Todays ride

Share your rides with us.

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sean_iow
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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

I've not ridden a bike since Tuesday, which although not that long a time is a long time for me. I did go for a run on Friday but that's for another thread.

As the sun was out and my mum needed some more bird food I decided to ride into Newport to get some but as her customer base for feeding is quite large I had to fit the luggage :smile: It's only a flat 16 mile round trip but it seemed harder on the return leg, that might be the 16lb weight of bird seed/fat balls/mealworms etc :lol:

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I was also trialing v2 of the downtube bag which has a litre of water in a nalgene bottle, so another 2.2 lb :roll:
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whitestone
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Re: Todays ride

Post by whitestone »

my mum needed some more bird food
Are conditions that tough on the island Sean? :lol:

Went for a spin around the South Dales with Cath. Back lanes and BWs got us to Bell Busk, I'd not done the BWs for a couple of years so a bit of a change. From Bell Busk we headed to Airton, Calton and then up Weets Top. This was hard work as there was a stiff headwind. A bit of lunch on the top then over to Mastiles Lane, along to Malham Tarn then the Settle Loop and down Stockdale Lane before heading back via one of those BWs that just stops in the middle of nowhere. There's a move to upgrade the rest of it to BW but I've never had any problems with riding it. A final BW to Gargrave then road back home.

What was surprising was how quiet it was - we saw just three cyclists all of them on road. Even more surprising we only met seven walkers all day.
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Alan63
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Alan63 »

Had my longest ride of year yesterday, a massive 71K. Whoop de doop I hear some say. Rode down into Ayrshire to pick up some more tiles. A77 bike path was really busy. Found some great new back roads in Ayrshire but some bad surfaces too. Great to be out in sunshine.
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Boab
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Boab »

Three rides last week (1, 2, 3) for a total of 321.09 km. Out again this morning for another 105 km, this time seeking out new to me bridleways and byways to the South W̵e̵s̵t̵ East of where I live. It seems that Essex really has some nice hardpack gravel byways, that are lovely to cycle on. I shall have to explore Essex further...

Cold, wet and grey to start with:
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It was nice when the sun put in an appearance:
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Not sure what the gabions were for, there wasn't any evidence of a river, or widening of the byway due to green laners etc. I would like to see this done to quite a few of the byways I regularly cycle, would make things much better:
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Had worked myself up into a right froth at the state of the world by this point, so had to stop and have a word with myself:
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Last edited by Boab on Wed Jul 07, 2021 10:55 am, edited 3 times in total.
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RIP
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

Nice. Would you be happy to provide a GR for that last lane?

If you're heading SW, myself and JamesO, MuddyPete, and SiBoy had a fab time a couple of years ago on the Herts/Essex border - a cracking route is the Icknield Way Trail from Royston to Baldock, then SE from Clothall to Cromer, followed by a steaming green lane SE for miles, finally ending up in - hurrah! - Nasty :grin: .

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UnderTheRadars
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Re: Todays ride

Post by UnderTheRadars »

A very slow 50km to the river Severn at Arley and back. Jeez I’m so unfit, got my squares to 8x8 though
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Re: Todays ride

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Popped out for my constitutional. Went along one lane I've done many times but this time I happened to stop at a gate which resulted in me finding a hidden sign. Lots of info about how a settlement existed on this spot 500 years ago with furrowed fields, huts ("tofts") etc. You can still see the furrows even now, and apparently an aerial view shows the outlines of the buildings. By 1700 the settlement had reverted to fields for unknown reasons.

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I've forgotten who's collecting what - quarries, graveyards, post boxes - but here's a GR postbox. And why not.

