Today's Bike Ride

[Graham Breeze]

My Garmin said it was freezing today, as in 32 F, and when I got back I wondered just how low my core temperature was, despite wearing a lot of kit. Anyway my usual 34 miles pootle along the R Wharfe to Harewood and back through the land of millionaires ie Alwoodley Lane and then through Bramhope (no slum either). There is a plot of land (ie for a house, not a hunting estate) along Wigton Lane (which is what Alwoodley Lane becomes) containing a derelict bungalow which is for sale at £2 million. So you buy the bit of grass, knock down the bungalow and can then start spending real money.

I like cycling along these two roads. It is a constant reminder that money doesn't buy taste. Although the Maserati Ghibli which passed me in Alwoodley was suitably understated, as most Maseratis are. I think the owner must live in Ilkley. Passing Harewood House a McLaren overtook a bus trundling towards me on the way to Harrogate on a section of road where one would need to have total confidence one could accelerate back into the left hand lane in good time before meeting an approaching vehicle. Or an approaching cyclist. However remembering that McLaren used to make half-decent F1 cars once upon a time I held my line. And such a vulgar car!

En route and to help save the planet (by not using my car) I called in at a paper shop, the pharmacist and the Otley Library. Ilkley is part of Bradford City Library but Otley is part of Leeds C.L. and I use both. There are many ways in which one can determine that Bradford is now a poor, sad, smaller sister of Leeds (it wasn't always so) and the difference between the two library facilities is as striking as any. The provision of library facilities for those who cannot buy the books they want to read is a subject that depresses me; but as Bob Dylan sang, "money doesn't talk it swears".

[bigfella]

Passing Harewood House a McLaren overtook a bus trundling towards me on the way to Harrogate on a section of road where one would need to have total confidence one could accelerate back into the left hand lane in good time before meeting an approaching vehicle.

Something that Prince Nazeem misjudged very badly in his McLaren NAZ 1 resulting in a horrific crash and many would say far a too lenient jail sentence.

[Llani Boy]

Something that Prince Nazeem misjudged very badly in his McLaren NAZ 1 resulting in a horrific crash and many would say far a too lenient jail sentence.

It was his Mercedes NAZ 1 he wrecked in that accident on Ringinglow Road when he also left the scene leaving two people trapped in the other car.

He wrecked his Mclaren in a different prang.

Oh, the tales I could tell about him and his family!

[bigfella]

Reports suggest it was a McLaren-Mercedes SLR but happy to be corrected.

[Llani Boy]

Reports suggest it was a McLaren-Mercedes SLR but happy to be corrected.

So am I! I think we are talking about the same car only I have Mercedes before McLaren.

Either way it was far too quick for him.

[Llani Boy]

Too icy for a bike ride yesterday so a lovely 4 mile walk with son and dogs to the TP on Bradwell Moor which is just off the Limestone Way. Lots of snow underfoot and only 3 people seen.

Back on the Arkose today on a dry and sunny day but with a bitterly cold NW wind. Down to Youlgreave and up to Friden before a chilly downhill section into Hartington and finally up to Wetton and todays TP at Wetton Low. All tarmac apart from a couple of hundred yards across fields to the TP. A return to Hartington and my usual route home via Flagg and Monyash.

The gritted roads were fine but a couple of the very minor roads had a little snow and ice on them where they were shaded from the sun. The biggest danger was the strong gusty wind which nearly caught me out as I passed a couple of gateways, even though I was waiting for it!

A total of 35 miles and 3'107 feet in 2hrs 40 min. Only one other cyclist seen but 4 Buzzards, which was nice.

[bigfella]

When you have visited all the trig points you could add these companion stones to your list.

http://www.companionstones.org.uk/home/home1.htm

[Llani Boy]

When you have visited all the trig points you could add these companion stones to your list.

http://www.companionstones.org.uk/home/home1.htm

HaHa. I have no intention of visiting "all the trig points". At the start of the year it seemed like a good idea to visit a different Triangulation Pillar every day in January either by walk, run, bike or a combination of those. I must admit the enthusiasm is wearing a bit thin having been out in some cold weather, especially on the bike. Having said that it has served its purpose in keeping me motivated and reasonably fit so that when I catch Covid I'll have a reasonable chance of fighting it.

Only 5 more to do so nearly there.

With regards to the companion stones I have not seen that list but have visited the ones on White Edge and Hob Hurst's House. There are loads of similar engravings, sculptures, stones etc all over the Peak District as you will know bigfella, its just that most people just seem to wander around with their eyes shut!

[Llani Boy]

I set of a bit earlier today to beat the rain and snow forceast by the BBC as 100% by 10.00am. Down to Youlgreave and then onto the A6 at Pickory Corner and on to Darley Dale. A right to Darley Bridge and over the still swollen Derwent and up to the hamlet of Crossgreen.

I don't like wearing a rucsack when cycling but today was an exception as I took a pair of Mizuno Wave Harriers which I changed into to run up the the steep bank, only a couple of hundred feet, to todays TP at Oker Hill. Along the ridge I could see Will Shores Tree which Wordsworth wrote a sonnet about, of the same name.

Back down to the road, and I was so glad that I had taken some running shoes as the hill was so frozen and slippery I would have struggled in my cycling boots! Aboard the Arkose and up the hill to Winster and then a 3 mile very cold descent back down to Pickory Corner where I turned left this time up the A6 to Bakewell and finally up the hill to home.

Only 20 miles, 1,667 feet in 1hr 31 mins which includes the run up Oker Hill. Only one other cyclist seen. Got home well before the rain/snow started at 12.30.

1000am 100% My arse!

[Graham Breeze]

Twenty eight miles and 2100 feet. Because of the forecast sleet I set off on a tour of the bypasses: Addingham, Skipton, Keighley but then in the absence of any arriving sleet I decided to do Simon Warren's Ilkley Moor climb (4880 m, 278m climb)from Riddlesden up over the ridge of Ilkley Moor at Keighley Gate (380m - the higher TP is 402m) which then gives me a continuous descent to my home at 110 metres in a couple of miles.

ADV on my bike stands for adventure so FOO must stand for foolhardiness because when I crossed the watershed by the BT transmitter dishes the track was covered in sheet ice. Fortunately no one was around to see me dismount and do some tip toe-ing.

In fact nobody was around much anywhere and I saw just one cyclist - in regulation head to toe black - in the 28 miles.