Winter cycling photos and writeups

[Jon in Sweden]

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.

Both the moose and the eagle were awesome, in the most traditional sense of the word.

Both unimaginably huge. You get used to buzzards but the white tailed eagle (havsörn in Swedish) is like comparing a Mini to a Hummer. Similarly, there is no UK wild animal that's even close to moose in size. Only a shire horse comes close. I'm a tall guy, but a bull moose would tower over me.

I'm looking forward to the cranes coming back next month. They are wonderful, and the noise they make prehistoric. I enjoy seeing the capercaillie too, but they are usually confined to the most forested bits. The osprey will be back soon too - they are a fairly common sight here, as well as red kites.

The wildlife spotting is one of the highlights of riding here (and indeed anywhere).

[Cowsham]

Just saw a fox running straight across the road -- we don't often see them - maybe cos the car is so quiet being electric.

[twodogs]

Last year I saw a Swamp Harrier carrying a live snake which was memorable. Unfortunately, around here most of the interesting wildlife is to be seen dead on the road, breaks my heart.

[Cowsham]

Last year I saw a Swamp Harrier carrying a live snake which was memorable.

If we saw that it would be more than memorable -- it would cross over to being scientific interest cos St Paddy banished all our snakes

[twodogs]

If we saw that it would be more than memorable -- it would cross over to being scientific interest cos St Paddy banished all our snakes

He got rid of the vampire bats as well.

[Cowsham]

If we saw that it would be more than memorable -- it would cross over to being scientific interest cos St Paddy banished all our snakes

He got rid of the vampire bats as well.

Don't know about that they've been sucking our blood while not in Stormont for the last two years, two years of covid and 3 years before that with the RHI scandal.

Jeffery Draculason -- fat Dracula.

[cycleruk]

My only winter riding since 6th January due to an "off".
Black ice, slam dunk, collarbone cracked.
Watching Mallorca "training videos" on YouTube helps with the boredom. (at least sunny and warm )
Having trouble keeping up with them on the hills though. Must lose some (a lot) of weight

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCjhIr7XT-4

[Cowsham]

My only winter riding since 6th January due to an "off".
Black ice, slam dunk, collarbone cracked.
Watching Mallorca "training videos" on YouTube helps with the boredom. (at least sunny and warm )
Having trouble keeping up with them on the hills though. Must lose some (a lot) of weight
winter8_MP.jpg
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCjhIr7XT-4

Hope you have let that collarbone get a chance to heal -- I didn't and ended up having to spend another 6 weeks doing nothing and spoiling what was left of the summer of 2021.

[cycleruk]

Hope you have let that collarbone get a chance to heal -- I didn't and ended up having to spend another 6 weeks doing nothing and spoiling what was left of the summer of 2021.

Cheers.
5 weeks now. I can touch it and no pain but I know its still not 100%.

[Bmblbzzz]

It will heal. And so will the scar. It took mine three or four years till I could no longer feel it with a pack on that shoulder, but it's fine after that.

[Richard Of York 2]

A club ride this week to Scotch Corner - no not the one north on the A1. This one is at the top of an old drove road east of the White Horse of Kilburn. A key site in the story of the Battle of Byland 1322. Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II on the White Horse ridge. Approx 6000 Scots and almost twice that in Edwards hord. In my view a better Scots victory than Bannockburn. This was won deep into enemy territory, with Bruce managing a long supply line and having completed a rapid 5 day march down from Carlisle. Bruce assaulted up the Sutton Bank escarpment and eventually used a flanking body of Highlanders sent east up the old drove road to catch Edward's left flank by surprise. The site is also home to this chapel constructed by the sculptor John Bunting using stone from a derelict steading. It's a memorial chapel to the fallen.