Todays ride

[RIP]

Currently eagerly awaiting my first taste of the highly recommended vegetarian breakfast at the Walnut Cafe in Llangynidr, which is now run by a former physio colleague of mine

Looking forward to an introduction. And to your colleague

Sorry, I digress, the riding:

Nah, the riding's a digression from all the cafes

[Verena]

I am currently on daily hospital visiting duties, and it's all a little complicated, having temporarily misplaced both my free dog sitters, so available time windows to go out riding are very precious indeed.
Yesterday was such a window, and I was already proud of myself when I managed to leave the house and head for the hills; late by my standards at ten o'clock (as I had to sort something out first), which I am not very good with for some reason, mentally that is; and undeterred by a forecast of heavy thunderstorm showers most of the day. Both of these would normally have resulted in me basically talking myself out of my plans, cutting the route shorter and shorter "in case", and then eventually getting frustrated with myself, when I realise at the end of the day that in fact I had plenty of time, and the weather was nowhere near as bad as forecast.... - not today!!!
I headed out from Brecon, up onto the Upper Chapel road to Builth, which, as I may have mentioned before, for some unfathomable reason, I really like.... a gentle gradual long climb just to wake up body and mind. Then eventually the short but steep Cwm Own climb, which I've been enjoying getting to know well enough that, without thinking about it too much, I have found my own best pattern of, switch down gears here, stand up from this manhole to that sign; sit back down again; one more stand up for that last steep bit from that manhole; and then, done! And rewarded with the lovely ride over the top and then nice descent down into Builth, for second breakfast; posh Pecan plaits, one for now with the banana and milkshake; saving the second one and a can of Red Bull for later, when I knew I would need it for the climb up to Gospel Pass from Hay.
IMG_20240526_113724 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr


Lork Hereford's Knob coming into view for the first time (he has been mentioned elsewhere here this week )
IMG_20240526_202434 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

I then remembered that someone had recommended the garage at Glasbury to me for excellent sandwiches; I had never fancied stopping there as I always thought it looked distinctly uninviting... but I thought I ought to do a recce, and indeed they have excellent fresh sandwiches, cakes, and I think at least some of the time they do fresh takeaway food over a counter, as well as coffee and stuff. I had a smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, continuing with the posh theme for the day...

Through Hay where Hay Festival was in full swing.

And up towards Gospel Pass, which I have only ever done from the other side, and I was feeling quite nervous about. Made it, just! and honestly only stopped here because the view was so amazing.
IMG_20240526_202514 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

Just stunning up there.

Descending on other side was then an absolute treat, because it's beautiful obviously, downhill, obviously, but also because it has been resurfaced with lovey smooth tarmac, including where the road has been fixed after the little landslide.


Made it to the rather tired looking Nevill Hall Hospital for four o'clock, perfect, after riding through Abergavenny where the steam fayre was also in full swing.
Was a little dubious about leaving my bike, but I went for about the most visible spot I could think of, right at the main entrance, assuming that it really would be extremely cheeky to nab it from there, with CCTV and everything... I had some semblance of civilian clothing with me to slip over the top of my cycling clothes, but I'm still undecided who smelt worse, me or the patients....

IMG_20240526_154935 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr
During the hour there, I got cold, the clouds gathered, and as I emerged into a shower, my enthusiasm for the last leg home was disappearing fast...
So I left my spare layers on, and had my emergency flap jack, just for comfort...

Predictably, five minutes later I had to stop again, as the sun was back out, and I was way too hot!

Fine spirits returned, and I made it home after a grand day out - lovely stuff

[redefined_cycles]

Lacking of motivation and/or time or determination. I started up this little competition https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... 39#p324439 to try and defend my light (not yet bought) to push me into action.

On day 2 of consistent riding today so hopefully its working. Only 21 miles a day for 21 days so hopefully even family life won't get in the way...

[redefined_cycles]

Nice one V. I love where you can ride your bike into get work/choose done. I've just picked a couple of home visits at York (40 miles from me) for next week. So that should interesting if I manage to ride there and back.

Though if I catch the train then most of my wage will go on that (£22.50 per visit inclusive of commute/drive/ride costs). Times seem to be getting hard!

Oh, and how did you make the pear look so huge behind the milkshake shot!!

[PaulE]

Woke up fairly early today, so went out on the road bike while it was sunny! Summer kit + arm warmers, which only stayed on for the first half. Had a lovely (if somewhat hilly) ride around stanage edge, Bradwell and Hathersage from home. Loads of wildlife: hares, lapwings, squirrels etc.

Didn't go quite as far as planned, slightly sore knee from Monday's fell racing injury, but still managed 45km and nearly 1000m climbing. Main thing I spotted was the number of camper vans out there! Must have been 20 along Stanage and a few others elsewhere too. Can't quite decide how I feel about them - great to see folks getting outdoors, and no obvious littering today, but it seems a bit odd to head out to "nature" to join a line of other vans at the roadside!

