SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
Sunday continued...
Going through Cheswardine, we came across a milestone with various distances on it including John O’Groats (454 miles) and Land’s End (317 miles). I’m guessing these are as the crow flies otherwise LeJOG/JOGLE would be much easier!
Lunch was taken in Market Drayton – a Morrison’s had a café and that meant coffee with our sarnies and from there it was time to play tag with the Shropshire Union Canal yet again. Along this section the hedges were dripping with fruit in the form of some of the biggest and juiciest of blackberries I have seen but I wasn’t allowed to pick any because that would have meant stopping (again… guess that is the problem of cycling with someone!) Damson’s, apples, pears, sloes, and raspberries were also in abundance in these hedgerows as well.
Closer to home and we realised that we were only going to be shy of a metric century by 9km, so started the plotting and scheming of “what if we go this way” to see if we would extend the ride by 9km to make it a +100km ride. In the end we decided not to extend it right up until the last minute because if the winds got too much worse, it was going to be seriously difficult getting home.
Some more nice light...
Somewhere around Audlem, a sudden squall arrived and wetook refuge like the wimps we are sensibly sheltered under a tree (or more accurately the dry patch of tarmac prior to the tree) until it had passed. I did comment that the one advantage of the high winds was that the rain did not stay around for long. Stuart’s reply was “The 888”. I retorted with “you had to bring that one up didn’t you?” but in fairness he had a point. For those not knowing/remembering, follow this link and read 2 days…
A quick stop at the ‘south’ Nantwich marina (coffee & a chip butty) soon had us back on the road, though at times the wind had other ideas because on one occasion, thankfully when the road was empty of all but 2 mad cyclists, I suddenly found myself cycling up the other side of it when a sudden gust pushed me across the road which was 2 lanes wide at this point!
Somewhere around Oulton Park, the another squall arrived, and left before we found shelter and also around there we found ourselves unable to hold 6mph downhill because of the severity of the headwind! We were beginning to wonder if we would make it home at this point. Another rest was needed.
The wash and blow dry cycle has just been on again...
The wash and blow dry cycle has just been on again...
From here, it became clear that the gales were starting to damage the trees with larger branches now in the roads, but ironically the sun was getting warmer and the clouds now clearing! At the Whitegate Way we worked out that we needed just under 9km to complete our metric century for the month, so instead of heading off to the left, we turned and headed off to the right, away from home. Sanity is not something we are well known for…. A quick loop of the entire Whitegate Way would add the remaining distance we needed. And Stuart, true to form decided on another pit stop, 4.9km from home….
I tried for an action photo, taking it whilst I was also cycling, but it hasn't really worked... needs more practice
Needless to say we are now really tired, but happy. The weather was much better than we could have hoped for given the severe weather warning, and the rain not bad enough to ever need waterproofs out. I just hope I sleep well tonight!
Exhausted and the 2nd 100km of August done, only this time into a headwind/gale, on touring bikes and with some of it off road.
Going through Cheswardine, we came across a milestone with various distances on it including John O’Groats (454 miles) and Land’s End (317 miles). I’m guessing these are as the crow flies otherwise LeJOG/JOGLE would be much easier!
Lunch was taken in Market Drayton – a Morrison’s had a café and that meant coffee with our sarnies and from there it was time to play tag with the Shropshire Union Canal yet again. Along this section the hedges were dripping with fruit in the form of some of the biggest and juiciest of blackberries I have seen but I wasn’t allowed to pick any because that would have meant stopping (again… guess that is the problem of cycling with someone!) Damson’s, apples, pears, sloes, and raspberries were also in abundance in these hedgerows as well.
Closer to home and we realised that we were only going to be shy of a metric century by 9km, so started the plotting and scheming of “what if we go this way” to see if we would extend the ride by 9km to make it a +100km ride. In the end we decided not to extend it right up until the last minute because if the winds got too much worse, it was going to be seriously difficult getting home.
Some more nice light...
Somewhere around Audlem, a sudden squall arrived and we
A quick stop at the ‘south’ Nantwich marina (coffee & a chip butty) soon had us back on the road, though at times the wind had other ideas because on one occasion, thankfully when the road was empty of all but 2 mad cyclists, I suddenly found myself cycling up the other side of it when a sudden gust pushed me across the road which was 2 lanes wide at this point!
Somewhere around Oulton Park, the another squall arrived, and left before we found shelter and also around there we found ourselves unable to hold 6mph downhill because of the severity of the headwind! We were beginning to wonder if we would make it home at this point. Another rest was needed.
The wash and blow dry cycle has just been on again...
The wash and blow dry cycle has just been on again...
From here, it became clear that the gales were starting to damage the trees with larger branches now in the roads, but ironically the sun was getting warmer and the clouds now clearing! At the Whitegate Way we worked out that we needed just under 9km to complete our metric century for the month, so instead of heading off to the left, we turned and headed off to the right, away from home. Sanity is not something we are well known for…. A quick loop of the entire Whitegate Way would add the remaining distance we needed. And Stuart, true to form decided on another pit stop, 4.9km from home….
I tried for an action photo, taking it whilst I was also cycling, but it hasn't really worked... needs more practice
Needless to say we are now really tired, but happy. The weather was much better than we could have hoped for given the severe weather warning, and the rain not bad enough to ever need waterproofs out. I just hope I sleep well tonight!
Exhausted and the 2nd 100km of August done, only this time into a headwind/gale, on touring bikes and with some of it off road.
