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Is it just me or is there a lot more bird life around now? I know it's spring and all that but riding up Goyt Valley this morning was wall-to-wall birdsong. Up on the moors there's curlew, lapwing, skylarks. Seem to be loads more pheasants as well - maybe because they're not being run over as much?
More pheasants just chillin' on the roads in West Lancs.
More deer knocking about at Rivington.
And more butterflies everywhere.
Sat in a track round the field edges on the way back from shopping. Watched 2 hares running like wazzocks across a freshly ploughed field.
And yesterday evening I’m pretty sure I saw the local Peregrines for the first time this year.
I’ve yet to step outside the front door today, even to feed the fish in the garage,
Odd……, 😁
I did wonder at that...
Caught on 4lb test
I would imagine a few weeks of much reduced traffic will do the badger population some good. The deer in my local forest will probably benefit too.
It's been a great opportunity to get my youngest's interest in cycling reinvigorated.
Age 11 she did 54m last week - typically going out for 8-12miles a day, cross country, cycle paths etc
12miles on roads today for her - lovely to see kids getting the chance to ride on main roads with very little traffic on.
Soo many kids out on bikes ATM, it's been great to see.
My local MTB'ing is a bit dull but the gravel bike's been getting plenty of use.
It's brilliant for wildlife last week I had an urban fox run across in front of me at 2pm. Birdsong to listen to and deer visible when out on the lanes.
Only downer is overtaking the slower cyclists and maintaining safe distancing. The need to be over on the wrong side of the road for around 50 or 60m is unsettling and it can be a bit of a wait for a suitable section of clear road to appear.
My 4yo has learned to ride the pedal bike during lockdown, but she was ready to anyway - its a nice timing bonus.
And this.
It would be a whole load nicer if walking the dog didn't count as my one a day. Having to stick to the turbo is heartbreaking at the mo with the weather being glorious outside.
It is really hard to beat going out at dusk for a solo night ride when the streets and local trails are deserted. As Crazy Legs and others have said, the wildlife you see and hear is great. Two foxes and a bat crossed my path last night. It may just be me but the air seems a lot clearer while the trails are in perfect condition. Not doing anything gnarr - sticking to riding my fat bike as it is a good combination of not being too fast but giving me a proper workout. Who knew? Fat bikes for secret zombie apocalypse training eh?
I avoid going out during the day as there are a lot of folk using towpaths and bike trails so it doesn't need me to add to it.
jimmy
Your picture of the Pentlands is making me jealous!
Cheers
Sanny
Good for road riding and for those that can MTB from home. For me its been shite as I need to drive to MTB ride!
never been a nicer time to write off your frame and not be able to reach any dealers or the manufacturer or find a LBS who can fit me in in under 2 weeks! 🙁
jimmy, I recognise that viewpoint! Good work Sanny. I'm not sure there's more birdlife/wildlife, but you can certainly hear it more, see it more, and I guess they're less spooked by constant traffic noise (though set against a good deal more pedestrian traffic waltzing past).
Yeah it's pretty good, it's a shame I managed to bugger my back 10km into a 20km loop at the weekend.
It would be great, almost perfect except for the few interactions with other people in these odd times have (for me) ranged from life-threatening (boy-racer and sidekick, not looking, not giving way, narrow-miss), to annoying (other MTBer silently appeared behind me on a bridleway before pushing alongside then in front at speed in a cloud of droplets, before heading off down a busy footpath. Not a word or bell was heard) , to just plain depressing (Mrs Rider getting a mouthful today for saying ‘hello’ across the street to a walking family (who for some reason had a map).
Mr Twit: (in hostile manner): Do we know you?
Mrs Rider ‘No, it’s a nice day, I was just greetin...’
Mr Twit: ‘Well, don’t...we don’t know you, so why would bla bla’
wtaf? (Should’ve asked them why they needed a map if they weren’t visiting...)
