FSoTM ride #95 4/7/10

This months ride started in the usual place at the bandstand in Bletchley. Some of the regular riders were missing, choosing to go out on longer rides elsewhere.
These rides were started with an idea about getting people out on their bikes and getting them doing longer rides is also the point of them.

We started a bit later than 10 as I had a text saying Chris was on his way but a bit late.
The route I made up as I went along. Past Tesco and Asda, around Redmoor and through Coffee Hall. Taking the roads and redways through the CMK estates and coming out via the canal by the pub on the Wolverton - Newport road.
It was then onto the very rough track around the back of Linford lakes through a couple of gates and onto the Haversham - Newport road for a good downhill run to Newport Pagnell.
It was a great day for cycling, lovely sunshine and a cooling breeze. I still managed to get sunburned though!!
The redways then took us towards Willen Lake where a slight detour was needed to avoid the crowds at the Dragon boat racing.
At the junction just before the pub I waited for the riders to turn and make sure they new where we were going but some had disappeared.
I went back to look for them, tried a couple of turns and routes but couldn't see them.
Back to the pub to meet the others, on getting there there were no bikes sat out the front and I couldn't see anyone. Gt phone out and rang Chris to find out they were all sat around the back in the garden along with the missing riders who had gone a different way.

After the obligatory cider :-) we were back on our way again with riders turning for home on the way as we passed near to their houses and back at the start for about 13.15

Another good ride with great company, it's still fun doing these rides even though they're short compared to the audax rides I do.
I plan to keep them going as long as people want to turn up, ride and have fun.

The next one starts at Furzton Lake next to the bridge by the MK Bowl and takes the Sustrans path (51) to Winslow and back.
This ride has had a good turnout over the 8 times I've done it so far with the most being 50.
Hope to see you there.

Rich

FSoTM ride to Salcey Forest

The forecast for Sunday was horrible so I did wonder if anyone would bother turning up at the bandstand for the ride.
I was there at about 9.50 and just kept riding round in circles to keep warmish.
The bandstand itself didn't offer any weather protection as the rain was blowing straight through it.

2 others turned up and we left a few minutes after 10.00. On the way past Tesco I noticed a rider in my mirror, another mad audax cyclist who happens to be my local councillor.

It was still cold and one of the riders decided to leave us at Granby and head home, the headwind was hard and against us all the way. It was slowing the speed down and making progress hard. Another left us just after Haversham as he didn't want to hold us up.
So in the end it was just me and Andy left to finish the ride, the rain stopped but the headwind kept up all the way there. It did help us on the way back though.

A good ride out, it was a shame more didn't brave the elements but I'll expect to see more than the usual amount out on the June ride. It usually has a good turnout as part of the Parks Trust easy rider programme

FSoTM ride to Stockgrove

This months first Sunday ride just happened to fall the day after a 24hr 400km audax and I knew it would be a slow one due to it being one of the hillier rides on the calendar.
The ride started at the bandstand on Queensway at the usual time of 10.00.
There was a bit of a chat about the tyres on Emma's bike. She'd got it from Evans and the person in the shop said it would be ok to put narrow tyres on the wheels that were on there.
It came fitted with large tyres which had been replaced with 28mm ones. These were too narrow and had dropped into the rim making a flat spot, I'd have loved to see the Evans employee try to fit his suggested 19mm ones on there!! Emma decided to come along and see how it went.
After about 3 miles though the tyre was flat so Stuart (her other 1/2) went back to help and told us to carry on.
The hills soon came and I definitely felt it in my legs, it was just a constant up and down. The weather was good for a bank holiday weekend and I soon had to stop and take my jacket off.
After a few more hills the cafe came into site and an egg and bacon roll was calling me in.
Stuart was there waiting for us coming in from the other way but Emma had gone home.

We left again to go up the last hill of the ride towards Great Brickhill with the fast drop on the other side back down to Bletchley.

My legs weren't too bad after the heavy weekend but I definitely felt it on a few of the hills.
I put the GPS track into the programme on here and was surprised with the total climbing of 403m in 30km of riding. Below is the chart and map of the ride.



The next one is on another bank holiday weekend and over a slightly longer distance of 30 miles, see you there :-D

FSoTM ride to Stewkley

This morning I was up early as I had to transplant the pedals and bag from the Bacchetta to the trike before leaving to go to the start of my local monthly ride.
After a week of no riding whatsoever as I'd managed to pull a muscle in my lower back at the gym doing bent-over rows (Yes I know exercise is meant to be good for you:-) ) I wasn't sure how it would hold out.
Today's route went around the villages to the south of Bletchley and 9 other riders turned up with another couple joining us en-route.

The weather was excellent for an early March ride with the sun out all the way. It was a bit chilly in the shade and the field run off was frozen across the road in places. No problem on the trike but the upright riders were a bit slower across it.
We made good time stopping at various points/road junctions for riders to catch up and were at the pub 15/20 minutes before it opened.
There was a discussion on whether to ride to another pub but price of beer and which pub to go to took to long and the one we were at opened first :-D

After a pint and a chat we were away again and it was a mostly downhill route back to the start, which when we arrived there was only 2 of us left.
Riders tend to peel off on the way as we pass closer to their homes and it saves them riding back again.
A good day in good company and it's always fun doing shorter easier rides.

Now to get out in the shed and take the Giro to bits ready for the rebuild when the new frame gets here, and I need to get out on the trike this week and do some more miles as next weekend sees me doing another 200km audax and the weekend after is a 360km one. Hopefully the new frame will be here before the 400km ride at Easter.

FSoTM ride Woburn via the woods

Last Sunday saw the FSoTM riders do the woods loop again.
I do this ride twice in a year, clockwise and anticlockwise. This time it was the slightly easier anticlockwise.
The weather had been awful again in the week but Sunday turned out to be a nice day, not too cold for this time of year.
Seven of us started from the bandstand for the ride along past the canal and up to the first hill towards Gt Brickhill. Once at the top the route takes a fairly easy undulating path through the villages of Lt Brickhill, Woburn, Aspley Guise and Wavendon before coming back to the estates of MK.
The ride seemed to be going well and we were passed the planned pub stop at least ½hr before planned. So to save us waiting it was decided to carry on and reach one later on along the route.
We then made our way to the pub stop at Caldecotte lake for beer/coffee before we all went our separate ways.

I'd also like to say, It was good to see Margaret waiting to join us at Little Brickhill, she hasn't been on one of my rides since she had an accident back in August 2008 where she was knocked off her bike and hospitalised with a fractured skull amongst other injuries. I'm glad she is still getting out on the bike as a lot of people would be too worried too after such a bad experience.
Keep at it you are an inspiration.

This weekends route can be found here on bikely, as can all my routes if you search for FSoTM or silverbackcycler.

Next months ride will be on March the 7th and will go around the villages to the south of MK including Drayton Parslow, Swanbourne, Dunton and Stewkley.
Hope to see a good turn out.

Ride to Woburn loop via Wavendon

Another instalment of my First Sunday of The Month rides took us the reverse of the February ride around parts of the Greensand ridge through Aspley Guise, Woburn and the Brickhills.

I was awoken by rain battering the bedroom window at 08.00 this morning and did wonder if anyone would turn up today. By the time I'd had breakfast and a coffee it had cleared up and was looking to be a nice day (for Dec' anyway).
Arriving at the bandstand I found another rider there already and within 10 minutes there was 8 of us. A good turnout for a December ride. Last years ride had only me and another rider turn up and IIRC it was -3c and the roads were very icy.
The ride took us through Fenny Stratford and down Simpson road to the canal bridge, the red light caused us to stop but one rider decided to ride "Illegally" on the footpath with a call of "you'll never learn" or some such thing.
We crossed the bridge and turned right as he headed into the distance, he'll never learn :-)

Stopping the riders at the top of the path I went and found him by Caldecotte lake and brought him back on route. After going back to get the others we were on our way again along the redways towards Wavendon.
The ride starts to get hilly after Salford as it goes up past the church in Aspley Guise and the rolling roads to Woburn.
We stopped at the top of most hills for the riders to catch their breath before going again.
Doing the route clockwise is slightly harder as it takes time to get to the top and most of the ride seems to be climbing.
After stopping someone going off route down a big hill (wouldn't want to see him climbing back up again) we found ourselves at the pub in Great Brickhill. The 2 pints were most welcome and so was the roaring fire inside.

It was then on with the jacket as being mostly downhill from then on I knew it would be cold.
As we got back to the Bandstand the group was down 4. The others having taken shorter routes home as we came to the end of the ride.
The gps showed almost exactly 20 miles and 1hr40 moving time, we were out for just over 3hrs.
Another good ride in good company and one new rider who I hope will come along again.
See you all on next years rides.

FSoTM ride to Cranfield

Another month, another First Sunday of The Month ride.

These rides started off in 2002 (pic on right) when I did 4 short rides with the Parks Trust of around 10 - 15 miles. The riders were telling me they would like to do longer ones but the MKCTC rides of 40+ miles were too far and too fast for them.
I decided to start a monthly programme of rides around MK to get people out and show them how easy it was to cycle around MK and the surrounding areas.
Some months when it's snowing or raining I only get 1 other mad person turning up (you know who you are) but usually there's between 9 - 15 riders on a variety of bikes from mountain bikes to recumbents.
It has been known for as many as 50 to come along on the MCR and Winslow rides.

