Have you been out today?

[Tim Hall]

A quick jaunt on the Pino to Wisborough Green with my Young Lady to meet some friends from the Tandem Club also on a Pino.

We sat outside a Thee Pubbe, like in the Before Times, had a pint, a spot of lunch and a natter, then went our separate ways.  My plan to create a photographic masterpiece of the day's events was somewhat scuppered when I realised that the camera round my neck was The Other camera, the one without a card.

Back via the Downs Link and an ice cream stop.

[Flite]

This morning’s bike ride was “interesting”
“Sunny intervals” said the Met Office.
True, but it’s the bits in between that get you.
Horizontal rain, hail, sleet and snow with a bitterly cold north-easterly.

As usual in the Durham Dales, it was "which 3 (or more) big hills today?"
Today's selection was Bewdley Top to Stanhope, up Crawleyside and down to Edmundbyers, along the Derwent Reservoir to Blanchland, where the anticipated tail wind got me home via Bale Hill and Packlet's Gate.
Only just over 24 miles, but 2,625ft of climb.
Training for Tyne Vags event next weekend....

[Cudzoziemiec]

Similar^ experience yesterday. I'll be fine with my merino jersey and windproof jacket, I thought. In fact I'll probably be taking the jacket off later. No need for that baselayer. Well, it did warm up a bit later but the jacket stayed on and I spent the first couple of hours distinctly chilly. At one point I ended up sheltering a church porch to eat the lunch I'd brought with me (rice and spinach and stuff, food fans). But later there were beautiful bluebell woods, not quite boggy mud, not needing the granny gear to get up the steepest bit, patient motorists (apart from someone in a Tesla), an abandoned railway and getting home to find little bits of stone, presumably from that porch, had fallen into my saddle bag.

[L CC]

This morning’s bike ride was “interesting”
“Sunny intervals” said the Met Office.
True, but it’s the bits in between that get you.
Horizontal rain, hail, sleet and snow with a bitterly cold north-easterly.

As usual in the Durham Dales, it was "which 3 (or more) big hills today?"
Today's selection was Bewdley Top to Stanhope, up Crawleyside and down to Edmundbyers, along the Derwent Reservoir to Blanchland, where the anticipated tail wind got me home via Bale Hill and Packlet's Gate.
Only just over 24 miles, but 2,625ft of climb.
Training for Tyne Vags event next weekend....

Chapel Chase? See you there

[markcjagar]

I did this - https://www.strava.com/activities/5224094840 - it's just about every vicious little bastard of a climb around Strines, Bradfield and Ewden and all of the descents are windy and/or obnoxiously steep. There're very few places to conserve momentum into the climb because the gradient flops around wildly.

A chip butty about 70km in was exactly what was needed.

[Flite]

Chapel Chase?

Correct, hoping for better weather...

[FifeingEejit]

Set off with the plan to double my distance of last weekend and more than double the climb.

This saw me hauling myself and bike up a brae called the "cadgers" and across the old district line towards Kennoway before dropping into Leven where I did not intend to do more than bag some roads before buggering off as quickly as possible in the direction of the Silerburn and the sanctuary of the road to Largo. (Seriously the demographic shift on crossing the burn is unreal)

Alas, as I was bagging one of the yellow roads in the town centre the sound of an explosion rocked the old buildings and a bunch of kids on bikes proclaimed "Sha Hoor Sur yive goat a punkchur" as I wobbled to a halt.

The damage was as I expected a knackered carcass and I had no option but to dig out the trusty sheet of Park Tool Tyre Boots although this threatened to be beyond even them.

Mr Google suggested that there was a Bike Shop open in the wrong direction, so I did as no North East Fifer should ever do, and crossed the Leven into Methil where yon bike shop was shut.
I must note here that my Great Grandad lived in Methil the later part of his life and I have been many times to Methilhill, unfortunately this was before I was indoctrined in the ways of Fife by StAndreans who like to distract you from the area of town South of the Kinness burn looking rough (if only because north is millionaire central) by making you aware of such places as "Methilhill, Kirkland and Denbeath" being the 5th most deprived area of Scotland.

I found a direct route out of Methil alive and climbed on a nice path steadily back up to Kennoway, which I now realise is "Ken No Way am I going further down the hill, that's Methil there"
I once again hauled my lard arse to the top of the Langside, thankfully this side is shallower than the Cadger's but longer and Cadging a lift would have given some relief from both the effort and the slowly deteriorating tyre.

Once summited I relaxed just enough to stay in mind that descending at speed probably wouldn't be clever I still managed to claim a Strava PR on the descent back to the new hame.

