Todays ride
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fatbikephil
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Re: Todays ride
First outing on newly single speeded Krampus in the dark and mud around the trails of West Fife. Nice to be riding my bike off road rather than fighting my way through traffic post Forth Road Bridge closure and a blessed relief from mayhemic work dealing with same.
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frogatthefarriers
- Posts: 782
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 1:31 pm
- Location: Wrexham
Re: Todays ride
Storm Desmond 1, Froggy 0
For last weekend I had made plans to bivvy near Porthmadog with my son, who was there on a two-day training course.
This would have completed my Bivvy-a-Month campaign. Desmond had other ideas. We had to scratch and spend the night in his house in Holyhead.
I'd ridden in from Barmouth, climbing over the back lanes with a good following wind. This is the only time I can remember getting wet from behind when cycling. The wind was that strong.
Next morning (Sunday) I wended my way back to the car, furtling about in the forest above Penrhydeudraeth looking for future hammocking places and a couple of geocaches.
On the way, there was this :-
These were in the second flood. The one before was longer and deeper. The level was such that my whole foot was submerged up to the ankle while the pedal was at the top of the stroke. Still, the water was warmer than it could have been.
I wonder if I can get a pass-out for next weekend.
For last weekend I had made plans to bivvy near Porthmadog with my son, who was there on a two-day training course.
This would have completed my Bivvy-a-Month campaign. Desmond had other ideas. We had to scratch and spend the night in his house in Holyhead.
I'd ridden in from Barmouth, climbing over the back lanes with a good following wind. This is the only time I can remember getting wet from behind when cycling. The wind was that strong.
Next morning (Sunday) I wended my way back to the car, furtling about in the forest above Penrhydeudraeth looking for future hammocking places and a couple of geocaches.
On the way, there was this :-
These were in the second flood. The one before was longer and deeper. The level was such that my whole foot was submerged up to the ankle while the pedal was at the top of the stroke. Still, the water was warmer than it could have been.
I wonder if I can get a pass-out for next weekend.
Konia kują, żaba noge podstawia...
Re: Todays ride
Today I had two of the worst rides in ages.
First one was commuting to my old place of work for a meeting. this means riding through Sheffield, despite using bike lanes, traffic free routes - where they are available, generally being an experienced bike user, having two bright-but-not-dazzling lights front and rear, wearing bright colours, stopping at red lights (!), not doing mad filtering - I will stay in place in a a queue of traffic, I still had a very dangerous time. Cars pulling into bus/bike lanes, five near misses, either very close passes <30cm, people pulling out of side roads, or buses pulling out of the bus station (turning right) who put his 10 tons of metal less than a foot from me.
I can't believe I used to do that every day and makes me appeciate my current commute, which heads from the edge of sheffield in to the peak district and then back in to a different edge of Sheffield - nearly all off road
The second was riding to deliver some leaflets for a friend who is standing as a green party councillor. Just coasting up to some red lights when a car coming the other way tears on to the wrong (my) side of the road - driving right at me - then turns down a side road, stopping at a house about 20m away. I'm not proud to say that given my many near death experiences of the morning I ended up going over to enquire if the driver had actually seen me. I was told by the driver that I should feck off as I was going too fast. I just peddled away at that point as staying there would have led to a situation that would not have been helpful to any one.
I honestly despair about the standard of driving, how can someone put 10 tons of metal that close to a person? How can someone drive down the wrong side of the road at someone and blame the other person? The thing is - if the driver hasn't seen me then what on earth are they doing, surely that meets the criteria for driving without due care and attention? If they have seen me then surely that is attempted murder! The police have been cut to the point where they can't (or won't) follow these reports up unless there is evidence or some is actually injured.
Luckily I don't need to ride on the road very much. but there are a lot of people who do and I feel desperately sorry for them.
p.s. IN the middle of the day I had a really lovely ride back from that meeting where I took in some of parkwood springs and the porter valley, bumping into a running club-mate and having a bit of a natter while he jogged alongside with his dog. So no need for sympathy - this and most of the other (very nearly) 10,000km of off road riding I've done this year have been amazing!
First one was commuting to my old place of work for a meeting. this means riding through Sheffield, despite using bike lanes, traffic free routes - where they are available, generally being an experienced bike user, having two bright-but-not-dazzling lights front and rear, wearing bright colours, stopping at red lights (!), not doing mad filtering - I will stay in place in a a queue of traffic, I still had a very dangerous time. Cars pulling into bus/bike lanes, five near misses, either very close passes <30cm, people pulling out of side roads, or buses pulling out of the bus station (turning right) who put his 10 tons of metal less than a foot from me.
