2023 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[DiggyGun]

As the weather today was perfect for riding, we took a trip to the Millennium Country Park in the Marston Vale Forest and had a few laps round that.

As part of this we saw some signs for the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Park, part of which runs through the Park. We haven’t tried this trail yet, so one to do in the future.

Some fancy seats along the way.

DG…

 

[RabH]

Happy to see you posting, Rab! Was a little worried, seeing the terrible weather and flooding happening in your neck of the world!

Thank you Patricia, it was pretty crazy but we got off lightly here! The NE of the country was hit hard and people have lost everything, my heart goes out to everyone affected!

I hope all goes to plan with the hip replacement!

 

[dodgeman]

I did 14 miles yesterday. I haven’t been riding as much, I’ve been “working” for exercise by splitting some of my firewood.

 

[Prairie Dog]

And so it begins. Woke up early this morning to light flurries with little snow accumulation. That all changed in a few hours and snow will continue to fall overnight. Tomorrow should prove to be an interesting first snowy ride of the season.

 

[dodgeman]

That what you get for living north of the arctic circle. It got up to 75 here in Western Illinois today.

 

[Prairie Dog]

That what you get for living north of the arctic circle. It got up to 75 here in Western Illinois today.

The conditions were certainly different around this time last year for sure. I’m actually looking forward to riding as snow doesn’t have to mean it’s the end of the bike season.

 

[RabH]

It was a pretty murky day today and we had a 15-20mph easterly wind blowing but what a ride it was, I picked the perfect route to take advantage of the easterly wind! I set off in a NE direction down into Falkirk and took the awesome back road to Bonnybridge and then on to Denny where the climbing started in earnest with a 2.8 mile ascent up through Stoneywood and along the Carron Valley with the wind now at my back! Sadly there was a car in the ditch on this road and all the emergency services were present, hopefully the passengers were ok! I passed the Carron Valley reservoir and not surpisingly the water level was the highest I have seen it for a long time, not dangerously high thankfully!

It wasn't a day for photos and I didn't feel like stopping to take them anyway as I was having too much fun riding these incredible roads on an equally incredible bike! I was flying down a big descent in the valley and I knew a tight corner was coming so I got on the brakes to scrub some speed and just as I reached the bend a massive truck appeared and it was taking up the whole road which is very narrow, thankfully I had a little verge to get to safety! I have met cars here before but its the first time I have seen a truck of this size on a road that's totally unsuitable for such a vehicle, it was actually transporting horses!

After enjoying the awesome ride along the valley it was time for the 3.5 mile climb up over the Campsie Hills and I had the road pretty much all to myself, I just love cycling on week days!I reached the top of the climb and started the exhilirating descent with the wind at my back and hit 45.5mph, that was such a buzz! The road then turns 180 degrees and I was back into the wind again but still on a steep descent so I wasn't hanging about! I arrived in Lennoxtown and joined the main road to Milton of Campsie for a couple of miles before turning off the main road and taking the back road to Kirkintilloch!

From there I enjoyed yet another lovely back road through Twechar and on to Kilsyth, where I had to use the main road for a bit up to Croy! I passed through the village which was very quiet as the schools were all out by now and I joined the busy main road at Cumbernauld but it was just before rush hour so not too bad! I was soon on a back road again and heading for Lenziemill before taking the big climb up to Wattston and then it was quiet back roads all the way home, the town was busy by now but I know all the shortcuts and avoided the worst of the traffic!

What a fantastic day on the bike and I finally passed 5000 miles for the year, I'm now at 5055! The latest Wahoo gps update seems to have fixed the discrepancy with Ridewithgps regarding elevation gain, it was getting rather annoying so I'm glad its sorted! It was good to get out twice in 3 days for a change, 130 miles and almost 9000ft of climbing so I'm a little tired now!

 

[Chargeride]

I'm off to the Cotswolds for a week, Stow on the Wold to be exact.
One of the off-road trails nearby I spotted is called the diddly squat ride.
Had a quick look and yes, Jeremy Clarksons farm is just down the road.
I'll have a look, he does live near it in good old, superposh Chipping Norton.

That area is England's absolute chocolate box scenery.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm off to the Cotswolds for a week

Been there!

 

[DiggyGun]

I'm off to the Cotswolds for a week, Stow on the Wold to be exact.
One of the off-road trails nearby I spotted is called the diddly squat ride.
Had a quick look and yes, Jeremy Clarksons farm is just down the road.
I'll have a look, he does live near it in good old, superposh Chipping Norton.

