Author Topic: Have you been out today? (Read 3902649 times)

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #20925 on:** 01 May, 2017, 06:59:19 pm »

Having missed the start of Sunday's CTC ride to Cricklade (I was only five minutes late and they never normally start on time!), where the idea was apparently to see some particular kind of butterfly at a nature reserve, I did a little exploring on my own. This involved some (well surfaced) bridleways and a lot of stopping to look at things.

Ford nr Iron Acton. Slow moving and not too deep but very uneven rocky bottom, and muddy, so I used the footbridge.

I'm never sure if these are harebells or bluebells.

Norman?? doorway of Holy Trinity, Rangeworthy

Don't let your bike wander in this village.

Feanor · « **Reply #20926 on:** 01 May, 2017, 08:06:46 pm »

Back in Houston, and a couple of rides over the weekend.

Turns out that there's a huge charidee event on (the MS150), and there's not a rental bike to be had for love nor money.
One of the Houston Randonneur guys Knows People in the large bike rental place, and he pulls some strings, and they find a machine they can rent me.

It's a S-Works Veng Vias, with deep section carbon Aero rims and carbon everything.
Sadly, my Brooks saddle wouldn't fit ( the saddle rails are fractionally too close together, and no amount of persuasion would get the thing on ):

Burton by Ron Lowe, on Flickr

My poorly pre-planned route took me over 4.5k of Comedy Off-Road on this totally inapproporiate bike!
I think I messed up the route-sheet to GPS translation.
4.5 k of deep loose sand / gravel, heavily corrugated and almost unrideable.
I don't think the wheels were totally happy with my choice of route.

After 140k of heat, humidity and brutal winds on day 1, the saddle was a bit uncomfortable, but that was nothing compared to my shoulders / neck / arms / hands due to the ride position.

I'd planned to do a 200 on the Sunday, but I was not up for that after Saturday, so I did an 80k route with a stop for Blue Bell ice cream in Brenham:

JukeBox by Ron Lowe, on Flickr

That was a much betterer plan!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #20927 on:** 01 May, 2017, 11:30:00 pm »

A 17.nn mile potter on the Thorn tandem with Mrs. Wow. I had forgotten how much I love that bike! We have decided to do a short E. Anglian tour on it in June.

Kim · « **Reply #20928 on:** 03 May, 2017, 12:04:52 am »

70.8km. That's the furthest I've ridden since September by a significant margin.

On the Red Baron, where I'd shortened the boom by ~5mm to see if that reduced the strain it feels like it's putting on my Achilles. Seemed to work, even if just placebo effect. Optimum tyre pressure is definitely an improvement.

Bloody hell, I'm unfit though. The Baron is the sort of bike it's hard not to give it some welly on downhill, which doesn't help. By 50km I was knackered. Fortunately there was emergency chocolate lurking in the rack bag. The way I see it, if I'm complaining about kanckeredness rather than pain, I'm winning...

woollypigs · « **Reply #20929 on:** 03 May, 2017, 07:47:44 am »

ooohh jolly good riding there Kim

Need to stock up on my emergency things which I tend to eat without it being an emergency.

Basil · « **Reply #20930 on:** 03 May, 2017, 03:47:41 pm »

Astonishingly, I have been out today. Just a short bimble around the local lanes, recreating the shorter of the two rides I did with Wowbagger and Jan when they were down this way 10? years ago.

Wowbagger may remember this

IMG_0256 by Basil W, on Flickr

It was working fine, but I couldn't find anyone to ask if it was generating still, or if they'd connected it to the grid or anything.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #20931 on:** 04 May, 2017, 10:40:17 am »

I do remember it, Basil! I think it was 2007. Definitely PBP year because I spent a lot of time where we were staying following YACF to see how people were getting on.

