The guesscasters got it right for today, so it would have been rude not to take advantage and get out on the bike.
On the Pro Carbon again and I wrestled with the handlebars at the top of the street to head towards Barwick Road as it was about time to do a route that didn't involve the same old roads (very nice though they are!).
So, through the dip over Cock Beck and the drag up the hill to Scholes, past the Coronation Tree and up again, before starting the long descent to Barwick.
Met the motorised muppet of the day early today, pulling out of a side street in Barwick causing me and the car behind me to brake, then faffed about at 10mph for a few hundred yards, before putting the indicator on at the last second and stopping outside the newsagents...
Anyhow, along Main Street and more descending all the way to the second crossing of Cock Beck, and the climb up Cattle Lane for onward undulations to Aberford.
I've got to say, it was blooming glorious cycling weather - warm and sunny but not too hot and just a sniff of a breeze
Through Aberford and the climb up to Lotherton Gates, before the long descent down to the Crooked Billet pub, where at the last second I decided to turn left and get a pic of the bike in front of
St Mary's Church at Lead, stood in wonderful isolation in the middle of a field:
I didn't go any further - I'd already ridden down the rough track from the road and was wearing clipless shoes so didn't fancy tackling the field full of sheep / sheep by-products. Maybe next time I'm out that way on the hybrid.
Anyway, back up to the road and left, then after a little way right up the hill and into Saxton, where a couple of hundred yards along Main Street brought me to Headwell Lane and the slight climb out of the village, then drop down to the A162, through Barkston Ash and onto Common Lane for the dead straight run to Church Fenton. Over the railway bridge and through the village and onto Bracken Hill Lane and back out into the countryside on the singletrack road past the airfield, between the fields and then over the East Coast Main Line and all the way to Ryther. I haven't ridden this way in an age and it reminded me how nice it is out here - and as flat as you can get in Yorkshire!
Left and back over the railway to Ozendyke and then to Ulleskelf where I stopped for a couple more pics:
Another cyclist pulled just as I was setting off, so we had a very quick chat and I was on my way back to Church Fenton to complete the airfield loop.
Back through the village and retraced my outbound route back to Barston Ash, but then stayed on the A162 a bit longer, taking Saxton Lane into Saxton.
This is another lovely quiet singletrack lane, but the heat and lack of breeze meant there were a lot of little flying things out - not good when you've got hayfever…
Another leg of Main Street and onto Coldhill Lane and out of the village past the cricket club, climbing steadily all the way.
Pleased to see that Linda's Bench has been replaced, so stopped there for a Snickers and a couple more photos, getting a very cheery "Morning" from a passing group of cycling ladies:
Back in the saddle again and heading for home now - it had warmed up considerably in the sun but it wasn't
too hot as the road snaked up to the drop onto Copley Lane, then heading back to Lotherton Gates passing a sneakily placed Speed Camera Van on a bend under some trees, no doubt targeting the many motorcyclists who were out that way (and who'd all behaved impeccably around me all morning).
Left at the junction for the long way round to Aberford past Hook Moor Wind Farm (doing nowt today) and under the A1(M) bridge.
Got into a really good rhythm on the long straight into Aberford and past the "Slow Down" sign..
Left onto Cattle Lane to reverse the outbound ups and downs to Barwick, then more climbing through the village and almost to Scholes, before swooping down to the Coronation Tree, then dropping down Leeds Road, crossing Cock Beck for the sixth and final time of the day and onto local roads up to home.
33.13 miles (53.31km) in
2h 17m at an average of
14.7mph with exactly
1,400ft climbed and an average temperature of
19.6°C
That was a good ride. It was one of those days when everything just clicks and it's why I go out cycling - today was payback for all those days I've been out in the rain and the wind and the cold.
Fairly fast (for me
), albeit fairly flat* for this part of the world and pretty much perfect weather.
It's another point for the Half Century Challenge too - another weekend with back to back rides.
Loads of cyclists out, as busy a Sunday morning as I can recall, and with one exception all the motorised road users were playing the game - even the Valentino Rossi wannabees
And to end, the map:
* - the middle section was so flat that you can see the bridges over railway lines on the elevation profile
