Today's ROAD ride
- Thread starter Mike Muz
- Start date
Chat Noir
Devout Dirtbag
Re:
Not been out since before Christmas with its usual coughs and colds so good to get a bike on the road again yesterday. Met my brother in law at the car park near Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs. Sun shining weakly and cool to start but we soon warmed up as the hills began immediately. Up to the road from Otley to Blubberhouses, past the odd patch of ice and with a lovely light before turning right to follow the road down to Blubberhouses with the final ludicrously steep descent. Dave’s on his new carbon bike, complete with disc brakes, and his braking was noticeably later than mine. I was on a Dolan Dedacciai frame with mostly Ultegra components, not very retro but good Italian steel, winterised and used as runaround in the winter and for touring in the summer: heavy (well, 24.5 lbs), stable and bombproof. This has taken me up things like Alpe d’Huez with panniers and always dependable.
From Blubberhouses we took the quiet lane towards West End, the first steep hill up from Redshaw Gill a good warm up and nowhere less than 20% according to the Garmin. We went down to the eastern end of Thruscross Reservoir and up to the crossroads before turning left to Greenhow – not our wisest plan. Steady uphill for most of the 4 or so miles to Greenhow and an equally steady headwind, even some brief flurries of snow.
Continued to Stump Cross cavern and followed the road to Grassington, deciding better lunch options there, even with the hills up from Dibble’s Bridge and Hebden.
Welcome stop and then out into the sharp cold. Followed the road from Linton to Burnsall, lovely light in the bright sunshine, and then took the quiet road through Appletreewick. Just after we crossed the bridge in Burnsall we saw some clumps of snow drops in flower – that really is early. Meandered along, turning off above Barden to stay on the east side of the Wharfe before crossing back over by the wooden bridge at the Cavendish Pavillion, thereby avoiding the hill to Storiths. Past Bolton Abbey and down to the main road, followed the old bridge, the first time I’ve been over this. Girding our loins, we crossed the A59 to go up Langbar, felt a bit hard today and glad I had a triple on the bike. Lovely run down to Ilkley, along the river to Askwith and the final hill up to the moor. Been down this many times but first time up. Gentle start gradually saw a steepening but nowhere too hard and then a glorious setting sun from the top. A new and young cyclist arrived just after us, doing well on this hill but unsure how 2 old men could stay ahead of him on such a hill (guile!). Final run along Askwith Moor before the drop down to Swinsty and finish. The Garmin said 44 miles with 1357 m ascent – that explains why it felt like a hard outing.
Good to be out on a bike again!
Not been out since before Christmas with its usual coughs and colds so good to get a bike on the road again yesterday. Met my brother in law at the car park near Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs. Sun shining weakly and cool to start but we soon warmed up as the hills began immediately. Up to the road from Otley to Blubberhouses, past the odd patch of ice and with a lovely light before turning right to follow the road down to Blubberhouses with the final ludicrously steep descent. Dave’s on his new carbon bike, complete with disc brakes, and his braking was noticeably later than mine. I was on a Dolan Dedacciai frame with mostly Ultegra components, not very retro but good Italian steel, winterised and used as runaround in the winter and for touring in the summer: heavy (well, 24.5 lbs), stable and bombproof. This has taken me up things like Alpe d’Huez with panniers and always dependable.
From Blubberhouses we took the quiet lane towards West End, the first steep hill up from Redshaw Gill a good warm up and nowhere less than 20% according to the Garmin. We went down to the eastern end of Thruscross Reservoir and up to the crossroads before turning left to Greenhow – not our wisest plan. Steady uphill for most of the 4 or so miles to Greenhow and an equally steady headwind, even some brief flurries of snow.
Continued to Stump Cross cavern and followed the road to Grassington, deciding better lunch options there, even with the hills up from Dibble’s Bridge and Hebden.
Welcome stop and then out into the sharp cold. Followed the road from Linton to Burnsall, lovely light in the bright sunshine, and then took the quiet road through Appletreewick. Just after we crossed the bridge in Burnsall we saw some clumps of snow drops in flower – that really is early. Meandered along, turning off above Barden to stay on the east side of the Wharfe before crossing back over by the wooden bridge at the Cavendish Pavillion, thereby avoiding the hill to Storiths. Past Bolton Abbey and down to the main road, followed the old bridge, the first time I’ve been over this. Girding our loins, we crossed the A59 to go up Langbar, felt a bit hard today and glad I had a triple on the bike. Lovely run down to Ilkley, along the river to Askwith and the final hill up to the moor. Been down this many times but first time up. Gentle start gradually saw a steepening but nowhere too hard and then a glorious setting sun from the top. A new and young cyclist arrived just after us, doing well on this hill but unsure how 2 old men could stay ahead of him on such a hill (guile!). Final run along Askwith Moor before the drop down to Swinsty and finish. The Garmin said 44 miles with 1357 m ascent – that explains why it felt like a hard outing.
Good to be out on a bike again!
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Another ride today, I've already done more miles in 2019 than in the whole of 2018 (although that was hardly difficult!) There are lots of quiet lanes that crisscross the area around the Albufera fresh water lagoon a few miles from me. The rice fields are being turned over at this time of year ready for the next crop, and the view is never the same two days in a row. Today was a very nice sunny day, but when it's windy out there it's possible to reach max heart rate in the small chainring, on the flat, at about 10 mph!
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New here,
A sweet ride with the last to arrive at the stable. I enjoyed the evening doing some photos.
Klein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en Flickr
Klein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en Flickr
Klein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en Flickr
Klein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en Flickr
A sweet ride with the last to arrive at the stable. I enjoyed the evening doing some photos.
Klein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en FlickrKlein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en FlickrKlein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en FlickrKlein Quantum Race by Mike QNK, en FlickrSimilar threads
