Started out the day with a ride with the eldest child having her first proper ride on cleat pedals and shoes. The turbo trainer and riding on grass at the park paid off and no falls! She was very pleased.
Finished the day with a sunset/dusk blast round the lanes for an hour having to stop at a level crossing in Eggington, where I have never had to stop in the 100+ times of riding across; strangely a Sunday evening being the first time!
A 34 miles (1600ft) pootle circumnavigating the Harewood House estate and Eccup reservoir. Relatively somnambulant after the bank holiday although I did wake up when an Audi S5(?) passed so close to me I could nearly read his odometer.
I was freewheeling down Otley Chevin from Bramhope at around 30 mph thinking that it was quite a brisk pace and then reflected that at Paris - Roubaix last weekend the average speed of the winner was over 28 mph. Paris - Roubaix is 160 miles long and quite a large lump of that is on cobbles.
Now I know these are the best bike riders in the world but even so...
I could almost forgive Ineos winning the thing.
Almost.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 20-04-2022 at 08:14 PM.
Forty-three miles (2600 ft) in a vicious wind is not much fun. Well the first 20 miles weren't all bad because the wind gave me a fastest ever time on my standard out-and-back to Hellifield, but even so.
On the return and fed up of inching up climbs into the wind and therefore exasperating held-up motorists I decided to leave the Queen's highway and follow the Leeds-Liverpool canal towpath for 9 miles. Riding on towpaths is always slow: people, dogs, children, people, barbecues, terrain, anglers, ropes, power cables, overhanging foliage, people: I have ridden every inch of the 127 miles of the Leeds-Liverpool canal - but just once.
Canals may be flattish but they are often exposed to the full force of the wind and they also twist and turn to follow the contours of the land. So on one section today the wind was creating waves travelling east fit for surfers and then round a bend the same wind would be creating waves flowing west - which made an interesting change from the usual mill pond canal surface.
There were so few people about I even met a flock of lambs on the towpath - but despite my affectionate smile none elected to follow me home.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 23-04-2022 at 10:27 PM.
Those who read this thread will know that Annemiek van Vleuten is a useful rider renowned for her tactic, best described as swinging a hammer to break her opponents. She trains with the men’s squads on whatever team she is riding for.
I have just read that in 2020, with Covid preventing her doing many races, she rode over 20,000 miles.
Note to self: must train harder.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 25-04-2022 at 02:27 PM.
So for 2023 you will be doing a daily blast up Wharfedale to the top of Kidstones Pass and back. That will sort out the 20,000 miles. Then all you need to worry about is the speed.Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
I have just read that in 2020, with Covid preventing her doing many races, she rode over 20,000 miles.
Note to self: must train harder.
Sigh. There is always something else...
I saw a comment recently on social media about cycling safety.
Apparently, many years ago, their driving instructor used to ask every time they came up behind a cyclist: "What are they?", and the answer was: "They are my responsibility, their safety is my responsibility".
A very interesting way of thinking about it, rather more encompassing than "give them space".
I like that Mike. The first thing my instructor told me after getting behind the wheel was "remember you are now in control of a lethal weopon". Your annecdote takes it a step further though.
I've been doing 2-3 rides into work recently, having to cross Leeds to get there and back. It's crap. I refuse to use the atrociously unsafe cycle lane on Kirkstall Rd near Woodrup, and as yet haven't been harrassed by anyone. I'm glad the law now allows us to refuse to use them.
Ha! I shall be visiting Woodrup on Tuesday because my summer bike needs some TLC. This involved me spending several hours today cleaning said machine, wheels off, degreasing the drive train, etc. One wouldn't want the mechanics to think I don't care.
I spent so long on this I didn't have much time to go for a ride. Obviously I couldn't now go on the newly cleaned bike so 21 miles (1000 feet) on the winter bike.
But B**nch* or Boardman - the miles all count.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 29-04-2022 at 10:08 PM.
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