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I only had one hallucination today. I saw a pyramidal mound of fresh horse poo, constructed of 'poo eggs', but as I approached it, it started to shuffle across the road towards me like an alien life form.Maybe it actually did…
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Interesting... Sorry to hear about your incident though BMMF.
A trip to Sizewell B on the Suffolk coast yesterday for me, spybot and Rod Munch as part of my unhealthy obsession with nuclear power plants. A lovely day for a ride, although the wind was mostly blowing the wrong way. I have a tan line on my legs which is pleasing, although only if it's from the sun and not background gamma radiation.
fussballclub kindly donated a route to Woodbridge via Maldon, Manningtree and Ipswich, I completed it and spybot 'optimised' it. The wheat and barley fields were incredibly green and the rape fields were incredibly yellow. I was virtually abducted by some old ladies in Maldon who made me buy cake from their church. They were literally piling it into my arms and into my Lampre Panaria cap, then when asked if they could change a £10 note they gave me £10 in coins. I almost had to plead to let me pay them something even approaching market rate, then when I opened one of the foil wrapped packages I found they'd sneaked a few extra slices of cake in. Worked out as 50p a cake/scone, and they thought that was far too generous.
We booked on the 9pm train from Saxmundham to save money and have time for dinner and a pint (or two) in Sizewell. While riding to the station we encountered a herd of massive deer in a very green field, their antlers silhouetted against the setting sun. Pretty magical really.
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Finally dug mountain bike out for its last ride before its replacement! Run this frame for about 4/5years now, and in '09 I managed to crash it and crack the rear end, however since then its never gone on me yet, but the rear end is out of alignment which isn't too bad save the brake rubs and moves around a little #notideal
Managed to get a slightly newer model (attack trail) on fleabay for the price of the shock + a round of beers, so not bad!
Went for a loop of borrowdale, affectionately known as the borrowdale bash. If I was feeling really fit I could have ridden it from home, but wind today was epic (30-50+ on the more exposed areas).
excuse the crap pictures, was blowing was pushing me slightly back UP the hills.
Just before the biggest grin inducing descent. In the photo it starts off on the top, nice, wide, fine gravel, big corners. Then it goes through a gateway, and promptly drops 800' (or more?) down a boulder strewn chute, with switchbacks, tyre bursting Roman drains and clapping cheery walkers. Ace. Managed to survive it, years been going down there have yet to make a proper fool of myself, though been there to mop up the broken bones/blood/bike bits from others :(
Dunno where this was, but it was windy as fuck!
in some kind of messed up order, view from the crags above ashness bridge, tis famous view this one.Today was the 'Fred Whitton Challenge', was supposed to be 'upto 1700 riders' on the roads, but I only saw a handful of guys battling against the epic wind what looked like a 20mile TT down the main road.
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Sorry to hear about the tumbles above. Those aside it looks like some great rides going on this weekend. Here’s my TL:DR alert. I did some more Wales exploring in this ride to Aberystwyth on Friday.
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/638956
I cut short the route I’d planned but it was still an amazing ride. Cold to start with but improved throughout the day. Definitely no hosepipe bans round these parts.
Lots of slow climbing from me as usual but some of the ride rocketed straight into ‘my most amazing sections to ride so far’ list. The Elan Valley is widely known and is stunning. I was disappointed the waterfalls at Devils Bridge are not visible from the road and you have to pay to see it, they have football stadium style turnstiles which discouraged this lockless cyclist from seeing that particular wonder.
I was more than compensated shortly after, the road from Ponterwyd, from 113k on the above link was just amazing, and over the 14k from there to Penrhyn-coch I did’nt see any vehicles so it was all mine.
Anyway enough bloody gushing here’s some pics
View from climb from Bont Dolgadfan up towards lake Clywedog
Lake Clywedog, is a repost I’m afraid as dan snapped this last year.
Elan Valley
EV again
Obligatory sheep pic, EV
And here’s the evidence of how windy it was, sorry bike
Climb up from Ponterwyd, lovely valley overload yet?
Total gridlock
Water everywhere
Beer and dinner in Aber before grinning the entire train journey back to Newtown for night with friends. Great day.
