Auntie Helen
Ich bin Powerfrau!
- Location
- 47906 Kempen, Germany
Surprised that you didn't bump into Wowbagger, MacBludgeon and the other YACFers... although they were busy dodging a Challenger tank and a feisty badger.
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
- Status
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Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
..that, dude was the original hippy-hoppy idea - where sensible CycleChatter meets spaced-out peace cyclists disguised with beards, sandals and iron bikes.
Peace man!
Peace man!
I did a bit of trail finding yesterday except the trail disappeared and it turned into a MXCT (miserable cross country trudge) 
Damn you ordnance survey!
Damn you ordnance survey! Aperitif said:
Well, I hauled my 'modest' 100kg to Stonehenge, which makes the feat of the folk who dragged the tonnage of stones, double that distance, from Wales to form Stonehenge, supercyclists!
I'll expand this report later I hope, but a quiet amble from Heathrow to Amesbury was interrupted at Staines when I, lost in my contemplations, was overrun by a group of about twelve couriers from Hackney ('LFGSS' and 'Moving Target' contributors I believe)...all with geared bikes bar one...but it made for an interesting ride down.
I immediately fell into FNRttC mode (sat at the back) and helped out. Mostly helped myself as I had two! One of their riders broke a drive side spoke, we pulled into a garage and out came the chain whip, cassette tool, and an immaculate Colnago classic bike was expertly repaired. Impressive stuff.
So, thanks for the company, Darren, Martin (expert tech), Jason, Sam, all those who I didn't get to chat with and a special word for Roger, who exchanged short sharp bursts of jousting with traffic in London City with the cool night air and the rolling hills - he was cramping up badly. I bored them rigid (as usual) with details of the full-moon rides to the Coast - hopefully they will make contact.
There were people older than me at The Solstice -bizarre extras from a Sonny and Cher look-a-like film. My goodness!
I'm stopping now or else I'll still be explaining at 11:30! Interesting, interesting, interesting...
I used to go to spend the solstice at Callanish on the Isle of Lewis. At that time they stopped gatherings at Stonehenge and lots of hippie types would go there as an alternative. Interesting times indeed!
Bodhbh
Guru
Looks fun, never been to one fo these things but always meant to to see what the fuss is about.Aperitif said:
Did have the intention Friday night (after several beers) of riding up the Ridgeway Saturday, to reach Avebury Sunday afternoon. Guess there would be some similar high-jinx there and at some other points on the Ridgeway (Waylands Smithy always seems to have feathers and candles kicking about like someones been casting spells). Too much of the beer ruled otu doing much on Saturday however, so the Solstice was marked by late evening barbie instead.
Sunday 21st June.
Did part of the West Yorks Cycle Route, going anti-clockwise.
The intention was to complete it so I set out really early, going via Ilkley/Addingham/ Steeton and Oxenhope moor.
It was fine until I lost my way near Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd and could not seem to find the route again. I had a map but it was about as much good as a string screwdriver.
Then when I was already getting ticked off, my rear mech got damaged. With my gears jumping about all over the place I took umbridge and made for home.
The last 30 miles or so back from Hebden Bridge were a trial but by the time I got home it was just over 100 miles.
I have had better days.
Did part of the West Yorks Cycle Route, going anti-clockwise.
The intention was to complete it so I set out really early, going via Ilkley/Addingham/ Steeton and Oxenhope moor.
It was fine until I lost my way near Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd and could not seem to find the route again. I had a map but it was about as much good as a string screwdriver.
Then when I was already getting ticked off, my rear mech got damaged. With my gears jumping about all over the place I took umbridge and made for home.
The last 30 miles or so back from Hebden Bridge were a trial but by the time I got home it was just over 100 miles.
I have had better days.
Kirstie
Über Member
Yesterday I did what my friend who I went riding with described as 'a nice 75miles in some of my favourite lanes'. Holy crap never again. It contained 4500ft of climbing - not a massive amount in iself - but it came in four absolutely massive, steep hits one after the other in a short distance! Jesus Christ!
Anyone heard of Buttermilk Hill in Staffs? Well that was one of them. Utterly ridiculous. I nearly barfed. Now I'm achy.
Anyone heard of Buttermilk Hill in Staffs? Well that was one of them. Utterly ridiculous. I nearly barfed. Now I'm achy.
willhub
Guru
Change the never again to "sometime soon"
seriously I thought the same when I did my first steep hill but I kept doing them and it was fine, after every 100+ mile ride I do usually every week, I think... never again... But I go to do it the next week
Probably like people who get p155ed up regular, they think never again but go do it the next night
seriously I thought the same when I did my first steep hill but I kept doing them and it was fine, after every 100+ mile ride I do usually every week, I think... never again... But I go to do it the next week
Probably like people who get p155ed up regular, they think never again but go do it the next night
Kirstie
Über Member
willhub said:Change the never again to "sometime soon"
seriously I thought the same when I did my first steep hill but I kept doing them and it was fine, after every 100+ mile ride I do usually every week, I think... never again... But I go to do it the next week
Probably like people who get p155ed up regular, they think never again but go do it the next night
WTF? My 'first steep hill'?
That's one hell of an assumption, matey.
Kirstie
Über Member
Yes indeed.
Oh well willhub - you might as well admit to being a patronising t*sser...
Oh well willhub - you might as well admit to being a patronising t*sser...
Gareth
Guru
- Location
- Norwich, Norfolk, UK
Yesterday, Lois and I decided to cycle along a section of Marriots way; A disused section of railway from Norwich city centre to Aylsham. A full distance of about 22 miles but due to a mechanical failure we only managed about 9 & 1/2. With the 2 miles cycle to the start and then the return home, we are going to claim a total of a 20 mile ride....... PDG as Lois has not been on a bike in many years, and I haven't cycled 20 miles in one day for almost 2 years.
