Ride Reports

itboffin

Gps recorded 5726ft ascent no wonder I'm having trouble walking :?

cjcp

Good effort, ITB. You gonna update your stats?

Kieran_Burns

Well - I managed to stretch the distance a little more. 32 miles yesterday and some evil up and downhill sections.

I now have a goal.

I want to be able to cycle to and from Ashbourne which involves what would amount to a 50+ mile round trip and one mahoosive hill right at the end into Ashbourne itself (if anyone knows it, it's the back road version of that HUGE hill on the A515)

I got 2/3 of the way there yesterday and died on the bike :oops: The route it took LOOKED level on the map... it was on average, but the valley side has evil ripples in it and you couldn't build up speed due to blind corners, chicanes and nutters in 4x4s; so you had to brake on the way down and struggle up the other side, again and again and again.

Still - I was absolutely wrecked when I got back but I was glad to make the effort and rather than go straight home (like I wanted to!) I still threw in the extra loop to make sure I did the ride I intended from the start.

I did see a few roadies out and about, fortunately all going the other way so I didn't make a fool of myself :? bimbling along at 16-18mph the whole way.

Oh, I swapped the tyres over as I said I would and they DID make a difference - I do now realise that my bike IS basically slower than a full blown roadie but it's fine for what I need... roll on Cycle to work!

itboffin

Did Christophe3967 make it? is he still trying to find the coast?

Last seen heading North

lost_in_thought

Miles: 47
Hills: few and far between, although surprising for East Anglia
Stops: 3 - all navigational
Liquid consumed: 500ml of high5 :oops:
Number of tiny black bugs in eyes due to forgotten sunglasses: at least 10
Number of tiny black bugs consumed: probably 50
Number of tiny black bugs stuck to me: hundreds.

Despite the little black bugs, a fun ride!

EDIT: hearing the rain start just as you get in the shower: priceless!

greg66_tri_v2.0

Hmm. Miles: zero.

A mate hired a Lotus Elise 111R, and lent me his Honda S2000. We drove to the Brecon Beacons and drove around there a bit.

We covered a lot of distance in a short time. And used a lot of petrol, quickly. Draw your own conclusions.

Saw some riders suffering in the Beacons. I think I had more fun, even though, due to an absence of sun tan lotion, my head and neck now look tomato-coloured.

Training's coming on splendidly <cough, cough>!

lost_in_thought

Sounds like fun! But how many tiny black bugs did you eat?

stuaff

lost_in_thought wrote:

Miles: 47
Hills: few and far between, although surprising for East Anglia
Stops: 3 - all navigational
Liquid consumed: 500ml of high5 :oops:
Number of tiny black bugs in eyes due to forgotten sunglasses: at least 10
Number of tiny black bugs consumed: probably 50
Number of tiny black bugs stuck to me: hundreds.

Despite the little black bugs, a fun ride!

EDIT: hearing the rain start just as you get in the shower: priceless!

A little reminiscent of my own ride today- a mere 35 miles or so, Pompey to QE Country Park (just south of Petersfield, where I was actually aiming for but my navigation was off...). I drank rather more than you (three and a bit bottles of diluted juice). But as for the bugs, fortunately I remembered the glasses, must have had an equal number stuck to me thanks to the sun lotion (which I was thankful for after getting burnt the other week!), just one eaten....!
Oh yes, incidences of chav idiots shouting abuse from passenger seats: three. I console myself with the certain knowledge they couldn't get up Ditchling Beacon under their own steam.....

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

Sounds like fun! But how many tiny black bugs did you eat?

Yeh :P

Shame on you G66

cjcp

Well, I missed the SCR gathering in RP. I didn't get out to the Park until 3.30 because the bedroom needed painting, which I duly did, earning a stack of brownie points (I was up at 6am and in B&Q before 9am).

Weather was lovely when I went out, but decided not to venture further than the Park borders because I wasn't sure when this rain was coming. Sooooo, ended up doing 9 laps clockwise. All on one 750 bottle of flime squash and one banana - don't try that at home, kids. I had to stop for a Cornetto after the end of lap 8, just to make sure I didn't suddenly lose it.