Cycled 30 odd miles to Shrewsbury yesterday to see friend.
Long Mountain, border country
Mate had new MTB he wanted to show off so I jumped on a borrowed Kona MTB, we met with two others and went for a hack around the trails of Haughmond Hill. Good fun. Afterwards went to pub for a couple, before we were due to head back to mates at 8 as his wife had cooked us a curry. We got carried away and did’nt roll in till after midnight, wife and kids in bed, we were too leathered to even reheat the food. We were in trouble this morning.
Felt very rough, had 30 odd miles ride back to my folks house into a driving headwind that was fully deserved, I suffered. Had BBQ this afternoon and feel vaguely human again.
OK a clip from one of the amazing descents of the day, misaligned camera crudely attached with electrical tape, no editing ability here so sound is just wind, really tragic but I think it’s a hidden gem and hope it will inspire you to go. So mute it, put on some tunes with suitable bpm’s, make sure its set at 720p and enjoy the views. And my wireless bike speedo does’nt work when the cameras on so I can’t tell my speed, honestly occifer. Bracing for ‘should get cycle training yadda yadda yadda’.
8 minutes of constant downhill to Penrhyn coch as mentioned above, did’nt notice till afterwards my left hood rubbers were sliding off from all the downhilling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr4ByqezeqA
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Just watched every second of that video. Would love to belt down there. Great stuff - needs commentary.
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Had a good ride Sat morning out into Hertfordshire with Butters and Truli, 50 miles at a decent enough pace.
Inspired by that and the weather, I spent Sat evening looking into a 100 mile ride and figured out Peterborough as a decent target. Route meticulously planned (including unnecessary miles to make it up to three figures), I was out the door at 7.45 and managed a good half hour before things started going tits up.
First off, the garmin went on the blink, auto-pausing and resuming for no apparent reason. It still seemed to know where I was and where I was going, but distance travelled and average speed became useless.
Despite being a bit annoyed (mostly because it wasn't being properly recorded) I was getting along happily enough until 20 miles in and descending Essendon Hill at ~30mph when my rear wheel snapped a spoke. Thankfully I'd been smart enough to have a spoke key with me, but losing one of only seven non-driveside spokes meant I had to turn round and limp home with a very wobbly rear wheel and virtually no back brake. Credit to the vast majority of riders who passed and asked if I was ok while attempting the fixings.
Still managed 90 miles for the weekend which is decent enough, but I'm really disappointed that what was supposed to be a spontaneous-ish century ride got nixed by a mechanical.
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Fred Whittoned. Hard route in luffly countryside. Ticked the boxes marked "Hill", "Uncomfortable", "Wind", "Nice cake", and "Dry stone walling".
Small incident with a steep bit of steep and a front wheel that raised off the ground, resulting a foot down on one of the harder climbs. This cheeses me off more than it should do.
Now for the return cycle to Windermere, and a spot more hostelling before the train home tomorrow morning.
This evening I'm going to drink Yazoo until I feel ill.
How d'you do, Brain-stew?
Absolutely fantastic ride yesterday at the Fred - superb organisation and the supporters out on the course made me feel like a hero (even if in reality the legs aren't up to the Spartan-esque cheers they received). There was a point I thought I'd make it round in sub-7, but a large bonk in the closing miles put pay to that dream - still very happy to get round in 7h25 and will be back next year with avengence (and more training).
Can't say I loved every minute of the ride (struggling Southwards into the stiffest of stiff headwinds on the top of Cop Fell was a noteable lowlight), but apart from that it was a joy.
A big Fuck You to the guy dressed in orange who was giving out to me at the bottom of Hardknott about 39-25 not being anywhere near enough to get up without walking. I made it all the way up so raspberry back at you, sir!
Kudos to the chap who, after exploding his rear tyre on the way down Kirkstone and leaving a large portion of his backside on the tarmac, managed to get a new tyre from the marhsalls and get round the remaining 98 (!) miles - what a trouper.
Lovely to see coppers out on the course, helping marhsalls in stopping traffic and waving cyclists through. Also great to see a local respect for wildlife, although I would say that pulling an emergency stop when a suicidal red squirrel runs out in front of your car can be problematic when following by bicycle.
