After getting up at 6.30 for a ride, only to be defeated by Mother Nature and an inaccurate weather forecast
, I finally got out for a tootle round at about 2.30pm this afternoon.
I avoided several potential routes due to new of floods and suspicions that there might be further unreported standing water.
So, out on Barwick Rd, crossing a very full Cock Beck and through the miniature lake that had formed where the speed cusion was trapping the water running down the hill. I had the wind at my back here, so despite navigating the standing water I set a new PB without even trying (averaged 19.6mph over a mile of largely uphill!).
Through Scholes and on to Barwick, still with the wind behind me. At Barwick i thought I'd have a change and took a right down Long Lane heading towards Garforth.
I now had the wind in my face and blimey, it made for slow going. Despite being largely downhill I struggled. Over Cock Beck again which was still very full and flooding into the adjoining fields (just) then up to Garforth.
In Garforth I took the A642 towards Aberford. Normally I avoid this road like the plague as it seems full of numpty drivers and it can be a bit of a slog. However, with the wind back behind me I fair flew along and I can see why
@Old jon quite often takes this route now.
Left into Aberford and with the wind still behind me I flew along into the village, setting the speed activated "Slow Down" sign off for the first time ever
(in my defence, the bike computer said I was doing 29.4mph and it's a 30 mph limit...).
However, all good things come to an end and as I turned onto Cattle Lane I had the wind back in my face again and slowed down considerably...
More shocking though was the flood plain that had taken over the field at the side of the road - Cock Beck is a good 150m away here, yet the water was almost to the road. I've genuinely never seen anything like that here in my lifetime.
Up the hill and past Leyfield Farm and as I started the descent back down to Cock Beck, the scene in the fields below was just as amazing. what's normally a beck that is 6 - 8 feet wide was spread out across the valley bottom, possibly 100m wide or more and run off was coursing down the fields in small streams. If you're an MTB'er I'd avoid the bridleway between Potterton and the farm for the foreseeable - it's prone to mud at the best of times but it's going to be impassable now.
Over Cock Beck again, which looked very close to the arch of the bridge and where it had washed away the roots of a couple of trees and the slog up into Barwick.
Through the village, grateful for the shelter from the wind that the buildings gave and then along Leeds Rd to Scholes, buffeted all the way.
Back down the hill, through the Barwick Rd pond again, over a very full Cock Beck for the final time and then round to home, with a quick loop around the block to push me past 15 miles.
Final figures:
15.36 miles in a tad under 1hr 5mins at an average of 14.2mph, which I'll happily accept today.
It was blooming hard work at times, but it was good to get out and get a few miles in. Sorry, no pics today.
for the state of the traffic. Was wet from early on here - I couldn't even persuade the dog to go out for a walk 
.
.
