Todays ride

[summittoppler]

2 days riding fat bikes near Gloucester. Was a good craic.

20220626_105051-02 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220626_115149-02 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220625_120938-01 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[summittoppler]

Here's my film from my solstice bivvy last week. If every bivvy was like this I think I'd be out every night!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7plGUjt6SEc

Let me know what you think

[Raggedstone]

I thought where I was to see the sunset and sunrise was pretty good but that was stunning I am not surprised you enjoyed it so much

[fatbikephil]

Good that Jeff, you lucky git

[RIP]

Back on 'ignore' you go again Jeff

[Verena]

Was my longest ever, the Wales Sportive 112 miles round Tenby and Prembroke area. I'm dead chuffed, really wasn't sure if I had it in me.
Now I can go back to being a bikepacker, enough of all that tarmac and lycra....

[Raggedstone]

In an attempt to beat the general malaise cycle wise I decided last night that I was going to get up have quick cups of tea and ride to one of the cafe's on the Malvern's for breakfast . Then have another look at some bits of Shaf's route particularly try to find the missing bridleway . Breakfast was great and on the way to find the bridleway which as it happenes was hidden in plain sight I encountered this strange beast .
PXL_20220703_092436518 by Kevin Hawker, on Flickr

[Bearlegged]

Is that a Ewenion Jack?

[RIP]

9.5/10

[faustus]

What felt like a decent ride for the first time in a while, some nice unofficial tracks along an old railway, then along the Wayfarer's Walk [byway] for a bit. Loads of nice off road, and legs tingling from nettles/brambles on the overgrown bits. Lovely.

[RIP]

Yeah I know it's hardly Plynlimon on a dark and stormy night, but it's today's ride and there we go. Trying out some of MuddyPete's 'paths' from Linslade to Wing. Non-existent. To say I had to 'Wing' it is both accurate and an understatement at the same time.

Anyroad, Whipsnade zoo and Ivinghoe Beacon on't horizon.

[redefined_cycles]

Malvern's for breakfast . Then have another look at some bits of Shaf's route particularly try to find the missing bridleway . Breakfast was great and on the way to find the bridleway...

Thanks there raggedstone you lovely chap. I look forward to completing the route/map then riding it. Much appreciated and lovely of you...

[redefined_cycles]

Whipsnade zoo

Ooo, I nwver did tell you did I Reg. I finally managed to start breaking through that LB barrier and I too now know where Whipsnade Zoo is. I think it's at the 175 miler mark on my route which I've now named the Aafia Siddiqui Way.

Looking forward to rising it again and making progress past the 201 miler mark (which I'm now stuck at Reg... got an Uber this last attempt last month or this - I forget).

[redefined_cycles]

What felt like a decent ride for the first time in a while...

There's something about a nice clean bike that I really love. That looks beautiful. Pity about Reg' with all them orrible bikepacking bags spoiling its clean lines.

(Well done on the 113 miler btw Verena).

[Boab]

Headed out early to test the new XT rear mech and shifter combo. Was glorious and lovely early on.


Thought I had longer, but a family engagement in the early afternoon, meant I had to sack off my planned long route and freestyle a slightly shorter one. Decided to take in various bridleways I haven't been down in a while, as they're not much fun on the gravel bike. Overgrown would be an understatement. Arms are absolutely shredded and stung to somewhere really, really far away, and back, the legs aren't much better.


Really started to struggle after four hours or so, partly the heat, partly the nutrition. Was still glorious, if slightly warm, when I finished.

[GregMay]

200km Audax in _quite_ warm weather. 8hr 18min, 2000m of up. A lot of fluids. Good times.

[redefined_cycles]

With it being eid weekend but me needing to ride, I hatched a plan (training they call it, them that make the BB200 look easy). After dropping the family at the inlaws I'd visit Bronte country, with a pre made route. Lots of green dashed lines on it and to top it off some of the Pennine Bridleway.


Managed to stuff the bike in car.


The OA app told me it was a 7h loop, but I'd show it.


