Winter cycling photos and writeups

[Cowsham]

Schwalbe winter spikes are the solution !

If you stopped for too long ( with our "wet" snow ) wouldn't the tyres get frozen stuck to the mudguards especially with studded tyres ?

I don't tend to stop for long when it's cold. If it's cold enough to freeze the tyres to the mudguards, it's cold enough to freeze me!

Aye but your snow will be like dry powder -- ours is like ..-- well you'll know you lived in Scotland.

[yostumpy]

IMG_1116 - Copy (2) by mark tilley, on Flickr

[Pebble]

what a lovely photo

[Cowsham]

Well ... it's been a month since we've had the weather to go cycling and it was dry but cold today ( about 1°c ) and I never usually go out when it's this cold but I'm desperate so I went out and enjoyed it ( must wear thicker gloves it was a bit finger nipping coming home in the dark )

Wished I'd had been able to take a few photos though.

I saw a man in a dress, hair up in a bun with a leaf blower clearing the path I'm usually on of all the thorns from the recently cut hedge. I thanked him as I passed on the road.

I also saw a Seagull laying dead on the side of the road but not squashed or damaged in any way. Looks like it just died and fell straight out of the sky laying on it's side like a cartoon bird asleep.

Only a short 10 mile run to visit my elderly ma and in town for a few bits an pieces but great to get out again after all the horrible weather.

[colin54]

Wished I'd had been able to take a few photos though.

I saw a man in a dress, hair up in a bun with a leaf blower clearing the path I'm usually on of all the thorns from the recently cut hedge. I thanked him as I passed on the road.

I also saw a Seagull laying dead on the side of the road but not squashed or damaged in any way. Looks like it just died and fell straight out of the sky laying on it's side like a cartoon bird asleep.

There's a couple of descriptive sentences as good as any photo's.

[Pebble]

I also saw a Seagull laying dead on the side of the road but not squashed or damaged in any way. Looks like it just died and fell straight out of the sky laying on it's side like a cartoon bird asleep.

may be it was asleep, probably due to it being tired and shagged out after a long squawk.
folk have made that mistake with the norwegian blue
--------------

not much chance of any winter cycling here, stupidly warm, had 14° the other day, too many clothes on, and ride spoilt by being cooked

[Cugel]

I also saw a Seagull laying dead on the side of the road but not squashed or damaged in any way. Looks like it just died and fell straight out of the sky laying on it's side like a cartoon bird asleep.

may be it was asleep, probably due to it being tired and shagged out after a long squawk.
folk have made that mistake with the norwegian blue

More likely to be bird flu.

If things go badly, we too may be found dropped dead in the road, from a sudden morph of the very same virus into something happy to infest we humans too. Perhaps passing dogs will talk amongst themselves about the sudden flux of human corpses, discussing the various flavours and which are likely to yield the best dog-lunch?

[twodogs]

Perhaps passing dogs will talk amongst themselves about the sudden flux of human corpses, discussing the various flavours and which are likely to yield the best dog-lunch?

It'd be nice to be a dog and when you ate human it wouldn't be cannibalism.

[Cowsham]

Beautiful day today and heard there's another big storm coming in tomorrow so went out on a looong ride today -- around 60 miles on my mountain bike.

Found this


At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

We will remember them.

I've been past here many times so this must be very recently set up.

[Jon in Sweden]

Beautiful day today and heard there's another big storm coming in tomorrow so went out on a looong ride today -- around 60 miles on my mountain bike.

Looks like a nice ride - almost springlike!

I've got a bit of riding to do for the rest of the week. I'm involved in a mostly asphalt but some gravel cycle event on Saturday, where those that are doing the full length route do 315km (the same distance as the famous Vätternrundan, which takes place in June). I'm just doing the southern 152km loop, but tomorrow I'm going to recon the route to check the conditions (it's been incredibly mild of late).

So an anticlockwise 152km tomorrow and then a clockwise 152km on Saturday. I will take photos

[Cowsham]

Beautiful day today and heard there's another big storm coming in tomorrow so went out on a looong ride today -- around 60 miles on my mountain bike.

Looks like a nice ride - almost springlike!

I've got a bit of riding to do for the rest of the week. I'm involved in a mostly asphalt but some gravel cycle event on Saturday, where those that are doing the full length route do 315km (the same distance as the famous Vätternrundan, which takes place in June). I'm just doing the southern 152km loop, but tomorrow I'm going to recon the route to check the conditions (it's been incredibly mild of late).

So an anticlockwise 152km tomorrow and then a clockwise 152km on Saturday. I will take photos

Wow almost 100 miles with one days rest between -- I'd be dying on Saturday night -- first time I did 100 miles ( when 55 ) I felt like I was going to die that night. Don't know if I'd want to exhaust my energy two days before an event. I'd need 3 or 4 days between. I'd maybe do 50 tomorrow and then the 100 event on sat.

[Jon in Sweden]

Wow almost 100 miles with one days rest between -- I'd be dying on Saturday night -- first time I did 100 miles ( when 55 ) I felt like I was going to die that night. Don't know if I'd want to exhaust my energy two days before an event. I'd need 3 or 4 days between. I'd maybe do 50 tomorrow and then the 100 event on sat.

I do have Thursday and Friday inbetween, but I'll be driving to work instead of cycling!

I have admiration for ultra endurance riders who can do insane mileages with almost no rest. I've ridden with a chap who did the Pan Celtic which was about 2300km over three days. He did the final 700km without really stopping and in about 32hrs. Insanity.

[Cowsham]

The aftermath of Storm Isha -- not mine but fairly local -- 10 posts snapped off like twigs.

[Jon in Sweden]

On a shortish ride yesterday I was treated to some close-up wildlife.

About 8km in I startled a group of three moose that were stood right next to the road. It was very windy yesterday, so I don't think they heard me. Two adult females and a juvenile. Not more than 10-15m away from me. Imagine a fairly large cow on stilts with a head the size of a Newfoundland dog. That was cool though, as (including this trio), I've only seen 13 moose since moving to Sweden 19 months ago.

Then, about 6km later in a similar situation, I came incredibly close to a white tailed eagle that had just taken off. I've seen two previously, but not as close as this. Such an impossibly enormous bird. A body the size of a swans but with an 8ft wingspan. Awesome!

[Cowsham]

On a shortish ride yesterday I was treated to some close-up wildlife.

About 8km in I startled a group of three moose that were stood right next to the road. It was very windy yesterday, so I don't think they heard me. Two adult females and a juvenile. Not more than 10-15m away from me. Imagine a fairly large cow on stilts with a head the size of a Newfoundland dog. That was cool though, as (including this trio), I've only seen 13 moose since moving to Sweden 19 months ago.

Then, about 6km later in a similar situation, I came incredibly close to a white tailed eagle that had just taken off. I've seen two previously, but not as close as this. Such an impossibly enormous bird. A body the size of a swans but with an 8ft wingspan. Awesome!

Must be fantastic to see in the wild.

I saw a sea eagle once -- thought it was some sort of bird scarer with claws mounted on a 3" square fence post as I cycled up to it but then it's head moved. It hopped 180°, spread it's huge wings and just glided to the other side of the field which gently sloped away from the road. He came to rest on another fence post which wobbled with the weight of the bird. such a majestic animal.

It's stuff like this you don't get to see in a car.