Early (ish) mornings are doing well, lately. A bit of a chill, not much traffic. Almost compulsory to pedal away and enjoy myself so I took the fixed out and off went I.
Totally devoid of any idea where to go to, the wander through Holbeck is thinking time. By the clock at Oakwood some vague ideas had arrived, turn left and along to Street Lane, the A61 and the bridleway to Eccup reservoir. I did not expect anything to have changed in the couple of weeks since I was last there. But things had. All the craters in the road surface have been filled. All the way to the village, where they must have run out of time or something.
Turn left on Eccup Lane and ride to Five Lane Ends, then turn right. This is the rising road at the eastern side of Golden Acre Park, Kings Road is at the crest. Instead of turning left there, I pedalled straight on for the descent of Black Hill Lane. Without a freewheel that is quite a difficult bit, but fun. Until that downhill I had been catching another rider, shortly after turning left onto the A659 I caught up and passed the rider, exchanging greetings. Why do I tell you this? I pass few riders.
Arthington stretches a long way on this road, Pool is next and after that Otley and its maypoles. Yes, munch time before the ride out and up Leeds Road. After that the ride through Bramhope and its road works slalom is a nice relaxation, a couple of minor rises before crossing the Ring Road then the long downhill through Headingley to Kirkstall. The bottom length of Kirkstall Lane is closed, and I would have been quite happy to use the pavement rather than the posted diversion to reach the towpath, but there was enough room on the road.
The towpath was quiet, a few other riders and maybe half a dozen pedestrians. I reckon the swan family just above Office Lock would outnumber walkers, seven or eight cygnets plus cob and pen. A heck of a lot of cygnets. From there, a wiggle around a few more corners to reach home. The grin was for thirty four pretty good miles and 1670 feet of climbing. Cannot be bad!
Where I went . . .
Totally devoid of any idea where to go to, the wander through Holbeck is thinking time. By the clock at Oakwood some vague ideas had arrived, turn left and along to Street Lane, the A61 and the bridleway to Eccup reservoir. I did not expect anything to have changed in the couple of weeks since I was last there. But things had. All the craters in the road surface have been filled. All the way to the village, where they must have run out of time or something.
Turn left on Eccup Lane and ride to Five Lane Ends, then turn right. This is the rising road at the eastern side of Golden Acre Park, Kings Road is at the crest. Instead of turning left there, I pedalled straight on for the descent of Black Hill Lane. Without a freewheel that is quite a difficult bit, but fun. Until that downhill I had been catching another rider, shortly after turning left onto the A659 I caught up and passed the rider, exchanging greetings. Why do I tell you this? I pass few riders.
Arthington stretches a long way on this road, Pool is next and after that Otley and its maypoles. Yes, munch time before the ride out and up Leeds Road. After that the ride through Bramhope and its road works slalom is a nice relaxation, a couple of minor rises before crossing the Ring Road then the long downhill through Headingley to Kirkstall. The bottom length of Kirkstall Lane is closed, and I would have been quite happy to use the pavement rather than the posted diversion to reach the towpath, but there was enough room on the road.
The towpath was quiet, a few other riders and maybe half a dozen pedestrians. I reckon the swan family just above Office Lock would outnumber walkers, seven or eight cygnets plus cob and pen. A heck of a lot of cygnets. From there, a wiggle around a few more corners to reach home. The grin was for thirty four pretty good miles and 1670 feet of climbing. Cannot be bad!
Where I went . . .
