Forum ride: 'Glasson Dock Revisited', 100 km (62 miles), Sat, 10th June, 2023
- Thread starter ColinJ
- Start date
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OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Ha - 12" was enough! I chopped some hot chillies on the pizza and had a small bowl of olives with it.
See below, though I didn't take many... I think @Domus may have taken some pictures. I will be surprised if my pal Carrie doesn't email me some eventually, but they would probably be in the accursed social-media-'friendly' portrait mode since she virtually never holds her phone the other way when taking pictures.
The forecasts were right - it was warm at the start, then became hot, hotter, hottest! There was a blustery wind all day which helped us a little on the way out but hindered us a lot on the way back. I usually overdress for rides on hot days but was determined not to today, and it paid off. I wore my new lightweight baggy shorts and a very lightweight Crane (Aldi) cycling jersey which I had forgotten buying, but found at the back of a drawer. I felt relatively comfortable. (I still wouldn't have liked it any hotter though!)
My pal Bill had picked me up early, as promised. Other pals Carrie and Kevin were already unloading their bikes at Spring Wood when we arrived. @Domus had got there even earlier and had his bike ready for action. Since we were all there we left a few minutes before the planned time, for a change.
We dropped down into Whalley but soon moved on to quieter roads. The Forest of Bowland was looking rather lovely in the sunshine. The 'Trough', especially so.
L to R: 'Kevin', 'Carrie', 'Bill', @Domus
I took a few more pictures there and my phone kindly offered this panorama to me, assembled from 3 or 4 shots!
We continued and tackled the Trough of Bowland ascent, the only significant climb of the day. We actually had a tailwind on that, which I was grateful for. I suppose it only made it a few percent easier, but that is a little better than nothing, and a lot better than a few percent harder!
The descent from the summit was on a rough road surface which was not very pleasant to ride on. We had this all day - a few kms of pristine tarmac, but then many more kms of rough 'chip-and-seal'.
It felt like a quick ride down to the cafe at Glasson Dock. Domus and Kevin sat inside for their lunch. I joined Bill and Carrie outside in the sunshine.
We had a long leisurely break, then set off back along the roads we had gone out on, turning off a few kms later to cross the M6 and head for the Bay Horse. We criss-crossed the motorway multiple times as we proceeded through Scorton towards Inglewhite. At one point we came to a road closure but the pavement was still open for residents so we scooted past on that and then continued on the planned route.
Even though there were no big hills along there, the road rises and falls and that wind was making the going harder than it should have been. Domus started to suffer from cramps in his legs and had to keep stopping to stretch them. I haven't had that problem for a long time, but used to suffer from it a lot on rides on hot days.
We stopped for a short break on the village green at Inglewhite. There was a van parked nearby for a company supporting walking and cycling tours. A rep was packing away a table and offered us some water and bananas which were surplus to requirements.
On to climb up through a very busy Longridge and then a rapid descent to Ribchester, during which several car drivers and a bus driver ignored the 20 mph speed limit and forced their way past us despite the fact that we were doing at least 20 mph.
We crossed the Ribble and took the quiet, scenic route back towards Whalley via Salesbury Hall and a sharp ramp up to Marles Wood. There were many vehicles in the car park, and spilling out along the road with lots of young people gathered there. I just searched to find out what they would have been doing... Apparently there is a very popular swimming, canoeing and paddle boarding area below the wood by the south bank of the Ribble.
It wasn't long before we were back in Whalley. Bill, Carrie and Kevin went on ahead up the Accrington Rd back to Spring Wood. Domus was flagging and needed to refuel at Whalley Co-op, so I stood guard over his bike while he went inside.
We regrouped back at the car park and chatted a while before splitting up and heading home.
It was a splendid day out on the bikes. We all got on well, the weather was very kind to us, and the scenery looked great.
If you fancy joining in on something similar, watch out for my Harrogate/Nidderdale, Humber Bridge, Cheshire and Devon rides coming later this summer. There may be other forum rides too if I can think of other interesting places to go to and we get more good weather.
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That must be the 15th and 22nd!
I'll make it the 15th with a reserve date of the 22nd in case we get terrible stormy weather or rail strikes on the 15th.
Speaking of stormy weather... Yesterday's blue skies and heat have been banished by thunderstorms here! The forecasters were right for once. We were warned days ago that this was coming and even the timing was accurate.
Jameshow
Veteran
The jokes on me I lost my phone so no photos on my ride!!
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Lost on the ride, or somewhere at home?
I carry my phone in my backpack or a pannier when on my
Actually, I take the phone out for mid-ride photos so I suppose I could lose it if I didn't immediately put it back in the backpack/pannier after taking the pics...
Jameshow
Veteran
Before ride I found it in the pub opposite - had to have a beer after that!
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