Weekday antisocial rides

itboffin

forecast 19c with strong gusts, hmmm time for some hill work.

Fireblade96

Summer's here !
SS jersey and shorts for the first time this year :-)
35 miles, 2000ft of climbing, average 16mph.
Came round one bend to meet a red kite on the road trying to eat a squished pheasant, but didn't manage to get a photo.

And in the last couple of miles had a van honk at me, quite politely, then pull alongside and shout (kinda high-pitched fat bloke shout) "use the cycle track!"
Gave him a dumbfounded look, then overtook him in traffic, saluted and left him to his heart attack.

Hungry now....

itboffin

Disappointed by my earlier 35 mile hilly ride into the headwind I came home, ate the left over pasta & meatballs then headed out for 6 x 3.5 mile laps on various bikes in "The Fleet" thoroughly enjoyable day of cycling, fettling, cycling, fettling

Pretty shattered now but as luck would have it I have a case of cold beer that's not going to drink itself and besides an hour or two in the garden will top up todays tan very nicely

FB you up for a leisurely ride, short & slow than the last one perhaps :roll:

Fireblade96

itboffin wrote:

Disappointed by my earlier 35 mile hilly ride into the headwind I came home, ate the left over pasta & meatballs then headed out for 6 x 3.5 mile laps on various bikes in "The Fleet" thoroughly enjoyable day of cycling, fettling, cycling, fettling

Pretty shattered now but as luck would have it I have a case of cold beer that's not going to drink itself and besides an hour or two in the garden will top up todays tan very nicely

FB you up for a leisurely ride, short & slow than the last one perhaps :roll:

It is a tad windy out isn't it ?

Yup, happy to go for a ride, preferably one with cake stops! That said, I rode through Yattendon this afternoon and spied the West Berks Brewery...

Speaking of beer, gottago meet ex-colleagues for bitching and beers :-)

EKE_38BPM

Too nice a day to job hunt so went for a little spin.

Tried (and succeeded) in doing the last 20 or so miles (going through Central London) without unclipping. No leaning, no feet down, just lots of trackstanding.
This riding fixed lark is OK, but the size of the frame became an issue after about 60 miles. Need a bigger frame and/or a non-whiplashed neck.

I've eaten dinner already, but I think its time for a sequel before bed.

deptfordmarmoset

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Too nice a day to job hunt so went for a little spin.

Tried (and succeeded) in doing the last 20 or so miles (going through Central London) without unclipping. No leaning, no feet down, just lots of trackstanding.
This riding fixed lark is OK, but the size of the frame became an issue after about 60 miles. Need a bigger frame and/or a non-whiplashed neck.

I've eaten dinner already, but I think its time for a sequel before bed.

What happened, EKE? I missed reading about that.

EKE_38BPM

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Too nice a day to job hunt so went for a little spin.

Tried (and succeeded) in doing the last 20 or so miles (going through Central London) without unclipping. No leaning, no feet down, just lots of trackstanding.
This riding fixed lark is OK, but the size of the frame became an issue after about 60 miles. Need a bigger frame and/or a non-whiplashed neck.

I've eaten dinner already, but I think its time for a sequel before bed.

What happened, EKE? I missed reading about that.

A few years ago I was left hooked.
I was on a major road and passed a car waiting to emerge from a minor road to my right. I looked at the driver, she looked at me and waited for me to pass. About 20 metres down the road I was on, there is a left turn and the same woman left hooked me.
As I was laying on the floor, wiggling my toes to make sure I could still feel/move my legs, she told a passer-by "I thought I would make it"
My front wheel connected with her nearside wing, she was nowhere near 'making it' and I flew over the bonnet/front of the car, did a half sommersault and landed on my back.
Anyway, I was laid up for about 2 weeks, I had 9 months of physiotherapy and I was off the bike for over a year.
My phyisotherapist says I will always have neck problems but did a great job of getting me back on the bike. When I did L2B return, I went to visit her the next day to tell her what I had just done and to say thanks.

I have to do exercises to keep my neck muscles supple, but still have problems. Being in one position for a long time (watching TV, at the cinema, sleeping, riding etc) results in the muscles stiffening.

deptfordmarmoset

Phew, I was worried you'd been in the wars recently and I'd missed that post. Still, a year off the bike and still suffering 2 years later, you must have given her bonnet quite a dusting!

EKE_38BPM

I'll be suffering for life, according to my physio, or in her words:"EKE, you'll always have a neck."

Little things can send my neck muscles into spasm, like turning my head (not my whole body) to talk to someone sitting next to me.
An ex thought it would be funny to splash a few drops of cold water onto my head/neck one morning before I had woken up. I jumped up when I was splashed (as anyone would) but the cold water and/or the sudden movement sent my neck muscles into spasm and I was in constant (taking prescription painkillers) pain for the next three days. She didn't realise how bad my neck was, felt very guilty and never did it again.

Fireblade96

Right - Bambi Burgers procured for burning later, there's beer in the fridge, new shorts bought (thank you Evans price match), time to go for a ride.

