Today's ROAD ride

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Nice one Jamie!

Didn't ride yesterday, that was why I did Saturdays' ride. Merckx is looking good mate.

What a race, eh! Was a bit nervous when the gap came down near the end. I watched the whole race, then prepped a couple of bikes for next week's mtb ride.
Flanders and Roubaix are the only two races that I can watch, without fear of nodding off!

Mike

 

[Jamiedyer]

Was supposed to be joining Brian, (epicycle) down in Inverness for another groups retro road ride but with so many things happening and start of holidays I was needed at home. After sorting Caleb, myself, animals etc and also watching the start of Roubaix, it was time for a quick ride on the Merckx before the riders hit the first section of pave. With Heather having a lie in and feeling better, she was going to take Caleb down to his school so he could have a ride on his bike while I got an hour or two out on mine. The forecast was for rain at about 1pm and I was about up till 12 and it was certainly closing in. I went south cross country from here and did a loop back along the coast and the headwind was directly in my face on the open few kilometres and made it very hard going, not as hard as climbing hills on the Big Dummy, like I was doing yesterday, but still. It was a good ride, a few drops of very light rain a sign of things to come. Made it back for the second sectuer and changed and sitting here with Caleb cheering for Boonen.
Hope everyone else had a decent weekend.

Jamie

I am heading down this hill straight into a very strong headwind, just turned round for a photo
DSCN3700 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

In honour of Roubaix I did a short section of gravel
DSCN3703 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN3707 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

Looking dark
DSCN3710 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

pretty exposed when the weather turns
DSCN3711 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

Getting dark now
DSCN3713 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN3716 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

For me, Easter started at 4pm, when I finished work. What better way, than with a bike ride!

So, through Brighton I went, and up Wilson's Avenue. Long drag, but spurred on when I saw someone in the distance, to catch! :facepalm: Then across to Woodingdean, joining the gravel path down to Falmer.

WP_20170413_16_37_48_Pro by Mike Murray, on Flickr

I could have taken the road, but that would have been boring. Looking across to the top of Ditchling beacon there.
Into Stanmer Park I went, and up the road to Beacon Road towards the Beacon itself.

A 'different' look from the top.

WP_20170413_17_03_41_Pro by Mike Murray, on Flickr

Turning sharp left at the bottom, and along Underhill Lane. Nice and quiet again, here. Into New Way Lane, again a small road,

WP_20170413_17_17_50_Pro by Mike Murray, on Flickr

Through Hurstpierpoint, and back towards the Downs,

WP_20170413_17_24_15_Pro by Mike Murray, on Flickr

Through Woodmancote, past Woods Mill, and into Small Dole and further on, Upper Beeding.

Then towards Coombes Road via a lovely country lane,

WP_20170413_17_51_26_Pro by Mike Murray, on Flickr

Satisfied face just before the last big effort, back to town.

WP_20170413_17_53_43_Selfie(1) by Mike Murray, on Flickr

Did 63km tonight. Pleased with that.

Happy Easter, my friends!

Mike

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Nice bike, nice scenery, nice ride.... oh and nice bottle cages.

How come you look so fresh and so clean near the end of a ride? I look like a puddle wrapped in lycra by the time I climb the hill home.

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Thanks!

I already had those cages! :facepalm:

I also had a shave before work, to get rid of the grey stubble. Less for any muck to stick too, as well! :roll:

Mike

 

[Jamiedyer]

Looks a nice place to ride mate.
I must agree with Neil, you look very fresh. Bike looks great and the gravel pathway looks a bit better than the road.
Happy Easter everyone, have a good weekend

Jamie

 

[Mike Muz]

Re:

Thanks Jamie,

Always inspired by the spring classics, and the big ride I did at the weekend, I'm normally at my most active at this time of year. Whether it be road or off road.
Hope to get out on the downs at some point today, on the Giant.
Road again tomorrow with a mate. Will be on the Cougar then.

Still uploading videos from the weekend's ride, am mtb event in the Cotswolds, HONC.

Mike

 

[marge602]

Re:

Really liking this thread, so thought I'd post some pics of todays Good Friday road ride. It's been a while since I rode the 1200 in anger; it spends most of its time set up on my turbo trainer. I recently changed the stem to get a bit more of a stretched out riding position, so decided to head out on it.

Out of Corby, and round the back of Rockingham Speedway. I don't think they ever fill these massive grandstands, but they're an impressive sight nonetheless. There often seems to be something going on there though, plenty of noise today
IMAG1555 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

Headed out towards East Northants. Some of the roads are quite bad, but the rolling hills are sometimes preferable to the steeper climbs of Rutland, which is in the other direction from here. This is Deene, and the perimeter wall of the Deene park Estate
IMAG1556 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Out of Deene, across the A43(busy) and through Deenethorpe towards Upper Benefield. Nice stretch of road, good surface, occasional traffic. Today there was hardly any. This pic is a prime example of how a camera can flatten out gradients. This looks flat, in reality is anything but.
IMAG1557 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Left turn for the long descent into Glapthorn, over two crossroads into Cotterstock. This is where the River Nene splits at the nearby lock. The Old Mill was built here in the 19th century. The bridge over the main part of the Nene is about a hundred yards further up the road, although it's not quite possible to see where the mill section rejoins it.
IMAG1558 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr
IMAG1559 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

Another left into Tansor, then Fotheringhay(famous for being the site of Mary Queen of Scots' trial and eventual decapitation), and Woodnewton. Although I'm not religious, some churches are incredible buildings. I've always liked this one, and its location on a 90 degree bend at one end of the village
IMAG1561 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr
On towards Apethorpe, then Kings Cliffe. It was fairly breezy today, and at this point it was a headwind. The 1200 has a low front end, so at least I could 'get aero' and hide from the worst of the wind
IMAG1562 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr
From Kings Cliffe to Blatherwycke and Bulwick. This is the man-made Blatherwycke lake, created by damming the Willow Brook in the early 1800s. There's a brilliant section of road through the village. Downhill left-right, and over the bridge that spans one end of the lake. Short sharp climb after the bridge, then a 90 degree right as you leave the village. Very rare to be overtaken by a car there

IMAG1563 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Back over the still-busy A43, and back into Deene. Back down the atrociously badly surfaced Kirby lane. Fairly bad going out, even worse coming back. Round the Speedway the other way, and home through the industrial estates.
IMAG1565 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

33 miles in all, and bang on a couple of hours. Safe to say that I'm still rather fond of the 1200. It's a keeper

Regards, Marge

 

[NeilM]

Re:

Excellent post Marge. Nice to see a bit of Northamptonshire.

I took the Q650 out again today with a different seat post. No photos as after the stop start that was HONC last Sunday I just wanted a solid hour and a half's riding.

Nice quiet roads, I even got across all the major junctions without needing to stop, that's a first.

One thing with 650C wheels, you REALLY feel poor road surfaces and there are more than a few of those around here, plus there was a bangin on shore wind, which meant the last few miles home were.... tiresome.

I plan to be out again Monday on the Touring Trek Tank, I'll get sum pix.

 

[The History Man]

Great rides guys. Happy Easter one and all.