Write up coming soon on the blog www.100climbsfor2012.blogspot.com
Next week, Etape du Dales...
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Fred Whittoned. Hard route in luffly countryside. Ticked the boxes marked "Hill", "Uncomfortable", "Wind", "Nice cake", and "Dry stone walling".
Small incident with a steep bit of steep and a front wheel that raised off the ground, resulting a foot down on one of the harder climbs. This cheeses me off more than it should do.
Now for the return cycle to Windermere, and a spot more hostelling before the train home tomorrow morning.
This evening I'm going to drink Yazoo until I feel ill.
How d'you do, Brain-stew?
Absolutely fantastic ride yesterday at the Fred - superb organisation and the supporters out on the course made me feel like a hero (even if in reality the legs aren't up to the Spartan-esque cheers they received). There was a point I thought I'd make it round in sub-7, but a large bonk in the closing miles put pay to that dream - still very happy to get round in 7h25 and will be back next year with avengence (and more training).
Can't say I loved every minute of the ride (struggling Southwards into the stiffest of stiff headwinds on the top of Cop Fell was a noteable lowlight), but apart from that it was a joy.
A big Fuck You to the guy dressed in orange who was giving out to me at the bottom of Hardknott about 39-25 not being anywhere near enough to get up without walking. I made it all the way up so raspberry back at you, sir!
Kudos to the chap who, after exploding his rear tyre on the way down Kirkstone and leaving a large portion of his backside on the tarmac, managed to get a new tyre from the marhsalls and get round the remaining 98 (!) miles - what a trouper.
Lovely to see coppers out on the course, helping marhsalls in stopping traffic and waving cyclists through. Also great to see a local respect for wildlife, although I would say that pulling an emergency stop when a suicidal red squirrel runs out in front of your car can be problematic when following by bicycle.
Write up coming soon on the blog www.100climbsfor2012.blogspot.com
Next week, Etape du Dales...
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not sure why that posted twice
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< I cut short the route I’d planned but it was still an amazing ride. Cold to start with but improved throughout the day. Definitely no hosepipe bans round these parts.>
Thanks for the great photos, what a ride!
I took part in the May Flyer in Surry/Sussex yesterday, and while it was well organized there were lots of dark roads surrounded by trees, so that it was like cycling in a tunnel for a lot of the time. No views to speak of.
Yours looks spectacular. Might have to get the train up there! -
My thoughts on the Fred Whitton route now on the blog:
http://100climbsfor2012.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/fred-whitton.html
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Nicely done, once again.
I know what you mean about unfinished business, getting around in under seven hours would feel pretty rewarding.
I think that the final summit might be a key feature in many a memory. I was totally rogered after the last two climbs in quick succession, whereas a chap that I'd been cycling with until that point caught his breath and returned to speed. I also remember riding to Ambleside after the finish, back along the final stretches of route, and seeing lots of racy folk beginning to filter through the early starters. Quite amazing, so they were.
Might we have hit Wrynose Pass from the easy side? The decent felt pretty intimidating, compared with the ascent (not that it felt anything but difficult).
Another memory has just surfaced, of a chap with whom I spent much of the journey. We had a natter at the start and it turned out that he was more at home going downhill on a mountain bike. Watching him descend made me clench almost as hard was when descending, such skill! He can only have had tremendously large testicles, of which I'm slightly envious.
On the whole I've been left rather gobsmacked by the Lakes. The route was absolutely first class, and I'm now extremely keen to return. Good thing, really. I'm meant to be accompanying my partner there this weekend (she's running), and I've just clocked the Jubilee weekend's extra holiday time. God save the queen.
Best o' luck in the Dales. More top territory!
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4 hrs, started on bike, finished in ambulance. I seem to be more or less OK, head OK and I have stopped taking painkillers- headaches have subsided sufficiently. Unfortunately I get very very dizzy when changing my head position- such as when lying down or standing up- it's really horrible, almost nauseating. No riding on the road for a bit and I think this means I won't be able to ride my new bike home in a few weeks.
Arse and lower back are well bruised- those people conversant with sprinter's arses will know how serious this is.... it is a huge bruise.
