Out again bright and early this morning to do a sort-of-repeat of yesterdays ride as I'd heard the river came up higher overnight. It was quite a chilly morning with a frost on the cars so I started out with my full winter layers on. No Doug this time - I asked but he said he couldn't cope with the saddle again today.
Quiet for a work day out on the roads - mainly because it's half-term here.
The river had indeed come up a lot since yesterday afternoon. It was out in residential streets at Old Coleham and at Victoria Avenue I couldn't get anywhere near the spot where I took my first photo yesterday. In the Quarry the funfair that I presume planned to be there all week was having to pack up rapidly having been caught out.
The flood barriers are doing a good job of protecting Frankwell. I went round to the carpark (which isn't protected) and couldn't get beyond the entrance road. Some of the cars that were at risk yesterday did get moved - the van I showed you yesterday
wasn't one of them and just the roof and upper halves of the windows are visible.
I encountered a lost driver by the prison again - this one turned the wrong way down a one way street.
I couldn't get far enough down Sydney Avenue to see the weir (or where it should be) and the cafe was inaccessable.
At Upton Magna there was a thatcher replacing the roof on one of the cottages. I overtook a group of cyclists shortly after the village then headed for Atcham where the flood plain looks much the same as it did but the flooded roads are noticably deeper. I took the alternative way round again but this time headed along the A458 to Cross Houses to see where the water comes up to at the other end (something I haven't done before). On this occasion the flood started where the road levels out by Cronkhill meaning that about a mile of this route is underwater. While here a van passed me heading into the flood and another one came splashing out of it. The driver of the second one stopped to chat - the first van was heading to rescue his wife's car that was stranded somewhere up the road. Oops!
Heading back I thought I'd go and be nosy at Allfield which is flooded as badly as I suspected. I got there just in time to see someone driving their BMW through it. It looked marginal and I really thought I might have to be calling for help but they did make it without flooding the engine.
I headed home over Lyth Hill (just as well as the A49 was very busy) and found the legs not happy on the climb - I need to get back to more regular rides again.
25.6 miles this time at 11.1 mph average.
Todays view from Town Walls.
Looking down towards Victoria Avenue from the bandstand. Yesterday this section of Victoria Avenue was rideable.
Wellies needed for packing up the funfair.
Victoria Quay.
Remember the van from yesterday?
Frankwell
car park lake. The level peaked a couple of hours before I took the picture.
Roof being rethatched at Upton Magna.
Off to the rescue at Cronkhill.
Cronkhill looks good in the sunshine.
I thought this one was going to get stuck at Allfield - the photo doesn't show it at the deepest point. A closed road for building work in Condover is tempting people to brave the flood instead. I won't be surprised if somebody does need to be rescued.
was really welcome.