I can't believe I used to do that every day and makes me appeciate my current commute, which heads from the edge of sheffield in to the peak district and then back in to a different edge of Sheffield - nearly all off road
The second was riding to deliver some leaflets for a friend who is standing as a green party councillor. Just coasting up to some red lights when a car coming the other way tears on to the wrong (my) side of the road - driving right at me - then turns down a side road, stopping at a house about 20m away. I'm not proud to say that given my many near death experiences of the morning I ended up going over to enquire if the driver had actually seen me. I was told by the driver that I should feck off as I was going too fast. I just peddled away at that point as staying there would have led to a situation that would not have been helpful to any one.
I honestly despair about the standard of driving, how can someone put 10 tons of metal that close to a person? How can someone drive down the wrong side of the road at someone and blame the other person? The thing is - if the driver hasn't seen me then what on earth are they doing, surely that meets the criteria for driving without due care and attention? If they have seen me then surely that is attempted murder! The police have been cut to the point where they can't (or won't) follow these reports up unless there is evidence or some is actually injured.
Luckily I don't need to ride on the road very much. but there are a lot of people who do and I feel desperately sorry for them.
p.s. IN the middle of the day I had a really lovely ride back from that meeting where I took in some of parkwood springs and the porter valley, bumping into a running club-mate and having a bit of a natter while he jogged alongside with his dog. So no need for sympathy - this and most of the other (very nearly) 10,000km of off road riding I've done this year have been amazing!
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Farawayvisions
- Posts: 539
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Re: Todays ride
A few weeks ago, I rode with a woman I met in the workplace. And because it's that time of year, I wrote about family and friends. (I promise, there's no mention of us leaving for Cuba first thing tomorrow morning)
http://www.farawayvisions.com/riding-with-friends/
http://www.farawayvisions.com/riding-with-friends/
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macinblack
- Posts: 643
- Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:02 am
Re: Todays ride
90km bimble over to Alpkit for a Hunka XL. Back home in time for burnt tea.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Todays ride
Fargo'd home from work via the Fife Coastal path - 40miles. New Revo is ace (Free light!), the new Forth Bridge looks amazing and the old one appears to be getting fixed....
Re: Todays ride
On the back side of the Welsh Winter Bivvy 2015 edition, I decided to ride home from Lake Vyrnwy to Shrewsbury. Within 20 minutes of leaving the other hardy souls to it, I was in the cafe defrosting my digits - my feet and legs had warmed up but my fingers had decided to shut down. 2 hot chocolates later, I extracted myself from the cafe and got on with it.
Once my fingers/hands defrosted properly, it wasn't too bad out there. For some odd reason, my feet would be cold, then a little while later they'd be warm and my hands were cold. A few hours later, 40 miles down and several shifts in temperature between my extremities, it was job done...back at home and into dry kit. Nice to be warm and dry again.
Greetz
S.
Once my fingers/hands defrosted properly, it wasn't too bad out there. For some odd reason, my feet would be cold, then a little while later they'd be warm and my hands were cold. A few hours later, 40 miles down and several shifts in temperature between my extremities, it was job done...back at home and into dry kit. Nice to be warm and dry again.
Greetz
S.
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RIP
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Re: Todays ride
Season’s Bleatings to all (Baa Baa Humbug?). Apologies for not being a regular contributor, “family reasons” for some time, blah, so shan’t over-rate my ravings by creating a separate new “My Trip” topic.. however I get so much pleasure browsing here every day it seemed only fair to try and chip in at least something... and sorry if pics end up too large below 
Just visited the offspring at Sheffield Uni and managed to extract an additional pass from Herself for an extra couple of days. Will get my confession out of the way first BTW – I am sometimes Of The Dark Side. Yes, those of a nervous disposition please look away now. In this instance I piloted a 26” – arg! – full suspension – GASP! – 10 x 3 – noooo-o-oo!! – MTB. Sob. Wh-what? Y-y-es nurse, I’ll come quietly.... Still, I’ll try and plead my 1986 rigid Dawes Cougar stablemate as mitigation. No electronics about my person apart from cheap camera borrowed from Mrs Perrin, and even my phone is a steam-driven stupid (opposite of smart?) one. Map/compass/stars never failed yet (*). However it was a good excuse to test out a couple of new bits of kit, some of it courtesy of a Bear in the Welsh Woods. (* = lie. Irfon Forest once almost caused my demise).
