27/2/21
Checked the gear adjustments after the last ride and all OK. All set to keep going with no stops today to push up the mileage and average speed a bit. We will see how well that worked out!
Battered cap, shades and track mitts completed the picture. Set off into a cool but sunny afternoon full of motivation. Made good progress down the Wettenhall road, passing a few cyclists coming the other way. I haven’t been this way since last Autumn, so it’s a nice change. Pass the weathered red brick wall of Oulton Park motor racing circuit for a few hundred yards before turning off through a lesser lane. Apart from the odd cyclist there aren’t many people around. I have to negotiate a large puddle on Oulton Mill Lane before passing an immense tractor parked while its driver is talking to a passer by. Other vehicles are keen to get past me but have to wait because of the tractor. I can get past easily but some of them get on to the muddy verge in their impatience to squeeze past it, risking getting stuck.
Across the A49 at Cotebrook surprisingly easily considering it’s a fast road and a busy junction then head right for the A54. A long downhill making the most of the higher gears ready for the climb out of the dip. Surprisingly, no traffic accumulating behind me and once I have to drop into the lower gears as the climb takes its toll on my speed I can take my own time. Still getting hot though despite the cold airflow shortly before. I reach the summit and plunge back down into another big dip and get into the higher gears again before being pushed back down the gears by the climb on the other side. I hear voices then the scrub of tyres as a couple of sporty cyclists steam past standing on the pedals. By the time I reach the summit they are well ahead. I continue to the crossroads at the Fishpool Inn on the A54 and get across with no difficulties. Once I get to the next crossroads with the A556 it’s another matter and there is continuous traffic and I am dazzled by the setting sun striking through the trees on the left. I cross to the right side pavement and follow a cycle track round the corner to a crossing point at a traffic island. I get across rather untidily then follow the path round the corner in the direction I want to go in. The continuous traffic makes it difficult to cross over but eventually I turn in a house entrance, cross over and go right towards Delamere. The road rises a little then drops towards Delamere Station and I can get a bit of speed up. The Station cafe seems to be open and as I could do with a leak I turn off to see if the facilities are open. Alas, they are not and I come back out.
I find it hard to get going again and have to change down through the hub gears to be able to start. At first I think it’s just me but I get held up by traffic and find it hard to start again. Nothing obvious like a twig caught in the chain. I turn off into the forest and a friendly tree obliges me by allowing me to moisturise its bark. Once I get going again everything seems to free up. I climb up easily and down again into Hatchmere and manage to sail up the long hill on the other side. I am just looking forward to the long freewheel through Kingsley and the lanes on the other side, and starting to enjoy rolling along in high gear on the approach to Kingsley when the chain seems to bind. I stop pedalling, then gently start again when it frees. Thinking there must be a twig stuck somewhere I pedal gently again and it binds. I stop and look at the rear. I see the derailleur is curled up on itself and one of the pulleys has unscrewed itself and fallen off. That’s a new one on me. I get off and look at the road behind and there it is. No sign of the side plates, bush, or the bolt. I look at the derailleur again and see the bolt in its hole, slightly sticking out. I screw it in so that it won’t fall out and get lost, check the other pulley which is tight and look at the arm which looks undamaged. Nothing to be done about that for now.
If the Linear had a standard derailleur set up I would just shorten the chain so that I could get home using it as a single speed. As it has a hub gear + derailleur set up I can shorten the chain and use it as a 3 speed. Now, if only I’ve got my chain tool! And, of course I have. So I get off the road on to the narrow grassy verge. The road curves gently to the left here, so oncoming traffic won’t see me until they are in the bend. I push the bike up against a fence and get as close to it as possible. This Linear still has 7 speed chain technology so it’s fairly easy to work on but still not ideal by the roadside. It still takes about 40 minutes of fumbling to get it all sorted out. I take enough out of the chain to let it fit on the smaller ring on the front and on around 5th cog on the back without being too slack. I keep the removed portion with a view to re using it as the chain matches the gears for wear and if I start buying new bits I’ll end up buying the lot.
While I’m working on it cars and vans continue to whiz by. One white van beeps ostentatiously. A surprising number of assorted cyclists whir by but only one random mountain biker asks me if I’ve got everything I need. I thank him and say I’m just shortening my chain, nearly finished now. Perhaps the downhill was too good to waste? The light is beginning to fade by the time I finish so I swap my shades for clear specs and turn on my rear flashing light.
As it’s getting late, when I get to Kingsley I turn right on to Norley Road. The three gears work with no problems. They are on the low side so are all usable. There are several undulations on Norley Road on the way to Cuddington and I still have to get off and walk at one point. Generally, the simplicity is very refreshing. There are downhills as well as uphills and on one downhill I hit a jarring pothole halfway down which causes my cap to fly off. I stop rather than have to go all the way back uphill to get it. Otherwise my max speed might have been a bit higher.
Just before Cuddington I turn right on to Waste Lane which is the access to the Whitegate way. I decide that less traffic, less hills is the way to go. It’s pretty gloomy by the time I get on to the rail trail under the trees. I take a photo before I pass under the bridge that the old line used to run over. The path goes right up a steep slope beyond the bridge.
I stop for a snack before continuing. It’s quite chilly by now too. I turn on both handlebar lights which improves visibility a bit. A jogger with a headlight thumps past. The surface is a little wet but underneath it seems dry and solid. The leaf litter is pale and brown, and light reflects off the pools and meres alongside. In places there are drainage ditches which are full. There is a mysterious light reflecting from the many silver birch trees hereabouts and a faint but increasing mistiness. Water birds are audible all around though can’t be seen until I pass under the A49 when two ducks who are paddling in a pool under the bridge panic at my approach and do a vertical take off practically under my front wheel and fly straight up the other side of the bridge. There is a gradual climb along the first part of of the trail which levels off the further you go but there’s no chance of getting speed up in the dwindling light.
Shadowy shapes of bridges, old wayside huts and odd shapes of trees like lurking figures loom and pass behind as I relentlessly push the pedals. I breathe out of the side of my mouth as my breath mists my glasses in the chilly air. As I approach the vicinity of the old Whitegate station the trees fall back and there are fields either side. A huge golden orange moon appears on the left but there’s not enough light to take a photo when I try.
It’s still quite dark but the track is downhill now. After the station and car park the trail closes in but ahead I see lights and I pass some walkers who have joined from a path on the left. We are like ships that pass in the night. We see each others’ lights and acknowledge each other but can’t see details. It has been an altogether interesting, surreal experience.
Soon I reach the down ramp to Grange lane, turn right and slowly but steadily make my way to the playing fields. I trundle down the path towards the dreaded A-frame barrier and Fred Flintstone it through, then just pedal away up the hill. I pass through an estate then on to Delamere St, still infested with road works and traffic lights. I turn left to join the flow of traffic through the lights, get some speed up and get clear and pass a group of yoofs sitting on a wall. Here we go again I think, fortunately with a bit of speed now. The noise level increases and they do sound excited but I am past now.
Across the A54 roundabout, down Swanlow Lane and eventually into the front entrance so I can get the Linear into the garage the right way round. There are a few things to sort out this time. But we have gone through a trial and still got home under our own steam which is a big plus point.
Distance 26.2 miles Max 29.7 mph Average a slothful 8.5 mph.
Total Ascent: | 653 | ft | |
| Total Descent: | 649 | ft | |
| Start Elevation: | 186 | ft | |
| End Elevation: | 190 | ft | |
| Min Elevation: | 121 | ft | |
| Max Elevation: | 307 | ft | |
Eventually made it to the A59 where the new roundabout has at last been properly surfaced and headed west on a pretty quite A road
