Todays ride

Share your rides with us.

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sean_iow
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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

RIP wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:04 pm Ducks Folly indeed. For some bizarre reason I knew that was coming by the time I'd finished the first sentence of your write-up :grin: . Deja vu or something. Or the opposite of deja vu. Pas encore vu?
As Jane will confirm, I can be know to repeat myself :lol: so there is the possibility that I've passed that information on before.

By coincidence Jane had a bottle of Mermaid* Pink Gin which she opened last night. Purely in the interest of updating the forum as to any resemblance to hand sanitiser I had a glass to taste and just to make sure I also had a second. It is indeed a fine brew and if the hand sanitiser tastes anything like that then I'll be drinking that too :grin: It also comes in a lovely glass bottle with a wooden and cork lid so meets our environmental standards for sustainability.

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* The distilary is located in what used to to be the Wishing Well pub where my dad worked for a while in the 60s to supplement his meagre income from the brick-yard. It also used to have a campsite attached to it so even more appropriate for here.
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ScotRoutes
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Re: Todays ride

Post by ScotRoutes »

Far too warm for pedalling today, so the SV got its first ride out this year. "Broadly" 5 miles until 3rd July.

ImageDSC_1295 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
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JohnClimber
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Re: Todays ride

Post by JohnClimber »

Went to the Lakes on Tuesday

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Not Stonehenge

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Before the rain came in (again)

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Stopped by Ullswater at Glenridding

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Put the bike on the pack raft and paddled towards Pooley Bridge

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Paddled north with a tail wind

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Took my time, chilled out and stopped a couple of times along the southern shore as the lake changes to an East/West direction

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Chilled out for so long with food and a drink, even in June the sun went down and I ran out of time to get back safely.

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I searched through my bikes bags and would you believe it I found my Luna Solo in there, a Numo mattress and my Cumlus quilt.... how lucky was that?

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1 of 2 over head but the didn't spot me luckily

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Foggy at 6am when I set off

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Very atmospheric start to the day before the heat of the day started to kick in and I completed the length of Ullswater then on the River Eamont towards Penrith

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Until a downed tree blocked the river forcing me out of the flowing stream

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and having to ride to my car a little earlier than expected and head home for a late lunch.

Social Distancing and solo riding/paddling at it's best
Last edited by JohnClimber on Fri Jun 26, 2020 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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summittoppler
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Re: Todays ride

Post by summittoppler »

Very lucky there John!
Also, I didn't know you supported Celtic? :lol:
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Boab
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Boab »

Got notification on Wednesday that my job is at risk of redundancy. So after all the official calls, went out for a short loop to clear my head. I had been planning for a 200 km jaunt yesterday, but more official calls, plus a call with a potential new employer, put pay to that. So I headed out early in the morning, with an eye to future bivvy rides. It didn't start well though, with a small puncture that the sealant wouldn't seal, so I had to stab my new (ish) tyres with the tools to try and squeeze an anchovy in there.

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I love the idea of cycling up and down the Icknield Way, but by Christ the sand can 🤬 off! This bit wasn't that bad, but some bits were like riding on a beach, and had no verge to bail into. Will be interesting with a fully loaded bike on future rides...

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Since I've made it to this end, I should probably start exploring the other end, as I've not been on it passed Ashwell.

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I've found plenty of places like this recently on a few bridleways. Out of sight of properties, in the middle of nowhere and just loads of grass. Will have to pack in all the water though, as there's no where locally to get any. For just pitching up and sleeping, then getting up and continuing, I think I've found some winners.

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Last edited by Boab on Wed Jul 07, 2021 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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whitestone
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Re: Todays ride

Post by whitestone »

Rather than head north into the Dales as I've done the past few weekends, this time I headed south.

Having been woken by rain at (insert unearthly hour here) things had faired up by the time I set off but that didn't last long and by the time I'd crested the climb by Earl Crag I was riding into a full blown Yorkshire mizzle and I was soaked! I'd planned a route to pick up a BW just outside Goose Eye I'd not done before but a distinct lack of signage had me wondering if I'd got the right line. It was also basically a push, then again I was going uphill and it looked nicely steep and technical going the other way :roll: I then got really confused as the sign on the next gate was for a footpath http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=401906 ... &A=Y&Z=115. But checking the map again it's definitely a BW. At this point I had a good idea of where I was so cut right and sure enough the expected features appeared.