[mzjo]

I finally got out this morning 51kms of changing my route plans almost at every turn. Nice day for riding but quite chilly (or parky, as I believe the expression is in some parts of the Royaume Uni). It was as well to get a bit of practice in before the club 100kms next w-e which I have to ride as I'm the route tracer. I feel more confident now and the Gitane was going easily, possibly due to the conversion to 650Bx38 wheels and tyres.

Since it was may 1st and the day of the workers one of my stops was at this memorial to man's cruelty to his fellow man 


This is the lower gate and not the usual entrance but it was as far as I was going today, just beyond my turn. For those curious, the river just behind the entrance is the Glane. Unfortunately not the only such site in the world, not the first and most certainly not the last. And it all looks so peaceful!

[hatler]

Oradour-sur-Glanes ?

I've long wanted to go there.

[mzjo]

Oradour-sur-Glanes ?

I've long wanted to go there.

It is indeed Oradour-sur-Glane, one of the better known massacre sites of WW2 in france but by no means the only one (some of the others remain completely unknown to the wider world, which is a bit sad).

I have never been inside the site even though I'm only 20kms away and pass by fairly frequently. (I am the only one, my kids have been on school trips and I did organise an MZ rally which stopped there once!)

If you were to come as far as the Limousin to visit Oradour I would suggest that you go a bit further and visit Mount Gargan, site of a major battle between Maquis and german forces towards the end of WW2

[guidon]

Stop it Jo - miss walking the dogs up Gargan....maybe even a bit of snow on top this am.... probably get a pootle on the fixed later this pm...20 or so Km round Callac if and only if I can get the head gasket done on an old Renault express diesel

[hatler]

Oradour-sur-Glanes ?

I've long wanted to go there.

It is indeed Oradour-sur-Glane, one of the better known massacre sites of WW2 in france but by no means the only one (some of the others remain completely unknown to the wider world, which is a bit sad).

I have never been inside the site even though I'm only 20kms away and pass by fairly frequently. (I am the only one, my kids have been on school trips and I did organise an MZ rally which stopped there once!)

If you were to come as far as the Limousin to visit Oradour I would suggest that you go a bit further and visit Mount Gargan, site of a major battle between Maquis and german forces towards the end of WW2

Thanks for the tip. It's stashed away in my ever lengthening list of places to go.

[phantasmagoriana]

Indeed I have - first time since September!

Club run returned, so I pumped up my tyres last night and dragged myself out. It was fine, I hadn't totally forgotten how to pedal. Went with the slow group which was nice and chilled out. I hope this becomes a regular thing again.

[perpetual dan]

An enjoyable , mostly flat, and somewhat rough stuff 74km. Through the lanes to Hailsham, then across the levels - the usual emptiness added to by the distant pop of guns, past the observatory and onto the top road and old marsh lane - which were new to me, then some more lanes and woodland trails to get home again.

[sg37409]

First ever audax on a tandem.   Lucys' Ride of the Valkyries, also my eldest sons first audax making it a family outing.  Kind weather, especially the tailwind home which meant we finished relatively fresh although about 30 mins after my son.   Loved it !
Colin and Sonya passing, recognized us and stopped for a wee chat too which added to our day out.

[cycleman]

Out to reading then along ncn 4 river Kennet section to Aldermaston wharf where I stopped at the cafe. After a toasted bacon tomato and beans sandwich, a slice of apple cake and a moca Irode homeward via mortimer, beech Hill, Swallowfield, Arborfield,Winnersh sherlock row and Windsor. A fair amount of sunshine was enjoyed interspersed with a few light showers. 

[rogerzilla]

An up-and-down sort of ride to Uffington White Horse.  Getting very windy now.  One brief shower but we were drinking coffee at the Watchfield Co-Op, mostly under cover.

[zigzag]

took out the vintage steel racer (must be getting old to be turning eccentric) to the lanes of kent, jolly good ride, the wind was mostly from the side and back.

[Canardly]

That looks very neat and tidy. ^^^^^

Not today too 'orrible. Out in the car today to collect some bird food saw a chap cycling southbound on the way back and he was really struggling against the prevailing and somewhat gusty wind. Beard and grimace. Also despaired a bit at some of the building going on whcih is totally out of scale with the surroundings and venacular architecture. We don't seem to have any appropriate standards anymore.  Yesterday a venerable group ride of 50 odd k to a park in Bedford which was wonderful. Loads of bikes on the road and somewhat amazed at the number of people in the park, many with small tots in hand.  A bity chilly on the way back though but.

