cut it short.

Did a 50 miler in the end from Hastings across Romney Marsh, up on to the hill at the north side of the marsh, across to Hamstreet and then got the train home (original plan was to include the 25 miles back home). Made pretty good time in the end but the legs were completely empty for the last ten miles. Lungs/fitness felt fine but legs were just like lead. Weather was uninspiring but still a nice (half and a bit) day out. Now just got 166 miles to go to make it to 3,000 miles this year....

videoman · « **Reply #21538 on:** 29 November, 2017, 04:41:46 pm »

Wish Id been out, laid up with a nasty cold.

Snakehips · « **Reply #21539 on:** 29 November, 2017, 04:46:33 pm »

A windy, nippy 18 miles in the Bushy Park area mainly to get out in to the cold rather than just thinking about doing it.

essexian · « **Reply #21540 on:** 30 November, 2017, 01:25:23 pm »

Cold and icy out there so instead of riding on the road as I would normally, I got my MTB out for its yearly run to Gnosall and back along the disused railway line.

Twenty km in an hour was enjoyable although I really need to service the bike as I could not change gear as the rear derailleur seems to be stuck. So instead, I stuck the change in something like 48/18 and spun away

Can't say I am a great spinner but as the route "climbs" a total of 40m in total, gears weren't really required.

Finally I noticed that "they" have completed the last section of the route now between Stafford and Derrington so if you want, the route could be used by any bike....that said, the section between Haughton and Gnosall (the first bit done) has not had any repairs etc so now for at least 3km, the path is now less than a metre wide.

SoreTween · « **Reply #21541 on:** 30 November, 2017, 07:22:43 pm »

Sunday: Arrived Italy, bike didn't
Monday: Bike in Italy in hands of courier
Tuesday: pleut. Should have checked out bike anyway because
Wednesday: pump not working
Today: only a 10k test amble down & back up the sea front but my account in Italy is open, plans for the weekend are no longer fading and I has a big grin.

Jayjay · « **Reply #21542 on:** 02 December, 2017, 09:14:57 pm »

Out to next village to the farm shop, peanuts for Mum's bird feeder and chainsaw oil for chains. Very nice sun and light winds for December. A lot different to some of this week's dark sleety miles. Durn dynamo was slipping in the wet on Friday, will have to peer at that tomorrow.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #21543 on:** 03 December, 2017, 02:37:53 pm »

Not much riding yesterday but a few events. Firstly, a puncture less than half an hour in. Removed some shards of glass from the tyre and swapped the tube. Secondly, some bloke in a silver Fiat gave me a friendly toot, a thumbs up and a cheesy grin. Don't know who it was cos it wasn't who I thought I might be. Then some muddy lanes, a little COR, more muddy lanes before joining the rather empty A38 and doing some "fast". And then... front tyre's flat again. I very rarely get punctures so two in one ride is a bit much. Couldn't find anything in the tyre (same tyre) but my "spare" had already been patched and it looked as if the patches might not have sealed properly, so I located the hole in the first tube and patched it (with a glueless patch rather than a traditional vulcanising one). Didn't seal. And to make matters worse, my pump fell to pieces! It's a Lezyne micro floor pump with a pressure gauge in the hose, and the gauge came out at both ends. Fortunately it screws in so I was able to get it back together again but it still leaks. Put the spare tube in again, pumped it up and it held long enough to get me back into town. Got lost trying to follow a new to me route through the wastelands of Sadly Broke, saw the Hitachi electric train shed in the distance and eventually found Partway Station and knew where I was. By then the tyre needed more air. Blinded some pedestrians who dramatically shielded their faces, because my IQ-X was slipping on its bracket again. Apologized to them but I don't think they heard. Stopped to adjust light. Got home. Tea, shower, food. Boy comes home from his friends and talks about GCSE options, including detail of electron shells which I'm sure I never learnt (as opposed to having forgotten) at chemistry O level. Found spare pump. Slept.

Kim · « **Reply #21544 on:** 03 December, 2017, 04:19:34 pm »

Took barakta to see someone hand a petition to the Mayor, and home via the geese and some Silly Sustrans gates.

ETA: Barakta on the BBC! https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09gv5xw/midlands-today-weekend-news-03122017#

SoreTween · « **Reply #21545 on:** 03 December, 2017, 06:05:53 pm »

Took a gamble last night not setting the alarm as knackered. Woke feeling good at 08:45 so plans for the day remained on. Opened the curtains to perfection in weather form, clear blue skies and negligible wind. So down for breakfast for a good fill up plus I made myself a ham & cheese sandwich and took a bananana & boiled egg. Handily there's a sandwich bag dispenser in my hotel room though on the wall in the bathroom is an odd place for it.