That area is England's absolute chocolate box scenery.

Enjoy your rides, but watch out for the local Council.

DG…

 

[Prairie Dog]

There was no way I was going to miss out on the first epic snowfall of the season so I hopped on the fatbike and made a beeline to the closest trail which happened to be Heritage Ranch only a few kms from my home.

Along the way I came across a trio of youngsters who were honing their techniques on a home-made jump as they anxiously waited for the official opening day of the local ski hill. I must say that I was impressed with these Mark McMorris wannabes.

The snow was quite deep along sections of the Heritage single but for the most part the 4.5” Wrathchilds were unmistakably the tires tasked for the job. It was slow going and a bit squirrely at first as I attempted to reacquaint myself with the snowy terrain after a summer of dirt riding.

I would give it another week before the trails become more established with a bit more hardpack underneath the tires. On the issue of speed, it’s not as fast as dirt but far from sluggish and it definitely has a lot to do with the snow conditions which can widely vary. When it’s perfectly packed, take it from me, snow trails can be just as fun as dirt. Plus, crashing is a lot more forgiving.

A stopover at Fisherman’s Island Bridge to take in the view before moving on.

The reflection of the snow-covered spruce trees along either side of the creek were something to behold. It’s hard to believe the transformation overnight of the surroundings compared to what it was like just two days ago.

A view from above of what appears to be the remains of a beaver dam.

The snow that fell overnight was enough to take this dead tree down but left just enough space for me to squeak by.

Most of the log berms were completely covered by this time but it still took a bit of effort traversing over them.

The only fatbiker that I came across yesterday and who also happened to be riding a Norco.

There comes a point when strapping on the planks might be the only logical way to get around in deep snow. That or a fatbike.

Even though we consider the local ruminants at the top of the list when it comes to garden pests, I will always find time to stop and watch them as they move through the woods with effortless grace.

It was a spectacular day out on the trails and I couldn’t have asked for better conditions even though it would have been nice to eke out a final week like we experienced last October when we were still focused very much on road rides. I’ve come to the realization that not everyone here is a fan of wintry weather but it’s days like this that makes it hard for me to imagine being anywhere else.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A proper e-bike for the conditions! Jealous!

 

[Prairie Dog]

A proper e-bike for the conditions! Jealous!

This is the first time ever that I’ve been out riding the singles this early in the season. There’s no way I would even attempt this on the Levo with the amount of snow that we received. I would literally be waiting for days on end so others before me could pack down the trails. That’s no longer the case. Preparing for colder days to come might become a challenge dare I say.

 

[Chargeride]

Sat on The Porch house, England's oldest pub.
945AD.

Is that the original exterior., inside looks genuine.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Sat on The Porch house, England's oldest pub.
945AD.

Is that the original exterior., inside looks genuine.

View attachment 165398

Love the ivy crawling up the corner of the walls. That certainly adds charm to the exterior facade.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

There was no way I was going to miss out on the first epic snowfall of the season so I hopped on the fatbike and made a beeline to the closest trail which happened to be Heritage Ranch only a few kms from my home.

Along the way I came across a trio of youngsters who were honing their techniques on a home-made jump as they anxiously waited for the official opening day of the local ski hill. I must say that I was impressed with these Mark McMorris wannabes.

View attachment 165378
View attachment 165379

The snow was quite deep along sections of the Heritage single but for the most part the 4.5” Wrathchilds were unmistakably the tires tasked for the job. It was slow going and a bit squirrely at first as I attempted to reacquaint myself with the snowy terrain after a summer of dirt riding.

View attachment 165380
View attachment 165381

I would give it another week before the trails become more established with a bit more hardpack underneath the tires. On the issue of speed, it’s not as fast as dirt but far from sluggish and it definitely has a lot to do with the snow conditions which can widely vary. When it’s perfectly packed, take it from me, snow trails can be just as fun as dirt. Plus, crashing is a lot more forgiving.

View attachment 165382

A stopover at Fisherman’s Island Bridge to take in the view before moving on.

View attachment 165386
View attachment 165383

The reflection of the snow-covered spruce trees along either side of the creek were something to behold. It’s hard to believe the transformation overnight of the surroundings compared to what it was like just two days ago.

View attachment 165385

A view from above of what appears to be the remains of a beaver dam.

