Cycle the Underground,overground,wombling free,making a tube map for a poster for me

Well I made it to Uxbridge - just about. Started the day early enough left home just a tad before 8am, the roads were nice and clear through the city. Got to Liverpool Street 8.32 having just missed the 8.30 train to Enfield was not in any rush so quite happily had a coffee and a bite to eat and waited for the 9am train.

The cycle from Enfield to Cockfosters took about 20 minutes, getting me to Cockfoster for just a bit before 10am. Took a snap and set off.

Pretty much easy going and downhill mostly, the first big hill was the climb up to Southgate. Not a problem whizzed up most of the way, the last quarter had me off the saddle pumping. No problems getting up to Arnos Grove long slightly inclined climb, stopped for a photo.

Then basically went non-stop till Arsenal, only slightly built up around Wood Green, and the ride up to Manor Park. Otherwise the roads were still quiet.

Holloway Road was busy as normal, lots of lights and the crawling buses. But once I turned on to Caledonian Road was able to make up some lost time, until Kings Cross of course. Wanted to take a picture passing, but it was too busy to stop. Got to Russell Square a few minutes later, took a photo.

Then I was pretty much easy going around the center hitting all the stations until Earls Court, where I stopped for another photo.

North End Road was closed for re-surfacing so had to use the back roads to get up to Baron's Court. Kept on till Hammersmith took a photo moving taking the turn into Kings Street.

By now it was coming up to nearly 12pm, so I figured I would stop at Artisan for a quick coffee.

Set off again, heading for Acton Town. Again no problems on Chiswick High Street, however Bollo Lane was solidly congested because of road works on Acton High Street. I kept in traffic for a few minutes, before deciding to go down the on-coming side. Once on Acton High Street no issues. I missed my turn off and used the cycle path along Hanger Lane to get North Acton. Then carried on my long way around to Hanger Lane. No traffic at all in the industrial estate.

Now this is where things started to go badly. On the A-road from Hanger Lane up to Alperton. My chain started to skip gears, plus was starting to make a noise. I stopped to check it out, figured it was a stuck link. I stopped to have a look at the chain. I just did a slow rotation of the chain looking for it to jam. It didn't so I carried on. Past Alperton station on the climb up to Sudbury, had to go on to the small chain ring. The chain racket started again, on the incline on a busy 40mph road my chain snapped again. Luckily the climb I was on had a wide side area so I could pull over, and I didn't have any cars immediately behind me.

Typical. I know it has been two weeks since the last problem, and that chain has been fine on my commute the past couple of weeks. However I don't really do any climbing, plus I had checked the chain for wear after the last incident, and it was not strecthed. Should have replaced it sooner, I have now ordered a new one since I can't afford it to fail like that next sunday when I am riding the London-Oxford-London audax.

Any way it took me a while to fix the chain, by now it had gotten colder and the wind was blowing harder. Fiddling with links and pins is not easy in these conditions. It was nearly 2pm when I ready to resume the journey. I decided that I would carry on to Uxbridge, but not push it too hard.

Once I got Sudbury Hill I mounted the phone an activated the GPS since I wasn't full sure of the route from this point. I managed to miss a turn almost straight away, which caused me to have to re-route along the A312.
Then I managed to miss another turn, luckly I didn't go to far to turn back this time. Unfortunately the wind had picked up a bit more, and it had started to rain.

After Rayners's Lane it was pretty much a straight route, the road signs were enough to keep me going. I finally managed to make it to Uxbridge around 3.10pm, I managed to go further along the one way putting me at the other end of the high street, so I had to walk my bike to the station.

This actually worked out since there was a Greggs at the top of the High Street, so I grabbed another coffee and a pasty. Before getting to the station and taking the final photo of the day. Figured I would take the tube back to Acton Town then cycle it home.

I will do the Heathrow section tomorrow after work. It's only a couple of extra miles on top my regular commute.