There was a road closed in the Eden Valley over a lot of the summer, the "alternative" route from Penrith to Appleby In Westmorland, south of the A66 and very quiet.. absolutely fantastic for cycling on with no traffic.
Although i recall struggling on one return journey after a training session at Dufton, as the warm summer evening turned very cold, and i was very tired and had long ran out of water!
Well as you know it only serves Storiths, ie a few farms, so Highways will not want to spend big bucks underpinning a minor road that even includes a ford, to stop it slipping down the hillside, when they are saving their pennies to bypass the slowly collapsing A59 Keighley-Harrogate Kex Gill road.
By building over the parallel bridleway!
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Due to my calf playing up again and not running for a week I decided to cycle to last nights RATRun venue, The Queens Arms, Taddington and join the runners for refreshments.
I have not cycled in the dark for many years and wow, what a delight I have been missing. This was proper dark too, no street lights just lights from scattered farms. Having been used to running with a headtorch, the beam obviously lighting wherever one looked, it was a bit odd getting used to the light from my Cateye Volt 1200 being fixed on the road ahead, especially when hearing a noise to one side, looking and seeing nothing. I did have a headtorch in my pocket as a backup.
It was also very windy last night and I nearly came a cropper a few times, especially on the downhill ride home, from unexpected sidewind gusts through unseen gateways. Although these were roads I cycle regularly not every gap in the drystone walls was remembered.
Once in the Queens I did not partake in the cheesy chips as I had had my tea earlier but managed to despatch 4 pints of, spot on, Farmers Blonde 4% from Bradfield Brewery.
Only 18 miles and 1,385 feet and more night time cycling is definitely on the cards.
Last edited by Llani Boy; 04-02-2022 at 01:29 PM.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
I now notice that my last outing on the bike was Dec 3rd, so 2 months without a ride (and no need for cycle maintenance and faffing 👍.
With spring around the corner I cannot put it off much longer - but it is cold and snow on the hills today, so maybe next week 🤔.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
I've never been great enthusiast for night cycling: too many motorists not dipping their headlights, and of course you can't see much around you. But I have just noticed this thread https://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/show...road-bike-ride , which reminded me of a night ride I did once, when my mother was living in South London. I was going to visit her over a weekend in June, and told her that I would be arriving some time on Saturday afternoon. I stayed up on Friday night, and shortly after midnight I set off in a vaguely southerly direction. Somewhere in North Oxfordshire I turned east, and eventually arrived at Leighton Buzzard to take the train: 108 miles, which together with the 5 miles from Euston station to my mother's home, gave me my greatest daily mileage ever.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
Apparently in London cyclists, having studied the new Highway Code, have taken to riding down the centre of the carriage way with a burger in one hand and taking selfies with the other to illustrate to following motorists their new freedom of the road.
Obviously something I would never do. A burger?!
I was contemplating whether my bike handling skills would be adequate anyway as I set off down my apartment drive but before I had the opportunity to rehearse my best wheely moves I was aware of my neighbour's huge BMW SUV snarling to my rear - and moved smartly to the gutter where I clearly belong.
Anyway a brisk 32 miles to Harewood House hill (but only 1300 feet) contemplating if drivers are more courteous since the aforementioned Code change. Some of them overtook me so far to the right I thought they would mount the pavement rather than pass within 5 feet.
But not to worry. When I reached the sophistication of Ilkley and was executing a perfectly signalled, positioned, well lit, RH turn the driver of a white van with window down decided to advise me on certain physiological matters - the detail of which was, alas, lost to my ears in the wind and so cannot be reported here.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 07-02-2022 at 10:13 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Still not running and as the roads were a little icy around here first thing I decided to carefully drop down to Bakewell on the Arkose and give the Monsal Trail some hammer. The surface was a little sticky and twig strewn after the recent weather but the sun was shining brightly.
Up and down the trail a few times got me 50.5 miles in 3hrs 2 minutes, in spite the following hazards;
A group of women 5 abreast, two of whom looked over their shoulders at me when I rang my bell and took not one bit of notice and continued to block my path. I politely thanked them for bringing me to a halt.
A large dog, off the lead, trotting towards me down the centre of the trail with a large stick, of about 5/6 foot, in its mouth. The owner, some distance behind finding it quite funny. I rode on the verge to avoid it and once back on the trail was pleased to see a large muddy puddle adjacent to the owner as I passed him and his nice white trainers.
A number of dogs on those long retractable leads who happened to find themselves on the opposite side of the trail to their master. On three such occasions when I rang my bell the owners panicked and I could hear the whirring of the lead as the dog ran further away, the owner obviously pressing the wrong button.
Two mountain bikers, on E bikes, cruising along side by side at 15 mph, oblivious to the fact that they were holding up a self propelled old codger who was going significantly faster. Again onto the verge.
Dozens of dogs running around off the lead.
Pushchairs 3 abreast.
A group of 6 Chinese/Japanese teenagers, spread across the trail looking at their phones, again oblivious to other users.
Some of the above I saw more than once, so I was ready for them, and I also saw a running pal twice, on the first occasion stopping for a quick chat.
I shan't be going down there again in a hurry.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
Sounds like the final climb up Snowdon in the Welsh 1000 Metres!!