2024 On The Road Today

[Miller]

Reading Cycling Club hosted a round of the Oxfordshire Road Race League on Sunday on a circuit at Binfield near Reading. Organised by forum member @Outnumbered !

Men's race, includes good in-race footage


Women's race

[Miller]

Men waiting to start


The bunch


Eventual winner


Women wait to start

[Mr.Gib]

A shout out to all who post in this thread. Special mention to certain Swiss guys who's photo's are the stuff of dreams and envy for many of us. I am totally negligent, not even riding with phone/camera. I do owe the thread some content in return for the entertainment it has given to me. Here's what I got:

I posted this photo in the wheels and tires thread but it belongs here. The location near the top of the Furka pass will be obvious to some. The time of day was aprox 6:00 - 6:30 PM. Not really sure as I was in zombie mode. The density of storm clouds made it seem like nightfall. The Grosse Scheidegg, Grimsel pass, and others had already been climbed and descended. My legs felt OK, but the whole experience had a feverish and hallucinogenic quality - I would learn later I had Covid.

The key element was the weather. Not just near continuous rain for the day, but constant passing storms with torrential downpours, hail, and gusting winds. A landslide had closed the pass a couple of hours earlier but crews had managed to clear it in time. The photo was taken during a pause in the most severe hail storm in which I have ever ridden. A couple of hundred meters earlier hail was bouncing off my Garmin and hitting me in the face. The sound on my helmet was like a Kieth Moon solo, hail impacts stinging my arms and back through multiple layers. The road appeared snow covered with 2 - 3cm of hail piling up, tires making a loud crunching noise as they tracked through. Prior to the hail, the rain was so hard that the roadside embankments became waterfalls and the road itself rapids. Potholes and road imperfections produced small standing waves. At one point a descending bus passed me in a 10cm deep torrent sending a massive wave completely over me. All I could do was put my head down and brace for the impact of the water.

I pride myself on be able to stay warm and dry in all conditions. And I succeeded here thanks to a shakedry jacket, Velotoze shoe covers, Velotoze gloves, Velotoze helmet cover, cap with waterproof bill, and critically, Gore-tex mountainbike shorts. Underneath I wore basic summer kit under a short sleeve Gabba-like jersey (Sportful Fiandre Light No-rain), thermal arm warmers, knee warmers, and leg warmers - yup that's leg warmers on top of knee warmers. This is my clothing set-up for wet/cold descending, but I kept it all on after the descent of the Grimsel thinking I'd shed layers during the climb. I was shocked that I never did. Never climbed in that much clothing, and somehow I didn't overheat on the way up. Temps were single digit, certainly near freezing near the top, but that's still a damn lot of clothes for a climb.

Over the top and at first no brakes! Dragged them hard and they gradually began to work. Perhaps they had iced up, maybe contamination - not sure. Mercifully accomodations were just part way down the descent. Though my average speed was probably in the mid to high teens, I felt like I'd won the Tour de France to finish warm and dry and in one piece.

And once again credit to the photographer. If you read this, know that you have my utmost respect as a great rider and a fine person.

[Mr.Gib]

A bit more.


Rainbow over Bolzano


Somewhere in the Swiss Alps


My ear, a sign, and a tiny piece of the top of tiny Mrs Gib's tiny head (don't let the size fool you, Mrs Gib is a beast on the climbs). Climbed from Ovaro in the grip of covid. Fever, shakes, I was a mess. And halfway up my digestive system started working in reverse . Wanted to be able to compare with the Angliru, but all I can say is the Zoncolan was harder on that day . A couple of serious climbs before didn't help (the Sella Ciampigotto is massive and under-rated). Hung out for a bit in the tunnels near the summit to bring the body temp down.

[Miller]

Are these photos recent? Must admit I would have packed in that weather. Just about my coldest descent ever was off the Furka many years ago. Fortunately we had accommodation in Realp, not too far down.

[Mr.Gib]

Are these photos recent? Must admit I would have packed in that weather. Just about my coldest descent ever was off the Furka many years ago. Fortunately we had accommodation in Realp, not too far down.

Started near Geneva June 19. Crossed Swiss Alps and Dolomites over about 10 days. All big passes. Mostly horrible weather until the last couple of days. A severe test of clothing. Furka was June 23 or 24 - not quite sure. That night the heavy rain caused a landslide that wiped out the road on the San Bernadino pass. Apparently descending the steeper side of the Gavia in a downpour can cause psychological damage. Good cafe in the town at the bottom though. Watching the TdF in the sunshine can be deceiving. Right now (July 2 morning) I am at the base of Monte Grappa waiting for the rain to stop.

[Miller]

That's some serious riding, go you!

[Mr.Gib]

Brenta River valley north of Bassano del Grappa is spectacular. Massive cliff sided canyon. Photo is further down past the cliff area. The tiny abandoned road from Arsie through Rocca and Incino to bypass the autoroute tunnel is perhpas the smallest, twistiest little thing I have every ridden. Amazing that it was once a road for cars. The whole area is highly recommended. That's me on the bridge, down to my last bit of energy.

[basilic]

Very nice!
you're a badass, Gib.

[Mr.Gib]

Vineyards east of Bassano.


Passo San Boldo. Built in 100 days by the women of the town at the bottom during WW1. Forced into slave labour by Austrian troops.




And here is a link to the route. Some busy traffic spots but a nice day on the bike with excellent variety of scenery.https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45367606

[Miller]

This is about as far removed from the Alps as you get: a ride in Suffolk, UK.

Framlingham, a pretty village


The Bawdsey foot ferry across the river Deben


Crossing with bike, £4


A nice place to stop but busy that day and I was nearly back anyway

[UpFromOne]

Most members here post the stuff of dreams!

Albeit not Europe, here's my local ride up Blue Mountain, ne corner of Olympic National Park.
A snow capped volcano Mount Baker in the distance.

[Miller]

Nice viewpoint.

[UpFromOne]

Nice viewpoint.

Thanks!
Just under 1900 meters.
Oh and that's bear spray under the top tube.

[Konsi]

I rode to watch the Worlds in Zürich today. 110km and 1400m+ for me. Friggin cold