Tell us about your weekend ride

Good Friday 70 mile ride from Cambridge to Bredfield (just north of Woodbridge, Suffolk):

Setting off late in the morning with a new mileometer, cue sheet and numerous OS maps, it was already too hot. It was a bit packhorse vs riding with my mtb around 20kg carrying most of the supplies, and my companion on around 10kg of road bike, but we were pretty well matched so it was all good. We were both geared but crap at hills, so I reckon challenging on fixed but doable. One steep climb - Hartest Hill - we walked...

We took the middle of nowhere zone well south of the A14 to head directly for Ipswich - on lanes and minor roads almost the entire way. It was generally pretty rolling, with mile after mile of yellow rape fields and passing through pretty saxon villages full of thatched roofs, flowering clematis and apple blossom. The sun was indeed hot. The unfortunate easterly wind was tiresome. There was a touch of monotony in the middle of the day when the fields were open and the headwind was strong, but it was a pretty fine day for riding. A sympathetic grey cloud gave us some respite and a few flecks of rain just after lunch, and there was more tree cover towards the end.

The largest village we passed through was Lavenham - the setting for Witchfinder General - where we stopped for pub lunch, and we skirted the north edge of Ipswich (industrial estate and bleak housing), otherwise it was small stuff all the way. A good way to see the rural parts of east anglia and the gently changing landscape. Plenty of wildlife (and insects!), horses in horse country, lambs and baby rabbits etc. One field I couldn't understand though - looked like it had been plowed by a giant, enormous furrows spaced about 2m apart and really deep. Wish I'd taken a photo, but would have had to get a person or bike in the field to make sense of the scale...

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/368809/
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I'd been worried about the holiday traffic - the route was winding and single track width in places - but it was very pleasant. Almost deserted, with very few cars and those we did see seemingly unhurried, maybe something to do with the route on village roads and no major cut-throughs. Traffic in Lavenham centre and then in an around Ipswich, only. One instance of using a passing place when confronted with a big lorry occupying the entire width of the lane. All roads surfaced (inc the paths at the start), but of variable quality, as you might expect.

Last minute trip to Derbyshire to see family - managed to squeeze in a 70k route round southern Peak District fuelled by hot cross buns and Easter Egg. Really enjoyed this. Amazing views, hardly any traffic, lambs, daffodils, skylarks ...

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Brassington-Tideswell-Youlgrave509515

Best bits:
A sneezing sheep near Taddington
Managing to unclip in time when chain came off during a rapid gear change at the bottom of Millers Dale
Making it up Monsall Dale in one go

Worst bits:
Long slow climb from Cromford Station the night before (legs empty from a 20k row / 6k run / 20k cycle on the ss that morning; denim shorts; a rucksack held together by safety pins after an epic zip fail on the train)

Times I wished I had a triple: 2

KT Bee - the map loads up, just takes a while...

70 miler, out via Saddleworth, over the moors towards Huddersfield, then turn off over the M62 to Rishworth, back up to Blackstone Edge. A 2hr break to meet a mate in Hebden Bridge, then home via Todmorden, Bacupo and Rochdale.

Coupla pics

Before the sun came out over Marsden Moor

After the sun came out, Blackstone Edge reservoir.

One field I couldn't understand though - looked like it had been plowed by a giant, enormous furrows spaced about 2m apart and really deep. Wish I'd taken a photo, but would have had to get a person or bike in the field to make sense of the scale...

This? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridge_and_furrow

Looks like a fun ride.

nope it was freshly dug/ploughed with some massive machinery so the furrows weren't tilled, rather scooped like epic half-pipes.

was indeed fun if a little hot. +2800ft climbing, not sure if that is a lot or little. same down again too, starting just south of the fens, ending near the coast...

New Forest Sportive

4hrs 53min ride time. 5 mins off a Gold, bah! It's not too bad, considering I had trouble finding anyone going at a similar pace to work with, so it was pretty much 83 miles on my own.

Fortunately the weather was good, little wind and there wasn't much climbing involved (I think the inner ring was only used for the short 25%!). It was a case of head down, dodge the odd New Forest pony and try to stay upright over the cattle grids.

I used to live in Brockenhurst, very jealous you get to ride around there.

^^ That's odd indeed! Pity you couldn't get a photo.

Myself, Laner, Fox and Spybot rolled down to Brighton today. 131km on the clock for me (including the feeder ride out to central london and the ride back from the train, but I am knackered so I am counting the full day's distance as I feel I deserve it).