To me these rides are doing what I want them to do, get more bums on saddles. People who were apprehensive about the distance and going out on the roads are now doing the longer rides at the end of the year. They've then started to think about getting a better bike and doing longer rides, commuting and even longer stuff.

This months ride started out from Bletchley as usual and got eventually onto Simpson road after a slight detour as I'd lead the way towards Tesco instead of towards Fenny Stratford which was the way I'd usually go. Past Willen and on through Newport Pagnell, I was shown a new route through there which bypassed the town centre using the riverside path and will use definitely use it on other rides.
It was then along the rolling gentle climb up to Cranfield to then turn into the wind to drop past the airfield and the pub stop at Salford.



Just 1 p#nct#re in the group this time but as it was near the stop Chris decided to just pump it up and fix it over a beer, twice!
The first time we couldn't find the offending object but on better inspection and a pair of pliers a small piece of wire was removed and all was well.
Then down through Wavendon and Walnut Tree and back to the start with only 2 people left. Others took shorter routes home as it was easier and quicker for them.




What I like about these rides they can be adapted on the day if the riders or weather changes, if some are tired we can miss out the last hill or if it's snowing or -2c I'll not take the lanes through the woods etc.
It's also great fun to get out with friends and like minded people.

It would be great to see more people out, so if you fancy a short ride just turn up at the bandstand on Queensway in Bletchley and join us for the ride.
Next years rides

FSoTM rides 2010

Cycle Rides from Bletchley.2010.

Start at 10am from Elizabeth Square Bandstand, Bletchley.
Rides are approx 20 miles.Unless stated otherwise.

Jan 3rd. ~ Ride to Stony via Whaddon.

Feb 7th. ~ Ride to Woburn via Great Brickhill (a few hills).

Mar 7th. ~ Ride to Stewkley via Swanbourne and Dunton.

April 4th. ~ Ride to Stockgrove park café via Leighton Buzzard (a few Hills).

May 2nd. ~ Ride to Salcey Forest café. (30 miles).

June 6th. ~ Ride around the Millennium cycle route, (Parks Trust)13 miles starts at Furzton lake (At the bridge by the bowl).

Jul 4th. ~ Ride around the back of Linford lakes and return via Newport. (Parks Trust)

Aug 1st. ~ Ride to Winslow using Sustrans Route 51 (Parks Trust)18 Miles starts at Furzton lake, (at the bridge by the Bowl).

Sept 5th. ~ Ride around the lakes of MK. (Parks Trust)

Oct 3rd. ~ Ride to Marston Vale Forest Centre café (30 miles).

Nov 7th. ~ Ride to Stockgrove via Wing (30 miles).

Dec 5th ~ Ride to Woburn via Wavendon. (A few hills).


(Parks Trust) listed rides are rides put on in conjunction with
The Parks Trust as part of their Easy Rider rides programme.



These rides were started to get more people out on their bikes,
And to show how easy it is to get around MK
And the surrounding areas.

All the rides are taken at a pace to suit the slowest
With plenty of stops if needed.

Children are welcome
But under 16’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The rides will use a mixture of surfaces so robust tyres are advisable.
The rides use the redways, shared use paths and quiet roads where possible.

You are advised to
Ensure that your bicycle is in a roadworthy condition.
Carry a puncture repair kit or spare inner tube.
Bring along a drink or some money to get something at the stop.
(Which is usually about half way or so).
Helmets are a personal choice,
(I’m not going to stop you riding if you’re not wearing one).


Note:-
This ride is not a race or trial of speed.
The route is on open public shared-route paths and roads.
You are expected to follow the rules of the road and
show consideration to other road/path users.
Although lead, the route is not waymarked or marshalled.
The organiser provides no rescue service.
You are responsible for your own safety/conduct.





For more info on any of the rides
Contact
Rich Forrest
bletchleycyclerides@tesco.net

Another weekend and another FSoTM ride

Last weekend saw me and 11 riders meet at the bandstand in Bletchley for the September edition of my First Sunday of the month rides, This one was in conjunction with the Parks Trust Easy riders programme and was a ride around the lakes of MK.

I'd been on the go since 5am as I was out early with some other riders helping put signs up along the Millennium route around MK for the Cancer Research UK charity ride.