62.5 miles in all. Gaz's ride yesterday gave me that extra motivation to get over the 50mile mark. Thought about pressing on for 10, but the chilli con carne I've cooked for myself was too tempting. And I was getting dizzy. Started to rain just as I arrived home too.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

Well, I missed the SCR gathering in RP. I didn't get out to the Park until 3.30 because the bedroom needed painting, which I duly did, earning a stack of brownie points (I was up at 6am and in B&Q before 9am).

Weather was lovely when I went out, but decided not to venture further than the Park borders because I wasn't sure when this rain was coming. Sooooo, ended up doing 9 laps clockwise. All on one 750 bottle of flime squash and one banana - don't try that at home, kids. I had to stop for a Cornetto after the end of lap 8, just to make sure I didn't suddenly lose it.

62.5 miles in all. Gaz's ride yesterday gave me that extra motivation to get over the 50mile mark. Thought about pressing on for 10, but the chilli con carne I've cooked for myself was too tempting. And I was getting dizzy. Started to rain just as I arrived home too.

Strewth :shock: I thought it was mad dogs and englishmen. May have to petition for some lyric alteration

cjcp

Have to say, it's more interesting going c/wise than anti.

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Strewth :shock: I thought it was mad dogs and englishmen. May have to petition for some lyric alteration

Talking of strewth, you seen Andy Bye's time up Box Hill? :shock:

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Strewth :shock: I thought it was mad dogs and englishmen. May have to petition for some lyric alteration

Talking of strewth, you seen Andy Bye's time up Box Hill? :shock:

Nope. Good, I take it.

cjcp

5.32. :shock:

itboffin

9 laps of RP FFS man how boring was that!?! :shock:

cjcp

It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, largely because of all the traffic and activity in the Park to keep things interesting. It was a steady ride too, so didn't have the pain to battle through as well.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

5.32. :shock:

:shock: indeed. Some work to do :? How hard can that be*

* really only joking

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

Hmm. Miles: zero.

A mate hired a Lotus Elise 111R, and lent me his Honda S2000. We drove to the Brecon Beacons and drove around there a bit.

Where did you go in the Beacons?

greg66_tri_v2.0

cjcp wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Hmm. Miles: zero.

A mate hired a Lotus Elise 111R, and lent me his Honda S2000. We drove to the Brecon Beacons and drove around there a bit.

Where did you go in the Beacons?

Umm, good question. I didn't have the map, so what I can remember is pretty limited.

Well, we stayed at the Bear Hotel in Crickhowell. I'm certain of that.

We spent some time on the B4560, comparing the northbound route with the southbound. A few times. As you do.

On Sunday am we crabbed back and forth north and south across the BBs, heading generally west. The A4069 was much to our liking. On the south side, there's a small space to turn around and swap cars right by the cattle grid. On the north side, there's a spot about 1/2 past the cattle grid to do the same. We were quite familiar with the fine detail of that piece of track, errrrr, road, :oops: :shock: by mid-afternoon.

I suspect that the bikers in the carpark near the top were somewhat bemused.

lost_in_thought

*misses the days of looning around in fast cars*

*might go on pistonheads...*

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

Umm, good question. I didn't have the map, so what I can remember is pretty limited.

Well, we stayed at the Bear Hotel in Crickhowell. I'm certain of that.

We spent some time on the B4560, comparing the northbound route with the southbound. A few times. As you do.

On Sunday am we crabbed back and forth north and south across the BBs, heading generally west. The A4069 was much to our liking. On the south side, there's a small space to turn around and swap cars right by the cattle grid. On the north side, there's a spot about 1/2 past the cattle grid to do the same. We were quite familiar with the fine detail of that piece of track, errrrr, road, :oops: :shock: by mid-afternoon.

I suspect that the bikers in the carpark near the top were somewhat bemused.

All over the place then. I imagine the order has already gone out to the OPEC countries to produce a bit more oil tomorrow.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Those plants and animals that laid down to die millions of years ago, and ended up in our tanks?

Their deaths were not in vain

gtvlusso

Brizzle, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Malmesbury, Chippenham, Corsham, Bath, Bristol -

Fantastic ride on Monday - nothing on the road, loads of wildlife about. I did a 3 stop strategy - 3 x 2 minute breaks (banana and flapjack) and did sprint intervals for my middle 6 miles.

71 miles, 4 hours (pretty much bang on)

I would never have seen a tiny Lizard scuttling across the road if I was hoofing around in a sports car.......G66 Hooligan :-).

But if I had been in a sportscar, walking would not be an issue now :-(

Slow ride into work this morning!

roger_merriman

Greg66 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Hmm. Miles: zero.

A mate hired a Lotus Elise 111R, and lent me his Honda S2000. We drove to the Brecon Beacons and drove around there a bit.

Where did you go in the Beacons?

Umm, good question. I didn't have the map, so what I can remember is pretty limited.

Well, we stayed at the Bear Hotel in Crickhowell. I'm certain of that.

We spent some time on the B4560, comparing the northbound route with the southbound. A few times. As you do.

On Sunday am we crabbed back and forth north and south across the BBs, heading generally west. The A4069 was much to our liking. On the south side, there's a small space to turn around and swap cars right by the cattle grid. On the north side, there's a spot about 1/2 past the cattle grid to do the same. We were quite familiar with the fine detail of that piece of track, errrrr, road, :oops: :shock: by mid-afternoon.

I suspect that the bikers in the carpark near the top were somewhat bemused.

yes you get a few fast cars tested there, Top Gear used to as do the police. (B4560)

Kieran_Burns

Hmmmm.....

I've just realised that a straight run to Ashbourne is in fact not that far. About equivalent to my morning commute, albeit with some hills chucked in)

So the question is: Do I include the loop I have been adding or do I make the direct run and maybe fling in a drag up the Tissington Trail? (as far as Tissington and back?)

I guess what I am asking is: do you get a greater sense of satisfaction getting FURTHER away from home, or from MORE miles? (don't say both!)

I have to say - the thought of CYCLING to somewhere I have only ever driven to really appeals but I can crank up the miles in loops around where I live (following SUSTRANS routes)

Does anyone know how to plot a route and show it?

lost_in_thought

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I guess what I am asking is: do you get a greater sense of satisfaction getting FURTHER away from home, or from MORE miles? (don't say both!)

I have to say - the thought of CYCLING to somewhere I have only ever driven to really appeals but I can crank up the miles in loops around where I live (following SUSTRANS routes)

Does anyone know how to plot a route and show it?

I always think that the best thing is to go as far from home as possible, but not use the same road twice, so essentially a loop but a very elongated one. Or a sort of triangular one - I like those too!

cjcp

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Hmmmm.....

I've just realised that a straight run to Ashbourne is in fact not that far. About equivalent to my morning commute, albeit with some hills chucked in)

Do you go up Middleton Top or whatever it's called?

Kieran_Burns

Yeah - we've been having that discussion in the office, and came to the same conclusion.

Unfortunately, the alternate roads from Ashbourne are both major A roads and really not safe for cycliing on (there have been numerous motorbike accidents on one of them) so it would be an out and back.

Mind you... I do know of a loop that would take me past Alton Towers, and THAT hill is a bitch by anyones standards :shock: Of course I would have to wait until the morning rush of punters is past before trying it.

Okay, so I'm setting myself the goal of cycling to Tissington and back and then Alton Towers in a loop

<gulp>

This would be a whole lot easier with a proper road bike..... 8)

Sewinman

I was taken by an experienced rider for a spin into the countryside south of London yesterday. I have no idea really where we went but we went through crystal palace and out into the sticks. I remember a village called Downe. This was my first proper ride really, other than laps of RP. In total we covered 50 miles, so it was good training for my Bristol ride. It was so much more enjoyable than RP and included some longish hills...the one going back into Crystal Palace was fun! Anerley Hill I think.

I was taught a few things - I spend too much time in my big ring and should mainly be in the smaller one. I need to eat & drink constantly. I should corner like they do on motorbikes with my knee pointing at the inside. Hand signals. Use the drops on descents. I can get up most hills. Finally, that i really love cycling!

Great day out.