Then it was over to Stanbury and some steep roads to get to Stair Lane. I've never cleaned the first part of this climb and today was no exception :lol: The middle and top parts are much easier. Once over the top it's a blast down the Hebden Bridge side before a sharp right gets you on another old track that leads to an old farmhouse called "Nook" but known locally as "the house of sub standard" (an obvious name when you get there). The climb up from here is another I've never cleaned. Until today :-bd Another rider had just opened the gate at the bottom so I took advantage of that. n truth it's only a couple of, often greasy, steps so mostly a matter of getting the right line. The other rider and myself traded gate opening duties over to the road, then they went left, I went right towards Widdop.

This used to be a real technical test of a climb, then it was "sanitised" but it still wasn't easy. Then the weather got to work on the sanitisation and it became harder again. There's been a bit more work done recently on the top section but you've got to get there. I just took it steady, the sun was out and I was a bit warm but the chances of another shower were high. Over the top and the blast down to where the Pennine Bridleway heads north. Simple route finding from here.

It was starting to get warm again as I approached Wycoller but as I turned to descend down to the hamlet I couldn't help but notice the bank of really, really black clouds beginning to envelop Longridge and Pendle. The first spots started as I got to Knarrs Hill, one of our checkpoints on May's Ride Your Way weekend. I got to the road, my original intent was to continue on the PBW down to Earby then back over Pinhaw to ride a path I'd not done before but now I thought it best to try and get home before the rain struck.

One kilometre from home the heavens opened! An absolute cloud burst. By the time I got home I was drenched, the cat wasn't impressed and didn't want to know me, my phone, inside a plastic bag inside a nylon stuff sack inside another nylon stuff sack was wet.

Not a long ride, just under 60km but pretty hilly with 1350m of climbing.
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ScotRoutes
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Re: Todays ride

Post by ScotRoutes »

After a bit of chat about it on here earlier this week, I took the Occam out for some fun at Badaguish. I pleased myself by both cleaning and PBing a particularly tough little rock and root strewn climb and then having great fun on one of the gnarly descents.


I stopped at this wee cairn for a photo and it struck me that the view has almost been swallowed up by the trees in the past few years.

ImageDSC_1301 by Colin Cadden, on Flickr
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RIP
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

The Old Firm is back!! A very social[ly distanced] ride with the Chiltern Boners (Chiltoners?), albeit with a few last minute apologies-for-absences including Tim BrownDog who apparently has a 'vag' which needs regular attention; I'm very old so I don't pretend to know what that's all about.

Anyway, Benp1, JamesO, MuddyPete, Rich3rd and Reg duly converged from all points of the compass to follow a very vague plan around the Chilterns, which turned out to involve a surprising amount of off-roady-ness. Here we are with Ivinghoe Beacon in the background:

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Half way up the hill to Dunstable Downs I'm blaming Ben for insisting we continued to the top, although the pain was assuaged somewhat by the enormous view - you can see Didcot 40 miles away if you're really unlucky - and the less enormous but equally satisfying beers that we'd brought. James consumed a substance that claimed to be an apple pie, having cost him about £1 for six, although the paper-thin thickness rather cast doubt on both descriptive words. Rich apologised profusely for forgetting to bring his full-sized 450degC wood-fired pizza oven - poor excuse that he didn't have a trailer.

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Back down the hill to attempt to ride every bridleway and greenway round Totternhoe Quarry and almost succeeding:

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A large black cloud had been looming for quite a while and a deluge broke just as we reached the safety of a big tree. Berghaus Hyper Condom Smock ON. Pause. Deluge OFF. Oh. Berghaus Hyper Condom Smock OFF. Continue.

Things took a BBB turn for the weird next as everything seemed to grow in size around us like some Alice In Wonderland freak world:

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[contd...
Last edited by RIP on Sun Jun 28, 2020 6:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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RIP
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

... things weren't getting any better by the time we reached Leighton Buzzard:

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We nipped into a Co-Op to find a number of bottles marked 'Drink Me' which once consumed miraculously restored us to proper size again. By a stroke of luck the potion they contained tasted remarkably like beer. After another picnic Pete and Rich wandered off, and James convinced Ben and myself to continue on to Woburn Woods.

I was thinking of just skirting the edges but James had obviously made contact with his inner-hooligan and insisted we screamed round the tech trails as well. The place was jammed with garishly coloured bikers as usual with their garishly coloured 'big rigs', and they looked down their noses at our beaten up jalopies festooned with ragged bikepacking gear. Smiles were soon wiped off their faces as James gunned his Jones down the nearest vertical cliff face at light speed leaving them all in the dust gaping with disbelief :-bd .

Still, it was a good testing ground for BP kit and I was hugely gratified that my 8g MYOG bar harness made out of four cableties performed faultlessly. Ya can keep yer hefty Revelates and Acepacs and Restraps! :wink: .