Am taking to twilight/night-riding (again). Social-distance almost guaranteed. Although it gets dark later and later. Nonetheless, am glad I invested in this new front light.
I live at the foot of the Malverns, I had my first off road jaunt up the hills today. It was the quietest I've known it. There was one other walker and two other riders. I've also been taking my son onto the hills after dark on nature watches which has been great. The only numptee I've met so far was the mountain biker riding along whilst shouting into his phone at arms length - you know who you are!
It would be a whole load nicer if walking the dog didn’t count as my one a day.
Yep and the dog is pretty pissed off with one walk a day too!
Ive found it’s busier than normal around our way. Seeing people in places you just wouldn’t normally come across anyone at times usually guaranteed to be quiet. The roads seem to be as busy as normal outside of rush hour
I get the impression there’s a lot of folk who think they’ve done their bit for 3 weeks and now it’s free holiday time...,
Hi KCal (waves)
Glasgow city centre was like a scene from The Omega Man tonight. Virtually no cars or people about and best of all, almost zero litter! I've not seen that ever. Just a lovely spin on the fat bike that was strangely peaceful. I'm guessing folk who are finding it busy are in the more populous south? A lot of shops and bars are boarded up. Genuinely wonder how many will be able to take down the boards when this is all over?
Night time nature walk sounds great. I may do that tomorrow night with my wee one.
Cheers
Sanny
I'm a mountain biker first and foremost,but riding through 5 months of mud encouraged me onto the roads at the tail end of it for respite....then came the virus and then along with it the Spring. I've been more than happy to carry on riding mainly on the now almost empty roads around where I live,as my local woods,country parks have more family/pedestrian traffic than normal.
Although I did go out for a good off road adventure today....and enjoyed every Minuit of it .
For me, I don't think I've eever had this much riding with the kids,
older 2 boys need wearing out,
got the twins off their balance bikes & on to iskabikes (taken pedals off but will see how they go with en next week )
It's the nature. So amazing. God I wish cars would just get (mostly) banned after this. Life is actually amazing without them.
Conditions have been stunning this last few weeks, but my local routes are generally more full of people who presumably would otherwise be in shops or the pubs?
They stand out a mile, looking awkward in nature, with pristine designer clothes and trainers, airbrushed magazine hair cuts and makeup.
I've also never seen so many people out on bikes.
They stand out a mile, looking awkward in nature....
This. So much this!
Also, it must be OK to congregate in the woods where you're less likely to be seen/caught by anyone who could do anything about it. Seeing big groups out in the woods, obviously meeting up where they think they'll get away with it.
Been enjoying riding to my local spot instead of driving there I must admit 🙂
Most roads round this way (North Yorkshire) bear more resemblance to Zwift than anything else. Loads of bikes.
While there’s always one driver (today it was the overtake of another car directly at me) in general I’ve never experienced such courtesy on a road ride.
None of the “get orf my land” / out of my village issues other people have faced either.
Only 3 weeks of quiet roads left. 🙁
@kimbers
That looks like Milton Keynes
I'm pretty sure I know that bmx track, but would you mind telling me where the middle pic was taken?
Great pics, by the way, I love seeing kids on bikes
I'll be honest, it's beginning to get to being a less nice time to ride a bicycle...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-52323784
This one is pretty local to me and there's more of this cropping up now, there was a news item on road.cc where they'd collated a bunch of hand-made anti-cycling signs. In most cases the council were onto it fairly quickly and removing the signs but there's definitely an undercurrent of maybe resentment, jealousy, pettiness? Or just an excuse to air the standard anti-cycling attitude in a new way?
BBC should've turned that story round IMO.
"Villagers voice unreasonable objections to lawful activity" or "NIMBYs be NIMBYing".
It doesn't help obviously, but I've not been personally affected by any such ignorance and will be ready to robustly defend myself if I am.
Even better this morning. After overnight rain there were even fewer people out at 7am and the woods full of bluebells smelt divine.
Yeah, I thought that was a slightly odd piece of journalism too. Obviously we don’t know how selective the quoting was, but why give the Bradwell idiot the opportunity to say that without then asking how he thought their lives were being threatened exactly, nor why he felt Bradwell deserved special protection.
Hathersage forum has been getting quite vitriolic along the same lines - it’s a large village 10 minutes by car/20 minutes by bike from Sheffield, not Outer Mongolia. To Sheffield cyclists the Hope Valley is keeping it local! But the ‘journalist’ didn’t bother to point that out.
I’ll be honest, it’s beginning to get to being a less nice time to ride a bicycle…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-52323784
This one is pretty local to me and there’s more of this cropping up now
Yeah, I'm in the area too - I'm finding some of the attitudes to be pretty disheartening.
It didn't take me 5 minutes to find the address of the main whiner. If I lived any closer I'd go and cycle past his house a few dozen times.
Maybe I was overthinking it - stunning ride today, hardly any traffic. Loads of cyclists (families mostly) out in the few villages I went through.
Lots of folk out in their gardens, chatting to neighbours across the road. Guess they can't do that normally with traffic noise but they were all keeping their distance and everyone waved and said hi to me as I rode past. No issues. Didn't spot any anti-cycling signage.
Maybe the sunshine has mellowed people out. 🙂
Yep - I had a pretty pleasant spin up to Monsal Head.
Shame about the horse riders, but they're often a grumpy lot at the best of times.
Been hearing a lot more birdsong on the dog walks recently but I have put it down to the lack of road noise, possibly it was always there just drowned out by traffic. I get annoyed when one car comes roaring past me now, it sounds so loud, 2 months ago I didnt even notice the car noise because it was just the norm.
I can't say I am surprised that the usual NIMBYs are taking the opportunity to have a pop.
It doesn't change a thing. If you are riding solo, respecting social distancing and being nice and saying hi, you are doing nothing wrong. It is their problem.
Has there ever been a nicer time to ride a bicycle?
No, whilst the most vulnerable in our society are dying due to a global pandemic and in some cases those that are seeking to protect the above are also perishing.
You go right ahead, drink it in.
I've got a front-line job caring for vulnerable people. One of the units - not the one I currently work in - is locked down as some of the residents have the virus.
I'm also riding my bike occasionally, if that's OK with you Merak - it helps clear my head after a day at work.
No, whilst the most vulnerable in our society are dying due to a global pandemic and in some cases those that are seeking to protect the above are also perishing.
You go right ahead, drink it in.
In short “whatabout the sick peoples?!?!!”. Whereas the obvious answer is that yes, conditions for cycling are obviously very good
No, whilst the most vulnerable in our society are dying due to a global pandemic and in some cases those that are seeking to protect the above are also perishing.
You go right ahead, drink it in.
What was that I posted about people looking for an excuse to have a pop.....
🙄🙄🙄
It would be a whole load nicer if walking the dog* didn’t count as my one a day. Having to stick to the turbo is heartbreaking at the mo with the weather being glorious outside.
Aye, similar, use my once a day to get out with my wife and daughter, later is best, nice n quiet as all the new age cyclists are in getting pissed.
*credit where it's due, most dog walkers around here are still doing it twice a day, and getting their exercise, and going to supermarket.
Lockdown my arse.
It would be a whole load nicer if walking the dog* didn’t count as my one a day.
It looks like it doesn't. See item 3 here
3. Can I walk my dog / look after my horse?
Yes .... But you can also still go outside once a day for a walk, run, cycle....
The "also" in there says to me that is OK to do both. Obviously the important bit is the social distancing.
most dog walkers around here are still doing it twice a day
Which, coincidentally, is how many shits your average dog needs per day.
I strongly suspect that the dog walkers who show most antipathy to mountain bikers are those who are hoping that they're going to be able to get away from that big pile of steaming turd so they don't have to pick it up.
