Tell us about your weekend ride

It's fucking expensive in Spain almost twice the cost, we managed to claim we need only one pitch area the size of a campervan despite their insistance of two pitch for two tent, do anyone know why they do that, or just another way of making money from cyclotouriste?

Good job wild camping is legals there*.

*as long you read the small print.

Ed - tents have to be 3m apart apparently. Fire precaution.

With a campervan that make sense, whether a tent can be set three metre apart on one pitch easily.

Only one place that allowed us to pitch on one slot was near Valencia due to the owner being very sympathetic by the idea of us riding to Africa.

It's fucking expensive in Spain almost twice the cost, we managed to claim we need only one pitch area the size of a campervan despite their insistance of two pitch for two tent, do anyone know why they do that, or just another way of making money from cyclotouriste?

Good job wild camping is legals there*.

*as long you read the small print.

16-30 euro for a tent spot? Really?
You could probably find B&Bs for that.

For one person one tent in France the price varied from 8 to 15 euro. The cheapest being camping municipal sites. It'd be cheaper still if it was two of you sharing a tent

Cool, seems very reasonable. Thanks very much :)

16-30 euro for a tent spot? Really?
You could probably find B&Bs for that.

Or make like an olive tree and er.. drop;

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No olive trees for me this weekend. Just a highly agreeable overnight ride down to Whitstable, starting at midnight on Friday and finishing with a fried breakfast and an unspecified quantity of adnams served up on the seafront.

It was the first time I'd taken the Dave Lloyd out for a proper spin since November's Cambridge ride, and it's still a joy to ride.

Paused to listen to a nightingale, laughed at the marsh frogs' mating calls, watched the ISS glide over at ten to three, met an owl and a vole. Had cakes and coffee in Strood.

63k and 2300m around Malibu. Rode up into a couple of big cloud banks off the ocean, most peculiar riding through the haze, particularly when you burst out into hot sunshine ten minutes later. Bloody magic riding.

Las Tunas canyon is a right cock.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2618440

Mum & Dad: 'Son, can you meet us at the airport Saturday morning and take the car home?'

Me: 'No probs, what time?'

Mum & Dad: 'Err 5.30am'

Me: 'I'll take the bike'...

Cue 5 mile ride through deserted city streets, beautiful morning sun, and not a zombie in sight.

Also usually deserted on Christmas Eve - although there are a couple of pedestri-zombies in the second photo

Belfast?

After a weekend of fail I consoled myself with a 35km route home, an eccentric half-orbit of Nairobi. This took me through every socio-economic strata of the city, from the poorest slums to the wankiest suburbs. I held my breath as I passed the putrid mountain of rubbish in Kawangware slum, then as I gasped for air I got a curious whiff of Parmesan cheese. There is no Parmesan cheese for probably 1000km, but somehow this rotting heap produced an aromatic cocktail of haute cuisine proportions. And feet. It also stank of feet.

Then zooming past tonnes of vocal, smartly dressed school kids in the slum Dagoretti I felt like a professional racer named Mzungu. One lucky kid was getting a lift home on a motorbike, I raced him for about 1.5km. We were grinning at each other so I gave a "nyanje?" (wassup?) and both kid and driver replied an enthusiastic "poa poa" (cool cool). I lost them around the start of a long hill, which was a bit tough after the motorbike racing.

The rest was bumpy decline. When cruising at 40kph+ for 5-10 minute stretches it's an art to stay comfortable over lumpy tarmac and still maintain speed. Finding the path of least resistance is like a video game, avoiding holes, spotting narrow tracks of smooth surface to follow, bunny hopping over debris, gripping the saddle with your thighs to give your bum/arms a rest. Home, manly quiche, wipe red dust layer from sweaty face, brag to the expat housemates, lounge about flat in lycra to disturb the females.

35.3km and 277m climbing (max alt. 2040m), 75 minutes, so average 28.4kph (17.6mph).

Ndeipi I might have to set up a rep direct debit account of some kind for you.

63k and 2300m around Malibu. Rode up into a couple of big cloud banks off the ocean, most peculiar riding through the haze, particularly when you burst out into hot sunshine ten minutes later. Bloody magic riding.