I may be some time :-)

itboffin

AWESOME day of riding 8)

Jay dubbleU

Tour de Savernake yesterday - my hill climbing is phenomenal - had the front wheel off the ground on a couple of road climbs - awesome weather

itboffin

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Tour de Savernake yesterday - my hill climbing is phenomenal - had the front wheel off the ground on a couple of road climbs - awesome weather

Ah you should have popped by my house me and Attica were having a post ride BBQ.

wvanry

@ITB you riding or hiding tomorrow? come down and I will take you through kent with a few climbs, promise not to keep you waiting

itboffin

wvanry wrote:

@ITB you riding or hiding tomorrow? come down and I will take you through kent with a few climbs, promise not to keep you waiting

I is riding locally matey, now i'm officially unemployed scum I need to actually find a job, fingers crossed things might be on the up, have a couple of interviews lined up :?

cjcp

Excellent six-laps of RP with JG this morning. 1:56:20-odd (too tired to go upstairs to get the watch and check the exact time). 18:05 for the last lap. The last bit from Roehampton to Sheen roundabout had me in all sorts of bother.

Flyingbogey

Had my 1st go at the 3 lapper today. Went off like a scolded cat and did the 1st in 16:50. smug grin was replaced by pained grimace as i stopped overtaking and held position before being overtaken a few times. I would love to blame my hangover or the traffic but i can't. Total of 1:03;45. as a committed commuter now realise the benefit of frequent stops for lights and no longer consider myself gods gift to two wheels. I will try again soon. Hope the guy being seen by the LAS by the golf course is ok, sorry i didn't stop on lap 1 but i thought you were having a nice lie down on the grass.

cjcp

16:50?! Sweet Caesar's Ghost, man. Stupendous effort.

Flyingbogey

Wifey was timing me from the car park at Kingston gate as i have no tech on the bike but she thought i'd given up on the last lap...

cjcp

That's very good going. Unlike the other gates, it's a straight up-hill start.

itboffin

Lovely solo burn around the Savernake forest, very lost several times - ACE!

Jay dubbleU

Had another run around Savernake on the MTB on Sunday - excellent

jzed

cjcp wrote:

Excellent six-laps of RP with JG this morning. 1:56:20-odd (too tired to go upstairs to get the watch and check the exact time). 18:05 for the last lap. The last bit from Roehampton to Sheen roundabout had me in all sorts of bother.

:shock: May have to reconsider evening laps - they were already painful but seems they may become more painful. Chapeau - 3 laps is hard enough but 6.

I managed a 58.33 tonight for 3 laps. Wish I'd gone clockwise as seemed to be battling a wind most of the way round - especially the bit from Kingston to Richmond and down Sawyers. Laps were pretty consistent.

Kieran_Burns

Oh I screwed up good and proper yesterday.

Last minute decision to go and do a 100K run, had a slight tickle in the throat but nothing to worry about.

I get to Tissington and have damn' near collapsed - it's only 20 miles out and while I was going into a minor headwind I shouldn't feel that tired.

I umm and ahh for a bit and realise that something isn't right and decide to cut the ride short and head back. Thank God I did. By the time I got back to the car I had to sit for 30 minutes just to get enough energy back to drive home.

I get home and I'm now shivering and sweaty, have a bath, put my head down for a minute and lost an hour.

I now have aching joints, shivers, my throat is killing me and it bubbles when I cough.

Still the good news is: I should've got some great vids of the Tissington Trail (and I got a LOT of comments from people about the camera )

itboffin

Really blowing and cold here now :evil:

Hmmm might have to take the commuter and head for the relative protection of the lanes :evil:

itboffin

That was rubbish, cold & windy :evil:

Why do people think it's okay to drive down single track twisting country lanes at the same speed as the motorway????

Fucktards!

Kieran_Burns

I did get a few good bits of footage in. This was the scariest:

http://youtu.be/REkXfVVFG4c?hd=1

JUST hit 40mph on the Tricross. That brow you see leaves you completely unsighted until after you're committed to the fast descent. It takes some nerve to be pushing hard at the top, but if you do, you're 'rewarded' with 45mph+ as you hit the bottom and it means you can power up the other side really quickly.

ThatBikeGuy

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I did get a few good bits of footage in. This was the scariest:

http://youtu.be/REkXfVVFG4c?hd=1

JUST hit 40mph on the Tricross. That brow you see leaves you completely unsighted until after you're committed to the fast descent. It takes some nerve to be pushing hard at the top, but if you do, you're 'rewarded' with 45mph+ as you hit the bottom and it means you can power up the other side really quickly.

Didn't know you had a helmet cam! I shall have to keep an eye on your youtube channel now 8)

Kieran_Burns

Add yourself as a subscriber - you'll see when I post any new ones up. I tend only post positive ones (with one exception!)

Oh, and leave a comment - I always like to get feedback

itboffin

Once again i'm amazed & blessed by yet more awesome riding right outside my front door.

In my village there's a network of short cut trails to the post office, school etc. there's also one that crosses the road and follows the start of the river Bourne ...

I followed it this morning for 1/2 a mile then straight into a snow white esq forest, wild flowers and animals everywhere - no people in sight

I explored a bit then headed along the edge bridleway trails which led to the main road across the middle of a field of crops, which seems like an odd path and finally to the bottom of a steep sandy hill :?

Much wheel slipping and sliding later I'm at the top and can see the trail home and the roof of my house.

Total distance travelled = 8 miles, maximum distance from home = 1.5 mile 8)

I make that Pimms o'clock :P