People on foot don't appear as quickly as those on wheels
Stunning conditions at the moment. Last night jaunt over the moors was, with the exception of a strong chilly wind, perfect. Not a soul about, not a single aircraft in the vast blue sky, bone dry trails and wildlife and nature just exploding into life.
The only thing detracting is the sheer amount of dog shit bags that are scattered all over the place. Take the bloody thing home please.
most dog walkers around here are still doing it twice a day
In nearly fifteen years of walking this same loop once a day I’ve never seen so many people of all stripes interpreting ‘staying at home’ as ‘walking around aimlessly looking as if they’ve never seen the world before’. This includes dog walkers, kid walkers, cyclists, pensioners, etc etc.
So yesterday I walk the dog for an hour. We have been keeping him on the lead (he’s 13yrs old, has arthritis, half blind, insecure, toothless, and no interest in leaving my side/can’t run anyway) but yesterday he had a (fortunately rare) epileptic seizure/ataraxia (still to confirm with vet), yet two stranger’s dogs were of course off the leash (against current rules) and bouncing up me trying to get to him. I shouted to the owner ‘will you get your dogs away from me, I have a sick dog here’ and he makes a show of calling his non-responsive leaping hounds, before throwing his hands up in the air warning ‘but I’ll have to come over to you’. So I had to bundle up our dog mid-convulsion into my arms and GTFO. Stress levels through the roof.
wtf is actually wrong with people? Found I’ve been going out less and less in the daytime over the last four weeks (both bike and on foot) as it seems every other daily outing is like playing against loaded dice with some utter.y clueless/careless/unpleasant ****er of some stripe (so far cyclists, pedestrians, motorists and dog walkers, ie people in general)
As for the ‘unbelievably’ (haha, I jest) increased frequency/numbers of people out and about I swear it’s mostly because
1. the pubs, restaurants and friend’s houses are currently off the list so
2. are bored, and most of all:
3. Can’t drive everywhere - so decide to investigate what walking or cycling feels like. Also
4. Reverse psychology. ‘Stay at home unless...’ is heard as ‘find a way to go out more’
Because, you know, ‘stay at home’ actually means get outside by whatever means and as often/long as possible, though (trust me) 99% their faces haven’t been seen before on these streets since forever. Especially the clusters of picnicers, cycling families and ‘new’ dogwalkers appearing daily. Chose a ****ing great time to discover the outdoors didn't they?
In three weeks:
On bike:
2x near-misses from boy-racers on otherwise empty streets. One so close it left me quaking with adrenalin/rage
1x close-quarter silent overtake/shoulder-brush from other cyclist on bridleway, blowing droplets out of his dumb mouth as he powers past to head off down a footpath that turned off a few metres metres ahead of where he felt the need squeeze past me, again without bell or warning.
By foot:
*edit
Aha fugeddabout. I’m seemingly losing my shit. Go out to exercise at night? Turbo by day. Best option for me, but not for the dog (or better half) 🙁
It looks like it doesn’t. See item 3 here
> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do < 3. Can I walk my dog / look after my horse? Yes …. But you can also still go outside once a day for a walk, run, cycle…. The “also” in there says to me that is OK to do both. Obviously the important bit is the social distancing.
I don't think it means what you think it means, though it is poorly worded.
The "also" should be taken in the light of the previous sentence about staying in, therefore it infers dog walk = permitted exercise.
Not dog walk + permitted exercise.
Just my reading, FWIW.
don’t think it means what you think it means, though it is poorly worded.
The “also” should be taken in the light of the previous sentence about staying in, therefore it infers dog walk = permitted exercise.
Not dog walk + permitted exercise.
That's my reading too, and the linked "Further advice for people with animals" clarifies it:
You may leave your house to exercise once a day and you should combine this with walking your dog.
That said, CPS guidance says that exercising more than once a day is likely to be reasonable:
Not dog walk + permitted exercise.
