Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
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SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
Sunday's Ride became renamed to the "Garmin mystery tour of Greater Manchester". I drew a line between my inlaw's home and our home and aimed for the shortest distance (given we still needed to get the weekend 'chores' sorted and it is the last weekend before the tour). This time I had doubled checked far more of the route - thankfully because at one point for some very odd reason, Garmin Connect had routed us down Manchester Airports emergency crash lanes between the 2 tunnels under the runways! Nice idea, not...
Saturday night in the tent confirmed to my OH which tent we will take on tour whilst he is with me - he will carry the old tent (Hilleberg Nammatj 3GT) in preference to the new lightweight tent (Vaude Power Lizard SUL 2-3P). It is not a size issue, but more a practicality issue for living out of for 2 weeks whilst he is with me that concerns him - the Vaude has very little porch space to the point that a stove and 2 pairs of shoes would be the limit of what could be stored inside the porch and September+Scotland can go either way on the weather front.
The new tent - conclusion by my OH, living out of it for 2 weeks is a no. Fine for 2-3 nights, not for 15...
Then it was a case of setting out and following my Garmin Edge 200. We set off in the expected direction - always useful, but soon changed to following more off road options. At one point we were cycling along what had to have been an old canal rather than an old railway, simply because of the height of the bridges - only a canal barge would have got underneath those - we had to duck for one of them, then it was back over to an old railway through some 'dubious' areas of GM... Once or twice I was quite grateful for the Schwalbe Marathon XR's we have one the bikes at the moment, they stand up to broken glass exceptionally well.
By 10:30am I was hungry - this is always a bad sign and was a sign of things to come. (Last night our evening meal (cooked by my M-I-L) had given us nowhere near what we needed in energy for today, and breakfast was not much better unfortuantly.) A major snack stop was called for - usually I make it to 11:30am and 'suffer' for half an hour before we stop for lunch. Further on down the road, we met a really helpful pedestrian who called out to us that there was lots of broken glass at the next bus stop - he was correct. there was not a single pane of glass that had not been smashed overnight and the glass for in the bus lane.
Cycling around the Manchester Airport circular cycle path was interesting, with compulsory photos of the tunnels under therailway runways, but they tunnels were not as interesting, though considerably warmer, than the norwegian tunnels we have cycled through in the past.
From there it was to Tatton Park, but I was really struggling by now - hungry and hitting the wall big time and whilst I have not mentioned it yet, there was a horrendous headwind right from the word go, all day on Sunday and it was energy sapping. Tatton Park was not at its best either - there was one of those women's dress in pink run for life events on and the food from the cafe was cold and greasy and did nothing to help my energy levels. the only real advantage was the use of the toilets and a good sit down whilst watching the world go by and largely ignoring it.
Setting out again was hard but at least we knew we were on the home straight. Unfortuantly that home straight was still directly into the prevailing wind and the headwind was hitting us squarely front on and from now on, it was roads all the way. Along the way I spied an interesting church which I must look up at some point...
We only had the one idiot WVM today, who decided to follow a motorhome through a space that had been our priority - the motorhome driver decided cyclists don't need space, the WVM found himself face to face with a touring cyclist in hi-viz and went the same colour as his van whilst swerving back to his side of the road very quickly. His passenger was equally as white, but I knew I was OK, I always give myself enough space to be able to bale somewhere. Cyclists 1: WVM 0 - thankfully...
At Northwich we had a slight change of direction. There is a safer route through Northwich but that has a couple of harder climbs on it, or you can bale to the A556 (which has segregated cycle lanes for some of the way, shared cycle lanes for most of the rest, or just accept defeat and cycle up the pavement) but the gradients are kinder and this was the route we did home. At the Robert's bakery we paused yet again for another snack break (with a handy crash barrier to sit on) and to watch the white bread go around in circles whilst it cools. It has become a 'landmark' in our weekly shopping trips to see if there is bread cooling, usually there is, but on one occasion there had been a 'bread disaster' where it had all come off the cooling racks and was piled up against the window in a bread mountain!