A bit of faffage & street viewing important junctions put me away just after 9 for a ride to Lucca, 105 km and 600mtr according to cycle.travel. My intention was 10kph as this is the furthest I've been on my M2L. Navigation wasn't the easiest. I'd forgotten to pick up a spare garmin mount so my edge 500 was in my pocket and I only had the c.t route sheet as PDF on my phone, also in pocket. I got there though and had a ball climbing the hairpins of my first proper ~~mountain~~ foot hills. I got a pleasing number of double takes and 'are you mad?' looks from descending roadies. Really though it wasn't tough, look at the profile on the c.t link. The first climb was just long, I'd deliberately identified a steeper, though obviously much shorter, climb in the FoD to try out. The second shorter climb did have me out of the saddle and stopping for breathers. I've spent a large part of this year trying to learn to dance without blowing my heart rate and I seem no closer.

Lots of navigation moments later I arrived in Lucca and sat down in almost the first cafe I found. Blissfully they had lasagne on the menu which is just about ideal for me. Bar Lippi in Piazza Napoleone. As I finished eating a thin cloud covered the sun and it was suddenly a lot colder. I was shivering by the time I'd paid so I didn't hang about despite there being a market in the square. Bit of a rethink too, I no longer wanted to be out far past sunset. Some COR and a lot more navigation moments through some thoroughly uninteresting scenery put me back on the coast where I paused to eat my snidge. Then to Viareggio which was heaving and then onto some simply superb cycleways to begin 19 interminable km along the coast.

How long did it take? Not sure, my garmin has thrown a rod and there's nothing in the activities folder for today or my test ride a few days ago. Bummed. I think I was back at 17:40 ish so 8 hours and it was showing 118 kms and way under the expected climbing, only about 400mtr. That seems too fast, 14.75kmh. I was 11.2km behind my ghost when I had 11.4 km to go, c.t sets the ghost to 15kph. Can't be far off though. I set the time on my camera at 09:04 this morning still in my room and sent a safe home message to Mrs Tween at 17:47 also in my room... Oh hang on, my ghost will have ridden the correct course hence me being a long way behind despite only a bit slower.

Left hand badly numb and twanging my dodgy nerve that side after Viareggio, Bromptons are the anthesis of ergonomic. Aching about as much as you'd expect given my previous furthest on it was about 12km.

Off for a soak.

[ETA] Nugget. Test ride was on the phone not the garmin. Last activity in the history on the Garmin itself was June

I've done loads since then and have the fits, todays is the first to evporate.

Ruthie · « **Reply #21546 on:** 09 December, 2017, 04:45:51 pm »

Well, yes, but it was a bit weird. I haven't been out on a bike since September (cold, chest infection, poor time management), and when I got the tourer out of the bike box there was mould growing on the saddle and the drive train was a solid black chunk of skog. So I found the saddle soap, gave the saddle a clean down, did something with GT85 to the drivetrain, and searched out the lights in case I was heading back later than expected.

So far, so good.

The ride was OK, very cold indeed but I still have loads of good winter gear left from when I used to cycle commute. So I was wearing my nice navy cords with a grey turtle neck sweater, a long string of pearls, Christmas jumper over the top, warm padded jacket, buff, woolly hat, lobster winter gloves. Shimano cycling/hiking boots. Lovely and toasty. The skies were clear and it was one of those lovely crisp winter days. It was good to be out again.

The destination was the cycling club Christmas meal at a pub about three miles from my house. When I got there there was just the one bike parked outside. Which made me think I'd turned up at the wrong pub. Wouldn't be the first (or second, or third) time.

But, no, I was in the right place. But basically everyone seemed to find it a bit odd that I'd travelled there by bike. And there were only three cycling women there (though some people had brought wives), and I didn't know them, so I sat with two of the men who lead the novice ride and they were lovely company as always.

I was told to get a lift next time, someone would be sure to be happy to bring me there and back in their car.

Then I left early-ish (straight after the presentations, most of which went to one person called Dave), to catch the last of the daylight.

I think I must have a really weird perception of risk or something, because I'm the only one who doesn't wear a helmet, and I'm one of two people who turned up to the Cycling club Christmas do on a bike.

I just feel really perplexed.

mcshroom · « **Reply #21547 on:** 09 December, 2017, 04:54:27 pm »

Not just riding to a cycling club do on a bike, but in normal clothes too!

Weirdo!

sojournermike · « **Reply #21548 on:** 09 December, 2017, 04:57:48 pm »

Quote from: mcshroom on 09 December, 2017, 04:54:27 pm

Not just riding to a cycling club do on a bike, but in normal clothes too!

Weirdo!

'String of pearls' - mark of a classy lady cyclist. Good work Ruthie.

sojournermike · « **Reply #21549 on:** 09 December, 2017, 05:02:25 pm »

Out for a nice gentle pootle with my mate Neil and his son Rowan, both notp. 28 miles in freezing air, but no precipitation and around the lanes to the east and north. Lovely ride, but got an it cool at the end when Rowan 'stopped working' as a consequence of running out of fuel. I think he underestimated the amour of heating needed and still hasn't learnt that even flat North Yorkshire isn't Cambridge;) On the plus side he's just moved for the first time 2 hours after we returned and he curled up in the sofa in his sleeping bag with our dog to warm him up...

Author Topic: Have you been out today? (Read 3915203 times)

essexian