Oh er!Originally Posted by mr brightside
Oh er!
Ah well...I flashed through so fast on the big ring looking up towards the climb I didn't have time to read the town road signs.
And "always"???
Anyway a gentle 33 miles/ 2200 feet today, which should take me over 2000 miles next week and maybe 3000 miles by Xmas Day.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
56m clocked up on the bike today, a cruise up to the craven arms where I had a couple of beers and some chips, followed by some hills. The new road out of skyreholme which was easier than I had thought, then up to greenhow. Took peat lane down to the base of nought bank, then up the infamous ascent. I have to say it wasn't that bad, maybe a fell runner naturally just digs in and works with the burn.
I'd give it 7, there are numerous flats to get your breath back.
On the way off I spotted heavy rain and was unable to beat it to the Washburn heritage centre, where I arrived drenched. Tea and two cake, tiramisu and Jean's millionaires shortbread, followed by more tea. Managed to keep the cranks spinning up the chevin on the way back.
Lots of young lads beeping horns at me on their way to Bolton abbey to spend the afternoon topless smoking fags and drinking cans.
Did my phone box round yesterday, at 34 miles and 4350ft. Went OK but slow on the downhills due to near constant drizzle and wet roads, was very thankfull I was going slow and had installed new front brakes when a steep downhill on a blind bend I came face to face with a large camper van, very narrow single track road - be no way around that!
On the main climb at half way I managed a PB by a few seconds, which was gratifying as I wasn't going for it 100%. Now near 3 minutes in the lead from the next V70 (to put it in perspective, there's only 3 others recorded).
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
Needing to get some bike miles in the legs, this evening I dropped down into Bakewell and on to Hassop where I took a left to Great Longstone and found myself held up by two sileage tractors and trailers whose drivers had decided to stop along side each other for a chat!
Up to Longstone Edge and down to Wardlow Mires where I joined the A623 for a not very pleasant few miles to Peak Forest. Won't be doing that again as it was far too busy. A left in Peak Forest took me to Wormhill and down into Millers Dale. A long drag up to Taddington and then a nice, mainly downhill run home.
31 miles, 3'074 feet in 2hrs 5 min.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
I popped out this pm to do 32 miles and clear 2000 miles for the year. On my return following a sharp metallic sound from the rear mech. hood and a slack cable my gear was stuck in the 11 cog.
I am just glad I wasn't doing 3074 feet today.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Back on the bike yesterday evening for a cool and breezy ride. I didn't set off in my usual westerly direction from home as the sun was quite low in the sky and I was not keen to be mown down from behind by some Bank Holiday weekend driver. So down to Conksbury Bridge and along to Youlgreave. Up to Friden, a short stretch on the A515 to Alsop Moor and then up and over to Hartington. A stop at Parsley Hay for a piss and banana, in that order, and then on to Earl Sterndale, Brierlow Bar and Chelmorton. A final 6 miles, mainly downhill home with a nice tailwind.
A total of 32 miles, 3,054 feet in 2hrs 3min. A similar distance to last Wednesdays ride on a totally different route but the ascent was very similar too. The amount of ascent is not planned in advance and I have nothing to measure it with during the ride, but whenever I ride around here I always seem to get around 1,000 feet for every 10 miles.
I didn't really enjoy the ride as the motivation is not there and having cold feet did not help. Is it still August!
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
I have done very little cycling this Summer (I do more cycling when the running isn't going well), but today I suddenly got the idea that I wanted a bike ride instead of the planned run. Going eastwards (downwind), I made a fairly brisk start, which became brisker after I was overtaken by a couple, not much younger than me but on somewhat more sporty bikes than mine, on the road from Barrow-upon-Soar to Six Hills. I hung on grimly to the woman's back wheel (no, actually I was at least 5 metres adrift for much of the time, so no drafting benefit there) for nearly two miles, until they turned a different way at Six Hills.
Things slowed down when I turned onto the gated road from Shoby to Saxelbye. There are a lot of gated roads in East Leicestershire; one day, someone will invent the cattle grid, but that still won't make it easier to avoid the sheep sh*t all over the road where it passes through an unfenced pasture.
Then northwards, dropping into the Vale of Belvoir by Green Hill. Left to Old Dalby, where the road climbing out of the Vale has a black chevron on the OS map (for 14% or steeper), but the sign at the top says 11%. I am inclined to believe the latter; I only went down to second gear (about 38 inches) to get up the hill. Then a fairly direct route back home. 30 miles altogether.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
Having just had a new bottom bracket fitted to my beautiful Bianchi in celeste I thought as a reward I would treat her to climbing Nought Bank Road, near Pateley Bridge. On 20th August Mr B ranked it as merely 7/10 whereas Simon Warren rates it as an 8/10. Mr B might be right. All I know is that I didn't put a foot down and on the Bianchi my biggest cog is a 29 so that's OK. Actually Campagnolo don't do a bigger cog for road bikes than a 29. If you need more help than that the fishing rod company can surely provide you with a dinner plate for the rear cassette.
Yet again I revelled in the tranquillity that the moors between Pateley Bridge and Thuscross reservoir provide. Hardly any traffic and just the sounds of animals and birds. Part of the route passes West End but West End no longer really exists. It was a village flooded by the creation of Thuscross reservoir.
God's in his heaven etc.
Anyway 37 miles and 3800 feet of climb. The sort of ratio I like.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 02-09-2023 at 10:03 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Good work, Graham. Incidentally i'd give Peat Lane 9/10 because of the level of skill required to keep moving on the lower esses. Without the damaged road surface, i'd give it an 8 as traction would be easy to find.
Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent
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