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'Reg'
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sean_iow
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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

RIP wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:47 pm I've forgotten who's collecting what - quarries, graveyards, post boxes - but here's a GR postbox. And why not.
It is getting out of hand :smile: I went for a run* today, I had to stop myself from taking pictures of post boxes, I also went near a rather well preserved pillbox, I didn't go and take a picture as it was on the wrong side of the busy road I'd just crossed and also up hill from where I was. My route ran next to the Island Line for a bit between Brading Station and the road bridge at Yaverland, when the train went past I got a cheery wave from the driver which made me smile :grin:

I did stop to take a pic of this chap, he reminded me of the bears that went on the Dam Busters after their mission :grin:

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* I know it should be a ride :roll:
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

sean_iow wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:13 pm
RIP wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:47 pm I've forgotten who's collecting what - quarries, graveyards, post boxes - but here's a GR postbox. And why not.
It is getting out of hand :smile:
Nah, all of us should be collecting something, because let's face it there's bugger all else to do at the moment :roll: . And of course "things getting out of hand" is exactly the BBB modus operandi, it's what we do :-bd.

Sigh!

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"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.....

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Re: Todays ride

Post by Boab »

RIP wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:50 pm Nice. Would you be happy to provide a GR for that last lane?
That is the bridleway around the South and West of Hempsted Wood. I am totally using the woods for a bivvy after lock down, although I may have to go ultra stealth, as I think it's used for shooting defenceless animals.
RIP wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:50 pm If you're heading SW, myself and JamesO, MuddyPete, and SBoy had a fab time a couple of years ago on the Herts/Essex border - a cracking route is the Icknield Way Trail from Royston to Baldock, then SE from Clothall to Cromer, followed by a steaming green lane SE for miles, finally ending up in - hurrah! - Nasty :grin: .
Can't believe I wrote South West, I went South EAST! I was South West on multiple rides last week, came a cross some cracking byways between Thaxted, Saffron Walden and Royston.
RIP wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2020 5:50 pm "so had to stop and have a word with myself" - hopefully yourself sorted yourself out?
Eventually. Yesterday was just one of those days, as it was the memorial service for a young colleague who lost his battle with cancer a couple of weeks ago. Heartbreaking watching it via a webcast due to the restrictions, especially as he only go married a few months ago. 😢
Last edited by Boab on Tue Jun 09, 2020 8:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

Thanks KT. JamesO likes the E Herts stuff and so do I, maybe we'll bump into each other over there at some point PL - it's on the list. I can see that your other news would give you pause for thought :sad: .
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

I made the effort and rode out to the pillbox that started it all. This is one of the best preserved we have left on the Island.

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As I walked round the outside trying to work out where the door would have been (that I assumed had been blocked up) I spotted the information board :roll:

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All the years I've been going past it and I never knew they climbed in through the roof. Having visited one I made the effort to ride up to the top of Culver where the bases of two more were allegedly present, but no sign. The remains of the Naval Artillery Battery are still there.

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As can be seen it's a bit harder to break up and remove than a pillbox, hence it surviving. I headed down to Sandown Bay, spotting a bonus extra pillbox on the way, its not listed in the history site, I guess it was part of the Yaverland Battery so didn't get a separate listing.

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Lastly we have the pillbox at what is now the zoo.

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That's all the pillboxes close to home, the rest are out west wight so more effort required to see them.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

Enjoyed that. Well that's three Spots to put on your list for later :smile: . Might need to slim a bit to get in through a couple of those slots though I guess. Looks like must have been big guns at Culver.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

Culver had a pair of 9.2 inch guns which had a range of 17,000 yards, so just under 10 miles. Enough to reach the fleet of cruise ships currently taking refuge in Sandown bay to avoid port fees during the Covid lock-down. If only the guns were still there, that would move them on :lol:
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Re: Todays ride

Post by faustus »

Enjoyed that too Sean, interesting pics...have you ever bivvied in one? I briefly thought about my local ones (tons of them as i'm on an old 'stop 'line'), but plenty look like they have been - at best - pissed in by people drinking cider. :???:
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Re: Todays ride

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faustus wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:30 am Enjoyed that too Sean, interesting pics...have you ever bivvied in one?
I don't think there are any that it's possible to get inside, they've had the doorways blocked up. There are some observation posts on Ventnor Down that it's possible to get into but these are open enough for the cattle to get into, a weeing cider drinker would be nice in comparison to the inside of them :lol:

There is a Y station on the downs I fancy biving in, but it's only 7* walls and no roof, but would provide shelter from the wind on a dry night.