Bike's fine- hardly a scratch!
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Yesterday PM, Cliff path Peel to Glen Maye.
http://app.strava.com/rides/8678108What strava won't show is the Barn owl which swooped over our heads to snatch a rodent from the path ahead.
Fantastic night to be out in the dirt.
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Seem to have missed this - what happened, scherrit?
just rode into a fellow grupetto member on a club ride- my fault! Apparently I went straight over the bars to land mostly on arse, back and back of head. "tested" the helmet pretty solidly. Epsom hospital discharged me after checking that there were no brains leaking out of my ears or nose. No recollection of 10min before, during or 30min after crash. First memory is of sitting in the ambulance with worried looking club mates looking in- I felt pretty worried, and wandered what they were so upset about. Not such a good moment.
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They were just worried about their bike fitting sessions being postponed, the heartless bastards.
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Get well soon Scherrit
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4 hrs, started on bike, finished in ambulance. I seem to be more or less OK, head OK and I have stopped taking painkillers- headaches have subsided sufficiently. Unfortunately I get very very dizzy when changing my head position- such as when lying down or standing up- it's really horrible, almost nauseating. No riding on the road for a bit and I think this means I won't be able to ride my new bike home in a few weeks.
Arse and lower back are well bruised- those people conversant with sprinter's arses will know how serious this is.... it is a huge bruise.
Bike's fine- hardly a scratch!
Sorry to hear about this, but glad the bike survived unharmed. Heal up soon.
Tom
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Nicely done, once again.
I know what you mean about unfinished business, getting around in under seven hours would feel pretty rewarding.
I think that the final summit might be a key feature in many a memory. I was totally rogered after the last two climbs in quick succession, whereas a chap that I'd been cycling with until that point caught his breath and returned to speed. I also remember riding to Ambleside after the finish, back along the final stretches of route, and seeing lots of racy folk beginning to filter through the early starters. Quite amazing, so they were.
Might we have hit Wrynose Pass from the easy side? The decent felt pretty intimidating, compared with the ascent (not that it felt anything but difficult).
Another memory has just surfaced, of a chap with whom I spent much of the journey. We had a natter at the start and it turned out that he was more at home going downhill on a mountain bike. Watching him descend made me clench almost as hard was when descending, such skill! He can only have had tremendously large testicles, of which I'm slightly envious.
On the whole I've been left rather gobsmacked by the Lakes. The route was absolutely first class, and I'm now extremely keen to return. Good thing, really. I'm meant to be accompanying my partner there this weekend (she's running), and I've just clocked the Jubilee weekend's extra holiday time. God save the queen.
Best o' luck in the Dales. More top territory!
Thanks - looking forward to getting up there this weekend as it's almost home territory for me. Got round that in 7hr4 last year riding solo, but I'm hoping to break 7hrs this year.
Have you seen the photos from Hardknott yet? Photog called Steve Flemming was up there (and apparantly round the course too) but he takes a cracking stylised shot. This is me:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfleming/7211637768/in/set-72157629752661778You're probably in there too although it takes a bit of patience to flick through - can't search by entry number unfortunately
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Back in the Lakes, this time in Keswick. There's a mini outdoor activities festival happening, featuring a mixture of runs, cycles and swims. There are also tents filled with sporting goods, and a ramp with an airbag at the end of it that you can throw yourself down for a fee.
This was this morning, and tomorrow I'm on for a bash at the Fred Whitton route in reverse.
The cycling here is bloody good.
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http://connect.garmin.com/activity/179766936
corporate day out with overbury contractors.. calling it a mixed ability group was an under statement, some of the riders couldn't even change an inner tube ffs, and our hosts didn't have anyone sweeping up, so plenty of lost nodders in the hills
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Tell us about your weekend ride
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Oh. It's my new favourite place to ride around there. I'd just never got around to exploring the bit between Stevenage and the A10. In fact, just beyond Bulls Green, I enjoyed the descent/view north of Datchworth so much the other week that I plotted my west-to-east transitional bit to traverse it for a 2nd time today. It's always odd revisiting the same spot on a ride a good number of hours later in the day, what with time ceasing to be perceived normally anyway.