View attachment 165387

The snow that fell overnight was enough to take this dead tree down but left just enough space for me to squeak by.

View attachment 165388

Most of the log berms were completely covered by this time but it still took a bit of effort traversing over them.

View attachment 165389

The only fatbiker that I came across yesterday and who also happened to be riding a Norco.

View attachment 165390

There comes a point when strapping on the planks might be the only logical way to get around in deep snow. That or a fatbike.

View attachment 165391

Even though we consider the local ruminants at the top of the list when it comes to garden pests, I will always find time to stop and watch them as they move through the woods with effortless grace.

View attachment 165393

It was a spectacular day out on the trails and I couldn’t have asked for better conditions even though it would have been nice to eke out a final week like we experienced last October when we were still focused very much on road rides. I’ve come to the realization that not everyone here is a fan of wintry weather but it’s days like this that makes it hard for me to imagine being anywhere else.

View attachment 165395
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View attachment 165396

Gorgeous! The weather's changing here, too. Yesterday I had wear a long-sleeved shirt with my shorts and sandals.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Gorgeous! The weather's changing here, too. Yesterday I had wear a long-sleeved shirt with my shorts and sandals.

Nice! Hard to believe I was wearing a short-sleeved jersey a week ago. It reached -8 C (17F) midway into yesterday’s ride but I got away wearing just a poly/fleece layer with a wind/waterproof shell over top. Due to the deep snow, I did rely heavily on my boots and gaiters. Mercury plunged to -16C (3F) today which is where it currently sits now.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Nice! Hard to believe I was wearing a short-sleeved jersey a week ago. It reached -8 C (17F) midway into yesterday’s ride but I got away wearing just a poly/fleece layer with a wind/waterproof shell over top. Due to the deep snow, I did rely heavily on my boots and gaiters. Mercury plunged to -16C (3F) today which is where it currently sits now.

Sounds like Denver, where big weather changes can happen in a matter hours. Often due to the Arctic masses that you Canadians dump over the border when you get tired of them.

When you're on the 6th day of -5°F highs, that starts feeling like an act of war.
;^}

 

[Prairie Dog]

Sounds like Denver, where big weather changes can happen in a matter hours. Often due to the Arctic masses that you Canadians dump over the border when you get tired of them.

When you're on the 6th day of -5°F highs, that starts feeling like an act of war.
;^}

With the exception of an expected overnight low of -17C, the forecast for the next 10-14 days here looks somewhat more promising. Shame about those darn invasive polar air masses, eh.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Yesterday was much colder than it was on Tuesday as a cold arctic air mass descended upon the area and as a result required me to make a few changes to my wardrobe. An insulated primaloft jacket and a pair of 45North winter boots made the ride more bearable. My only concern would be my hands but I managed quite well during the last outing with liners under my lobster mitts. The temperature was -14C and I was tempted to swap the liners with electric heated versions but decided to stick with my original plan. Half way into the ride my fingers were already feeling the effects of the cold wind but it was too late to turn back so I pressed on.

Close to home in Kin Kanyon, a vibrant mural lines the tunnel under 32 Street.

Before pushing off to the north end of the city, I decided to ride a short side trail nearby that runs along Piper Creek.

Not gonna happen. I can’t seem to catch a break no matter where I ride.

A brief stop to warm up along MacKenzie Trail before making my way towards the Pines single.

MacKenzie Ponds - If it looks cold in the image you can bet that it was when I took out my camera to take this shot.

Arrived at the Pines trailhead and it proved to be timely as the trees acted as a buffer against the bone chilling wind.

I stopped midway to warm up my digits which were pretty numb by now. The 8 oz of insulation in the mitts along with the liners were not enough to provide sufficient warmth. My decision to not opt for the electric liners proved to be a wrong one and I learned a valuable lesson. My boots on the other hand were awesome and my feet were warm and toasty.

With my hands slightly warmer, I took to the trail once again. I normally ride it in the opposite direction which involves more of steady climb uphill but with so much soft snow on the ground, I opted for a more sensible downhill approach.

This section of the single didn’t appear to used at all and so it was great to see the Norco create its own trail plowing through 4” of snowy goodness without a losing a beat.

On my way home, I spotted some geese on the river that didn’t appear to be in any rush to fly south.

Another mural that was recently completed this summer beautifies the supports underneath the Taylor Drive Bridge.