Marriots way was one of the smaller local railway routes that fell under the axe of Dr Beecham in the 1960's, and was adopted and modernised by Sustrans; Marriots way is also a part of Sustrans National Network Route 1, and has been modernised and adapted for cyclists. walkers and horse riders in a natural way sympathetic to the surrounding Norfolk countryside and local communities.
Marriots way begins at what was an old railway station in Norwich (now an industrial estate) and more or less follows the river Wensum; crossing the river many times. Ironically I have driven past the begining of the route many hundreds of times, and have even fished a section of the river that runs along the first mile or so. Almost every day I have driven, walked and even cycled past a piece of steel sculpture without knowing what it was.
The begining of Marriots Way:
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A close up of the model train on top of the steel sculpture:
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Our steeds for the day:
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Mile Marker 1, a steel sculpture representing a zipper. I have no idea why? and will do a little research into the subject:
[/img]
[/img]
Mile marker 2. A section of I beam and a twisted length of Railway track;
[/img]
A view of the river Wensum from Mile marker 2:
[/img]
And a view looking down upon the twisted piece of railway track:
[/img]
Being and old railway track, a lot of the route is covered with tree canopy. which makes for a nice shaded ride;
[/img]
Mile Marker 3:
[/img]
and a close up of the twists in Mile Marker 3, I like the way that the angle cut section gives the impression of an anchor as we are also in the Norfolk broads:
[/img]
Two of the many wooden benches along the route:
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Mile marker 4:
[/img]
A brief rest and coffee stop to view the river Wensum from one of the bridges:
[/img]
A village information marker for the village of Drayton:
[/img]
and the side profile of that same marker:
[/img]
Mile marker 5, I think it is a question mark
t provoked thoughts and questions about the history of the area and the many people who had worked on this railway many years ago:
[/img]
Mile marker 6:
[/img]
Mile Marker 7:
[/img]
Lois standing on the steel sculpture and viewing the surrounding open countryside for a shot with her new camera:
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Mile Marker 8:
[/img]
About 1/2 a mile further on, I glanced an open area with some large trees in it, so we clambered over the railway embankment to get a few photos. I didn't know that we had such large trees in Norfolk
Lois is standing in the foreground;
[/img]
A bench sculptured from a log:
[/img]
And a concrete sculpture only a few yards from that bench:
[/img]
Mile Marker 9:
[/img]
We only managed to proceed for about another 1/2 mile or so. As one of the pedals on Lois' bike was damaged and fell off. Being the Knight in shining armour that I am, I decided that we should turn around and head back. With me holding onto the handle bars of Lois' bike with my left hand and towing her all the way back to the beginning ...... me doing all the pedalling for the two us on my bike.
Lois took many other photos, and we missed many more due to the pedal problem. But we have both agreed that when the bike is fixed we will have another ride along Marriots way.
Marriots way was one of the smaller local railway routes that fell under the axe of Dr Beecham in the 1960's, and was adopted and modernised by Sustrans; Marriots way is also a part of Sustrans National Network Route 1, and has been modernised and adapted for cyclists. walkers and horse riders in a natural way sympathetic to the surrounding Norfolk countryside and local communities.
Marriots way begins at what was an old railway station in Norwich (now an industrial estate) and more or less follows the river Wensum; crossing the river many times. Ironically I have driven past the begining of the route many hundreds of times, and have even fished a section of the river that runs along the first mile or so. Almost every day I have driven, walked and even cycled past a piece of steel sculpture without knowing what it was.
The begining of Marriots Way:
A close up of the model train on top of the steel sculpture:
Our steeds for the day:
Mile Marker 1, a steel sculpture representing a zipper. I have no idea why? and will do a little research into the subject:
Mile marker 2. A section of I beam and a twisted length of Railway track;
A view of the river Wensum from Mile marker 2:
And a view looking down upon the twisted piece of railway track:
Being and old railway track, a lot of the route is covered with tree canopy. which makes for a nice shaded ride;
Mile Marker 3:
and a close up of the twists in Mile Marker 3, I like the way that the angle cut section gives the impression of an anchor as we are also in the Norfolk broads:
Two of the many wooden benches along the route:
Mile marker 4:
A brief rest and coffee stop to view the river Wensum from one of the bridges:
A village information marker for the village of Drayton:
and the side profile of that same marker:
Mile marker 5, I think it is a question mark
t provoked thoughts and questions about the history of the area and the many people who had worked on this railway many years ago:
Mile marker 6:
Mile Marker 7:
Lois standing on the steel sculpture and viewing the surrounding open countryside for a shot with her new camera:
Mile Marker 8:
About 1/2 a mile further on, I glanced an open area with some large trees in it, so we clambered over the railway embankment to get a few photos. I didn't know that we had such large trees in Norfolk
Lois is standing in the foreground;
A bench sculptured from a log:
And a concrete sculpture only a few yards from that bench:
Mile Marker 9:
We only managed to proceed for about another 1/2 mile or so. As one of the pedals on Lois' bike was damaged and fell off. Being the Knight in shining armour that I am, I decided that we should turn around and head back. With me holding onto the handle bars of Lois' bike with my left hand and towing her all the way back to the beginning ...... me doing all the pedalling for the two us on my bike.
Lois took many other photos, and we missed many more due to the pedal problem. But we have both agreed that when the bike is fixed we will have another ride along Marriots way.
I am Spartacus
Über Member
- Location
- N Staffs
Renard said:I knew you wouldn't take any sh*t
hmmmmm was gonna log my ride..
2nd thoughts,...
thought this was nicee nicee site but I see it has its
side- Status