Then it was home and 2 very tired cyclists were exceptionally greatful to see it. I think the bikes faired better than the cyclists today. A school report would read "must do better"!
http://www.strava.com/activities/79187621
BUT - on the really positive side, my dog bite injury to the lower left leg leaving it badly scarred and partially paralysed (from 18 months ago) has faired really well and gave no issues (when kept warm), so I am really happy because this was the first time we have been out on the tourers with a load and toured again.
One happy tourer again.
Saturday night in the tent confirmed to my OH which tent we will take on tour whilst he is with me - he will carry the old tent (Hilleberg Nammatj 3GT) in preference to the new lightweight tent (Vaude Power Lizard SUL 2-3P). It is not a size issue, but more a practicality issue for living out of for 2 weeks whilst he is with me that concerns him - the Vaude has very little porch space to the point that a stove and 2 pairs of shoes would be the limit of what could be stored inside the porch and September+Scotland can go either way on the weather front.
The new tent - conclusion by my OH, living out of it for 2 weeks is a no. Fine for 2-3 nights, not for 15...
Then it was a case of setting out and following my Garmin Edge 200. We set off in the expected direction - always useful, but soon changed to following more off road options. At one point we were cycling along what had to have been an old canal rather than an old railway, simply because of the height of the bridges - only a canal barge would have got underneath those - we had to duck for one of them, then it was back over to an old railway through some 'dubious' areas of GM... Once or twice I was quite grateful for the Schwalbe Marathon XR's we have one the bikes at the moment, they stand up to broken glass exceptionally well.
By 10:30am I was hungry - this is always a bad sign and was a sign of things to come. (Last night our evening meal (cooked by my M-I-L) had given us nowhere near what we needed in energy for today, and breakfast was not much better unfortuantly.) A major snack stop was called for - usually I make it to 11:30am and 'suffer' for half an hour before we stop for lunch. Further on down the road, we met a really helpful pedestrian who called out to us that there was lots of broken glass at the next bus stop - he was correct. there was not a single pane of glass that had not been smashed overnight and the glass for in the bus lane.
Cycling around the Manchester Airport circular cycle path was interesting, with compulsory photos of the tunnels under the
From there it was to Tatton Park, but I was really struggling by now - hungry and hitting the wall big time and whilst I have not mentioned it yet, there was a horrendous headwind right from the word go, all day on Sunday and it was energy sapping. Tatton Park was not at its best either - there was one of those women's dress in pink run for life events on and the food from the cafe was cold and greasy and did nothing to help my energy levels. the only real advantage was the use of the toilets and a good sit down whilst watching the world go by and largely ignoring it.
Setting out again was hard but at least we knew we were on the home straight. Unfortuantly that home straight was still directly into the prevailing wind and the headwind was hitting us squarely front on and from now on, it was roads all the way. Along the way I spied an interesting church which I must look up at some point...
We only had the one idiot WVM today, who decided to follow a motorhome through a space that had been our priority - the motorhome driver decided cyclists don't need space, the WVM found himself face to face with a touring cyclist in hi-viz and went the same colour as his van whilst swerving back to his side of the road very quickly. His passenger was equally as white, but I knew I was OK, I always give myself enough space to be able to bale somewhere. Cyclists 1: WVM 0 - thankfully...
At Northwich we had a slight change of direction. There is a safer route through Northwich but that has a couple of harder climbs on it, or you can bale to the A556 (which has segregated cycle lanes for some of the way, shared cycle lanes for most of the rest, or just accept defeat and cycle up the pavement) but the gradients are kinder and this was the route we did home. At the Robert's bakery we paused yet again for another snack break (with a handy crash barrier to sit on) and to watch the white bread go around in circles whilst it cools. It has become a 'landmark' in our weekly shopping trips to see if there is bread cooling, usually there is, but on one occasion there had been a 'bread disaster' where it had all come off the cooling racks and was piled up against the window in a bread mountain!
