Silly commuting racing

itboffin

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

ITB - Fantastic pics, to say I'm jealous would be an understatement! I'd need to ride about 8 miles before I find roads like that where I live

I know, I kid you not all roads out of my village looks just like those, lucky lucky lucky

Here's a couple of pics I took during the summer LAST year
http://www.flickr.com/photos/itboffin/s ... 187908579/

lost_in_thought

Oooooh I wanna play!

The road on which I live in Essex



House is the other side of the pine copse.

itboffin

Nice, lucky you, best of both worlds.

Rich158

ITB - you're a lucky sod, it does look a bit on the cold side though :shock:

redvee

lost_in_thought wrote:

Oooooh I wanna play!

The road on which I live in Essex



House is the other side of the pine copse.

What you can't see behind the camera is the bike that LiT rode to take the pic, either that or the fact it took LiT an hour to walk to where the piccie was taken from.

Nice view regardless of how you got there.

Bassjunkieuk

LiT's pic reminds me of the rolling countryside that I rode down whilst on the Capital to Coast last year, just fantastic!
The father-in-law lives in the middle of the countryside and me and the wife are certainly prefer rural living to the middle of a city! It's just so peaceful and the whole time we where down there in the summer I spent most of the time when we where driving around thinking about how much fun I could have on my bike :-) One day I'll move somewhere like that.

lost_in_thought

Now you can see why I leg it back to Essex at every opportunity!

And redvee, at the minute it would probably take me well over an hour to walk there.

Spitchips - BANNED

lost_in_thought wrote:

Now you can see why I leg it back to Essex at every opportunity!

And redvee, at the minute it would probably take me well over an hour to walk there.

so where is your stone cladding, satelite dish and shell suit?

gtvlusso

Are you sure thats Essex - I don't see any white Ford Escort Cabriolets?!



I was bought up on the Malvern Hills, in fact my folks pad is about a half a mile down the path on the right of the first hill in the pic. I guess I did not see it's greatness as a kid, just thought it was a boring place for old gits and a bugger to cycle anywhere (I.e. lots of steep hills!).

I do enjoy the city now though....Apart from the little vandal that keyed all the cars down my street the other night....

But, LiT does seem to have found a perfect environment - city and country life!

Clever Pun

pish to photos I've got 3 new year scalps under my belt huzzar!!

After 2 weeks of over eating and drinking I damn near puked but it was great gunning it and bining 3 other roadies... back in the saddle oh yeah

iain_j

The 2009 counter now reads 3.5 miles and it feels good

Hardly any cars on the road never mind other bikes. It's suprising how unsteady and nervous i feel on the bike when i've been off it for a week. Of course having two pairs of bulky gloves on and chilly legs probably played a part.

I'm curious as to how my front light is angled much lower than when i left it on christmas eve. The bracket's still tight, so i hope i've not just ridden to work with loose handlebars :shock:

cjcp

Hmmm. New Year lethargy or what. The one roadie going in my direction I let a roadie overtake me coming up to a roundabout after I'd seen him coming a few minutes back. I was on my road bike too and he visibly trying, but I just couldn't rustle up enough enthusiasm to up the pace. :oops:

Clever Pun

cjcp wrote:

Hmmm. New Year lethargy or what. The one roadie going in my direction I let a roadie overtake me coming up to a roundabout after I'd seen him coming a few minutes back. I was on my road bike too and he visibly trying, but I just couldn't rustle up enough enthusiasm to up the pace. :oops:

not a good way to start the year... I thought I might be sick when chasing one down

Jay dubbleU

gb155 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

That was my first biking since 21st with only eating and drinking to excess in the meantime. I wasn't my normal self up the hills :oops:

Jon, you must weigh, ooo, what, all of 10st now after all that eating.

Oi. cheek. I'm a whopping 10.5 stones I'll have you know.

Have a good meal, will you! (Says he jealous of his mountain goat-esque-ness)

Happy new year, all.

Gaz - what's the mileage target for next year?