T42 · « **Reply #20932 on:** 05 May, 2017, 02:56:32 pm »

101k, 80k thereof with El Presidente, mostly through Germany (Pfalz). The first 65k were lousy: damp with a cold wind. through forest where the sun only shines once per Sothic Cycle. Lousy roads, but lousy, faulty tarmac having been patched in 3D and the sticky-up lumps sculpted by a chimp with a shovel and a hangover. The lumps had lumps. Anyway, we were both sluggish and I reckon that either of us solo would have packed it in after an hour. 65k found us in Dahn, where a favourite espresso/ice-cream place was open, so we spent a pleasant 20 minutes there before heading home again - Prez wanted to see the start of the Giro, ICBA. We had a great gallop home with a following wind, and on one respectable climb I had the pleasure of overtaking a gaggle of eBikes that had just been a blot in the distance ahead of us at the bottom.

Funny cardiac performance: heart slow, legs sore until the last bit, when belting up that hill forced heart over the theoretical max; thereafter it started responding properly and my legs were fine all the way home. Maybe the ice-cream and two espressos helped.

Basil · « **Reply #20933 on:** 05 May, 2017, 03:14:11 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 04 May, 2017, 10:40:17 am

I do remember it, Basil! I think it was 2007. Definitely PBP year because I spent a lot of time where we were staying following YACF to see how people were getting on.

Was that metal fence thingy there last time? I don't remember it.

matthew · « **Reply #20934 on:** 05 May, 2017, 05:51:07 pm »

Emphatically yes. My longest ride in 12 months. 65km from Rydal, round the back of Thirlmere, down to the A66 and across to Troutbeck. Over to Ulswater and back to Ambleside via Kirkstone pass.

Very scenic compared to Berks and i shouldn't have given blood on monday.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #20935 on:** 06 May, 2017, 09:28:19 am »

I'm about 16 miles from home at the cafė in the Cotswold Water Park. It is chilly and windy...not ideal for riding but at least it's dry. Will pick a route back with more tree shelter.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #20936 on:** 06 May, 2017, 07:52:49 pm »

Friday Night Ride from Bristol to Barry Island. Cool, dry, cloudy. By dawn I'd managed to fix my headlight bracket so it no longer alternated between dazzling pilots and boring into the ground. At least, I think it's fixed. Amazing the distances people come from for this; Bristol and Cardiff, obviously, other parts of South Wales, sensibly, London, predictably, but also Portsmouth, Brighton, Oxford, even Cambridge. Interesting to hear people's impressions of Bristol: fearsome steepness of Park St (it would be understandable if Cambridge man felt this, but he didn't), "busy" Stokes Croft and the persistent aroma of weed on the Bath-Bristol cycle path. Barry Island has penguins (photo to follow). Cardiff Bay is very windy. Millennium Centre is more impressive than its photos. Then got a train (7 bikes in a 2-car train! But it was empty) to Severn Tunnel Jctn in order to avoid the built up areas of Cardiff and Newport before riding home from there along some delightful lanes. Some of them might have been the same ones we'd come in on. Riding on Saturday after no sleep felt no harder than riding on the night, but staying awake when not riding is another matter. Olveston bakery is wonderful! Home about 1, slept till 6.

Edit: Photo of penguin on Barry Island

perpetual dan · « **Reply #20937 on:** 07 May, 2017, 03:20:03 pm »

A nice morning ride ... went up onto the south downs at Firle beacon, where I realised I'm not as fit as I'd like but not as unfit as I feared. Then, having caught my breath, bumped into some friends who were out for a walk. Pausing for a photo, I saw a Swallow and there were also two big groups of people trying to fly and many DofE type groups on the South Downs Way. I went off the path more travelled and down a quieter route to Alfriston, seeing (rather than just hearing) a Skylark on the way. The narrow downhill also revealed that my singletracking is a bit rusty, but only inflicted a few nettle stings on the way. Then, in order to be home for lunch, I turned and went back along the old coach road and via Glynde. The chalk road is much nicer on a cool day than in the blazing sun. A jolly nice 41km.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #20938 on:** 07 May, 2017, 04:12:45 pm »

Quote from: perpetual dan on 07 May, 2017, 03:20:03 pm

I realised I'm not as fit as I'd like but not as unfit as I feared.