Then it was home and 2 very tired cyclists were exceptionally greatful to see it. I think the bikes faired better than the cyclists today. A school report would read "must do better"!
http://www.strava.com/activities/79187621
BUT - on the really positive side, my dog bite injury to the lower left leg leaving it badly scarred and partially paralysed (from 18 months ago) has faired really well and gave no issues (when kept warm), so I am really happy because this was the first time we have been out on the tourers with a load and toured again.
One happy tourer again.
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skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
There's no railway going over those tunnels.......just big aeroplanes ! 
That is my usual haunt when I am volunteering at Styal country park and I see you went to Potsy's usual at Tatton ! 
Looks like a good ride 
That is my usual haunt when I am volunteering at Styal country park and I see you went to Potsy's usual at Tatton ! Looks like a good ride
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
There's no railway going over those tunnels.......just big aeroplanes !
dyslexia creeping in there - will edit to say runway not railway!
must still be very tired - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it....
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
My good lady was involved with building the nice, new runway tunnel you photographed and I guess you need more cake to recoverdyslexia creeping in there - will edit to say runway not railway!
must still be very tired - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it....
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Went outside again.
48 reps of this
48 reps of this
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Wayne Tully
Senior Member
Went out on a club ride yesterday, was planning on 55 miles with some nice inclines but unfortunately I had a spoke go 20 miles in, had to abandon, ended up doing 35 the last 15 on a buckled wheel rubbing against the brakes, will have to put the spare wheels on for next week's sportive.
Snapper88
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Northampton
No ride over the weekend as I was watching the Moto GP at Silverstone. So this morning I decided I needed a new jersey. A nice 13 mile ride to lbs & back to pick one up. A quick lunch & I was back out on a training ride for my 50mile charity ride.
http://www.strava.com/activities/79496718
Stopped to pull a lady out of a ditch after falling off her bike at the back of Salcey Forest but still happy with Strava result.
Have still got a chest infection so the majority of the ride I was coughing nothing up, but it will NOT stop me from riding!!
http://www.strava.com/activities/79496718
Stopped to pull a lady out of a ditch after falling off her bike at the back of Salcey Forest but still happy with Strava result.
Have still got a chest infection so the majority of the ride I was coughing nothing up, but it will NOT stop me from riding!!
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Nice 25 mile spin this evening- much needed after a week off the bike.
Bit gutted when I got home to find out a strava segment I completed was in two parts- the short sharp start (which I got 2nd out of 100's) and then went on for about a 1/2 mile at the top which I got 115th out of 100's due to stopping to turn all my lights on as it was getting dark! I know for next time! lol
Bit gutted when I got home to find out a strava segment I completed was in two parts- the short sharp start (which I got 2nd out of 100's) and then went on for about a 1/2 mile at the top which I got 115th out of 100's due to stopping to turn all my lights on as it was getting dark! I know for next time! lol
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Jutland StreetWent outside again.
48 reps of this
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Jutland Street
I didn't realise the Strava segment covers the whole cobbled section, I assumed, wrongly, that it ended when it levels off, so sat up and turned around each time at that point rather than pushing the extra couple of yards, lol. Apparently your mate James did 19.6 mph up there, I know James is strong but...really? Jesus Christ.
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Prime case of a silly short Strava segment.
I've never ridden up it. Just like sending cars down it when the driver doesn't know the area
400bhp
Guru
Went outside again.
48 reps of this
WTF
Next time give me a shout. I'll bring a picnic and shout some encouragement.
OP
OP
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
A quick 20 miles...bloomin blowy on the outrun..thought I'd have an easy run back...fat chance. Maybe the last 1/2 mile was tailwind, thats all.
Still...a good and needed workout.
Edited, I forgot...I saw a Hobby, very Swift like wings, s1ooping up into a small wood I was passing. Dont see those very often.
Still...a good and needed workout.
Edited, I forgot...I saw a Hobby, very Swift like wings, s1ooping up into a small wood I was passing. Dont see those very often.
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Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
WTF
Next time give me a shout. I'll bring a picnic and shout some encouragement.
What's that about? lol!
- Status