Accounting for Holidays, Sickness and Breakdowns I would be happy with 2500 :shock: Scary to think this time 12 months ago I couldn't even walk to the kitchen

I am also entering the 2009 Manchester to Blackpool Ride, My original target was was 2010 but with 7 months to go IM READY



EDIT: I have updated my blog and added a new (old) pic for all those intrested.

http://gazzasblogs.blogspot.com/2008/12 ... makes.html

Congratulations Gaz - I didn't have a weight problem but I gave up smoking about 5 years ago and put on a couple of stone which I couldn't get rid of - three months on the bike and I've lost about an inch round the waist - keep it up - the effort is worth it - these days I'm back into climbing and fell walking which I haven't done since I was in my twenties

8)

Bassjunkieuk

GTVL - They look familiar :-) My father-in-law lives in Bromyard and we went to the Malvern Hills once when we where down visiting him. Me, my 7 yr old and him (with dog) made it to the highest peak and left the wife a bit lower down with the kids :-)
The sweetest bit tho was when the eldest apologized "for slowing me down" as she was walking a bit slow having climbed so much during the day!
I'm also not to sure which one of us had the most fun running back down :-D

cjcp

Clever Pun wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Hmmm. New Year lethargy or what. The one roadie going in my direction I let a roadie overtake me coming up to a roundabout after I'd seen him coming a few minutes back. I was on my road bike too and he visibly trying, but I just couldn't rustle up enough enthusiasm to up the pace. :oops:

not a good way to start the year... I thought I might be sick when chasing one down

I know. I've had a word with myself.

DonDaddyD

Hi my (online) name is Dondaddyd and I haven't ridden a bike or scalped anyone since I went on Chrimbo Holiday way back on Dec 20something.

This is partly because the bike was in the menders for a service and wheel truing and also because I don't want to ride the bike until I've fitted his new wheels (am deciding/waiting on new tyres). All of which doesn't detract from the point MTFU and my response to that is to hold my head lowered in shame.

I just wanted to make my confession to the 'God of SCR' and hope that he/she welcomes me back into his/her bosom because I miss the pleasure and the glory of overtaking someone and riding like the clappers so they don't catch up and then pretending not to breath heavily (essentially suffocating myself) at the lights.

For thy is the kingdom, the glory and the master of the open road. Hoy!

DiggingDeeper

It's pretty empty out there today..............First 12 miles of 2009 done

Just one herbert on a hybrid serial rljing at a fair lick. Took me a bit longer to overhaul him than I would have liked, but he went down eventually.

Happy New Year fellow SCRs, time to up the scalp quota this year.

il_principe

Oh the shame of Christmas. Rode 26 miles on the 30th and the same route on the 31st. First time @ 1:25:59, second @ 1:31:15. Pre xmas I was doing the same route in 1:20 without suffering very much. *Sigh, there is much work to be done in 2009, starting in Feb obviously as I'm off to Turkey on the 13th for a weeks holiday.

iain_j

2009: cyclists seen = 1, scalps = 2, success = 200%

Saw no cyclists this morning, but I saw one on the way home tonight. Despite him not pushing a very high pace it took me ages to catch him up cos of the post-christmas lethargy. When the scalp came it was swift and I pushed on to get a respectable distance ahead. A mile later he nearly knocked me off as he swerved past me as I slowed down for the queue at the traffic lights. Past the lights (which he stopped at while on red but went off again before they'd gone green), he's dawdling again so I scalped him again.

gb155

Jay dubbleU wrote:

gb155 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

That was my first biking since 21st with only eating and drinking to excess in the meantime. I wasn't my normal self up the hills :oops:

Jon, you must weigh, ooo, what, all of 10st now after all that eating.

Oi. cheek. I'm a whopping 10.5 stones I'll have you know.

Have a good meal, will you! (Says he jealous of his mountain goat-esque-ness)

Happy new year, all.

Gaz - what's the mileage target for next year?

