NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
I ran out of time to posts todays ride yesterday, so here is yesterdays ride today.
Up against a time limit again, I'd half a mind to set off for Otley as I haven't been to Yorkshire's capital of cycling for a while. So, once again I headed up Coal Road but stopped after half a mile to put my arm warmers on as it was surprisingly chilly. Onto Red Hall Lane and straight into a stiff headwind - it felt stronger than the forecast would have suggested, but I ploughed on using the assumption that at least it would be at my back on the return leg.
A sprint along the A58 and on to Whin Moor Lane, and once it opened out into the countryside I was really feeling the headwind.
Into Shadwell, left up the hill, down the other side and the steady climb up to Slaid Hill lights, where a quick right then left saw me onto Wigton Lane and still being hampered by the elements. Eventually the road drops gently down to Alwoodley Gates and by this point I'd had enough. Working harder into a headwind is one thing, pedalling to maintain a decent speed downhill is something else and the thought of another 10 miles of it was enough to decide a change of route was in order, so I retraced my route back up Wigton Lane, now bowling along with my speed now in the high teens
Left down the hill at Wike Ridge Lane, through the dip and on to Tarn Lane, still wind assisted and cracking along now. But not fast enough to stop a racing snake whizz past me like I wasn't trying.
Onto Ling Lane and briefly wishing I was on the hybrid on the horrible road surface and then back out onto the A58 for a fast dash down the hill to the lights and right onto Thorner Lane and the descent down to the beck and the climb up 'Hellwood' (aka Scarcroft Hill) and onto Milner Lane for a ride along the ridge, getting buffeted about at every gate / gap in the hedges by a very pronounced crosswind. Fortunately there was hardly any other traffic about and I soon turned onto Holme Farm Lane and through East Rigton and Rigton Green, where in a break with tradition I took the left fork onto Compton Lane and carried along the ridge.
After passing a few walkers I decided to stop at the Gasworks for a photo and a drink:
Back on my way and after a few twists and turns I dropped down to the Jewitt Lane crossroads and resisting the temptation to carry on down the hill, turned right for the short climb to the top between the piggeries
and then along between the fields on another near deserted lane:
A very pleasant undulating ride followed before the sharp climb onto another Thorner Lane, where it was right (into the wind again) as far as Milner Lane which I the followed all the way back to Thorner. Slightly concerned to see signs at the top of the drop down into Thorner saying that the road will be closed from 22-28 Aug due to the Leeds Festival - this is a new one on me, access is often restricted at the start and end of the festival and loads of roads have signs put up stating no access to the festival, but this is the first time I can remember the council closing roads completely for the best part of a week. I've emailed the Highways Dept, so will see what the response is.
Anyway, through Thorner and in a moment of madness decided to climb out of the village up Sandhills (Van Zyl Hill) and do you know what? It wasn't all that bad - apart from a close pass by a Kretin in a Kuga.
From there it's Skeltons Lane back to Coal Road, then a steady and gently downhill drop to home on local roads, enlivened only by a bus driver who had a very different interpretation of 'right of way' to the Highway Code.
20.35 miles (32.75km) in an unintentionally leisurely 1h 33m at an average of 13.0mph with 918ft climbed (it felt like more...)
I'll take that as it's just good to find time to get out on the bike and the ride became much more fun when I stopped slogging into that blooming wind.
And to end, the map:
Up against a time limit again, I'd half a mind to set off for Otley as I haven't been to Yorkshire's capital of cycling for a while. So, once again I headed up Coal Road but stopped after half a mile to put my arm warmers on as it was surprisingly chilly. Onto Red Hall Lane and straight into a stiff headwind - it felt stronger than the forecast would have suggested, but I ploughed on using the assumption that at least it would be at my back on the return leg.
A sprint along the A58 and on to Whin Moor Lane, and once it opened out into the countryside I was really feeling the headwind.
Into Shadwell, left up the hill, down the other side and the steady climb up to Slaid Hill lights, where a quick right then left saw me onto Wigton Lane and still being hampered by the elements. Eventually the road drops gently down to Alwoodley Gates and by this point I'd had enough. Working harder into a headwind is one thing, pedalling to maintain a decent speed downhill is something else and the thought of another 10 miles of it was enough to decide a change of route was in order, so I retraced my route back up Wigton Lane, now bowling along with my speed now in the high teens
Left down the hill at Wike Ridge Lane, through the dip and on to Tarn Lane, still wind assisted and cracking along now. But not fast enough to stop a racing snake whizz past me like I wasn't trying.
Onto Ling Lane and briefly wishing I was on the hybrid on the horrible road surface and then back out onto the A58 for a fast dash down the hill to the lights and right onto Thorner Lane and the descent down to the beck and the climb up 'Hellwood' (aka Scarcroft Hill) and onto Milner Lane for a ride along the ridge, getting buffeted about at every gate / gap in the hedges by a very pronounced crosswind. Fortunately there was hardly any other traffic about and I soon turned onto Holme Farm Lane and through East Rigton and Rigton Green, where in a break with tradition I took the left fork onto Compton Lane and carried along the ridge.
After passing a few walkers I decided to stop at the Gasworks for a photo and a drink:
Back on my way and after a few twists and turns I dropped down to the Jewitt Lane crossroads and resisting the temptation to carry on down the hill, turned right for the short climb to the top between the piggeries
and then along between the fields on another near deserted lane:A very pleasant undulating ride followed before the sharp climb onto another Thorner Lane, where it was right (into the wind again) as far as Milner Lane which I the followed all the way back to Thorner. Slightly concerned to see signs at the top of the drop down into Thorner saying that the road will be closed from 22-28 Aug due to the Leeds Festival - this is a new one on me, access is often restricted at the start and end of the festival and loads of roads have signs put up stating no access to the festival, but this is the first time I can remember the council closing roads completely for the best part of a week. I've emailed the Highways Dept, so will see what the response is.
Anyway, through Thorner and in a moment of madness decided to climb out of the village up Sandhills (Van Zyl Hill) and do you know what? It wasn't all that bad - apart from a close pass by a Kretin in a Kuga.
From there it's Skeltons Lane back to Coal Road, then a steady and gently downhill drop to home on local roads, enlivened only by a bus driver who had a very different interpretation of 'right of way' to the Highway Code.
20.35 miles (32.75km) in an unintentionally leisurely 1h 33m at an average of 13.0mph with 918ft climbed (it felt like more...)
I'll take that as it's just good to find time to get out on the bike and the ride became much more fun when I stopped slogging into that blooming wind.
And to end, the map:
