Have you been out today?

[rafletcher]

and a dog in a onesie

Umm. Errmm. Some dog owners are odd.

They are. I saw one today, no idea of breed but fairly large, in a pair of frilly gingham knickers. (I assume a bitch on heat, but still).

[orienteer]

The owner, or the dog?

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

I’ve been riding solo since the first start of Coronavirus. I went out yesterday morning into the lanes. Along one lane a voice behind me said “ Coming through, socially distanced, nice day”. He waited for a slightly wider stretch, we smiled at each other, and I slowed up to give him 50 metres or so.
A good experience. It demonstrates how easy it is to stay safe, but still spread a little goodwill.

Early this year I was going out with a local club but stopped when the virus turned up.

Going solo on a ride the day before last lockdown I'd a puncture.  This crappy minipump I was carrying decided to fall apart as I needed to change it from schrader (tourer) to presta (road bike).  Of course another cyclist offered help but I had to say 'no thanks' in the circumstances.  Luckily I managed to get the pump back together after finding the bit that did a runner into the grass..

[T42]

Another lockdown TT, back & forth along the same bits of road for an hour. Did a few laps without changing gear, which was entertaining on the hill at one end of the village.  Might try another variant of that next time: you can change gear up any time you like, but never down. Could be deadly.

[Paul]

Sherwood Pines with Louis this morning. Brilliant. We decided to do the blue route which I thought was just right for our very limited experience. As we got close to the end Louis spotted a turn for the gnarlier red route and suggested that we try it.

Honestly, in my heart, I was already tucking into the hot chocolate and oat bars in the car, but I was so happy to be out with my boy, and so stoked that he was enjoying it enough to want to do more and harder stuff, that I said yes.

We hadn’t gone very far when we realised the error of our ways. Rocks and roots and drops were a bit above our skill level. I was using a friend’s 29er which gave me an advantage over some of it, but Louis deployed youth, suppleness and vigour. Nevertheless, we both called time fairly quickly.

I’m sure we’ll do it again, and give the red run a proper go.

So lovely being out together on bikes.

[T42]

So lovely being out together on bikes.

Yes!  When my son was in his teens we used to ride ~40k to a ruined tower perched on a hill, then run up to the top of the tower, back down again and then cycle home.  While we were climbing the tower we left the bikes locked to trees with cables.  Over 30 years ago, that seemed adequate.  The tower back then had a very solid metal/wood stair inside and a sign warning that you climbed it at your own risk.  Since then, access to almost every castle and tower around here - and we have lots - has been blocked off by the H&S killjoys and the signs say Keep Out.

[Paul]

I know how much I’m going to miss this stuff, so I’m determined to make the most of it. And, frankly, the lockdowns play into my hands: the boys can’t play out with their mates, so I’m the only show in town!

Every cloud...

[tom_e]

Beware doing that at Sherwood - the blue and red run opposite directions, so if you do most of the blue then turn onto the red, you'll end up doing most of the red too!

They're both quite pleasant though.  I managed about half the red on my muni before deciding I was absolutely fucked and limping home on fire roads.  Went back round in the afternoon on mrs_e's full-suss, and it was like pedalling a sofa round the woods.   

We're making the best of it with the kids too, before they grow out of parent-time.

[markcjagar]

I done 90km in the Peaks after a short shift at work, inc. Monsal Head where I took 20 seconds off my PR.

It was cold but dry and the back lanes were still skoggy from overnight. A nice ride, except the minority of drivers one the main roads in and out.

[Paul]

Beware doing that at Sherwood - the blue and red run opposite directions, so if you do most of the blue then turn onto the red, you'll end up doing most of the red too!

They're both quite pleasant though.  I managed about half the red on my muni before deciding I was absolutely fucked and limping home on fire roads.  Went back round in the afternoon on mrs_e's full-suss, and it was like pedalling a sofa round the woods.   

We're making the best of it with the kids too, before they grow out of parent-time.

Aha - I did suspect that where we joined the red run we started going back the way we'd come! Thanks for the info.

How old are yours? mine are 11 and 13 (14 next week).

[tom_e]

We've done it ourselves once.

Kids are 9, 11 & 13 now.  We're not as cool as we used to be at the top end, but she still won't say no to mountain biking!

[Paul]

We're not as cool as we used to be at the top end, but she still won't say no to mountain biking!

Sounds familiar.

[MattH]

Just a relatively benign 10km on local roads. But, it's the first time outside on two wheels in four months since breaking my leg. Out of the saddle climbing is hard and asymmetric, but I'm confident now that I'll be able to do at least one way commutes (16km each way, can safely leave a car overnight at work) and build back to full fitness. Just as we've got the nice weather for it 

[T42]

Another lockdown TT, back & forth along the same bits of road for an hour. Did a few laps without changing gear, which was entertaining on the hill at one end of the village.  Might try another variant of that next time: you can change gear up any time you like, but never down. Could be deadly.