Ah well, each to their own... Only regret was that I'd been too lazy to pack a bag and bivvy out last night!

[redefined_cycles]

Glad to report, another 21 miles ticked off. Came to mums and having 'roti'

Tomorrow is gonna be tough though as I have a 3 hour drive to work and finish at 2030. Either way, at this end or that, I'm gonna find it a toughie. Am hoping to get home and sleep for some time. Then family (wedding stuff... blooming) errands and hopefully in bed by 2300. Get at least 3 hours in and then a quick flat 21 miler around the block before work

Gonna be hard but I have an Exposure light to earn. The 100% Allen gloves are really seeing me through

[redefined_cycles]

This 21 miles for 21 days streak attempt seems to be going well. Very short of time today before taking little one to the gym/boxing (he insisted 'to not walk' and the wife said it's fine to drive down the 1 mile or less!!! does anyone else see the contradiction in that or is it just me). So tried to get the 21 miles in.

Didnt succeed and got 15 miles in instead. All the better for me as the challenge/attempt just resets for tomorrow. Hopefully giving me some good training for the upcoming events


Cos I was short on miles and not getting any mtb in at the moment, I rode up this once again (I've been avoiding it for some months but before that I'd use it to get home every time) and managed (All Praise God).

[redefined_cycles]

The cobbles that is. I didn't try to ride the metal gate like Danny Mac would (don't want anyone getting confused at my abilities

[PaulE]

More like "this week's rides", managed to do 2 days out of 4 commute on the roadie this week, including a hilly detour to drop off a trophy I made for a mate who lives on top of a chunky hill... commutes were about 115km and 2000m in total.

Then at the opposite end of the spectrum, went to Wharncliffe woods for the first time I'm years today. Loads of DH tracks, and a first proper ride for my newly built/tweaked on-one codeine. Had a bit of a scary moment when I blew the back tyre on a rocky gap, but pretty happy with that as I thought I was going to hang up the front...and a pinch puncture is much better than a face first crash! I'll be back there plenty more this summer.

Screenshot_20240608_151311_Messenger.jpg (137.14 KiB) Viewed 9748 times

[faustus]

First little overnighter in ages, close to Pilot Hill on Hants/Berks border (highest point in Hants). Lovely ride out late in the never ending twilight, hares and bats galore.

No need for a torch setting up at 1030pm, and tucked up watching the stars. Unfortunately, I slept terribly, and it got down to 6 degrees so I got a bit cold despite wearing merino and more, head to toe. Got up in time to see the sun pop over the horizon at 430, and practically NE at approx 55'.

A brew and some snacks and set off a longer way home over the downs, and it was a lovely morning and gorgeous ride.

Starving when I got home and nearly bonked. Ready for an early night and some actual sleep

[Verena]

Very nice

[fatbikephil]

Todays ride featured Lochs and Glens - 7 of each. 15 3/4 hrs, 202 miles



One of the Lochs - Rannoch and Schiehallion, the pointy peak, once used for the first estimate of the weight of the earth as it is fairly close to a cone so the volume could be estimated.

[RIP]

I do love my Brommie. Down to the station 5 mins, train to Watford, cross platform, train back up to St Albans, intemperate quantity of ale with old work chums. Reverse aforementioned journey and upon return home prepare for rolling pin #5 to be administered by Mrs P ("where've you been?!" <whack> ).

Thing is, Brom is so easy, I really can't be bothered to walk anywhere. After 25 years use I'm now down to a 5/6/7-second fold/unfold so why walk when I could transport myself whilst sitting down? Mile to the station - Brompton. 400 yards to shops - Brompton. Five yards to next door neighbour - Brompton.

[Bearlegged]

I my Brommy too, thanks FLV!

[faustus]

Another early one, and sleeping downstairs to not wake anybody up when I go! Rode east beyond Greenham common to some tracks and an area I'd not been to before. Damp and greasy from the rain and fairly overgrown in places, but nice. Beyond Kingsclere and it was time to climb up on to the downs and the Wayfarers Walk (bridleway!).

Then rolling along the north end of the downs and past the famous Watership Down.


Then down off Ladle Hill, and north on more wet and overgrown tracks home. Just a normal xc ride really, but the best part of 29 miles and 530m of ascent, so chunky enough for a Sunday morning before 9am. The damp ground made the chalk pretty sketchy in places so it kept me on my toes. Home before it then hammered down with rain for the rest of the morning. Second breakfast of fried eggs on toast and plenty of coffee.

[faustus]

Another long xc ride, to meet family at Avebury. Bit longer than I thought and ran out of time, but a good 38 miles of mixed terrain. Recent damp weather made for some slippy and muddy parts again, as well as rampant vegetation. Arms and legs still tingling.

[Boab]

A heavy week last week. 5 hours of ice skating and three bike rides totalling ~210KM; which is more than I've managed in months. I now have, what I hope is just, a stinking head cold.