My old dog walks 1 mile an hour max, for half a mile with many sniff-stops/rests, for an hour total. I exercise on the bike every day or every other day. And the dog every other, depending how he’s doing. If I’m only permitted to do the dog ‘walk’ then I get no effective exercise for myself.
It really doesn't matter if you walk the dog and go out for a ride on the same day. Neither activity is putting you or anyone else at risk. You need to loosen up a bit...
Hey, I don't make the rules.
I'd suggest shoving the dog back in the house when it's had enough and continuing your "one exercise" sans woofer.
It really doesn’t matter if you walk the dog and go out for a ride on the same day. Neither activity is putting you or anyone else at risk. You need to loosen up a bit…
I think we were just factually stating what the rules were, not adding our own opinions about them (certainly I was).
Indeed.
I don't need to be "breaking the rules" myself, and I might feel slightly anxious if circumstances led me to.
However I wouldn't judge someone in Malvern's situation.
go out for a ride on the same day. Neither activity is putting you or anyone else at risk.
I wish 😡 Both activities have evidently (see above rant) put me (and mine) at risk over the last few weeks. Too many people are thick as shit, or selfish, or careless (or all three) and therefore dangerous. And because of this ‘lockdown’ (😂🤣😂)they are all now (for ’reasons’) outdoors where (trust me) they weren’t before. Deadly-virus + free-range ****tards is a terrible combination. As a now full-time primary carer I get to see a lot of indoors in the daytime and cabin fever doesn’t begin to describe it. Thankyou night-time. Night-time (and a veg box delivered to door, thanks be) is the saving grace of all this. But the night is sweet. Work, exercise, peace, safety. Already wishing the nights were drawing in not the opposite. Moohhaaahaaa moohaahaaa
Any alien landing on earth right now would probably conclude that the dominant form of life on the planet is four legged, covered in a hair, barks, and has a team of awkward bipedal servants to wander around aimlessly following it and cleaning up its shit.
I could be riding up on the fells that I live at the base of, I've been avoiding it as have to go through a gate to get there and haven't done so out of respect for the hill farmers. Thing is its probably less accident risk for me to get exercise there than out on the road bike, there's never anyone up there so much less transmission risk too. Someones put signs on the gate saying no access but it's not in the National Park and I know they're not the landowner. As this thing goes on through the summer with some of the driest weather we've had for ages its going to get annoying - I see people posting merry offroad loops up so are people assuming that gates are low risk, or are they just part of the DGAF contingent?
Think you're overthinking the gate thing - if you wear mtb gloves, don't wipe the sweat on your gloves, either before or after the gate and put your gloves stright intot he washing machine at home (not the dining table for example) then I can't see that carries a risk of transmission in either direction. If you got fells to ride on your doorstep get some exercise on them.
Curious though whether people have found that farmers are being aggro towards riders...I've seen mention of an underlying attitude in the farming community to limit access - blocking paths for walkers/ riders and can kinda see why, I want to avoid any unnecessary conflict. I had a bizarre incident the other day out on the road bike, completely deserted road where a farmer in a large cattle wagon thought it funny to swerve across the carriageway towards me to force me off the road...I don't know if he was trying to make a point that I shouldn't be out on my bike, or just being an idiot..it was after lunch-o'clock on a Friday so he was probably inebriated...
Or just carry a spare clean glove in a plaggy bag in your pocket.
If it is one gate, then it shouldn't be too much of a ball ache to do this.
If you take this one possible mode of spreading out of your ride you will be operating in a manner about a hundred times safer than doing a supermarket shop.
Curious though whether people have found that farmers are being aggro towards riders…I’ve seen mention of an underlying attitude in the farming community to limit access – blocking paths for walkers/ riders and can kinda see why, I want to avoid any unnecessary conflict.
For the most part, it's been okay.
I've seen a few RoW illegally closed or blocked off.
Someone with a livestock trailer nearly had me off the other day.