Today: that, again. Threw in a loop up to the church, wow, lockdown jollies.

Then came home and ate too much.

[Kim]

Sneaked out for 40km in the damp in the hope of avoiding a proper soaking.  Funny weather:  Humid as fuck, occasional drips, no wind, bonfire pollution still hanging around in the air.  You should not need winter clothing and a waterproof jacket to maintain a comfortable temperature at 15°C.  Especially with the extra insulation of a recumbent seat.   

Successfully avoided getting rained on, and it brightened up for the second half of the ride.

Potholeman and his friends from the pothole depot have taken over Middle Lane, and are hoovering up the chutney and patching the crumbly bits wiht proper rolled tarmac.  I did the usual thing of riding past the road closure sign (including "No Through Road" for those playing along at home) to see if I could avoid the irksome detour.  This involved trundling behind a couple of horsists riding two abreast in 1st gear, which was fine.  They decided that the big scary machinery was a bit much and detoured into a nearby farm, but I carried on, and was waved through by the men in hi-vis, who cheered me on with a level of enthusiasm second only to the time that Barney thought I had a decent chance of beating someone onna upwrong to first position in a BHPC race.   

[nobby]

53km strong gusts from a damp Southerly wind.
Took a banana, Snickers bar and my usual 50/50 mix of orange juice and water. It wasn't enough. Fortunately a graveyard tender in Beckbury pointed me to a 'Community Shop' which had a couple of Pain aux Chocolat. Nice and easy to eat while riding and don't slip out of a gloved hand.
I found a WELZH 60083 1/4" dive ratchet handle in used but good working condition just out of Swindon, S. Staffs.

I am very tired, probably sugar depleted and I think I need to reassess why I am cycling, what I want from it and how I am going to get that.

[cycleman]

Coffee and cake is the best reason 😋. Plus it keeps you fit and broadens your experiences  .
Just a short potter around Windsor Park today. About 23 miles.

[nobby]

Coffee and cake is the best reason 😋. Plus it keeps you fit and broadens your experiences  .
Just a short potter around Windsor Park today. About 23 miles.

All my routes seem to start, or end, with Cafe 212 in Wombourne just 7km from home as you know 
Bread and bun carbs are good but sugar carbs, as in icing, are having a bad effect nowadays.

[cycleman]

Remove the icing from the cake.......

[T42]

Yesterday, yet another hour spent bouncing like a bloody ping-pong ball from one end of the village to the other and back. And we haven't got a cake-shop.                                                                                                                                                                                                              fuckit.

[L CC]

I'll be seeing you on Zwift before this lockdown is over, T42..

[T42]

Dunno: I'd miss all the fun. E.g. can you run over dog-leads on Zwift?

[Butterfly]

We rode to Anglers country park along the disused railway then the disused canal. Nye on the back of the tandem with me, clarion and Rachel (my niephew) on solos. It was very successful, in that the cafe was surprisingly open for takeaways and it has a playground. Clarion hasn't been out much for ages, so it was particularly nice to ride with him. The loss of so much industrial heritage has left this area with an abundance of "country parks" (former collieries, mostly) and disused railways and canals.

[andrewc]

We rode to Anglers country park along the disused railway then the disused canal. Nye on the back of the tandem with me, clarion and Rachel (my niephew) on solos. It was very successful, in that the cafe was surprisingly open for takeaways and it has a playground. Clarion hasn't been out much for ages, so it was particularly nice to ride with him. The loss of so much industrial heritage has left this area with an abundance of "country parks" (former collieries, mostly) and disused railways and canals.

Yay for Clarion emerging.   Other than a weekly ride to my parents I've not been out for ages.  In fact other than trips to the shops I rarely leave the flat.  It's dark when I get up & dark when I stop work.  I've managed one lunchtime stroll this  week, to http://www.stjamescemetery.co.uk/index/category/gardens   Perhaps not the most cheerful of destinations!   


I miss concerts, and pubs, and the walk to & from my office (I seriously think I'll never return,  I'm pondering a raid to rescue my mug !)  And rides & camping trips with friends!  I even miss Wowbagger's snoring !

[Wowbagger]

We rode to Anglers country park along the disused railway then the disused canal. Nye on the back of the tandem with me, clarion and Rachel (my niephew) on solos. It was very successful, in that the cafe was surprisingly open for takeaways and it has a playground. Clarion hasn't been out much for ages, so it was particularly nice to ride with him. The loss of so much industrial heritage has left this area with an abundance of "country parks" (former collieries, mostly) and disused railways and canals.

...  I even miss Wowbagger's snoring !

I'll set my high quality stereo recorder in the bedroom tonight and will publish edited highlights tomorrow. You will have to distinguish between Jan's snores and mine.