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Matlock to Edinburgh: http://www.bikemap.net/route/1174471.
I didn't fancy London to Edinburgh this time, so I shifted the point of departure in order to make a little more ride from a little less time.
Saturday had lots of exciting features: Bank Road, Winnats Pass, Holme Moss, Scapegoat Hill, the lumps around Keighly/ Skipton, and Stang Lane are all worth a mention. There were plenty of places on route to stop for a snack, I had fish and chips for tea.
The hostel in Langdon Beck was good value for money; very friendly, while providing of towels, breakfast, and a room dedicated to the drying of clothes.
I was quite chuffed to shut down my Garmin reading 5500m of climbing.
Sunday started on a high note, with a few long climbs followed by plenty of flowing descent, out of the Pennines and across the border. On previous journeys I've blatted along the A68, but this time I went for a more scenic route, through Newcastleton and then Hawick. This was definitely a good move, and one that I would recommend.
A solid weekend.
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Beautiful Ahr valley again today. Great ride. Two guys were over sixty of which one was the fastest and the other was a pharmacist. You'll recognize that I only met them after 11 miles.
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Rode the Vattenfall Classics in Hamburg on a prototype Moulton Speed.
Course was stunning, some of the most amazing scenery i've ridden past in a long time. Bar a few technical glitches with the Moulton, the pace was ok(ish) but the mood and overall vibe made up for it.
103 km's in 3:24.12
Saw a number of fixies riding the 100km route, which was great to see.
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Better half was entertaining friends on Saturday, so I was given free reign for a good long pedal. Set off with Hell of the Ashdown route on the Garmin, feeling good, no rush, just enjoy. Bike was whirring perfectly, big smiles. Hit Saltbox Hill and chain snapped!!
So a nice ride turned into a long walk home in the rain.
Many thanks to the chaps on lovely bikes (Cervelo and Klein) for stopping and chatting. It didn't take me too long to get back, new cleats are required though.
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Went to Kent/Surrey border to 'translate' some brutal Saturday morning weight training into more bike-specific strength. General discomfort from the minute I set off, but it panned out okay. Saw stelle leading a bunch of Brixton Cycles riders out towards Eden Park.
This week's exciting moment came courtesy of the Fountain Drive/College Rd descent, my tiredness, the erratic driving of the bus in front of me, and the aggressive driving of the 4x4 behind me. Not quite sure what you'd call the evasive manoeuvre, but possibly a jackknife-skid-endo-hop. Oh well.
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Did about 40 miles with Pifko on Sat morning, rain started as we were about 20 mins away from home, rolled around to the new cycle track hoping to catch *m.f but it was deserted. Wasn't brave enough to try a flying lap in the rain :( Then rolled down to the beach to meet the family and watch the air show through a pair of binoculars. Sun came out as I approached the Poole harbour ferry and stayed out all afternoon.
Got to the beach absolutely starving, only to find mother had brought half of waitrose with her. Picnic win!
Le route: [ame]http://ridewithgps.com/routes/658438[/ame
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Catydid and I got our first rides in on the tandem! Seriously good fun...barrelling along at 35kmh comfortably on the flat, no problem on hills and OMG the downhills....huge grins! Loading up with camping gear next weekend....might be a different story!
Was that you on the Hill from Theydon Bois towards the Epping Road yesterday (a lovely Dawes if I recall)? If so I'm the chap who squeezed past you on my old Pinarello but was bonking big time after a sweaty day in the saddle. I shouldn't have overtaken you, I just ended up in your way. You were nifty as hell on the flat towards the roundabout.
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Rode my first Cyclosportive in Burgess Hill. 93 miles, the course was pretty mean, some very testing short steep ascents right to the last 10 miles. Still did okay.. 5:37, average of 16.6mph on a steel 1993 Concorde Squadra. Helped that I had a 67 year old guy on my back wheel for the last 30 miles. He thanked me for the tow, I thanked him for giving me the motivation that I wasn't going to let someone twice my age beat me!
The route is here http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=282891 and http://www.routeyou.com/route/stats/56982/cycle-route-the-burgess-hll-rumble-cyclosportive-21st-august-2011.en
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A Road to Spurn...
Hull.
Not name that generally inspires, but I felt pretty giddy on the train as it neared Hull station on Saturday morning.