[summittoppler]

Yesterday I had a bit of an on bike/off bike explore around Cwt y Bugail quarry here in Eryri. Reg and Lu were up this way the other week on their 'Better Slate Than Never 2' escapade. There was plenty of rusty things dotted about and many potential bivvy spots....





This was a huge hole in the ground with several large shafts leading underground






A loaded cart that never got unloaded

[RIP]

Nice one Jeffer... one can't have too many photos of rusty things . Good to see that remnant of track surviving in the North Twll tunnel.

Did you bump into mad rambler lady at the top of Rhiwbach incline there?

Cwt-y-Bugail is huge isn't it. Confusingly the big Manod quarry on top of the hill has been renamed as Cwt-y-Bugail now and is still being worked - that's where we met The Bloke With The Dog.

http://www.penmorfa.com/Rhiwbach ... 201.html

Did you go up from and back down to Penmachno or a circular route?

We could have spent more time at Cwt-y-Bugail and continued to the top of Rhiwbach Incline #3 at Blaenau but the pub was too much of a lure and it was getting late.

I'm sure "Slate 3" will be on the cards maybe next year. We could rope you in but you'd leave us old farts miles behind . As befits our geriatric state a plan might be train to Blaenau then ride all way back to Conwy via Penmachno again, Betws, Gwydyr mines, Cowlyd, Eigiau (gatecrashing your secret pad maybe ) etc.

Anyroad, that's all in t'future.....

Thanks for bringing the memories back .

[summittoppler]

I didn't bump into any crazy folk up there, just 4 lady cyclists taking on the tarmac climb up to Manod as part of the Traws Eryri.
I parked at the Manod quarry car park and just went past Llyn Bowydd and Newydd to the top of the Maen Offeren quarry and then back on myself and dropped down to Rhiwbach. I spent more time off the bike than on it tbh.
Just thinking for Slate 3, I could try and book the eigiau cottage for 1 night....

[RIP]

just 4 lady cyclists taking on the tarmac climb up to Manod as part of the Traws Eryri.

Arg! We arrived a month too early!

Just thinking for Slate 3, I could try and book the eigiau cottage for 1 night....

[redefined_cycles]

After a busy week of hardly (well, zero) riding. Today was the day to quickly get out there. 12 noon was curfew cos we were setting out for (near) Howgill Fells. I'd left the car at dad's and route was planned via my Everesting climb attempt.

Two hours to get there but only an hour away. I'd recently figured out how a watch bezel actually works for timing yourself (I know, embarrasing).



Entering the Everesting climb, of which I'll make another go soon enough. 5 minutes already from when I entered the trails. This Everesting climb has 3 main sections: The North Face; Advanced Base Camp and The Death Zone.


Didn't quite make it up The North Face as the rear slipped out or my heart rate restricted me. Not sure which came first but I was off. The next, so called ABC was done, but not with ease and then over The Death Zone.

Heart rate topped out at 174 when I slipped out before, but on these other two gnarls I hit 170 and managed to stay upright. Next came the really steep climb a few miles away in Huddersfield. But I decided against it - can be seen at the top of thus pic.

Right up here on the horizon in this pic.



Back at my dad's and the car, thankfully the bike just about fit in the boot (phew, Alhamdulillah).

Next was the drive back to mine and the trip to Lakes. This is Graham:

[Boab]

Stacked it big tome on a byway descent about 2KM from the house; that I've ridden hundreds of times. Not sure what happened, while I wasn't going stupid fast, I wasn't picking my way down it either. Can't really remember a lot of the ride back to the house, just thankful that it's a load of gravel rash and hefty bruising, rather than more busted ribs.

Not sure what it is about this time of year. Two years ago was the big stack into the drainage ditch, last year was the stack into a metal gate post. Maybe I should just not ride for the last two weeks of August...

[fatbikephil]

Must be 'cos it's dry Bob. Glad only cosmetic damage!

I put the new bike through its paces today - a fairly standard route round North Fife with a few variations thrown in, to include a mix of trails from hero gravel to rooty, rocky singletrack.



The Tyndal Bruce Monument above Falkland. Not sure what it signifies (probably celebrating one rich murdering b*stard beating another rich murdering b*stard) but nowadays offers a nice view and a place for local neds to light fires, listen to loud music and get stoned. I'd like to bivvy here at some point but it would have to be in the depths of winter.

Anyway, more fun gravel trails followed, then a large lunch from the excellent Falkland Bakery. Then more trails and back roads to the hills and a well known mix of forestry and farm tracks and back roads home



North Fife farmland, which is very rich!

The new machine did well. As expected the front end is a bit unyielding so may need to review tyre pressures (or wedge a 50mm tyre in there) but it felt nice and stiff on the climbs and handled a variety of dirt remarkably well. 123k all in and in reasonable shape afterwards so actually a pretty comfy bike.

[faustus]

From last week, but got out on a few lovely rides from my parent's house in North Dorset. Lots of old haunts for me, but there was some lovely riding to be had. Good job I got the rides in when I did, as I now have fifth disease from one of the kids, and my joints are feeling an arthritic 75