The "Photos From Today's Ride" thread...
Discussion
A few from today's Remembrance Sunday ride round Hampshire and Surrey...
Odiham, Hampshire.
Getting misty, just before turning south to Holybourne/Alton.
Unusual war memorial in Holybourne, in so far as it a) seems to be carved from wood, and b) only mentions "The Great War", no mention of the 1939-1945 conflict. The memorial is also unusual because it lists all 175 names of the armed forces personnel from the village who served during WW1. The 152 Soldiers and 23 Sailors were drawn from a village population of only 500. The 16 village men killed are marked on the plaque with a small cross beside their name.
The B3004 out of East Worldham. I love this view, as you ride through the village. It seems like you are about to 'fall off the edge' until the road comes into view as you pass the crest of the hill. Disappointed with a smidgin under 41mph today, but with wet roads, and rim brakes, discretion seemed appropriate on the way down. Would still have been 3 points and a fine in a car
Thankfully the worst of the weather seemed to be off to the south east. This taken part way up Sickles Road, between Kingsley and Wheatley, looking east.
Sickles Road (Wheatley Hill) again. This sign makes me chuckle every time I hit this hill. It's entirely land-locked, with no water at the bottom, but presumably it's the only 'standard' road sign they could use to warn of the (fookin' massive) drop to the right of the road.
A dismal photo (excuse: it was getting dark by then) of the memorial in Bourne, just south of Farnham.
"In Remembrance of the Sappers who gave their lives in all conflicts. RIP"
Indulge me a little here. The names of 30 men known to me are carved upon the walls of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Half a dozen of those were close enough to call friends, the most recent of them were my flatmate, Cpl Jamie 'KP' Kirkpatrick, killed in action in Afghanistan on 27th June 2010, Cpl David Barnsdale, killed attempting to clear IEDs 20th October 2010, reservist Spr Will Blanchard, shot investigating a suspected IED on 30th October 2010, and Spr Connor Ray, died in hospital in UK on 18th April 2012, of wounds received in a bomb blast in central Helmand 8 days earlier.
Odiham, Hampshire.
Getting misty, just before turning south to Holybourne/Alton.
Unusual war memorial in Holybourne, in so far as it a) seems to be carved from wood, and b) only mentions "The Great War", no mention of the 1939-1945 conflict. The memorial is also unusual because it lists all 175 names of the armed forces personnel from the village who served during WW1. The 152 Soldiers and 23 Sailors were drawn from a village population of only 500. The 16 village men killed are marked on the plaque with a small cross beside their name.
The B3004 out of East Worldham. I love this view, as you ride through the village. It seems like you are about to 'fall off the edge' until the road comes into view as you pass the crest of the hill. Disappointed with a smidgin under 41mph today, but with wet roads, and rim brakes, discretion seemed appropriate on the way down. Would still have been 3 points and a fine in a car
Thankfully the worst of the weather seemed to be off to the south east. This taken part way up Sickles Road, between Kingsley and Wheatley, looking east.
Sickles Road (Wheatley Hill) again. This sign makes me chuckle every time I hit this hill. It's entirely land-locked, with no water at the bottom, but presumably it's the only 'standard' road sign they could use to warn of the (fookin' massive) drop to the right of the road.
A dismal photo (excuse: it was getting dark by then) of the memorial in Bourne, just south of Farnham.
"In Remembrance of the Sappers who gave their lives in all conflicts. RIP"
Indulge me a little here. The names of 30 men known to me are carved upon the walls of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Half a dozen of those were close enough to call friends, the most recent of them were my flatmate, Cpl Jamie 'KP' Kirkpatrick, killed in action in Afghanistan on 27th June 2010, Cpl David Barnsdale, killed attempting to clear IEDs 20th October 2010, reservist Spr Will Blanchard, shot investigating a suspected IED on 30th October 2010, and Spr Connor Ray, died in hospital in UK on 18th April 2012, of wounds received in a bomb blast in central Helmand 8 days earlier.
Edited by yellowjack on Monday 9th November 00:51
Muddy ride at Cannock Chase by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Muddy ride at Cannock Chase by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Now that I have a sensible car I can fit my bike it, I got up to Cannock Chase at the weekend.
Doing inappropriate, silly things on my 'winter' road bike today.
Bimbling around the bridleways on Yateley Common and Hawley Woods I headed up a couple of sections of boardwalk, rather than tackle the huge, gloopy mud-puddle at the bottom of a hill.
Photo taken after I picked myself up. The offending steps are out of shot, behind the bike at this point. As you can see, I was tantalizingly close to completing the section too!
Turns out it was a big mistake. I cleared some single 'down' steps OK. Then I attempted some single 'up' steps. That went spiffingly too. So, full of new-found (over) confidence, I decided to take on two sets of double 'up' steps. Well, a road bike, skinny (23c) slick tyres, and a wet, greasy boardwalk? It's only going to end one way. And sure enough, the front wheel squirms out from underneath me, I'm dumped on the deck, right hip first, and the bike lands drive-side down. I then roll off the right hand side of the decking, ending up on my back in the brambles, with one foot still clipped in, thrashing around like the Tiswas Dying Fly.
