Today's ROAD ride

[NeilM]

Re:

Another Saturday, another nice ride.

This is working well for the minute; as my wife and I have a couple of horses they obviously need riding on a daily basis and Saturday used to be an all day affair. However, in summer there are a lot of big, nasty, biting fly's about, so we tend to ride early mornings and keep the rides quite short (2 hours), so, after lunch I get time to cram in a few more miles.

Today I decided to head up onto the Mendips. I worked my way over to and up Burrington Combe.

It's a nice climb with lots of brows followed by slightly easier sections, it has quite a number of caves, so, like today, you often see cavers clumping along the roadside footways, you also from time to time, see goats. :shock:

Once at the top I turned right, towards Charterhouse, where there are old Roman lead workings, and then a bit further on Cheddar Gorge.

Up, Burrington, up out of Charterhouse and then.... up.

Eventually you get to the top of the final climb, and are right on top of the Mendip Hills.

The Gorge was fun, nice and dry and really clear of traffic until you get right to the bottom. This allowed me to hootle down on the Keith Coppell, setting my fastest times ever. I have to say Keith knew his stuff, as the bike turns in fast and holds a superb tight line, even when the rider overcooks it.

From the Gorge to was over to Axbridge, a short pull on the A38 and then back into countryside, just about Winscombe.

From Winscombe over to Banwell, past Banwell castle, which is a folly, well, a castle but not an old one. Then back towards W-s-M inevitably crossing the M5.

Hell on Wheels

And back home for a nice cuppa.

 

[mattr]

Well. My 145 on Tuesday turned into another 140 Wednesday and 85 on Thursday.
Completed the kattegattsleden.
Also completely stuffed the wifes left knee and my right one.

Her entire drive train is stuffed.

An expensive few days.
Think I'll train for the next one.

And my kids apparently enjoy the noise I make when they punch me in the thighs.

Lovely.

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Hi,

Just got back from a week in Abergavenny, Wales. Naturally, I took a bike along. First ride, a two hour affair,

WARNING: Picture heavy ! ! :roll:

So, having got myself an O/S map, I worked out a route around the back of Abergavenny, onto a nice quiet road,

IMG_0540 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

A bit of downhill, never too far from the hills though.

IMG_0542 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Lovely scenery, and very little traffic,

IMG_0543 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

With signs of the past never far away,

IMG_0544 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

And the hill that was tomorrow's challenge, Sugar Loaf.

IMG_0545 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Now these are the sort of hills I like, downhills! Into Crickhowell

IMG_0546 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Then a boring main road into Llanfoist, had to take a photo of the local Post Office

IMG_0548 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Before heading back through Abergavenny and on to the village where we stayed, Llanarth.

A splendid ride over hard but quiet roads. With the ever threatening rain holding off.

Mike

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Ok, second ride of my break.

One of Mrs Muz's ideas, to have a picnic up Sugar Loaf. TBH, I was scared of driving up it, into the unknown, and in an '02 1.4 Golf, that is a bit rattly, and on a single track road with the occasional passing place, and a big drop to the left.

Liking a challenge, I decided to try and ride up it. The only issue I thought would be the 39 x 23 first gear I had. It wouldn't be. :facepalm:

So after a half hour warm up, past a very tempting looking motorhome,

IMG_0549 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

I got to the bottom of the climb.

IMG_0551 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

First gear engaged, for the steep section ahead,

IMG_0560 by Michael Murray, on Flickr


Half way up this, it sneaked into the 21t :shock: Aaaaarrrrggghhh! Stopped dead! :facepalm: Cable adjusted, I somehow managed to get my feet back in, without slipping over. Steepness and Look cleats are not a good combination!

Then I made it! All the way to the cattle grid! :facepalm:

IMG_0559 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Going so slow, I didn't want to risk a turn of the bars and a broken when I stopped again. The road bends round the back of the bench in the background - behind the third fence post on from the left. I made it to the road sign just past the bike, before the gear took it's toll on my legs and I had to stop again.
But this was my last fail of the climb :roll: and in a sweaty heap, I arrived at the top!

IMG_0557 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Would have been a splendid view, if it hadn't been hazy!

The ride back down, was when I took the photos, in case you were wondering! :roll:

Then back to base, feeling a bit peeved that I hadn't made it in one go. :facepalm:

Still good weather

Mike

 

[The History Man]

That's the same way to Crickhowell I took last month. Up to Forest coal Pit and over. Down to the river bridge then into the town and out the other side to camp at Llangattock. Nice.

 

[gmac123]

nice roads, nice ride, well in there

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

My last ride before we headed home the following day, I just had to take on the climb I'd seen from Sugar Loaf.

So back into Llanfoist I went, turning left onto what seemed like a main road. Quickly onto the 23t first gear, I went around a hairpin, under the cover of trees, around a bend. Where the road bent skywards.
Labouring a bit in this gear, I ground along, approaching each bend thinking to myself, it will ease around this one. Each time I was disappointed. After what seemed like half an hour but was actually only a few minutes of suffering, I could see ahead the Sun breaking through the trees, and onto the part of the climb I'd previously seen from the other side of the valley. It will ease up here, I thought to myself, judging from what I'd seen from Sugar Loaf.
It didn't. A real grind all the way up, each bend/horizon thinking to myself, it WILL ease, several times I was not pleased to see it wasn't. Head down, keeping it turning, just. Then FINALLY I could get into the 21t sprocket!
At which point, I thought I'd get a photo, as at the top, another 100m or so, it wouldn't look so nice.

IMG_0565 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

You can see where I came through the trees, to the right.

I'd honestly never felt such prolonged pain on a climb, the gearing taking it's toll.

Then I got to the top, to find it was a known local climb, the Tumble.

IMG_0569 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Where God had put a nice lake to cool off in, how thoughtful!

IMG_0567 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Sooooo tempting!

But I know I had a long downhill to get back, so not advisable.

Left turn just after the big sign,

IMG_0572 by Michael Murray, on Flickr


Had to be careful going down the other side, narrow, sometimes wet roads, and with the knowledge that traffic could meet me at any moment, but a took a couple of photos on theway down, before it got steep.

IMG_0573 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

IMG_0574 by Michael Murray, on Flickr

Each time, I locked my back wheel up to stop in time. I learnt a new - to me - technique about weight distribution going down that hill, when a Land Rover met me at one point. Arse planted firmly into the very back of the saddle.

Made it in the end, and with something in the tank to bang along on the flat, back to our accommodation.
Have to say, I slept well that night! And satisfied that I'd conquered at least one climb.
New cassette on order, with a 26t on it!

Thanks for reading folks

Mike

 

[Mike Muz]

That's the same way to Crickhowell I took last month. Up to Forest coal Pit and over. Down to the river bridge then into the town and out the other side to camp at Llangattock. Nice.

Yes, that's the one mate, I did want to carry on in the same direction, to a longer climb up to around 470 - 490mtrs. Sadly, I ran out of days

Thanks for the tip about Tal - y - Bont! Absolutely wonderful there

Mike

 

[The History Man]

My Pleasure. I must get back next year.

 

[NeilM]

Re:

As the weather was almost perfect, that's with the exception of the blustery wind that kept trying to stop me, knock me off or encourage me, I thought a quick spin out was in order to shakedown the Concept 90.

And very nice it was too.