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This first section was tough, quite a long climb uphill that was mainly off road, with a surface of loose stones which didn't aid traction. I do wonder at times why councils feel the need to try and help foster cycle routes then lay down surfaces that are challenging for experienced riders, never mind those with less experience.
Presumably many of these inexperienced riders would be riding mountain bikes, not Pompinos. I've often found that with constructing off-road riding like this, people have no awareness that some people use skinnier tyres.
Nice report, Andy, it's great to explore old alignments along which people travelled. We have a couple of ancient routes still visible in Hackney, but like the Pilgrims' Way they are disrupted in places. When I'm in Germany, I often do rides around old Roman alignments (some of which are also followed by modern roads), or other historic roads that are no longer in much use. The area where my family live has quite a lot of such alignments. Some are agricultural service roads, others are scenic paths, but it's always interesting to follow them, or at least I think so.
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I think the real issue is the British aversion to properly surfaced cycle paths. Elsewhere in Europe it is quite common for cycle paths to be appropriately surfaced with tarmac, because tarmac is, well, pretty much the best surface for tyres really.
But as we have an aversion to "tarmacking over the countryside" in Britain the paths have to be covered in gravel or stone chips so that they are "in keeping". An aversion which everyone seems to forget about when it comes to building roads for cars, which must always be tarmac because anything else would be ridiculous, right?
I think you're right though Oliver a lot of cycle paths do presume MTB use.
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It's true that a lot more cyclable paths in Europe are tarmacked, but in Germany many of them (especially on the 'leisure network') are Wirtschaftswege (the aforementioned agricultural service roads which run alongside and between fields and give access to them). They were actually never intended for much cycle use. :)
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Best ride in Australia so far, as we got WAY outta Melbourne, past the 'burbs and into actual countryside. It did get obscenely hilly though. Sawtooth profile ride!
Also we found a nice little doggie before a descent on this dirt road. And also two courts of kangaroos. Fo realz.
92.2km, 1065m ascent, almost 5 hours because we're unfit and poor at navigating.
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5 hours of wet. Home and warm now!
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Yesterday did the downs link route from Guildford to Brighton. It's fully signposted and in a word awesome. Recommend mtb or off road tyres. Would not advise fixed. It rained but that only added to the beauty. Pub on route called the bax was a great stopping point for pizza and Guinness and were welcoming even though we were partly caked in mud. DO IT!
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I went back to Morzine via Lindarets (home of my favourite mountain restaurant in the Port du Soleil, but shut) and a large number of goats.
Sounds like a fantastic few days. Thanks for sharing. That descent from Avoriaz to Montriond via Linderets is superb. Coincidentally someone must have created a Strava seg from Linderets recently as it has appeared in my KOM list :-) Probably one of the must fun/beautiful descents I've ever done. I think there's a seg from the turning off the main Morzine/Avoriaz road to Montriond lake which I think I would held* if I hadn't slowed to chat to an old French guy during the section near the top through the trees. He called me down as I shot past him so I slowed to have a chat to see if he was ok, but he literally just wanted to shoot the breeze and say how nice it was to ride there. I thought: I know and I'm only get the chance to ride down it once, you do it every day! Nice bloke though and he probably stopped me flying over a barrier on a hairpin anyway! CSB.
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Finally had a free day and no pressure to pick up the children, so made my second attempt at this.
First half was much the same as before, but without the failure of a chain link, and I made it to the Medway to pick up the official route of the Pilgrims Cycle Trail just over the M2 bridge. It didn't start well when the first junction I came to had no signposts for the route, but a check of the map saw me make the right decision and pick up the route alongside the other side of the M2, with a signpost saying it was 7 miles to Maidstone.
This first section was tough, quite a long climb uphill that was mainly off road, with a surface of loose stones which didn't aid traction. I do wonder at times why councils feel the need to try and help foster cycle routes then lay down surfaces that are challenging for experienced riders, never mind those with less experience.
The route to Maidstone was ridiculously complicated after this, with use of pedestrian bridges and a few wrong signs which meant I spent half an hour trying to get back on route. I finally picked up the Pilgrims Way again at Boxley and enjoyed the next 20 miles to Ashford, with a 50/50 mix of road and off-road sections. Stupidly, I followed the route signs into Ashford and did a tour of daft cycle paths around the town, before heading to Wye. If I did the route again, I'd work out my own route between Westwell and Wye, missing out Ashford all together.
I stopped in Wye for a replenishment of drinks and food, then rode the last 12 miles or so into Canterbury, including a new, fairly long off road section between Godmersham and Chartham, again with a tricky surface in places, before enjoying the last 3 miles into the centre of Canterbury running alongside the Great Stour river.
I grabbed (a late) lunch in Canterbury then got the train home.
Strava route here for those interested.
If anyone else was contemplating doing this, I'd recommend you give it a go. Most of the off road sections are fine at this time of year, although it would be a different proposition in the winter months. I rode a Pompino today, but a touring bike or a road bike with enough clearance for wider tyres would be fine for most of, if not all, the route.
I did the road-based part of Pilgrim's Way the other day, following 7VEN's Lewisham-Whitstable route, following the path wherever it was tarmac surfaced.
It felt pretty tough going, but I think that was my mental state and fitness more than the conditions themselves, though the ride profile does make it look pretty hilly. Lovely scenery along the way, Kent is alright really.
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June 350 A ride in three parts:
Part one, lanes. I left home at 6am and headed out into Surrey and round into Kent. I rarely saw another soul for the first couple of hours, very restful. Near the end my chain bound up in the front dérailleur and I had to break and rejoin it to get it out. A beautiful shire horse in a field came and watched me for a bit, but offered no suggestions and got bored and wandered off before I'd finished.
Part two, the London boroughs spiral. I met up with 7VEN for a quick run around this route, and we did indeed go round it fairly quickly. I was surprised by how many bits of it I still remembered from last time. I love the feeling of "we're nearly done, nothing can stop us now" that you get when Battersea Bridge comes into sight.
Part three: then I went home. This route home took me on some roads that were new to me, even quite near where I live, which was nice.
Nutrition: my drink was 60g maltodextrin and 30g fructose per litre, supplemented with fruit squares (dates, dried peaches, almonds => blender) jacob's clubs and penguins. This was my first time with some fructose in the mix, and I think it worked for me. I don't think it made me any faster, but it's the next day now and I'm not wrecked.
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Saturday a friend led us to Cambridge from Mile End on a route new to me via Newmarket, which made just over an imperial century. Lovely route, bits of the DunRun kept popping up! Also immaculately planned, as the lunch cafe stop coincided with an enormous thunderstorm and torrential rain which had largely subsided by the time we set off again.
Sunday, a little 20 mile pootle with Greenwich and Lewisham Cyclists along the Thames path to Thamesmead Tor and back. -
Rode the spiral ride with Earthloop on Sunday afternoon.
A pleasure riding with the 'godfather of the spiral'.
Not one red light was jumped.
I'm certainly no fair weather cyclist however didn't enjoy the rain and the strong Northerly that was blowing.
The upside of the rain and wind was less pollution/tree spunk in the air.
Didn't get quite so lost this time which made the ride a little shorter :)
Going to have to have a go making some of Earthloop's tasty homemade energy drink as it has to be cheaper than the large tubs of Hi-5 that I seem to have to regularly buy.So there you go, you can start the spiral ride at 12.30pm and complete in the daylight (probably only at this time of the year).
C'est moi on the Woolwich Ferry:
The bronze statue of Charles on the original site of Charing Cross in Trafalger Square:
Garmin seems to have shaved a few KM's off the distance but indicates an average moving speed of 25.9km/h.* Strava gives a ride time of 7hrs 14mins.
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.357 Magnum
357k yesterday, out to Bath and back.
Before 8am I got a patronising 'well done for stopping' from some youth. They were drinking Fosters so I presume they were the British equivalent of ladyboys coming back from a long night shift.
Near Burnham Beeches I helped shuffle some tiny little ducks across the road. I don't think I've ever seen ducks so small, they were the like the end of my thumb and scampering all over the place. People with feelings might have described the situation as 'cute'.
Saw signs for Endure 24 which I just googled and I'm disappointed to report it's just a trail running thing. Running >>>
A van driven by a large tattooed lump of shit beeped me as I was circling a RAB near Thatcham. Intentionally drove at me causing me to take evasive action. I took his plates and wonder, if there was no contact but he was clearly driving like a cunt, should I still report him. I figure that online service does fuck all. Proper report or not bother? Anyone got license plate lookup?
After that decent ride past Cherhill Horse (Labour-in-vain hill, best name ever) and some other shit like Avebury and I dunno, lots of green rolling hilly stuff you lot would get moist over. It was a nice day and made up for the shitty, drenched Saturday ride. Rain Magnet
On the way back the A4 was blocked by serious crash. They were directing traffic off the A4 into some tiny lane. There was a helicopter parked up. Chatted to a motorbike rider.
Got home, had enchiladas. Regret that choice as I had Mexico in the sweep and apparently they're out. No more Mexican! Hmmpf!
Writing this long-winded bullshit because I got pretty dehydrated and have clearly killed off more brain cells than usual. Over and out.
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This was a sleepriding nightmare because you dreamed you had not got the12h club record finally last week?
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Nice post hippy. I would not report the aforesaid gentleman driver. He will deny all.
Saturday I put a new chain (orange KMC) on my Trek District. One year and 4000 miles was too long on the old one. Bike instantly went from crunchy to quiet. Pleasant ride . . . to work.
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I've been working on a route to take in Ditchling and Ashdown and the pleasant Sussex lanes in between, this one is coming together nicely. http://www.strava.com/activities/159485824
Perhaps I should bite the bullet and get a garmin rather than buggering around with OS maps though.
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This weekend was BikeBath, with routes of 30 / 60 / 100 miles available on both Saturday and Sunday.
I rode the 60 mile route on Saturday, which took us out of town on the Bath2Bristol path, then up Burrington Combe into the Mendips and back into Bath on the TwoTunnels. Really great route, well sign-posted, and with very decent food stations.
I was the only person riding fixed (45 x 19), but there were a couple of intrepid Brompton riders and a tandem. Great to see so many families out riding together, and a 10-year old finishing the 60-miler. It was my longest fixed ride in a few years, and it felt good to be back in the saddle, though the lack of preparation/hydration led to some pretty epic cramp. Will be back next year, this time with gears.
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Since we're off to the Alps in 3 weeks and have done fuck all riding, we went out for a spin round East Lothian.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/530769870There was sunshine and nice countryside.
Then, on the final descent into North Berwick it pissed down. Five minutes saw us in a warm cafe waiting for toasties and chips. When the rain went off, we headed back to the city along the coast road, with a tail wind for once.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/530860158
I should do more of this bicycle riding malarky. -
Thanks to AndyP re the Pilgrims route to Canterbury. I'll have to give that a go.
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Also, Earthloop, how did your Garmin keep going for 14 hours? Mine gave up after eight.
That's his Canyon above.
He has an external battery pack in the under saddle pack that powers the Garmin & USB powered lights.
You can see the wires routed along the toptube.
I have to say I was mighty impressed by his setup!
Oliver Schick
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Tell us about your weekend ride
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pre weekend ride post-
will be catching ferry onto purbeck hills
locking bike
doing distance run on the ridge in a relay, then riding back (after several cleansing ales)