Las Tunas canyon is a right cock.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2618440

Well jell. So that last bit is just constant little hills?

http://app.strava.com/activities/58082825

Ambient air temp hit over 32 Celcius during my ride today. God only knows what it was on the fresh, deep black tarmac they've so lovingly put down around here. I'd bet high 30s (one road sign said 35 and that was before 3pm (peak temperature)).

Plus the humidity, that equals a shitload of sweating and it's just impossible to drink enough. 110km in these conditions is no fun. Put back one 700ml bidon of super (x3) concentrated electrolytes plus maybe 5 of water and I was honestly still close to passing out by the time I got home. Not good on a solo ride.

reckon it's time for a hydration pack?

http://app.strava.com/activities/58206806

I'm not going to get a weekend ride this week - I'm going to a wedding in France and I've been banned from bringing my bike along with me by the boss.

So I'm trying to squeeze in a few rides during the week. This evening was blissfully perfect weather - cloudless sky, warm and not too windy.

There's nothing interesting to report about this ride - no buzzards catching small children or marauding sheep, but it was one of those rare occasions when everything felt effortless. To such an extent that it was almost as if someone has swapped my body with someone's who's actually good at cycling and not old.

People, you are looking at my golden moment in the sun!

reckon it's time for a hydration pack?

Not really. There's enough water around (lots of natural springs in the mountains here, which is amazing, plus vending machines and convenience stores everywhere) - the problem is in actually drinking enough, I think.

So this morning I decided that uni had consumed 4/5 of my week days, so I went on a ride on the Roberts instead. Turnpike Lane then up the Lee Valley on the gravel towpath to Chingford, where I did the Chingford 'E4 ecstasy'
loop from the TNRC archive, very pleasant it was too. All in all it came to 48.52 miles. Was my first proper road ride outside of Regents/Swains etc... since the Christmas hols, due to injury, exams etc... and hopefully will kickstart me into doing more proper riding!

reckon it's time for a hydration pack?

Or to stop wearing wool jerseys?

Had a meeting at lunchtime in Cambridge so I made a crib sheet from Skive's route via Ludd (who was very generous with some late notes last night) and rode out there this morning.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread74324.html

Cracking route! If anyone's planning something tomorrow but hasn't worked out what they fancy yet this is a beautiful 60 miles (from Lea Bridge Road). I was concerned that it might be marred by work traffic etc but quite the opposite - it was dead dead quiet. Most roads were really deserted. It's rolling lanes with plenty of passing space most of the time so all but one driver was considerate and patient. I stopped at the tea hut in Epping even though I'd barely gone ten miles at that point to grab a cuppa, then it was head down with no stops (apart from natural breaks) until I got a bit wobbly 5 miles out of Cambridge and ate a biscuit. It was hot and sweaty and the 12mph headwind was a marginal bummer pace wise but I grinned most of the way. I would absolutely do that ride again - especially now I've ironed out some of my navigational cock ups.

The world is very pretty out there at the moment. Verdant greens and popping Rape Seed yellows. I chatted with some Alpacas and a lamb. Passed a chap cruising a Surley tourer with a Brixton Cycles bottle (I think) who looked a bit 'on here'. Had an embarrassing clip fail which nearly did for my rear mech - a full kit wanker zipped past me without so much as a "hi" while I was wrestling to get it sorted so I was especially pleased to catch him up with ease once up and running and pass him with an extra cheery hello.

Got to my meeting in something of a state and got cramp mid way through which would have been unprofessional had it not been for the minutes being peppered with conversation about beards velcroing together when chaps snog, tourettes as art and men in their pants by railway tracks.

Hopped on the train home as I was knackered (lightweight) but should have ridden the breeze home. Top day and mostly tax deductible.

Good effort.no shame in doing one direction out then back on train.specially with tail wind;)
Mate told me we hit 56 kph on track last night, he has a garmin and stuff
#amidoinitright?

Got the road bike out last couple of days for faster commutes in the sunshine. Lycra top & baggy shorts to upset the purists tho.

I'm going to Skegness tmw morning, because fuck it.

Drink your drinks out there folks. I'm cramping like a bastard right now and sixty miles doesn't usually leave me this fucked. Maybe the long winter lulled me. I'm not conditioned to a bit of sunshine.

I've had my wine, and now I'm having my Port. Thanks for caring.