What's your favourite ride?

[ukdodger]

And why? Is distance your turn on, scenery, destination, speed, the company? Personally I like the Surrey hills riding alone it meets my need for effort, lack of traffic and feeling of being somewhere remote. I've met people that have done the E2E over twenty times. A magic ride or what. What's your best buzz?

[al_yrpal]

Down the East coast of Skye, spectacular with the Cullins in the background. It's scenery and interesting places that I love. I wish I was younger and could venture to more remote places. Distance and speed no, I hate Willy waving, end to ends or sponsored jaunts. Good company, I love, most tours I have at least one companion, there are quite a few individuals and small groups that I enjoy being with and who enjoy my company. The only time I tour alone is when I paint. The maps and info for the Painters Trail arrived today. You can't ride with someone else and keep stopping to sketch and paint. Must try the Surrey Hills its not far away..

[Sooper8]

I like cycling locally around places that I knew as a kid, with a friend I've known since I was 4 or 5, doing about 20-30 miles- generally stopping off at a pub.
Second choice is to cycle alone

[ukdodger]

Down the East coast of Skye, spectacular with the Cullins in the background. It's scenery and interesting places that I love. I wish I was younger and could venture to more remote places. Distance and speed no, I hate Willy waving, end to ends or sponsored jaunts. Good company, I love, most tours I have at least one companion, there are quite a few individuals and small groups that I enjoy being with and who enjoy my company. The only time I tour alone is when I paint. The maps and info for the Painters Trail arrived today. You can't ride with someone else and keep stopping to sketch and paint. Must try the Surrey Hills its not far away..

What on earth is 'willy waving'. Not what I think I hope. Lucky you being able to paint or even sketch. I envy talent. The only thing I can draw is breath.

[ukdodger]

I like cycling locally around places that I knew as a kid, with a friend I've known since I was 4 or 5, doing about 20-30 miles- generally stopping off at a pub.
Second choice is to cycle alone

I can understand loners. Groups are fun but only for so long I find. Tend not to drink when riding. There's nothing in alcohol that the muscles can use and you end up wanting to stay in the pub.

[Sooper8]

I like cycling locally around places that I knew as a kid, with a friend I've known since I was 4 or 5, doing about 20-30 miles- generally stopping off at a pub.
Second choice is to cycle alone

I can understand loners. Groups are fun but only for so long I find. Tend not to drink when riding. There's nothing in alcohol that the muscles can use and you end up wanting to stay in the pub.

I normally drink soda water & lime when riding as it's cheap and sits well. The only time I've had a beer, I have regretted it.
However, the open fire in a pub in Derbyshire over Christmas was very hard to leave...

[Mick F]

Favourite ride?
Depends what you mean by favourite I suppose.

Locally, I like to do a 30mile loop:
Gunnislake to Callington on the A390 and carry on to St Ive.
Turn right and head out to Pensilva and climb up through the village to 900ft and turn right onto the B3254.
Follow that through the countryside to Congdon's Shop and turn right again onto the B3257 and head back down to Callington, then home.

It's a great route, and I do it the other way round too. Two to three hours of hills, little bridges over rivers, trees, views and wonderful scenery. Varied roads too, I like variation in a ride.
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=383090

[ukdodger]

Favourite ride?
Depends what you mean by favourite I suppose.

Locally, I like to do a 30mile loop:
Gunnislake to Callington on the A390 and carry on to St Ive.
Turn right and head out to Pensilva and climb up through the village to 900ft and turn right onto the B3254.
Follow that through the countryside to Congdon's Shop and turn right again onto the B3257 and head back down to Callington, then home.

It's a great route, and I do it the other way round too. Two to three hours of hills, little bridges over rivers, trees, views and wonderful scenery. Varied roads too, I like variation in a ride.
http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... rse=383090

Nice ride. I find however often you do a favourite ride you never get bored with it.

Mick what's the flattest way of getting from Liskheard to Hayle? Have to do that in the summer and I know what Cornwall is like. The last time I did this it took me eleven hours. All because of the hills!

[eileithyia]

Willy-waving = trying to prove you are better, gone further, faster, higher power output, suffered more... whatever version you want to employ

In Racing circles it is a load of blokes (usually) trying to prove that their ability is superior to anyones elses...

In CTC circles I have ntoed it can take the form of not going faster than others, but of suffering more, the weather was far worse etc etc indeed these comments even formed the basis of an article a few years ago.....

..and it has already manifested itself on here; do go to the pub, don't go to the pub, loner, company

Do not think I cann define a favourite ride, I can look back on various rides with fondness for a variety of reasons. One that really sticks in my mind was nothing more than the 9 miles to work one Sunday in May a few years ago.. beautiful sunny morning, birds were singing... it just felt GOOD... and I wantd to ride past work and on into the Warwickshire countryside...

Those are my favourite rides when everything seems to come together to make a perfect day.

[nez]

". I find however often you do a favourite ride you never get bored with it. "

I agree completely. Sometimes I'm tempted onto another route, but the truth is my favourite loop has little traffic, lots of well managed off road made up cycle path (that part even has lights!) and plenty of beautiful countryside. It's only twenty miles, but is a nice spin easily extended to thirty. An hour and a bit or two and a bit. Just time to change your mood.

I suppose, though, the real answer would be 'anywhere in the Stour Valley.' But shhh. It's not far from London and we don't want to be over-run

[al_yrpal]

The Stour Valley seems to approximate to the Painters Trail where I shall go in late June. Is there a good central campsite I can use?

[nez]

There are several. There's also a bike hire place in East Bergholt that does spares and repairs. I live near the tourist office and will walk round to get you a list of campsites when its open. I think Suffolk Council does a Painters Trail booklet too, but that gets posted out. It's a great ride, though I've only ever done bits.

[Whippet]

I have a 29 mile loop from Newbury, down the Lambourn valley and across the Berkshire Downs. Fairly quiet and pretty, what makes it my preferred ride is that I can do it in two hours so possible to do on a summers evening or finish before lunchtime during the day.

[hexhome]

My favourite local loop http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1019958

Unfortunately, Wark bridge http://goo.gl/maps/DhCTT is going to be closed for most of this year so I'm going to have to find an alternative. Not easy as there aren't many bridges across the North Tyne.

[ukdodger]

". I find however often you do a favourite ride you never get bored with it. "

I agree completely. Sometimes I'm tempted onto another route, but the truth is my favourite loop has little traffic, lots of well managed off road made up cycle path (that part even has lights!) and plenty of beautiful countryside. It's only twenty miles, but is a nice spin easily extended to thirty. An hour and a bit or two and a bit. Just time to change your mood.

I suppose, though, the real answer would be 'anywhere in the Stour Valley.' But shhh. It's not far from London and we don't want to be over-run

Exactly. My sentiment entirely. Dont think I've ever cycled the Stour vally. Vallys make me think Wales and frankly for me never again on a bike. Every hill is a mountain every vally a revine.

'scuse this ignorent southerner but where is the Stour vally. You can PM if it's a secret