First you see the Humber River, then the bridge:The station is pretty interesting too. Philip Larkin would vissit the area regularly, and loved the station. As thanks, they dedicated a great statue:
On the bike, LFGSS hat wedged on sweaty bonce, I churned past the industrial estates and monstrous gas and oil refineries, and soon left civilisation behind. Fast roads, quiet, heading south East to Spurn Point:
A strange finger of shifting land thrusting into the North Sea, 30 miles of hard riding away.weaving through villages, soft pedalling past vast combine harvesters rumbling from field to field through the lanes, lovely chapels with mysterious ruins:
and odd scraps of ruined agricultural machinery:
The land became stranger, less inhabited, thinner.
Sea became visible to left and to the right:My goal was the tiny lighthouse to the far right.
The road became clogged with dry drifting sand, twitching the rear wheel mischievously.
I'd found the Road to Spurn.Then the road itself became concrete blocks that chattered the teeth. After an elbow-wrenching three miles, the lighthouse!
Cake, tea, then back for more boneshaking.
Picking my way through the quiet coastal lanes I passed an ancient moat, followed by a huge cold war underground bunker. Opposite ends of historical military defense!
Withernsea, a scab of seaside town, but with a lighthouse perched way inland amongst the terraced back streets!
I took a snap and pressed on.
Weaving empty roads, golden fields, then a stately home - Burton Constable:A beautiful pile with a bizarre history - worth looking up!
I decided to look for a place of my own. I settled on this one:
I could probably rent it for the price of a cupboard down London!
Heading up the coast I passed [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Lissett"]Lisset Airfield[/ame], home to the WWII 158th heavy bomber squadron. There's a windfarm there now, but also a very nice memorial:Metal silhouettes on the skyline, each one etched with the many names of the fallen. A peaceful spot.
I pushed on as the day was as tired as my legs. Last stop Bridlington.
Beer, Fish and Chips, a rousing game of Cluedo, bed.87 miles on fixed gear.
And that was my weekend.
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Note to self
If you have a freshly shaved head wear a cap under your cycling helmet on sunny days. Or don't be surprised to find the pattern of catlike whisper vents burned into your scalp.
It's a good look.
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Note to self
If you have a freshly shaved head wear a cap under your cycling helmet on sunny days. Or don't be surprised to find the pattern of catlike whisper vents burned into your scalp.
It's a good look.
and negates the possibility of getting insects in there as seems to happen often to me...
great report Lucy thanks!
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^^Ha!
I've got a white bonce, a band of sunburn, a white stripe where my sunnies went, then the rest is burnt.The rest of my body is sporting a proper farmer's tan of drip white torso and sunburnt limbs!
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Cheers Jason and Wrongcog!
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Catydid and I got our first rides in on the tandem! Seriously good fun...barrelling along at 35kmh comfortably on the flat, no problem on hills and OMG the downhills....huge grins! Loading up with camping gear next weekend....might be a different story!
Was that you on the Hill from Theydon Bois towards the Epping Road yesterday (a lovely Dawes if I recall)? If so I'm the chap who squeezed past you on my old Pinarello but was bonking big time after a sweaty day in the saddle. I shouldn't have overtaken you, I just ended up in your way. You were nifty as hell on the flat towards the roundabout.
That was us! No problem at all passing us, we were just about done by then anyway! Glad you thought we were nifty...we're still getting used to the tandem.....I think it was you that gave us the "Chapeau!" that kept us happy all the way home...cheers!
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great write up Luci..
Matt and I rode out to princes risboro on saturday, from swiss cottage via willesden, harrow, rickmansworth, amersham, west wycombe, bledlow ridge, chinnor.. returning to the scene of a grisly crime two weeks earlier where my rear mech / hanger exploded on whiteleaf en-route from leamington spa to london.. it was a hard push out, 60miles in 3 hours. up whiteleaf then on to great missenden, stopping for tea and cake, the heavens opened, we then rode in torrential rain to amersham and A404 mouthwash.. then jumped on the met line back into town soaked to the skin but a good effort, then away for KOTP - sunday 04 sept.
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Did about 40 miles with Pifko on Sat morning, rain started as we were about 20 mins away from home, rolled around to the new cycle track hoping to catch *m.f but it was deserted. Wasn't brave enough to try a flying lap in the rain :( Then rolled down to the beach to meet the family and watch the air show through a pair of binoculars. Sun came out as I approached the Poole harbour ferry and stayed out all afternoon.
Got to the beach absolutely starving, only to find mother had brought half of waitrose with her. Picnic win!
Le route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/658438
You rode right past my dear old mother's flat. Wave to her next time you go by.
FridayMarch26th
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Tell us about your weekend ride
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just dont do it on the bike porn thread ;)