Train (the only way to travel of course apart from bike) from Milton Keynes to Mancunia at an insane 1h38mins, thence to Sheffield for offspring visitation then back to Hope (“for to travel Hopefully is a better thing than to arrive”?). Last meal of the condemned man at the Cheshire Cheese – the food was also well-executed especially for weirdo veggies such as oneself – plus a couple of Bakewell Bitters (strange stuff, flavoured with almond and strawberry jam...). Then a quick 10x8 tarp pitch in a field (the tarp was 10x8 not the field...) at a dodgy late-arrival late-found unspecified nearby location. Dunno what you favour at the moment but I’ve standardised on flying-V (as in “I couldn’t give a flying V what any Normals think of bikepacking”?): 60 seconds to erect, not bad at my age oo-er missus, 3-side protection, and a commodious 10’ edge for sleeping area. Stu Carbon poles for end and lifter, Stu Carbon pegs, 2mm dyneema with lineloks. Bung down the tyvek (90g), blow up the inflatable doll, I mean MAT (Exped Hyperlite UL7 tapered 355g) + pillow (40g) for my ancient carcase, and slip into the old bag (no Swiss Tony jokes please) (PHD Hispar 790g, very toasty at +1c). New test bamboo base layer (top, socks, leggings) great success, not as itchy as that horrible merino sandpaper whilst equally non-pongy after 3 days. Alarm watch (20g) set for 7.15, E-lite (25g) on standby, earplugs (2g) deployed against midnight trains.
Breakfast cuppa (Sawyer filter off nearby stream) on Stu 22g Stove with Ti windbreak (17g) – 30ml bioethanol not meths boiled 500ml in 7 mins, then 200ml milk for porridge. Bung all sleep gear into Alpkit 20L dual Airlok on bars (no Kanga, too much faff) and rest of junk into 13L Koala on rear. Bleary-eyed off to meet mate, SAS Mr X, at the station with the secret password, dumping gear bags under some leaves.
Off-road Hope – Bradwell Edge – Eyam (2nd breakfast) – Bradwell Moor – Peak Forest – Castleton (unmemorable sandwich George Hotel) – up Mam Tor landslip road in the dark (Lumicycle Explorer) – Hollins Cross – Nether Moor – Hope.
Teaching a bike to swim:
The road to nowhere:
Farewell to Mr X, retrieve gear, road to Litton, 3 pints of Absolution (one for each of my three sins), then tarped crash out in remote graveyard after rehydrated Be-Well Chili Non Carne, deploying test Stu Shower Curtain Thingy (20g) as additional protection (me from rain; rest of ‘yard inmates from my chilli gases which would easily rouse the deceased).
Escape with gear on board before cock squawk (oh please) for quick mostly off-road spin round Tidsa – Pennine Bridleway – Priestcliffe Moor – Monsal Head – Longstone Edge – Eyam (lunch and posh cappuccino with extra chocolate shavings) – Bretton – Shatton Moor – Bamford for train home.
Test verdict on all Stu kit – I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today without knowing beautifully crafted and faultless gear when I see it. Recommend them to all and sundry .
Cheers for now, “Reg”
Just visited the offspring at Sheffield Uni and managed to extract an additional pass from Herself for an extra couple of days. Will get my confession out of the way first BTW – I am sometimes Of The Dark Side. Yes, those of a nervous disposition please look away now. In this instance I piloted a 26” – arg! – full suspension – GASP! – 10 x 3 – noooo-o-oo!! – MTB. Sob. Wh-what? Y-y-es nurse, I’ll come quietly.... Still, I’ll try and plead my 1986 rigid Dawes Cougar stablemate as mitigation. No electronics about my person apart from cheap camera borrowed from Mrs Perrin, and even my phone is a steam-driven stupid (opposite of smart?) one. Map/compass/stars never failed yet (*). However it was a good excuse to test out a couple of new bits of kit, some of it courtesy of a Bear in the Welsh Woods. (* = lie. Irfon Forest once almost caused my demise).