The FSoTM ride took in nearly all of the lakes around MK starting by heading for Caldecotte lake then along the river past the OU and Walton Lake. Keeping to the right of the river helps here as there are no cattle grids to go across on that side.
Around Willen lake, We were going to stop here for coffee but the jetski national finals were being held there. On through Willen village and past Tongwell lake and a stop at Blakelands shop.
From here we took the old railway line that used to go from Newport Pagnell to Wolverton and met up with the riders doing the longer loop of the Cancer ride.
Tried to confuse them by then going the other way to them at a junction :-D but none followed us. I would have told them honest.
A slight deviation to the planned route took us over the A5 to Wymbush and around the other side of the Lodge lake and bringing us to The Talbot at Loughton.
Have always had good service here compared to the Fountain Harvester up the road, who seemed to want us weird cyclist types out as we were taking up seats that could be used for more profit.

On around Teardrop lakes and Furzton lake leaving only Mount farm lake to do before heading back to Bletchley and the start of the ride.

Back home for more food and I was away again with just the eldest as I'd said I'd collect the signs that were put up earlier.
This took longer than expected and we were out until gone 7 but that did include a stop at KFC for a snack :-D

I'd managed to clock up over 60 miles just riding in circles and the eldest did a PB of 45 miles. Really good considering he was riding a heavy BSO (bike shaped object) and wearing jeans.
Must try getting him in Lycra! the thought of it might be too much for an 18yr old though :-D :-D.

FSoTM ride

This year seems to be flying by, must be getting old!!
This weekend saw another of my local MK FSoTM rides, this one was a 20 mile ride around the back of Linford Lakes to Newport Pagnel and back again.
10 others turned up on Sunday morning and a good ride was had with a stop for a pint at MK village.
Only 1 puncture this time at about the halfway point.
No photo's this time as I forgot to take my camera.

The next ride is on the 2nd of August, it starts from Furzton lake at 10.00 and takes the Sustrans path to Winslow.
Hope to see more people along.

FSoTM ride April

10 other cyclists decided to join me on my First Sunday of The Month rides today, the weather was excellent cycling weather and it was a good ride out and around the villages south of Milton Keynes.
There were a couple of short drags uphill onto the ridge that crosses the route which also meant a couple of downhills as well.
My gps batteries ran out today so there is no track to copy onto here but I've put it onto Bikely instead.
There were a couple of riders who had not been on the rides before, I don't think we scared them and hope to see them again on another ride in the future.

If anyone wants to join us on the next ride just turn up. We are a friendly bunch, you won't get left behind and we usually stop for a drink about the halfway point.

Woburn FSoTM ride

Great weather (for March) meant a good turnout of 11 riders at the bandstand.

Once out of Bletchley the traffic was almost nonexistent, a couple of steeper hills were walked up in the woods but most were ridable with a low gear.

The pint or two of cider went down well at The Red Lion in Salford (which has had a makeover since the last time I was in there) before the last bit back to the start.

Only bit that had me perplexed was the driving instructor who told me I shouldn't be on the road!!

Cycle rides around Milton Keynes (FSoTM)

First Sunday of The Month rides.
These are the rides that I organise on the First Sunday of every month throughout the year.
They were started to get more people out on their bikes and to show how easy it is to get around MK and the surrounding areas.

All the rides are taken at a pace to suit the slowest rider, with plenty of stops if needed.
Children are welcome but under 16’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The rides will use a mixture of surfaces so robust tyres are advisable. They use the redway cycle paths, shared use paths and quiet roads where possible.

Start at 10am from the bandstand on Elizabeth Square,
Queensway,
Bletchley.

Rides are approx 20 miles.
Unless stated otherwise.



Jan 4th. ~ Ride to Whaddon Via Stony.

Feb 1st. ~ Ride to Stockgrove park café via Leighton Buzzard.

Mar 1st. ~ Ride to Woburn via the woods, a few hills on this one.

April 5th. ~ Ride a loop towards Stewkley.

May 3rd. ~ Ride around the Millennium cycle route, 13 miles starting from Furzton lake, At the bridge by the bowl.

June 14th. (2nd Sunday) ~ Ride to Salcey Forest café. 30 miles.

Jul 5th. ~ Ride around the back of Linford lakes and return via Newport.

Aug 2nd. ~ Ride to Winslow using Sustrans Route 51, 18 Miles starting from Furzton lake, at the bridge by the Bowl.

Sept 6th. ~ Ride around the lakes of MK.

Oct 4th. ~ Ride to Newport and Cranfield, 25 miles.

Nov 1st. ~ Ride to Marston Vale Forest Centre café, 30 miles.

Dec 6th ~ Ride to Woburn via Wavendon. A few hills on this one.


For more info or the rides .doc email me and I'll send it on.