Choosing cycle routes

[ColinJ]

I use lots of ways to plan a route. In the summer I will often just choose a direction and head that way for a couple of hours and ride down the roads that I like the look of or have not been down before. I then turn round and find other ways back.

When riding with a GPS on the bike, it is fun to just ride out on any roads that take your fancy for half the distance you want to do, then use the GPS trackback facility to guide you home. As long as you didn't use any one-way streets on the way out, you will have no problem finding your way back.

Beware the potential crash on the Lancashire Cycleway between Downham and Barnoldswick - beautiful road - a closed gate round a corner. Every time I do it I think, oh they have taken the gate away, I round a small corner and it's still there. Amazing I haven't run into it. Should be a warning sign.

I'd forgotten that gate ... Somebody told me that they once found a dead body near to it! It wasn't that of a cyclist, but an old person who had just died suddenly when out on a walk.

Sad, but to me that is the ideal way to go. My parents were both very ill for 6 months before they died. I'd prefer the 'Ooh, I feel a bit wobbly, I'll just sit down on the grass a minute' ... thud ... way.

 

[Blue Hills]

I'd forgotten that gate ... Somebody told me that they once found a dead body near to it! It wasn't that of a cyclist, but an old person who had just died suddenly when out on a walk.

Sad, but to me that is the ideal way to go. My parents were both very ill for 6 months before they died. I'd prefer the 'Ooh, I feel a bit wobbly, I'll just sit down on the grass a minute' ... thud ... way.

Maybe they'd been running, saw it at the last minute and tried to jump it.

Know what you mean with the second para Colin - I used to be in the CTC and get the mag - it ran obits - now and again you'd see one about a (usually seriously old) chap who'd passed away on a ride - I always found these strangely inspiring/comforting. My dad declined badly for a long time.

all the best - hope this isn't all too ghoulish - back to the rides

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I use lots of ways to plan a route. In the summer I will often just choose a direction and head that way for a couple of hours and ride down the roads that I like the look of or have not been down before. I then turn round and find other ways back.

If you are that close to home the area is often familiar to you or you Pick up town names which help you get back. Once you have done this for a while it is easy to start connecting these rides up to make long rides. Eventually you are spoilt for choice.

Steve

I do the, "I'll just head in that direction" routes as well, see a signpost to a village and ride to it, then another and so on. My GPS tells me how far away from my starting point I am (as the crow flies) so once my total mileage plus the distance home adds up to the distance I want to do, I head back, the ride home will then take me a mile or so passed the target distance.

 

[ColinJ]

Know what you mean with the second para Colin - I used to be in the CTC and get the mag - it ran obits - now and again you'd see one about a (usually seriously old) chap who'd passed away on a ride - I always found these strangely inspiring/comforting. My dad declined badly for a long time.

Read this short thread!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I went out and tried to ride as many of the rural minor roads as I could. I have done most of them now, but every now and then I spot ones that I missed.

This is what I have done, I also include roads of local estates if opportunity arises, these so far.

As for rides, I now now most of the roads I am likely to ride in 2-3 hours so generally just make it up, unless I go further or a specific place.

 

[ColinJ]

This is what I have done, I also include roads of local estates if opportunity arises, these so far.
View attachment 32336
As for rides, I now now most of the roads I am likely to ride in 2-3 hours so generally just make it up, unless I go further or a specific place.

I like that. I think I will plot a similar map of the roads that I have and haven't (yet) done.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I like that. I think I will plot a similar map of the roads that I have and haven't (yet) done.

I import the tracks into sportracks edit any wayward tracks so they are more or less aligned with the road, then export to google earth, though other options will be available.
Also using google earth you can see the ones yet to do.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

If you are on Strava you can use this to create a heat map

http://www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/multi-ride-mapper/

 

[ColinJ]

If you are on Strava you can use this to create a heat map

http://www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/multi-ride-mapper/

Is there something odd about that webpage? It only fills half the width of my tablet browser, in either orientation.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Is there something odd about that webpage? It only fills half the width of my tablet browser, in either orientation.

It is appearing fine on my pc. It is slow though, is about 60% through my nearly 500 rides this year. Is interesting seeing the heat map moving out as I have got more confident through the year. My commuter route sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[ColinJ]

It is appearing fine on my pc. It is slow though, is about 60% through my nearly 500 rides this year. Is interesting seeing the heat map moving out as I have got more confident through the year. My commuter route sticks out like a sore thumb.

Hmm, it works fine on my laptop too! There must be something between it and Opera Mobile that doesn't quite work as intended ...