Today's Bike Ride

[anthonykay]

My son bought me Simon Warren’s Cycling Climbs of Yorkshire - meaning ‘ard cycling climbs, since when he has logged his accomplishments on Strava and, naturally, as his father I have to do the same.

Today was Hartwith Bank out of Summerbridge - maximum 18.9%, badly broken-up road surface, so dark under the trees you need lights to be seen by descending vehicles - near Pateley Bridge. Pateley Bridge delights by being situated in the deep River Nidd valley so every road out goes up and steeply.

So 44 miles, 3600 feet and a max pulse at 300% of resting.

Such a challenge having a cycling son. I think I’ll just have daughters next time round.

Have you ever cycled over the Fleak (the road between Wensleydale and Swaledale for people who find the Buttertubs too easy)? I did that when I was 17, on my roadster with Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hub (see one of my earlier posts). I didn't know that I was cycling over the Fleak; I only had a 4-inches-to-the-mile road map with no indication of topography; but I did know that it was very hard work.

[anthonykay]

I am ashamed to say that I have never been to the top of Breedon on the Hill; with all the quarrying, and half the hill missing, I assumed back then that there was no longer a road to the top.

It's an old Leicestershire tradition: if there's a hill that it is very prominent in the landscape, you get a quarrying company to remove half of it. Not just Breedon, but also Bardon Hill (highest hill in the county) and Croft Hill (not very big, but prominent in a flat part of the county)

It's funny when you look back at it, but when you think about the logistics of cycling that distance, across four different counties, with no map, phone (it was 40 years ago) or navigation equipment, and on my own, it's hardly surprising I found my way to fell running in the end!

Similar to the way I used to ride in my teens. But my way of gradually increasing my mileage meant that I was only ever a short distance from known roads, so at junctions there would usually be a sign pointing to a village that I knew. I took a pump but I don't think I ever took any tools; but I never got stranded a long way from home.

[Wheeze]

30 miles with 2250 feet of climb in 2 hours. The lozenge between Monmouth and abergavenny is full of vicious little lanes with unrelenting short brutal climbs

[Travs]

Ah yes, i notice on the map that Cov Canal makes it all the way to Fradley Junction. I had always assumed it petered out somewhere in Tamworth...!

[Llani Boy]

I never tire of looking at OS Maps and they often show my assumptions to be wrong and throw up surprises.

For instance who would have thought that the highest Football League ground is The Hawthorns.

[molehill]

Did a 24 mile round the reservoir, not very enthusiastically or enjoyable but chugged it out and better than nothing.

[Travs]

I never tire of looking at OS Maps and they often show my assumptions to be wrong and throw up surprises.

For instance who would have thought that the highest Football League ground is The Hawthorns.

Funnily enough, the stretch of the Canal that myself and Marco were referring to, is actually named the Birmingham & Fazely Canal on the OS Maps. It's only when looking at a specific canal map that you see that it's either got two names at that stage, or it's wrongly named on the OS...!

But yes your general point re OS Maps, they are fascinating, and i usually find myself checking stuff out on them on a daily basis!

[Graham Breeze]

I never tire of looking at OS Maps and they often show my assumptions to be wrong and throw up surprises.

For instance who would have thought that the highest Football League ground is The Hawthorns.

midfield dynamo?

http://www.midfielddynamo.com/stadia...nd_highest.htm

[Travs]

Most of Bolivia's World Cup qualifications seem to get attributed to being almost unbeatable in La Paz due to the altitude. Whenever they've got a vaguely competent squad, they rarely lose at home.

[Llani Boy]

Another football trivia stat was that Edgeley Park, Stockport was the closest league football ground to the River Mersey.

That was until they dropped out of the league and ballsed it up!