Family neatly away at the inlaws I drove away from Bradford to keep myself safe. If there's anything I'd learnt about cycling, Bradford was full of lunatic drivers and Kieghley was full of drivers that were previously too dangerous for Bradford. All lunatics and possibly low IQ (the dangerous ones).


The plan was to ride lots and stop little. But by this point after about 6 miles of bridleway, I thought I'd treat myself. Especially since I'd only had 30 minutes of stopping time for the past 2H or less


Food cooked and ablution made, somehow it'd taken my half an hour. I didnt eat both the meals, don't worry.


I was on a strict time limit and even before I'd hit Howarth Moor, it was time to take a shortcut! At the lunch stop (pictured above with my bike) I tried to close the loop and make a shortcut.


Views were stunning so I guess my need to train to 'minimal stops' got adulterated!


This chap was the first culprit that made me get out my camera, ages ago...


I noticed I could see some wind turbines. They weren't working and after spotting that little castle structure I realised it was towards Rawtenstall where my mates over there ride. It's one of their 'highlight' rides.


Then I managed to find what I believe must have been the Pennine Bridleway and thanfully for me, there was lots of good training to be had... Lots and lots of 'HAB'. Sometimes almost whacking my knee in the pedals and other times trying to save myself from being cut by wild bushes!


In and amongst all of that, it happened. During the route building stage I'd seen a waterfall sign, so I'd made a zigzag on the map. Alhamdulillah it was beautiful and worthy of a feature in OS maps. Unfortunately some other (mid-Covid?) idiots had also managed to find it. Beer cans and boxes here and there. Just 2 empty cardboard boxes of spent beer but enough other debri to see there had been more than one party of chavs been around.




Stunning location but a difficult HAB to get in and out!



Then I realised the estimate of the ViewRanger app thingy was accurate enough and there was loads more HAB to be had. I needed to be home or the missus might kill me (figuratively speaking), so I told the Wahoo to route me home. Obviously I engaged the brain and not the Satnav!

[summittoppler]

Took the skinny bike out for a spin around the Great Orme yesterday, god it was a stunning day. Shame some bloody tourists decided to ride the opposite way though!
20220710_130854 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Put yer climbing legs on
20220710_132809 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220710_133403 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[GregMay]

Shaf,

The "castle" is Stoodley Pike" it's nowhere near Rawtenstall :) It's between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.

The cobbles, not the Pennine Bridle way, it's the trail down into Lumb falls. Quite a nice, technical, steep descent. Horrendous push up it.

[redefined_cycles]

Shaf,

The "castle" is Stoodley Pike" it's nowhere near Rawtenstall :) It's between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.

The cobbles, not the Pennine Bridle way, it's the trail down into Lumb falls. Quite a nice, technical, steep descent. Horrendous push up it.

Yes... that's the one 'Stoodley'. I think it's in one of their bigger loops from Rawtenstall. I only noticed it after seeing the turbines and wondering whether it's the ones they usually ride up to and Stoodley just confimed it for me. Thanks for that info/reminder

[redefined_cycles]

The Cobbles. Yes, that first section, I did wonder whether people ride down it and I should've have know you all do. Almost rode the bottom bits but some sections I had to wuickly dab...

[redefined_cycles]

*sorry, Sunny Bank I meant... I obviously went down the little foothpath section as the BW is a few metres up.

[GregMay]

The Cobbles. Yes, that first section, I did wonder whether people ride down it and I should've have know you all do. Almost rode the bottom bits but some sections I had to wuickly dab...

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an easy descent!

[whitestone]

The cobbles, not the Pennine Bridle way, it's the trail down into Lumb falls. Quite a nice, technical, steep descent. Horrendous push up it.

Oddly the only time I've done that bit was up from the falls on The Wadsworth Trog and it was sheet ice. Which was interesting!

[summittoppler]

The 2nd day of my summer holidays (42 days to go!) and I kept it very local early this morning. The Mrs had an important online meeting so I cycled over to Conwy for a chilled out pedal on the coast.

20220713_094417 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220713_094535 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20220713_092547 by Jeff Price, on Flickr