Accounting for Holidays, Sickness and Breakdowns I would be happy with 2500 :shock: Scary to think this time 12 months ago I couldn't even walk to the kitchen

I am also entering the 2009 Manchester to Blackpool Ride, My original target was was 2010 but with 7 months to go IM READY



EDIT: I have updated my blog and added a new (old) pic for all those intrested.

http://gazzasblogs.blogspot.com/2008/12 ... makes.html

Congratulations Gaz - I didn't have a weight problem but I gave up smoking about 5 years ago and put on a couple of stone which I couldn't get rid of - three months on the bike and I've lost about an inch round the waist - keep it up - the effort is worth it - these days I'm back into climbing and fell walking which I haven't done since I was in my twenties

8)

Thanks Man

Everyday now is so much more fulfilled than it was 12 months ago, I went out and picked up some tablets for the misses today (Off work till 12th) only 3 miles but loved every second of it, I finally feel as if im starting to live my life, July is my next HUGE target, Gonna get some serious millage in next week and then when commuting its gonna be the long way every day, In short I have a better life now than any time I can remember for years and why because of a 280 quid Giant Yukon (Although it has a few upgrades now lol)

Gaz

jimmypippa

lost_in_thought wrote:

Oooooh I wanna play!

The road on which I live in Essex


House is the other side of the pine copse.

Nice, I want to play too...


The view from my commute on the way home on the most direct, but not fastest route, about 5 mins from home:

Both photos taken this afternoon (2pm finish on Friday)
I like my commute.




From a bit higher up, the top of the hill, the road is the other side of the wall.

My normal commute is just this side of the reservoir, and there is a really "amusing" climb onto the plateau opposite (Coombs edge), for a different route...



I have lots of hills to play with.

tailwindhome

gb155 wrote:

I am also entering the 2009 Manchester to Blackpool Ride, My original target was was 2010 but with 7 months to go IM READY

Fair play to you

Glad you decided to go for it in 2009, you didn't lose the weight in '08 by procrastinating, and having started commuting the 'long way' to work I'm sure a 54 mile ride will be wee buns for you (as they say in Norn Iron) by the the time the summer comes.

I suggest three ideas

1 Enlist other Forumites in a team effort
2 Buy a road bike
3 Do it for a Charity - I'd be more than happy to sponsor you

All the best

WMC

cjcp

Partly atoned for my lethargy yesterday morning with a swift ride home last night, aided by what seemed like a tailwind and a bit of fun with an SS. Dropped him on Embankment only for him to sneak back up when I stopped just long enough at some lights further down the road.

Very pleasant to be on the road bike once again.

itboffin

@cjcp shame on you.

@DDD welcome back.

After what seems like a lifetime i'm finally over the norovirus, the sun is shining and it's the weekend

How are rest of the SCR walking wounded?

gb155

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

gb155 wrote:

I am also entering the 2009 Manchester to Blackpool Ride, My original target was was 2010 but with 7 months to go IM READY

Fair play to you

Glad you decided to go for it in 2009, you didn't lose the weight in '08 by procrastinating, and having started commuting the 'long way' to work I'm sure a 54 mile ride will be wee buns for you (as they say in Norn Iron) by the the time the summer comes.

I suggest three ideas

1 Enlist other Forumites in a team effort
2 Buy a road bike
3 Do it for a Charity - I'd be more than happy to sponsor you

All the best

WMC

Thanks Man

The ride is in aid of Christy Cancer Hospital, I will set up a justgiving page for anyone who would be kind enough to offer sponsorship

I'm also looking to get myself a road bike/hybrid

My long way commute is 14 miles each way so I hope I have pretty much many angles covered,

Heck I have even started going to the supermarket on my bike

Thanks again for kind words and offer of sponsorship

Gaz

Totalnewbie

I'm out of the Game!

Got on bike for the first time since flu, pedalled very slowly to LBS, hacking up my lungs all the way and feeling 'wobbly'. It's not conducive to racing...

Bassjunkieuk

Totalnewbie wrote:

I'm out of the Game!

Got on bike for the first time since flu, pedalled very slowly to LBS, hacking up my lungs all the way and feeling 'wobbly'. It's not conducive to racing...

What is this racing you speak of?

I'm back up in town next week and possibly on some later starts with a new route to try out so should hopefully produce some interesting competition!

itboffin

race! what race?

+2 for me today on the "virtual" commute, not even interesting either, I rounded the corner and they we're right in front of me, cheery good mornings all round and I was past.

Super slow ride for me today :oops:

Totalnewbie

Ok, then, having post-flu lungs is not conducive to 'passing fellow commuters without even trying'...