My inner 'wise man' had suggested I walk the section, but I ignored that voice of reason, like the fool I am.
Happily, I finished the ride with another 20 miles covered, and both me and the bike seem none the worse for my misadventure. I am expecting some bruising, but nowt too serious. I was more worried about my PH winter jersey, with black mud stains all over the white sleeves, but Vanish Oxy-Action stain remover seems to have sorted that out OK.
All's well that ends well, eh?
Bimbling around the bridleways on Yateley Common and Hawley Woods I headed up a couple of sections of boardwalk, rather than tackle the huge, gloopy mud-puddle at the bottom of a hill.
Photo taken after I picked myself up. The offending steps are out of shot, behind the bike at this point. As you can see, I was tantalizingly close to completing the section too!
Turns out it was a big mistake. I cleared some single 'down' steps OK. Then I attempted some single 'up' steps. That went spiffingly too. So, full of new-found (over) confidence, I decided to take on two sets of double 'up' steps. Well, a road bike, skinny (23c) slick tyres, and a wet, greasy boardwalk? It's only going to end one way. And sure enough, the front wheel squirms out from underneath me, I'm dumped on the deck, right hip first, and the bike lands drive-side down. I then roll off the right hand side of the decking, ending up on my back in the brambles, with one foot still clipped in, thrashing around like the Tiswas Dying Fly.
My inner 'wise man' had suggested I walk the section, but I ignored that voice of reason, like the fool I am.
Happily, I finished the ride with another 20 miles covered, and both me and the bike seem none the worse for my misadventure. I am expecting some bruising, but nowt too serious. I was more worried about my PH winter jersey, with black mud stains all over the white sleeves, but Vanish Oxy-Action stain remover seems to have sorted that out OK.
All's well that ends well, eh?
yellowjack said:
Doing inappropriate, silly things on my 'winter' road bike today.
Bimbling around the bridleways on Yateley Common and Hawley Woods I headed up a couple of sections of boardwalk, rather than tackle the huge, gloopy mud-puddle at the bottom of a hill.
Photo taken after I picked myself up. The offending steps are out of shot, behind the bike at this point. As you can see, I was tantalizingly close to completing the section too!
Turns out it was a big mistake. I cleared some single 'down' steps OK. Then I attempted some single 'up' steps. That went spiffingly too. So, full of new-found (over) confidence, I decided to take on two sets of double 'up' steps. Well, a road bike, skinny (23c) slick tyres, and a wet, greasy boardwalk? It's only going to end one way. And sure enough, the front wheel squirms out from underneath me, I'm dumped on the deck, right hip first, and the bike lands drive-side down. I then roll off the right hand side of the decking, ending up on my back in the brambles, with one foot still clipped in, thrashing around like the Tiswas Dying Fly.
My inner 'wise man' had suggested I walk the section, but I ignored that voice of reason, like the fool I am.
Happily, I finished the ride with another 20 miles covered, and both me and the bike seem none the worse for my misadventure. I am expecting some bruising, but nowt too serious. I was more worried about my PH winter jersey, with black mud stains all over the white sleeves, but Vanish Oxy-Action stain remover seems to have sorted that out OK.
All's well that ends well, eh?
Did you go back to the "scene" to pose for the pic? Bimbling around the bridleways on Yateley Common and Hawley Woods I headed up a couple of sections of boardwalk, rather than tackle the huge, gloopy mud-puddle at the bottom of a hill.
Photo taken after I picked myself up. The offending steps are out of shot, behind the bike at this point. As you can see, I was tantalizingly close to completing the section too!
Turns out it was a big mistake. I cleared some single 'down' steps OK. Then I attempted some single 'up' steps. That went spiffingly too. So, full of new-found (over) confidence, I decided to take on two sets of double 'up' steps. Well, a road bike, skinny (23c) slick tyres, and a wet, greasy boardwalk? It's only going to end one way. And sure enough, the front wheel squirms out from underneath me, I'm dumped on the deck, right hip first, and the bike lands drive-side down. I then roll off the right hand side of the decking, ending up on my back in the brambles, with one foot still clipped in, thrashing around like the Tiswas Dying Fly.
My inner 'wise man' had suggested I walk the section, but I ignored that voice of reason, like the fool I am.
Happily, I finished the ride with another 20 miles covered, and both me and the bike seem none the worse for my misadventure. I am expecting some bruising, but nowt too serious. I was more worried about my PH winter jersey, with black mud stains all over the white sleeves, but Vanish Oxy-Action stain remover seems to have sorted that out OK.
All's well that ends well, eh?
Watchman said:
Did you go back to the "scene" to pose for the pic?
Nope. I took it as soon as I'd got back onto my feet and picked the bike up. As much to check that the camera still worked as anything. I can safely say that I'll not be going back there anytime soon, and certainly not on that particular bicycle...Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff