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Out to the Vale of Belvoir: 45 miles, which is actually longer than any ride I did during the whole of 2019! Included 5 miles of completely flat riding along the Grantham Canal towpath, followed immediately by one of the roads up the Belvoir escarpment: 100 metres of climbing, including a short stretch of 1-in-7 near the top.
A very windy pre Brendan 30 miles and 2'500ft of climbing today taking in Youlgreave,Heathcote,Earl Sterndale and Chelmorton.
Roads were damp and plenty of cowshit around but just managed to get home before it started raining.
A glorious day for a 50 mile and 4'800ft bike ride in the Staffordshire Moorlands. A midride refuel of Poached Egg on Toast at Cobbles Cafe,Longnor.
Just the job.
A glorious day for a 50 mile and 4'800ft bike ride in the Staffordshire Moorlands. A midride refuel of Poached Egg on Toast at Cobbles Cafe,Longnor.
Just the job.
That good you did it twice i see
Out cycling during a slightly extended lunch-break; route included Six Hills Road from Walton-on-the-Wolds. "Six Hills Road" may sound like a route most cyclists would want to avoid, but (a) there's only one hill on the road, climbing out of Walton at a rather moderate gradient; (b) it doesn't go as far as Six Hills; (c) even if you do go to Six Hills, you will find that there are no hills there (it's on a rather flat plateau).
But Six Hills Road is a delightful narrow lane, which after a couple of miles peters out into a farm track, and then there is a bridleway along a field edge to the nearest road. Usually the farm track is rideable on my touring bike (32mm tyres), and even the field edge is often firm enough to ride. Not today, with the mud created by the Winter's rain. And at the start of the bridleway section there was a Bad Gateway (but not 502): nothing wrong with the gate itself, just the mud that you had to stand in to open it.
Perhaps someone is interested in a new off road race here in Wales, gravel tracks mainly. The two day Gritfest sold out in hours this year, so Matt Paige is putting on a longer single day race in the forestry - thought it may appeal to someone. https://gravelfondo.cymru/
I was actually tempted to get bike fit and try the shorter route, but Missus has a big birthday party that day - so not going to happen.
Thanks for posting. I was quite tempted but then realised it was the same weekend as the Lake District Mountain Trial mores the pity
Thankfully, today's 100km (Ride The Reservoir) sportive didn't get cancelled though a few probably wished it had! Absolutely atrocious weather - wind, rain and flooding with not much let up throughout. The earlier flooding had left pot holes and mud and gravel all over the road so care was needed on the descents. I had the chance at 55k to bail out and do the shorter 70k root but this coincided with a let up in the rain and recovering some sense of feeling in my fingers. So, ever the optimist and spurred on by the sun trying to break through, I set off on the extra loop. Cue torrential downpour and flash flooding! Of course, I had checked the map and profile thoroughly before the off and noted the only big hills were at the start and in the last 10km. What I hadn't picked up on was the saw tooth profile of the extra loop. Lots of small, sharp hills to sap what energy had not been washed away already.
By the time we rejoined the shorter route, I was running out of gas and limped home 30 minutes later than my planned 4 hours. Never has a post-ride curry tasted so good. My feet have just about thawed out now.
Running very hit and miss at the moment due to persistent calf injury so out on the bike yesterday on a glorious day for cycling. 36 miles and 3,000ft around the Dove valley. Spring has finally sprung. Lambs, birdsong and warmth from the sun.
One thing I noticed was the lack of vapour trails against the blue sky!
Hopefully a silver lining to the coronavirus restrictions is that I will be able to rest/repair my calf properly and not be tempted, as I have been doing, to race when it is not ready!