[T42]

50k yesterday with a nice sampling of local hills and a chilly, gusty west wind. Great fun.

Lots of horse crap on the cycle paths, blocking ¾ of it in places. Horses aren't even allowed on shared paths but they entitled buggers don't give a shit, unless it's out of their horses' arses.

[The Family Cyclist]

Yes and almost wish I hadn't

Slightly overcast day but added a few extra layers and arm warmers and set-off. Slightly disconcerting to start with as lots of sensible overtakes and acknowledgement from the lorry we pulled over to let past as couldn't pass us safely. Found a few new roads and a lovely long descent (my Essex standards) and a bitch of a short climb on which an numpty decided to try and close pass us near the brow of a hill then honked us when he had to abort as I slipped a gear and my friend had to pass me. Unsurprisingly they didn't accept my friends invitation to pull over

Onwards we went at a decent enough speed but the wind was strengthening and the clouds looked ominous. My riding buddy was also looking a tad cold so gave him my waterproof out my saddle bag and stuck back on my arm warmers

Then it hammered down and felt like the temperature plummeted, we nearly hid in an audax hotel when the hail started but pushed on getting soaked and rather cold. Eventually as we came back into town we split up and headed our respective ways. I then realised I'd not got my keys. Knock on the door and no answer. Bugger the wife's out. Pop across road to family with spare key. Bugger they're out. Round the back planning to put on my chainsaw trousers and wax jacket and wellies in the shed but thankfully the wife was in

Absolutely frozen and soaked, needed a little help getting some of my gear off but much better after 6 gallons of tea, chocolate and hot toast. Can't recall being that cold for a very long time.

[markcjagar]

I had a similarly unpleasant ride on Tuesday morning.

Met a friend at 0730 for a ride up Mam Nick from Edale. Got down to Ladybower and decided that riding all the way to Edale with a STONKS headwind was not the best start to the week so we turned at Thornhill and went up Fiddlers Elbow out of Hathersage instead.

Having reached the top of Burbage Moor I realised that my rear tyre was squishier than ideal, the rain was sideways and whilst I had my waterproof on I was not dressed for 15 minutes of not moving. By the time there was enough air in my rear tyre to safely get off the bloody big hill I was unable to feel my hands, my gloves were beyond sodden... With no ascents between there and home, my body temperature plummeted. I went as fast as I could manage but it didn't really help.

I may have warmed up a little bit too quickly in the shower because I felt like my body went into shock.

Once I was clean, dry & dressed I felt much better but had a little tightness in my chest. Consuming tasty vegan treats from Greggs, washed down with caffeinated beverage seemed to do the trick because by the evening I felt like nothing untoward had happened.

[rogerzilla]

About 30 miles on the Moulton.  It...er...gets attention.  Women and kids think it's cool, men think it's a paedopede.

[mzjo]

I had intended to go as far as the meeting place to see who was going out on sundays but bed at 3am and alarm at 7 put the knockers on that plan. Plan B instead which was to see what the folder would do off road so I headed for the local woods. All in all 26kms, probably about 6 in the woods. I was quite impressed with my speed (although the woods were quite slow, certainly under 10km/h in spite of it being mostly flattish and hard and dry), very impressed with the bike and not at all with the tree root that popped his foot out to trip me up and send me flying towards the end (it was my fault, lack of attention to what was in front of my front wheel but I could imagine the oakish exclamation "Il est à moi!" with all the other little trees chipping in "Il a eu le vélo, il a eu le vélo!!!!"). Result scratches and grazes for the rider and a bent front brake lever for the bike. It's nice to find out that the combination of lawyers' lips and safety washers might stop the front wheel coming out but they don't stop it moving in the forks!




Is this considered COR on an unsuitable bike? It was actually pretty ok, I could have used an old road bikes with tubs, apart from the tree roots. With all the drought we've been having the going was very firm to hard!

Oh and the utilitarian cheap Kenda tyres worked very well off-tarmac.

Edit: I forgot to say that all this was in the objective of using the folder to do some véloroutes along canal towpaths and the like when the liaison might be by SNCF bus service (rather than TER)

[L CC]

My cunning campaign to Get Mr Smith Out continues. I checked the elevation profile on today's route so no nasty surprises there - but surface check isn't an option so the AstroTurf covered in more than an inch of cowshit was a surprise. It might have been lovely for the holsteins' feet but was hella squirmy under the tyres.
Sun shone, birds sang, saw a yellowhammer and a range of other small (mostly brown) birds. Smelt like spring - wild garlic and OSR (not together).