Easytigers
Guru
Keep at it mate and keep us updated on your progress
127 mile canal ride for charity training suggestions
- Thread starter Pjays666
- Start date
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OP
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Pjays666
Über Member
Just been from foulridge to skipton and back. Talk about hard going I only averaged 8 miles an hour and I did some of the return leg on the road. Judging by the surface frombarnoldswick to skipton I doubt if that will be dry by may ha ha. All said I did 28 miles (nearly) and enjoyed the peace and the scallop at the chippy was good too happy days
rovers1875
Veteran
Killer isn't it. When i was training for the ride I started riding from Huncoat up to Foulridge and due to being reasonable surfaces I thought "this is easy" then one of my workmates got his wife to drop us of in Skipton and ride home (30 miles) although it didn't rain on the day it had been raining all week. From Skipton to Greenberfields locks we avreaged around 4/5 mph it was just mud plugging. But just keep training and enjoy the ride when you do it. PS make sure you practice pucture repair / tube changing. I found I could go weeks wiyhout a single puncture and on other days get several on one ride/
rovers1875
Veteran
Have you looked at this web site ? gives loads of pictures and distances so you can get some idea of what the towpath is like.
http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/LLC/city_of_liverpool.html
OP
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Pjays666
Über Member
Yes thanks for that been using towpathtreks for some time now. Done 33.39 miles today and even practiced puncture (at side of canal thanks to bloody thorns near wheelton but it wasn't my tyre it was my mate who came for a run out. He wasn't on his own we must have seen 6 cyclists with bikes upside down & wheels off.
towpathtreks
Regular
I hate to be the canal-nerd here but...if you ride from Liverpool to Leeds along the canal (which you will notice is still there) you will see lots of embankments etc belonging to railways that used to cross the canal and are now long gone. Cargo carrying lasted on the canal until the 1960s. The L&L does have some contour sections, most noticeably around Gargrave, but it also has pretty impressive embankments, look at Burnley where the canal cuts straight across a valley high above the town, or the aqueducts. As far as this canal nerd is concerned, the canals won thanks to Dr Beeching, but he did create some nice cycle ways.
Some sections of the towpath have been improved recently but probably not the bits that really need it.
Health and weather permitting I will be out on my bike a bit more this year and will get some updates on the site.
OP
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Pjays666
Über Member
Thanks towpathtreks I do tend to agree with what you say. I personally love spending time on the towpath away from all the hustle and bustle. The nature is abundant and some of the engineering feets were way ahead of their time and certainly deserve recognition. By the way regarding your site thanks for all the valuable info.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
Er! Did anybody read the thread title as 127 mile camel ride? No must have been just me then.
OP
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Pjays666
Über Member
30 miles today Burnley greenberfield locks return. Fairly uneventful apart from being shouted at by a pedestrian, apparently it was my fault he didn't hear my bell and being water bombed by kids off bridge but at least I got the miles in. How is it some people refuse not to walk 4 a breast on a towpath despite seeing you hearing the bell and slowing to an almost stop. Yet if cyclists do it we are ignorant. I always pass the time of day and use manners what else can we do. I a thinking of putting a snow plough on the front and just pushing them into the canal but may struggle with bridges.
OP
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Pjays666
Über Member
Not been out on bike for over a week now due to weather and can't wait to get back out but towpaths are too dodgy at moment. Got the turbo trainer set up in garage and done four sessions on it but finding it a boring to actually getting out. Hopefully weather will get better soon.
