SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
OK - this is yesterday's ride. I was simply too exhausted when I got in last night after 133.34km with 1,177m of climbing on a solo, unsupported ride with over 1/2 the route into a stiff headwind (that's my excuses done and dusted...
) - imperial figures are 83miles and 3,850 feet of climbing... In fact it turned out to be my single longest ride since the 5 dog bites and the re-design of my lower left leg 2 years ago.
It started off in rain, but I knew from the rain radar that it was not going to last too long, but that said it was a waterproof top job until it cleared after the first hour. After that it was mostly sunshine, with some cloud and one or two attempts at rain but nothing major. What got to me the most was the wind. It was a steady southerly and I was heading due south for the first 45 miles!
The sunshine finally arrives and I can stop for my first break and change over to my cycling jersey from my waterproof top.
It was a day of kind drivers for some reason - one 4x4 lady driver I met on a single track country lane actually pulled off the road and stopped. I had to check behind me at this point to confirm she had to done this for me: she had - there were no other vehicle in sight! She got a very big smile and thank you.
Further on and after negotiating one or two interesting hazards along a national cycle route (flood, ramp up & over a large pipe leading to a slurry pit, missing road surface (in its entirety) on a steep single track downhill and finally an unmanned gated railway crossing - this one with instructions to open both gates before proceeding through - physically impossible as it turned out because there was no way of holding the far gate open whilst you went back for the bike, and the crossing point was not wide enough for the bike to be even vaguely clear of the track whilst you opened the other gate
(train went through less than 30 seconds later) I came across this lovely patch of snowdrops which defied me to cycle on without trying to photograph them.
Around the corner I managed to cycle passed a whole load of daffodils in full flower, but failed to cycle passed this lovely old building which looks sadly neglected...
From there, I made good progress up and down the hills and lanes until lunch called time with this view.
Then it was on to my destination for the day and onto much bigger busier roads. All but one driver was great waiting patiently behind me until it was clear (A51, A53, A34 type roads!) - there is a lot to be said for cycling in all black with a very bright rear light.
For some reason drivers seem to think you are more unsafe than one in hi-viz and give you much more room (assuming they have actually seen you in the first place, that is) .
After I had completely my business in Trentham it was off towards Swynnerton woods and some more climbing to be done... (think granny gear and this is not going to defeat me attitude) but by now I was tiring of that head wind! I knew it was due to swing round to be a south westerly and then westerly and my loop kept it as a headwind until I started to head north again. Another stop was needed and duely taken shortly after the start of the decent (I hate stopping at the top of a climb).
From there it was a slow plod home with the distance ticking on. I recall the relief when treble figures on the distance to go, dropped to double figures and the relief when it said 50km to finish... then the magic figure of 36km arrived - that is the distance from my home to my parents' home - and I knew I had enough energy left to do that (with another break)...
Cycling across a local canal, I spotted another opportunity for a photo, but sadly I don't think I made the most of it. I was too tired. I just loved the light in it, but I should have secured my bike better, rather than leaving it on the road bridge and walked further up the canal...
Then I started to realise that I was going to be 3km short of 130km. That would never do: I had come this far, surely I could make 130km, so started to try to find 3km without having to include too many more hills - which meant doing it before I got within 10 miles of home.... so I went off and missed a turn or two and cycled back again several times over and somehow managed to find 6km instead! not sure my maths skills were working very well at this point
...
Then there was one final hurdle of the day. A rather unexpected one given it was so close to home. A standard cyclists approach is to ignore road closed signs and I had no intention of doing anything other than ignoring this one because the alternative was the A54 and then the A49 in rush hour as it was going dark and I was too exhausted to consider that option. So I cycled through at least 4 road closed signs... they were right. They road was very definitely closed... Luckily there was a pedestrian & cyclist diversion, but was this sign really necessary?
You think I am going to cycle down that with the lack of space at the bottom? OK actually I had to climb that with my bike, but the other side had the same notice as well...
Some weight lifting exercise before the day is done...
Now this is also a bridlepath and that is the diversion for horses as well!
And the reason for the road closer... the bridge is out completely. Can't go over it and can't go under it either... Mind you given that that is actually daylight you can see - I don't think I would actually want to go over it!