Curious though whether people have found that farmers are being aggro towards riders…
Met a farmer yesterday trying to drive his 4x4 out of his field but the gate wouldn't stay open in the wind. He'd open it, jump in the car and it'd be blown half way closed again! 😅
So I held it for him, closed it behind him and carried on my way through the neighbouring gate onto the bridleway.
He was very friendly. And even if he did think I was a ****, it's not like he could say anything rude so... 🤷🏻♂️
No, round here it's been villagers posting anti-cycling notices. Not had any aggro from farmers at all and I've been on plenty of BWs, gravel tracks etc.
Or just carry a spare clean glove in a plaggy bag in your pocket.
Take a freezer bag, then turn it inside out, put your hand in, operate the gate and turn it right way out again afterwards to put it away. That way the inside of the bag gets contaiminated but the outside in contact with your hand stays clean.
It could get even nicer in urban areas:
https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/04/uk-roads-pedestrians-covid-19/
I also found this interesting. One quote: “Poisoning our environment means poisoning our own body, and when it experiences chronic respiratory stress its ability to defend itself from infections is limited.”
I've had more bad passes and near misses in the last three weeks than in the last 3 years. It's absolutely ****ing mental out there. Oh along with the abuse.
No-one has said a word to me when I've been out on the bike. I must look like a right hard bastard in my lycra and disco slippers.
Is their a FarmerTrackWorld perhaps, a bit like us and Mumsnet but with more wellies and propensity to go elbows deep? Might be interesting to see if there's some background animosity against cyclists out there any more so than the usual prejudices fuelled by the gutter rags.
This started out as a pleasant thread, as is so often the case folk seem to want to unload their bile at every opportunity.
Not really, just trying to work out what sort of thinking inspired a farmer to swerve across a road and drive a lorry at me head-on - it could have been potentially quite serious as he left me all of a few inches of road left and put me on the verge - if I had a dash cam with me I'd have gone to the Police... it's not the first incidence like this I've heard from people in the last few weeks so it may be helpful for people to be aware...
Speeding has doubled on Lincolnshire's roads under the lockdown despite a reduction in the amount of traffic by two thirds, police said
the local traffic has slowed considerably here over the last week as there really isn't any lockdown anymore and traffic levels on village roads are at a "normal" level.
there really isn’t any lockdown anymore and traffic levels on village roads are at a “normal” level.
Not quite "back to normal" around here but not far off it. There seems to be a noticeably more casual attitude in the supermarket too, there are certainly more people driving out to the countryside for a walk and judging by the sheer number of convertible and sports cars bombing round the roads, a lot of unnecessary journeys.
there are certainly more people driving out to the countryside for a walk
By a factor of two or three, I've noticed.
This is totally down to the "advice" in that policing doc which emerged last week.
Even the media are reporting it as new guidelines for the public (rather than for when to feel collars).
The genie is out of the bottle on that one and I don't really think the public are to blame.
Traffic is quieter.
Doesn't stop a near neighbour trying to do a left-hook move on me, then shrugging his shoulders when I went to point out he had nearly killed me...some people genuinely don't care.
I gave an Aston Martin driver the old Gareth Hunt hand gesture yesterday eve as he undertook me at about 50 in a suburban 30 while I was in middle of road, turning right.
Must have been on some very essential business.
it many ways it's actually busier than it should be, I usually ride around lunch time and there's a couple of very popular gastro pubs on the route which are closed and more people are getting stuff/food delivered.
There is a great Scots word "glaikit"
It describes a sort of bewildered stupidity, like you just fell from the sky and arrived newly on earth not sure how pavements, paths or roundabouts work.
Everywhere is quieter but the number of "Glaikit Bastirds" has gone up about 1000%
the daily fail are leading with "Britain Sneaks Back".... or UK nudge department gets it's desired result
the daily fail are leading with “Britain Sneaks Back”…. or UK nudge department gets it’s desired result
Can you be a bit less cryptic please?