Train (the only way to travel of course apart from bike) from Milton Keynes to Mancunia at an insane 1h38mins, thence to Sheffield for offspring visitation then back to Hope (“for to travel Hopefully is a better thing than to arrive”?). Last meal of the condemned man at the Cheshire Cheese – the food was also well-executed especially for weirdo veggies such as oneself – plus a couple of Bakewell Bitters (strange stuff, flavoured with almond and strawberry jam...). Then a quick 10x8 tarp pitch in a field (the tarp was 10x8 not the field...) at a dodgy late-arrival late-found unspecified nearby location. Dunno what you favour at the moment but I’ve standardised on flying-V (as in “I couldn’t give a flying V what any Normals think of bikepacking”?): 60 seconds to erect, not bad at my age oo-er missus, 3-side protection, and a commodious 10’ edge for sleeping area. Stu Carbon poles for end and lifter, Stu Carbon pegs, 2mm dyneema with lineloks. Bung down the tyvek (90g), blow up the inflatable doll, I mean MAT (Exped Hyperlite UL7 tapered 355g) + pillow (40g) for my ancient carcase, and slip into the old bag (no Swiss Tony jokes please) (PHD Hispar 790g, very toasty at +1c). New test bamboo base layer (top, socks, leggings) great success, not as itchy as that horrible merino sandpaper whilst equally non-pongy after 3 days. Alarm watch (20g) set for 7.15, E-lite (25g) on standby, earplugs (2g) deployed against midnight trains.
Breakfast cuppa (Sawyer filter off nearby stream) on Stu 22g Stove with Ti windbreak (17g) – 30ml bioethanol not meths boiled 500ml in 7 mins, then 200ml milk for porridge. Bung all sleep gear into Alpkit 20L dual Airlok on bars (no Kanga, too much faff) and rest of junk into 13L Koala on rear. Bleary-eyed off to meet mate, SAS Mr X, at the station with the secret password, dumping gear bags under some leaves.
Off-road Hope – Bradwell Edge – Eyam (2nd breakfast) – Bradwell Moor – Peak Forest – Castleton (unmemorable sandwich George Hotel) – up Mam Tor landslip road in the dark (Lumicycle Explorer) – Hollins Cross – Nether Moor – Hope.
Teaching a bike to swim:
The road to nowhere:
Farewell to Mr X, retrieve gear, road to Litton, 3 pints of Absolution (one for each of my three sins), then tarped crash out in remote graveyard after rehydrated Be-Well Chili Non Carne, deploying test Stu Shower Curtain Thingy (20g) as additional protection (me from rain; rest of ‘yard inmates from my chilli gases which would easily rouse the deceased).
Escape with gear on board before cock squawk (oh please) for quick mostly off-road spin round Tidsa – Pennine Bridleway – Priestcliffe Moor – Monsal Head – Longstone Edge – Eyam (lunch and posh cappuccino with extra chocolate shavings) – Bretton – Shatton Moor – Bamford for train home.
Test verdict on all Stu kit – I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today without knowing beautifully crafted and faultless gear when I see it. Recommend them to all and sundry
.Cheers for now, “Reg”
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Todays ride
Hi Reg.
I appreciate a man who uses a good old bunch of parenthesis. more in there than even I use
Feel free to give a shout for company next time. Im in glossop so could easily join you and provide shower etc prior to a journey home.
I appreciate a man who uses a good old bunch of parenthesis. more in there than even I use
Feel free to give a shout for company next time. Im in glossop so could easily join you and provide shower etc prior to a journey home.
Re: Todays ride
Ian,
Sorry to hear of motorists behaving so badly. I see it all the time when riding push bikes and often even more so when riding motorbikes. Its almost like they dont see you as a human or a threat to their own life and just carry on regardless.
My original instructor said to me.
'Ride with the knowledge that 95% of the people in tin boxes around at any one time are complete and utter morons. The other 5% are deliberately trying to kill you.
Remember that and you may just get through it'
He followed up with
'oh, also.. strange as it may seem, its highly unlikely any of it personal either'
Sorry to hear of motorists behaving so badly. I see it all the time when riding push bikes and often even more so when riding motorbikes. Its almost like they dont see you as a human or a threat to their own life and just carry on regardless.
My original instructor said to me.
'Ride with the knowledge that 95% of the people in tin boxes around at any one time are complete and utter morons. The other 5% are deliberately trying to kill you.
Remember that and you may just get through it'
He followed up with
'oh, also.. strange as it may seem, its highly unlikely any of it personal either'
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ScotRoutes
- Posts: 8144
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Re: Todays ride
Actually yesterdays ride!
