Todays ride

[Bearbonesnorm]

Can you give me a GR for that cave please Jase?

[Taylor]

Can you give me a GR for that cave please Jase?

Should be here if I'm not mistaken.

SD278960

Or

NY316016

[ootini]

Diving is pretty good there too, as long as you watching out for "rock bombs" from above.

[Wotsits]

Yep, Taylor is right with NY316016

The quarry is in 2 parts though, the easiest access is from the North, although you then can't get through to the other part without scuba gear! The other entrance is at the south west corner were the gap in the low single wire fence is, it's a bit of a scramble to get down & back up at the top. Take a torch, there's a tunnel where at the end is a ladder that leads down into some very dark looking water! As ootini said, it's a well known dive site as it's apparently another 35m under water to the bottom of the quarry where there's old machinery & also some tunnels. It's claimed a fair few lives over the years though..

If you're in the area Cathedral Quarry is also worth a visit, it's not on an OS map but the entrance is roughly GR NY313029. When inside if you go round the back of the pillar it opens up again & if you then climb up & head down into one of the corners there's the entrance to a fairly long pitch black tunnel where the exit is at the other side of the hill.









Google Cathedral Quarry for more pics..

[Bearbonesnorm]

That looks great, cheers Jase

[Wotsits]

No probs Stu

[Pyro]

Take a torch, there's a tunnel where at the end is a ladder that leads down into some very dark looking water!

And if you know where you're headed, you can swim across that, take a shallow dive under a rock bar and appear in what just looks like a puddle next to the path on the far side. I've scared a lot of tourists surfacing there over the years...

My great grandfather worked those quarries, all of the ones around Hodge Close. When you look at the size of the main hole, I've always been quite proud of that.

[Zippy]

Had a crack at the ridgeway double ITT on thursday. Shan't be doing that again in a hurry...

https://www.strava.com/activities/347990390

[slarge]

The ridgeway double - hope it was dry for you. Horrid if muddy I guess......
Good ride though!

[Ian]

Had a crack at the ridgeway double ITT on thursday. Shan't be doing that again in a hurry...

https://www.strava.com/activities/347990390

Care to expand? It's on my list of possibles for this year...

[Zippy]

Weather conditions were pretty good actually, had a bit of a headwind on the way back, good view of sheet lightening once it got dark pretty much the whole way but only a bit of rain to go with it - it was so warm that I could pack pretty light clothes wise (most I was wearing / all my kit was: shorts + knee warmers, s/s jersey + arm warmers + gilet + montane smock). Was running 26er rigid, using tubes as didn't have time to repair my tyres to work tubeless so my arms took a beating..only puncture was a pinch at about 11pm on a big rock i didn't see. Cycled a bit hard on the way out and my mind wasn't in the right place for the first half of the return and stopped a few times for a bit too long - but once I got my head sorted I just got on with it, got fuelling about right though, and as always with these rides you learn a bit more about yourself etc. My legs are now a bit tired and I ache a bit, but feel alright considering. Being a weekday and starting Ivinghoe beacon end worked well in terms of walkers etc. as that was all pretty clear. I was however getting sleep monsters from about mid-day just from being tired through the week with work etc. I rolled into my tent just down the road from Ivinghoe Beacon just after 2am - having somewhere to crash after a big ride makes all the difference.

Now off for a weekend in Wales including possibly a bothy and most likely a 60 mile road ride

[Zippy]

Had a crack at the ridgeway double ITT on thursday. Shan't be doing that again in a hurry...

https://www.strava.com/activities/347990390

Care to expand? It's on my list of possibles for this year...

Don't worry, reasons I shan't be doing that again in a hurry are purely of my own making, nothing to do with the route. The GPS log was top notch too, very accurate and had all the water taps marked on them

[Farawayvisions]

Not exactly today, but last week I went for a ride in the Dolomites. It's a cracking place for a bivvy despite wildcamping not being strictly legal. I spoke to a local guide who said that there are only two rangers in the area who would probably turn a blind eye to responsible campers anyway.

http://www.farawayvisions.com/solo-in-the-dolomites/

[slarge]

The ridgeway double is what I would class as an intro to big rides. It's all quite gentle, but there is a lot of climbing when it is all added up. There's a small amount of interesting riding, and lots of open hills, downs, paths etc. just do it when it's dry as water would make it very miserable....

[slarge]

Faraway, don't you have a job or anything? You seem to do loads of great rides when the rest of us are sat watching emails come and go.......

[Farawayvisions]

Slarge, that was work.

[Scattamah]

First time back on Lois after my disastrous TD run. Left knee is 99% back to normal. Right knee is still iffy. 0.3 miles and back home...switch out cleats to last years race cleats and set with a TP1....damn! Knee pain dropped from 7 or 8 down to 1 or 2. Now giving myself a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things before making a decision whether to compete in BB200.

Greetz

S.

[Bearbonesnorm]

First time back on Lois after my disastrous TD run. Left knee is 99% back to normal. Right knee is still iffy. 0.3 miles and back home...switch out cleats to last years race cleats and set with a TP1....damn! Knee pain dropped from 7 or 8 down to 1 or 2. Now giving myself a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of things before making a decision whether to compete in BB200.

Greetz

S.

Has anyone switched to flats to see whether that helps with knee issues? It just strikes me that on long rides you wouldn't want your hands in the same position continually and you certainly wouldn't want the same for your arse ... so why are feet okay?

[Scattamah]

Same reason you don't let the pistons in an engine move about, no?

Greetz

S.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Same reason you don't let the pistons in an engine move about, no?

Uhm ... they do kind of move about or at least they could, if there were somewhere for them to go. I see what you're saying but I'm still not convinced, surely the ability to make adjustments to foot position must help alleviate some of the stresses of pedalling?

[RobMac]

so why are feet okay?

You have the sole of your shoe to dissipate the pressure and you alternate the load on your feet as you rotate the peddles, try standing on your peddles over a rough bit and keep your legs rigid and see what your missing, ouch!

[Bearbonesnorm]

You have the sole of your shoe to dissipate the pressure and you alternate the load on your feet as you rotate the peddles

But really how much pressure / load is there? If you're seated then the saddle's supporting your weight.

try standing on your peddles over a rough bit and keep your legs rigid and see what your missing, ouch!

Is the ability to stand with your legs locked out something clipless allows you do do? Someone will have to explain to me why that's a good idea

My thinking was that Scott said a swap in cleat position removed much of his knee pain - knee pain which knackered his TD. Maybe with flat pedals the issue might have been avoided?

[Scattamah]

I think you're right, Mr S8tannorm, as in if it's hurting, you get the option to move the foot. But the problem for me was I pooched my cleat setup and also during my crash I twisted one out just a touch. Get it right then don't mess with it and you can go a long way. Get it wrong (even by accident) and things can get sour after a while. Took about 400 miles before it got me.

Greetz

S.

[ootini]

On Saturday I went on a bit of a recce around the local area figuring out which bridle ways were useful, and which were total disasters. Some are seriously overgrown and simply impassable, which is a shame as they looked quite interesting. Here's a photo.

[Scattamah]

First 60 minute session tonight...left knee works (yay!)...right knee mostly works (boo!) Surprised myself climbing some dirt singletrack without issue. Amazing what 4 weeks rest can do. Not outta the woods yet though...pivot function still slightly compromised, noticed during unclip.

Greetz

S.