And so via various other tracks n trails n towpaths back to the start. Absolutely top drawer ride with top drawer chaps.
"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
redefined_cycles
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Re: Todays ride

Post by redefined_cycles »

They must've been gobsmacked woth his forks :lol:
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RIP
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

Yes indeed, their gobs were suitably smacked. Especially since, compared to the full-faced 200mm'd elbow-padded jokers, Mr James was sporting a rather jaunty flat cap and what appeared to be his old gardening shirt (*) :-bd

(*) Ahem sorry James, I meant your shirt that would have pride of place in the Shirts For The Discerning Gentleman thread....
"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
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Bearlegged
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Bearlegged »

Byways, curlews, cheeky tracks and a sheep's skull.

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redefined_cycles
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Re: Todays ride

Post by redefined_cycles »

RIP wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2020 5:12 pm Yes indeed, their gobs were suitably smacked. Especially since, compared to the full-faced 200mm'd elbow-padded jokers, Mr James was sporting a rather jaunty flat cap and what appeared to be his old gardening shirt (*) :-bd

(*) Ahem sorry James, I meant your shirt that would have pride of place in the Shirts For The Discerning Gentleman thread....
Reg... I read an interview with the man himself (well not James even though he could also be classed a 'the man himself') in Privateer long ago. Was almost printed on cardboard and I kept my copies. Anyway, Geoff was saying that ever since riding/designing his 'funny*' forks, he was now riding stuff faster than what he was doing on big hitting oil suspension.

So thanks for sharing what you've seen with James and his 'funny' frame. I always wondered whether it was just Geoff hyping up himself (even though I never really doubted him).

*Off course he never called his forks 'funny'
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benp1
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Re: Todays ride

Post by benp1 »

RIP wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2020 3:29 pmAbsolutely top drawer ride with top drawer chaps.
Reg, you’ve done a wonderful job of writing up our trip, thank you sir

To be honest there’s not much I can add. Lots and lots of off road tracks with very little road sections. And nearly all of it new to me. Beautiful area.

Lost the bag from my front harness, thankfully James spotted my empty harness at the bottom of a trail in Woburn and was only a short ride back up to get it. First time this has happened to me!

I very much enjoyed the beers we had, cracking views from the tops, look forward to when the pubs open! And look forward to another at some point
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JohnClimber
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Re: Todays ride

Post by JohnClimber »

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Nipped to the shop yesterday for the paper on the SS
jameso
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Re: Todays ride

Post by jameso »

RIP wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2020 5:12 pm Yes indeed, their gobs were suitably smacked. Especially since, compared to the full-faced 200mm'd elbow-padded jokers, Mr James was sporting a rather jaunty flat cap and what appeared to be his old gardening shirt (*) :-bd

(*) Ahem sorry James, I meant your shirt that would have pride of place in the Shirts For The Discerning Gentleman thread....
I'll have you know that's a Crikey, how much cap, just a very old and battered one 😀
Fair cop on the shirt. I heard you lot like to frequent posh eateries on your trips in the SE so dressed for dinner. Or weeding.
(didn't we take the other trail to the enduro guys? I know I decided that 3ft to flat bit was 'for another day' and went round the easy way!)

Well said Ben, was a really good ride. Refreshing, the beers and good company. Thanks all 🤟
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

Yeah the enduros went the "green" route :wink: .

Oh, and own up, who was it that suggested I should stick a load of tourist leaflets in my map holder!!! HAH! :-P :lol:
"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
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Re: Todays ride

Post by jameso »

RIP wrote: Sun Jun 28, 2020 10:27 pm Oh, and own up, who was it that suggested I should stick a load of tourist leaflets in my map holder!!! HAH! :-P :lol:
*Points at Ben* "he did it Mr"
We'll bring some for you next time :-bd
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

:lol:
"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
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Todays ride

Post by TheBrownDog »

The Old Firm is back!! A very social[ly distanced] ride with the Chiltern Boners (Chiltoners?), albeit with a few last minute apologies-for-absences including Tim BrownDog who apparently has a 'vag' which needs regular attention;
:lol: ... but just for the sake of clarity, I'd like to point out that my Very Active Girlfriend was less of an issue than my Very Farked Up Knee, though two weeks off the bike, some strategic strapping and a less vigorous approach to my morning walk seems to be doing the trick. I managed a 10m bimble ride on Sunday with no ill effects.

Great looking ride fellas. IRDWICHBT.
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RIP
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

TheBrownDog wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2020 2:07 pm some strategic strapping
I'm getting a bit confused now as usual. Is this related to the VAG or the knee or what? ...