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RIP
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Re: Todays ride
Thanks FLV (must be abbreviation for FLying V surely?!) Damn! There go those parentheses again, I've worn out my keyboard now 
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Todays ride
Wish it was that cold down here. It's warm enough to sleep out in a 2 season sleeping bag at the moment. It was 12 degrees when I walked to work at 7:30am this morning. Winter? PfffftScotRoutes wrote:Actually yesterdays ride!
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ScotRoutes
- Posts: 8144
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 9:56 am
Re: Todays ride
10C here today and, as you can imagine, the snow has all but disappeared
Re: Todays ride
Thanks Dave. It's not a new experience, sadly. Two days after that I got hit by a car riding up my road - didn't stop. And then the next day mark got knocked off.
Reg - please post more often. That is a great bit of reading
as Dave says - if you are round these parts do by all means post up in the 'anyone playing out thread' if you fancy some company. There's several of us who live in or close to the peak.
Reg - please post more often. That is a great bit of reading
as Dave says - if you are round these parts do by all means post up in the 'anyone playing out thread' if you fancy some company. There's several of us who live in or close to the peak.-
RIP
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- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
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Re: Todays ride
Thanks Ian. Am hoping to venture out more after some while off "the scene", so yes will try and advertise better next time (in all the fashionable colour supplements?). Really must get my arris in gear to perform at an Official BBB Event as well cos they look like cracking bubbles of insanity outside the asylum. Loved Stuart's foxy write-up next door, gives a "shot in the dark" a whole new meaning. So much for hiding away from it all. I do wonder if hiding in plain view might work better and must give it a try sometime - top of Snowdon maybe? Strangely one my best spots was the car park next to Monsal Head Hotel one New Year's eve in the snow. There was a patch of grass with some tables with a view straight down into the dale which was nice to wake up to. Didn't get any hassle at all despite the packed car park. This paragraph is getting too long so I'll stop, but will finish with a pic or two of a 22g stove in full flight for those who don't have one so they can see what they're missing:
Cheers, Chris - I mean "Reg"
Cheers, Chris - I mean "Reg"
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
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Adventurer
- Posts: 405
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2014 10:31 am
Re: Todays ride
Just a short ride today over Cannock Chase. Went past the Huntington belt and you can see the Cannock colliery pit mound in the background of one of my pics.
You could say it's a little bit famous as someone stuck a flag pole on the top with an English flag and the local council eventually allowed it as a permanent fixture.
Wet and windy day, I'm greatful that I had my paramo smock on, great shell.
It might be just me but I just leave some of my bikepacking bags on my bike. Can't be bothered keep on taking them on and off and using a rucksac.
This came in useful when at a cafe stop, I just pulled out my down layer when all the other MTBrs are shivering.
https://flic.kr/p/Cnggj8
You could say it's a little bit famous as someone stuck a flag pole on the top with an English flag and the local council eventually allowed it as a permanent fixture.
Wet and windy day, I'm greatful that I had my paramo smock on, great shell.
It might be just me but I just leave some of my bikepacking bags on my bike. Can't be bothered keep on taking them on and off and using a rucksac.
This came in useful when at a cafe stop, I just pulled out my down layer when all the other MTBrs are shivering.
https://flic.kr/p/Cnggj8
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Fat tyre kicker
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:39 pm
- Location: Cheshire
Re: Todays ride
Which Paramo top are using Adventurer,I've got a Fuera (off here)
But have looking at an Aspira for waterproof duties ?
But have looking at an Aspira for waterproof duties ?
Re: Todays ride
Nice 20 mile trundle round the woods in the sunshine!
Re: Todays ride
Sunshine?!
Which country are you in?
Which country are you in?
Re: Todays ride
People's Republic of Dorset!Ian wrote:Sunshine?!
Which country are you in?
(Edit: raining again now.
)Re: Todays ride
I've lost count of the number of days on the trot it's rained here...
Re: Todays ride
Today's commuting was nice today
No rain, cool and bright in the morning, OK temp and pitch black on the way home
Yesterday's ride was a bit wet though
No rain, cool and bright in the morning, OK temp and pitch black on the way home
Yesterday's ride was a bit wet though
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JohnClimber
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Fat tyre kicker
- Posts: 982
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- Location: Cheshire
Re: Todays ride
Think I got a flash of the trans Pennine and Sankey valley near me
Then John
Then John