Current diversions on the Whitegate Way (and the road crossing it at Whitegate station).
daylight through the bridge!
http://www.strava.com/activities/115809005
) - imperial figures are 83miles and 3,850 feet of climbing... In fact it turned out to be my single longest ride since the 5 dog bites and the re-design of my lower left leg 2 years ago.It started off in rain, but I knew from the rain radar that it was not going to last too long, but that said it was a waterproof top job until it cleared after the first hour. After that it was mostly sunshine, with some cloud and one or two attempts at rain but nothing major. What got to me the most was the wind. It was a steady southerly and I was heading due south for the first 45 miles!
The sunshine finally arrives and I can stop for my first break and change over to my cycling jersey from my waterproof top.
It was a day of kind drivers for some reason - one 4x4 lady driver I met on a single track country lane actually pulled off the road and stopped. I had to check behind me at this point to confirm she had to done this for me: she had - there were no other vehicle in sight! She got a very big smile and thank you.
Further on and after negotiating one or two interesting hazards along a national cycle route (flood, ramp up & over a large pipe leading to a slurry pit, missing road surface (in its entirety) on a steep single track downhill and finally an unmanned gated railway crossing - this one with instructions to open both gates before proceeding through - physically impossible as it turned out because there was no way of holding the far gate open whilst you went back for the bike, and the crossing point was not wide enough for the bike to be even vaguely clear of the track whilst you opened the other gate
(train went through less than 30 seconds later) I came across this lovely patch of snowdrops which defied me to cycle on without trying to photograph them.Around the corner I managed to cycle passed a whole load of daffodils in full flower, but failed to cycle passed this lovely old building which looks sadly neglected...
From there, I made good progress up and down the hills and lanes until lunch called time with this view.
Then it was on to my destination for the day and onto much bigger busier roads. All but one driver was great waiting patiently behind me until it was clear (A51, A53, A34 type roads!) - there is a lot to be said for cycling in all black with a very bright rear light.
For some reason drivers seem to think you are more unsafe than one in hi-viz and give you much more room (assuming they have actually seen you in the first place, that is) .After I had completely my business in Trentham it was off towards Swynnerton woods and some more climbing to be done... (think granny gear and this is not going to defeat me attitude) but by now I was tiring of that head wind! I knew it was due to swing round to be a south westerly and then westerly and my loop kept it as a headwind until I started to head north again. Another stop was needed and duely taken shortly after the start of the decent (I hate stopping at the top of a climb).
From there it was a slow plod home with the distance ticking on. I recall the relief when treble figures on the distance to go, dropped to double figures and the relief when it said 50km to finish... then the magic figure of 36km arrived - that is the distance from my home to my parents' home - and I knew I had enough energy left to do that (with another break)...
Cycling across a local canal, I spotted another opportunity for a photo, but sadly I don't think I made the most of it. I was too tired. I just loved the light in it, but I should have secured my bike better, rather than leaving it on the road bridge and walked further up the canal...
Then I started to realise that I was going to be 3km short of 130km. That would never do: I had come this far, surely I could make 130km, so started to try to find 3km without having to include too many more hills - which meant doing it before I got within 10 miles of home.... so I went off and missed a turn or two and cycled back again several times over and somehow managed to find 6km instead! not sure my maths skills were working very well at this point
...Then there was one final hurdle of the day. A rather unexpected one given it was so close to home. A standard cyclists approach is to ignore road closed signs and I had no intention of doing anything other than ignoring this one because the alternative was the A54 and then the A49 in rush hour as it was going dark and I was too exhausted to consider that option. So I cycled through at least 4 road closed signs... they were right. They road was very definitely closed... Luckily there was a pedestrian & cyclist diversion, but was this sign really necessary?
You think I am going to cycle down that with the lack of space at the bottom? OK actually I had to climb that with my bike, but the other side had the same notice as well...
Some weight lifting exercise before the day is done...
Now this is also a bridlepath and that is the diversion for horses as well! And the reason for the road closer... the bridge is out completely. Can't go over it and can't go under it either... Mind you given that that is actually daylight you can see - I don't think I would actually want to go over it!
Current diversions on the Whitegate Way (and the road crossing it at Whitegate station).
daylight through the bridge!http://www.strava.com/activities/115809005