If it's not your VAG it's your FUK. Whatever next? This is straight out of the Viz Compendium Of Ailments I reckon.
"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
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faustus
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Re: Todays ride

Post by faustus »

Got a lovely ride in today before a long weekend of childcare. Went down a track that's new to me, and it was brilliant. Lovely views, wildflower margins on all the fields, and nice surface. Rest of the ride was a super mix of off road and back lanes. 'Only' 15 miles but enough to keep me going until next week.
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Boab
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Boab »

A heavy week, for me at least, with over 378 km covered over five rides. I came to the conclusion on yesterday's ride, that I need either, a set of 650b wheels, or a whole new bike. The new bike would be for bikepacking and off road slop rides. mainly so I can run large tyres with proper tread patterns. This conclusion was reached after having to negotiate four fields, with that tacky kind of mud that gums your gravel tyres up after about ten metres of riding.

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Was having a conversation with my wife this morning, where I may have mentioned the idea of using some of my future (next month) redundancy payment to buy one of them new Decathlon Riverside expedition bikes. Er... Should maybe have lead with spending money on painting and decorating first, and then dropped the bike chat in at the end. Oops.

I did scope out a couple of future bivvy spots on the ride too. Glad I didn't mention spending £200 on a tent along with the £1,300 on a new bike... 🤦‍♂️🤣
Last edited by Boab on Tue May 18, 2021 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Roobell7
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Roobell7 »

Today's ride was brought to you (me actually) by Strava suggested routes. I asked for a 120km ride, any elevation and on dirt. The first one up was 119.7km, 1,808m and 6h 6m. The actual ride turned out to be 123.2km, 1,707m and 6h 47m moving time. I've never yet been let down by this feature, even in Ghana, where they cannot have too much data to work with.

After a bit of a false start trying to work out where my new Wahoo ELEMNT Roam was trying to take me. I headed out to the northern part of Accra until the tarmac finished and the red dirt started

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
First of the dirt roads

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Old School fuel pumps

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Pineapple country

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RoutePlanner by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Red River

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Hair by Giro

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Motorbike or Matiz and of course Goats

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Like Sarn Helen except the puddles are warm :lol:

Around 70% of the ride was on dirt. From graded double track, to washed out land rover track. The first big section was 47.5 km, with 750 m climbed, max 15.8%, temperature around 26'C @ 92% humidity. The second section was 11.5 km, 360 m, max 12.8%, temperature pushing 35'C. Well before 1/2 way my trainers were swimming in sweat. I was carrying about 3 litres of fluids, with 1.25 in stainless steel flasks. Cold drinks were a lifesaver. Especially the cold beers :-bd

As I reached the tarmac again at 1/2 way, a shady bar appeared with a fridge of cold Star Beers calling me as I passed. A quick double back and a welcome rest from the heat and climbing.

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
The first cold one :-bd

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Half way but not downhill yet :shock:

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Hard to squeeze out but not a bad fuel (found locally but from UK)

At 77.5 km the route took me up onto the ridge, with 3.2 km zig zag climb, of 250 m @ 8.2% average and 13.3% max. The temperature peaked at 35'C at the top. John Lee Hooker was singing Monday Blues as I climbed :cool:

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Can you see what's coming?

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Now the road comes into view :???:

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
And then it's confirmed :roll:

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
Painface on :oops:

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
But the views are pretty good

When I reached the tarmac I was toasted. I stopped under the porch of a church to eat an orange and drink the last of my drink. After a short rest, I set of very slowly to complete the climb into the village and stopped at a store to get a few bottles of their sugariest drinks. It saw me down off the ridge and back into town.

Having done over 200km off-road on the Bad Boy on it's rather skinny 35mm CX Conti tyres, I was starting to think they were almost puncture proof. Until I clipped a silly little pothole about 1 km from the apartment. As it was a bad tube anyway, and having picked up some spares in Germany. I just rode it slowly back.

A dip in the pool to cool off and protein packed smoothie saw me able to move again. Possibly my last ride of this trip to Accra. With the proper equipment, this country would make a great bike packing experience. I never saw another European the whole trip, and the further out of town I rode, the better the encouragement from the locals :-bd

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
I started the day at 88.3kg :geek:

ImageAccra Epic by Strava RouteBuilder by Andy Wright, on Flickr
But I earned a virtual badge :grin:

Here are some links from the trip. I was also attempting to share my ride with my InReach Mini

https://spotwalla.com/publicTrips.php?un=Plovair
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmPfLq5N
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/51981024

Until the next one, Andy
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benp1
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Re: Todays ride

Post by benp1 »

Nice one Andy, that looks absolutely ace. I spent a two year period doing a lot of trips and work in Africa, what a fantastic continent it is. I'd love to do some riding there, great looking trip
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