This is so often the way.

phantasmagoriana · « **Reply #20939 on:** 07 May, 2017, 06:06:27 pm »

100k on the Arkose, on an "alternative" club gravel ride. A beautiful warm day - the annoying easterly wind has finally dropped, and the sun was shining throughout. Good fun was had - the trails were dry and dusty, and I actually enjoyed the off-roading.

I've now got sunburn and a filthy dust-covered bike.

Blodwyn Pig · « **Reply #20940 on:** 08 May, 2017, 05:01:54 pm »

A short ride in That Essex. Drove my old Landrover to Ongar , for a new cambelt and radiator, left it there and rode home on the A128, to Tilbury, + ferry and home, reverse journey prob Wed to pick it up. only 35k. Sooo nice to ride somewhere 'completely new'

Wowbagger · « **Reply #20941 on:** 08 May, 2017, 08:10:54 pm »

Numerous short rides on the Circe with gd, amounting to about 5 miles. At one point poor Marth caught her right foot between the pedal and the frame, bruising and cutting her foot. She was very stoical.

T42 · « **Reply #20942 on:** 10 May, 2017, 10:51:15 am »

One of my old standard loops yesterday, 165k via the Col de Valsberg in the Vosges. This was the first Vosgien col I ever attempted, back in 2001. At 650 metres it's not exactly the Ventoux, but back then I hadn't done much else and it felt great. Total climb was around 1200m, nastiest being a 2 km false flat coming after the descent from the col. Yesterday was the first time I'd done it since my heart attack last year, so it felt great all over again. Last time I did it was in April 2015, in between the pre-PBP brevets so I was in good form - but yesterday I was faster.

The approach route has a lot to recommend it:

A cold day with sun but unpleasant damp wind. For the first 60k I was thinking up excuses to turn back, but coffee & croissants in Saverne put me in a better mood.

Well satisfied, even though this morning I am shuffling about like a zombie.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #20943 on:** 10 May, 2017, 01:26:11 pm »

Sounds like you are in better shape than me T42.

T42 · « **Reply #20944 on:** 10 May, 2017, 01:34:37 pm »

You'll be better in the end. It took me three hours to warm up.

T42 · « **Reply #20945 on:** 10 May, 2017, 02:41:42 pm »

Forgot to add that on climb up to col the crown-mounted bracket holding my Ixon-IQ sheared and the lamp played a tune on my front spokes on its way down. Glad of that: if it had waited until I was belting down the other side I mightn't be writing this. I think I'll put the dynamo + IQ/Cyo on again for longish rides. Ixon is OK: got a nick in the top back but still works.

T42 · « **Reply #20946 on:** 13 May, 2017, 02:43:20 pm »

105k tootle round the Outre Forêt, the region between the Northern Vosges and the Rhine. Looks flat but ain't, and a lot of the hills aren't gentle. First ride in a bunch since 2016's cardiac shenanigans: many of these guys I used to ride with on equal terms, now they're pulling well away on hills while muggins lathers in the rear*. Must do something about that.

Fair-to-middling buggered now, and I've got another tootle tomorrow.

*metaphor: my bike does not sport a bidet.

perpetual dan · « **Reply #20947 on:** 13 May, 2017, 04:53:01 pm »

A nice few hours spent on the downs between Kingston and Woodingdean. Loaned someone a tyre lever and did I bit of opening gates for each other with someone else.
I used to live that way, and the folk that bought our house haven't done much with the garden since!

Si S · « **Reply #20948 on:** 13 May, 2017, 04:54:38 pm »

Out to the Bikeshak for gloves and bits and bobs followed by a bimble to Tatton Park for a sit in the sun, lovely if a bit breezy. Took a lot to get motivated but worth it. 42km

drossall · « **Reply #20949 on:** 14 May, 2017, 06:38:36 pm »

Cycled back from Scout camp (rode there on Friday). Only 25 miles each way, but full camping gear with front and rear panniers. Rode past the hangars at Cardington, and got a good view of the airship which was tethered outside.