I should've known it would end on the ground after the first 30 seconds of getting out and seeing patches of black ice. Took 2hrs 20mins before it got me but man...did it get me good 'n proper. A single patch of no more than 6' of what looked like a puddle but wasn't had me tipped up in an instant. Suspect my right glute will be purple/black/that-funky-yellow-that-should-never-be-on-ones-body tomorrow. Getting sore to sit already. Still, it wasn't raining which was nice.

Greetz

S.

First commute of 2017 .
But at least it was by bike .

I'd forgotten how dark it can be before 11am . A bit fresh, too .

Bloody freezing at Llandegla today,snow and thick ice on the blue run

Walked around Pen y Bryn and Nercwys woods this afternoon, not a million miles from Llandegla. Blustery wind and cold but no snow

An early finish and 60km the long way home on a lovely late afternoon and evening.

smartay, can't post pics on here but at the top of the blue run on the moor,there was snow,
And sxxxloads of ice

70km post work ride on the fat. One exploring forests and 'lost lanes' in llandegla area.

Beautiful night to be out, about -2c, so not too chilly Busted a guy to get back to the local chippy before it closed (11pm) to arrive and find he had run out of chips

Yesterdays ride but too knackered to write up until now.
91kms 1073 meters.
Wanted to see how fit I was and the answer not very.
Bit of a wardrobe malfunction in the leg department. The start was a fifteen minute climb followed by a flat five minutes breaking the ice in the puddles then a long gravity assist descent into a frost pocket. Was wearing merino socks leg warmers merino boxers under ¾ baggies. By the end of the first descent my legs were getting cold and no matter how hard I pedaled they wouldn’t warm up. Result was by the time I got back into town several hours later could not pedale without the leg muscles cramping at the top of a pedale stroke so had walk the final bit. Looking for some winter tights that have a windproof front with breathable back panels. Any suggestions?
Also noted a few local bivvy spots and one very cheeky one with five star views across the Exe estuary.
Almost put the Apples back on as its very dry here.

Loop afound Alwen and forests yesterday, clear skys but brutally cold. Frost on bridge far end and so much of the lake frozrn.Sunset over Alwen was spectacular
unfortunately cant post pics as my Flickr account not responding.
Incidently is there a path,track to the hill at far end with large cairn, anyone ridden to ruined house on moor

Mariner wrote:Looking for some winter tights that have a windproof front with breathable back panels. Any suggestions?

Not windproof at the front, but enough microfleece to keep you warm - Lusso max repel tights. https://www.merlincycles.com/lusso-max- ... 50135.html Mine are 10 y/o this year and only just starting to die on me. I'll replace with the same.

Greetz

S.

Scattamah wrote:

Mariner wrote:Looking for some winter tights that have a windproof front with breathable back panels. Any suggestions?

Not windproof at the front, but enough microfleece to keep you warm - Lusso max repel tights. https://www.merlincycles.com/lusso-max- ... 50135.html Mine are 10 y/o this year and only just starting to die on me. I'll replace with the same.

Greetz

S.

Thanks not got my size at present but will keep watching.

Incidently is there a path,track to the hill at far end with large cairn, anyone ridden to ruined house on moor

Do you mean on the north shore of Llyn Alwen? If so, the BW shown on the map approaching the lake from the north east is a pathless, boggy death-march although it's quite short lived.

Here's what you'll find.

After an unjustifiably long period of inactivity, a gentle 40 miles of mist and murk through Thievin' Git country.

Quite pleased with myself

Did 43 miles by extending my commute home and going through a whole load of places I haven't been before. I was aiming to pick off some Veloviewer explorer tiles having just signed up, and increasing my max square

Got home at 11pm last night, left work about 6.20pm and didn't really stop after that. Lots of mini stops to read the map and work out where I was, but no proper stops

Had to keep checking the map on my phone as the map I was using wasn't easy to navigate with, no road names on it - just a series of screenshots from Veloviewer

max square was 8x8 before the ride, it's not 11x11. Just had to pick up the empty tiles

A damn chilly hour out on the Vir Fortis, my first ride of 2017. :)

Just back from a very excellent ride with Mark on the higher bits around Derwent. It's properly solid up there for the first time in ages. Was -7c and for the first time I experienced beard frost

A morning spin out on the Bat Fastard

Went for a bit of a potter about the woods with RIP at lunchtime.
"Leave no trace," he said.
Surprising what he can whittle-up with a penknife and a couple of sticks in an hour or two...



...while I made a toothpick.

Is that Ireland? I discovered that they seem to like great big, imposing gates but for some reason don't bother with the adjoining walls or fences

Enjoyed that ride MP thanks.

Yeah those gates were wierd. Well spotted Stu re gates but nothing either side. Must be a metaphor for something. Answers on a postcard.

Reg

...and on reflection those totem pole things were a bit un-nerving as well, looking closer at some of the carvings..

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Is that Ireland?

Nope. It's better than that...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Ot--OHdLs

The next BearBones 'themed event'? And not a panda in sight .

...and on reflection those totem pole things were a bit un-nerving as well, looking closer at some of the carvings..

The local 'hippy camp' has some totems. One's a very curvaceous naked woman ... the other's a huge penis.

Nope. It's better than that...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Ot--OHdLs

There are times when I wish I had a telly

Out this morning collecting some Veloviewer squares - just 56 miles but it took me around a load of lanes that I'd not used before, including this one....

Hmm potholes! by Richard Picton, on Flickr

"One's a very curvaceous naked woman ... the other's a huge penis." - well that's one grid ref that's bound to be on WRT2017 then presumably!

Pickers, those "derestricted speed limit" signs are amusing. Did you manage to hit 60 going down that track?