* It's octagonal but one side was the door which is missing, hence being 7 walls. It's also a Grade II listed building which would also be a biving first for me.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Boab »

I was planning on cycling round Cambridge the hard way today. Woke up, took one look at the weather and though, nope. Nope. Nope. Nope... So went for a gentle pootle to try the new tyres and bib shorts.

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Last edited by Boab on Wed Jul 07, 2021 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by UnderTheRadars »

I was planning on a little 40ker to pick up a couple of squares, however when I set off I knew I wouldn’t make it, skipping gears, feeling crap and hollow legs meant I headed for home with only 10k’s on the board
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Re: Todays ride

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I cut my ride short today due to a mechanical, not that I planned to go far as I'm saving my legs for next weeks running, but even on an 'easy' day less than 10 miles is pretty short. I did pass here

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Sight of the BB IOW bivi a couple of years back. When I was a nipper the building was a ruin, only half a roof and part of the rear wall had collapsed. I can remember sheltering in there from the rain to eat my sarnies when hiking with the scouts. On the one hand it's nice that it's been saved but equally it would have made a good bivi spot if it was still a ruin.

This was the reason for cutting my ride short

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The failure of my Brooks C15. I knew it was coming as there was a crack across the nose and it was squeaking when peddling but that's been going on for months and the crack has been visible for longer still. It still caught me by surprise when it went, luckily I was under 5 miles from home.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by Cyclepeasant »

Soggy woggy road ride today. Left at 4am. Overcast. 15 miles it became drizzle, determined to continue ride, unusual number of suicide wildlife running across the road for some reason today,had to avoid 4 deer,2 pigeion,2 hare's, countless rabbits,3 squirrels all as close as possible to my front wheel! Interesting going through all the various villages,I have never really noticed the various designs of postboxes on a pole or wall types, until we discussed them on this forum. (Thanks guys!)
headed out northwards to cardington, Great barford, Colmworth, little staughnton,headed back to moggerhanger (what a great village name!) Old warden southill. Lovely 60 miler, except I was saturated ,
Talking of pillboxes,there is one on the road between much hadham and sawbridgeworth,. I will stop and have a closer look at it next time.
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sean_iow
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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

Cyclepeasant wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:08 pm I have never really noticed the various designs of postboxes on a pole or wall types, until we discussed them on this forum.
They are one of those things were you don't realise how many there are until you start to notice them and then you see them everywhere. I assume that as the post started in the Victorian times when most people had to walk to get anywhere that it meant a postbox was required at every small habitation/group of houses.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by whitestone »

sean_iow wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:30 pm
Cyclepeasant wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:08 pm I have never really noticed the various designs of postboxes on a pole or wall types, until we discussed them on this forum.
They are one of those things were you don't realise how many there are until you start to notice them and then you see them everywhere. I assume that as the post started in the Victorian times when most people had to walk to get anywhere that it meant a postbox was required at every small habitation/group of houses.
Apparently it was a requirement, in law, that there was a post box within half a mile of 98% of the population.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by sean_iow »

whitestone wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:43 pm Apparently it was a requirement, in law, that there was a post box within half a mile of 98% of the population.
That makes sense as they seem to be in areas where houses have been for ages. I assume that the law has changed now as the places I rarely see them are the new housing estates, in fact I don't think I've seen any in the Pan Meadows estate which is 800+ houses on the outskirts of Newport, yet there is a VR one in Gatcombe which is probably only a 15 to 20 house hamlet in the countryside.
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Re: Todays ride

Post by RIP »

At this point I'd like to unreservedly apologise to you Sean for getting you involved with all this. It's like drugs... you can give 'em up any time... but you don't want to, not just yet... just for a while longer....
"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.....

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Re: Todays ride

Post by Cyclepeasant »

Aha! That will explain why.
I always wondered why there would be a post box across the road from a couple of houses in the middle of nowhere!

How wonderful it is to be enlightened!

:-bd
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