Got to love the Guided (canal) Bus way cycle track, in the new again !

[Crankarm]

Yeah, I don't get that because in places, the busway is raised...and that was ok'd.

I also don't understand the problem with people walking their bike along the grass bank next to the track, because further down isn't the tarmac track next to and level with the bus track, so you could actually cycle closer to moving buses?

It's almost like they just want you to catch the bus instead.

Yes so they can relieve of your cash. They have no desire whatsoever to remedy the flooding problems which affect cyclists and other users of the path as it will not generate any more cash for them where as doubling the size of the car park will. Wrt to the Environment Agency refusing to allow the path to be raised this is just plain balmy as the busway currently acts as a flood barrier and there are the lakes on both sides any way that flood onto the wider flood plain. Utter tosh. The real reasons the path was not raised was incompetence at Cambs County Council and cost. Further along the path one can ride right next to the edge of the path on the tarmac with buses passing inches from you if you so wish. You also do this on the road as well. So quite why some cycle hating jobs worth who has nothing better to do than loiter along the GBW getting his knickers in twist and taking pics of cyclists just trying to complete their journeys is beyond me.

 

[MisterStan]

The Busway is now passable by bike! There's a fair bit of debris still, but hopefully the council will clear that in the next few days. There was one flood warning sign at St Ives P&R, but the gates have been opened.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

The Busway is now passable by bike! There's a fair bit of debris still, but hopefully the council will clear that in the next few days. There was one flood warning sign at St Ives P&R, but the gates have been opened.

Brilliant, lets hope the weather gets better and it dries out etc

 

[MisterStan]

Brilliant, lets hope the weather gets better and it dries out etc

The track is more or less dry now Kevin. But let's hope for better weather - i'm bored of these grey mornings. I've been wearing orange tints to make it look sunny!

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

The track is more or less dry now Kevin. But let's hope for better weather - i'm bored of these grey mornings. I've been wearing orange tints to make it look sunny!

LOL!

well I am off for 2 weeks, legs are wondering what's going on !
I really enjoyed the road alternative this last few weeks,
its miserable weather, but I think the worst is over, fingers crossed !!!

 

[ufkacbln]

I was about to ask....

I am going back to St Ives for Mother's Day and taking the Gekko

Haven't decided whether to simply cycle back to Portsmouth , or spend a few days revisiting childhood haunts and ancient churches in the Fens and Hunstanton coast

Whichever, completing the Canal is on the list

 

[MisterStan]

River Tea Rooms on the bridge will give you a fine slice of cake.

 

[ufkacbln]

What is it about the weather?

Every time I bring a bike up to St Ives... It snows

Had a cold, but enjoyable run today from Houghton through St Ives (visited Mother) and then completed the Bus way route, and am now in Newmarket having a late lunch

Despite reservations I thoroughly enjoyed the Bus way route, and being able to transit from Houghton through Cambridge virtually traffic free was fun

 

[ufkacbln]

I'm surprised none of the locals has answered this question directly, but when I was there (and I'm not a local) I was shocked at how fast the buses fly along. It was a bit frightening actually. The point is that it is a GUIDED busway, so it seems that once the bus is locked into the system it can just zoom along at a rate of knots while the driver takes a break. This isn't just a separate road for buses.

With my vast experience of this route now!

The buses are fast and the tracks narrow , it would be all too easy to slide off. Also because of the height of the sides moving a bike off the route to allow a bus to pass would not be easy

 

[Crankarm]

LOL!

well I am off for 2 weeks, legs are wondering what's going on !
I really enjoyed the road alternative this last few weeks,
its miserable weather, but I think the worst is over, fingers crossed !!!

Are you back at work this week? It should be nice and cold for you -2C. Cycling will be into a strong freezing NNE/ENE wind into Cambridge and into a NW wind on the way back . There was lots of fresh horse sh1t deposited last week so be careful.

 

[Crankarm]

With my vast experience of this route now!

The buses are fast and the tracks narrow , it would be all too easy to slide off. Also because of the height of the sides moving a bike off the route to allow a bus to pass would not be easy

Pretty easy. Have seen it done.

 

[semislickstick]

What is it about the weather?

Every time I bring a bike up to St Ives... It snows

Had a cold, but enjoyable run today from Houghton through St Ives (visited Mother) and then completed the Bus way route, and am now in Newmarket having a late lunch

Despite reservations I thoroughly enjoyed the Bus way route, and being able to transit from Houghton through Cambridge virtually traffic free was fun

Glad you got to do it, is the Thicket path all lovely and complete now then? (I took a sneaky ride through last month and they seemed to be doing well)
I meant to go for a ride today...just to see if I could spot a Greenman face riding a Gecko Gekko.

 

[ufkacbln]

Glad you got to do it, is the Thicket path all lovely and complete now then? (I took a sneaky ride through last month and they seemed to be doing well)
I meant to go for a ride today...just to see if I could spot a Greenman face riding a Gecko Gekko.

Almost, still closed off but the surface is good

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Are you back at work this week? It should be nice and cold for you -2C. Cycling will be into a strong freezing NNE/ENE wind into Cambridge and into a NW wind on the way back . There was lots of fresh horse sh1t deposited last week so be careful.

wind today was brutal, but as the GBW is still full of mud and shoot I am back on the normal roads !

 

[Crankarm]

wind today was brutal, but as the GBW is still full of mud and s*** I am back on the normal roads !

Indeed it was f*****g fierce straight from the Arctic with no cover. I had 5 layers on plus Endura cycling jacket and I was just about luke warm. Riding the long bend between Oakington and Over must be like riding in Siberia. It was a blizzard and freezing. It was so cold with windchill that my eyeballs hurt and i wear cycling glasses! Fortunately half way along this stretch approaching Over a bright light appeared in my mirror so I cranked it up least I be scalped which meant I warmed up nicely. The light fell back and then with the wind on my tail, I rode with the wind. It was just under the bridge where the windmill is situated the light from behind started to get closer so I cranked it up again as I must have slowed. I literally flew past this guy floundering on a road bike with pack on his back along the long straight, went straight through the Swavesey lights without stopping as my Max Ds turn them to green as they are so bright then rode flat out all the way to St.Ives. As soon as I stopped in the car park to get off my bike I almost fell over the wind was that strong and bloody cold, freezing. The warmth I had generated quickly went and by the time I had got the bike into the car I was ready to change into a dry top and fleeces as my wet layers were now freezing me. I hate this frickin' country's climate. The weather looks like to continue like this for the rest of the week. Tommorrow morning is set to be -4C and a 20-30mph gusting NNE wind. Lovely.

The horse sh1t and mud on the GBW might be bad, but not that bad to make me take the road route. It's not such a problem for me at night any more as I have such bright lights I can see it well in advance. Some piles even had snow caps on this evening they were that big.