First long ride for me since having much of the winter off due to injury. And also my longest ride ever on fixed (just). Massively happy! Thanks for a great day guys.

nice one :)
didn't you meet the rest of old London town there?

I wish I had taken photos generally, even with my phone, but it was the longest (by a long way) my partner had ridden, and I was slightly concerned about too much stopping and starting.

I have taken photos and videos with a point 'n' shoot digital camera in one hand while riding, but there have been hairy moments; the time when I rounded a bend to be faced by an oncoming combine harvester sticks in my memory! Strictly a trick for empty, remote roads and old/ cheap cameras.

I guess a lot of London was there but I was too busy being tired and eating fish and chips to notice. Mushy peas, too.

How did you manage to stretch a ride to Brighton to 131km?

Well done, though.

@Stonehedge: if you do this ride, tell me how you get on with Hartest Hill.

111, plus 10 into london and 10 out. I didn't plan the route, I just pootled along. As a direct route I would have expected it to be the best part of 100km though, so I guess a few diversions? Part of it was based on your route I think (we never got around to it last weekend).

Did you go via Shoreham? That would have made it longer.

Some nice rides/ reads there. The Peaks are definitely worth a visit, I wasn't too far from Hebden Bridge over the weekend, and 190km of coastal destinations sounds like a top theme for a long trip.

Me, I'm all done now. Yesterday's ride from Hexham to the borders was ace, miles and miles of rolling ups and downs with barely a sharp turn in sight. Each successful ascent made visible the next section of some very inviting road. I'm sorry that I didn't have a camera with me.

Borders to Edinburgh was less interesting, just a functional spin along the A7, a gentle descent made frustratingly slow by a strong headwind.

Friday, Sat-urday, Sunday.

Top ride, that, in fact I don't think I could have asked for much more from it. The good bits were right on the money, the bad bits were entirely par for the course, and Saturday was just bonkers.

I'm now experiencing a bit of a come down.

Did you go via Shoreham? That would have made it longer.

I took your Triple Crown route Oliver, but cut across from Hawkins Pond to Devil's Dyke via this route kindly drawn up by spybot.

[ame]http://ridewithgps.com/routes/380042[/ame
[/ame]

Nice route, but hilly - I didn't realise quite how hilly the cut across was - 15% climbs and so on. The gradient bit above lies! London Bridge - Brighton Beach was 70 miles on my 'pooter.

I also got us lost a few times, which helped...

I did 20 something pretty much flat out miles on Friday, 40 miles on Saturday and that yesterday. I think that's me done for the weekend, except possibly a slow pootle into town later on gears :)

Pendle Witches Vintage Velo yesterday - 53-miles on my '53 Ellis-Briggs:

Durney School at Manchester Velodrome on Friday: 10 bikes, 10 Durneys, 10 mile race - possibily the most fun you can have with your cycle shorts on...

^ Nice pic NG, I was out there on modern bike, would love to have retro geared for 2012. Great ride.

spooky... I took 3 pics at the start... is this you centre NG?

spooky... I took 3 pics at the start... is this you centre NG?

Yep - that's me. (I hope that's bulging woolen jersey pockets making me look that shape...). Not really been to mid-Lancashire before - some lovely roads, even if Nick O'Pendle was a bit steep :)

Photos from http://www.cyclesportphotos.com/section483233_416078.html (I have paid for a set; not just ripping them off!)

Nice to nearly meet you! The Nick was quite steep but not too bad, the next drag with all the false summits was much tougher - esp as my legs turned to jelly half way up.

55 miles of Kent's finest flats and climbs today on 47x18. Bit windy at times!

Smashed the London Phoenix Easter Classic, just under 30 minutes faster than last year. Many familiar faces but got a bit antsy waiting around at the start so pushed on with things.
Good fun - an absolutely glorious day with the wind in sort of the right direction this time around. Haven't hurt so much for a while, could barely walk when I got off the bike, my brain took about 45 minutes to catch up, I was wobbling around and talking gibberish in the interim. Rescued by chips courtesy of Somebody. Lovely.

Maldon and back (85 miles). It was magnificent and brilliant, they had a Mud Race AND a Duck Race. Essex has everything.

I more or less know the route now so might organise an Essex Girls ride sometime soon.

route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4457723

just on the train from newcastle having ridden the coast to coast, whitehaven to tynemouth. some damn big hills but pedalled up and down all without dying or pushing. hard work in places, great fun for the most. amazing weather. not sure fixed was the best idea but damn fun and lots of 'respect' from some serious roadies. a great couple of days.