The garden chair rides again. Shades,this time with a clip on mirror attached, and battered cap. The Mirrycle seems to have taken up permanent residence on the front accessory bar.
Aimed to push to 40 miles today. Dry, but a bit breezy so I wore my fleece top. Set off in the direction of Nantwich via Wettenhall. The readjusted bar ends and gear levers felt much more natural, certainly not needing on-the-road adjustment. Even the rear brake felt sharper, at least at low speed. At the Wettenhall bridge traffic lights I stopped behind a large 4WD. The female driver wound down her window and shouted back to me that she had been there on red for ages and was going to go as it was stuck. She went, and I followed her.
I trundled on into the wind but fortunately was sheltered by hedges as I followed the twists and turns of the road. I stopped by the Little Man pub to put my top in the rack bag as I was getting hot, and took a photo.
A little further on I stopped on the bridge over the Middlewich branch of the Trent and Mersey canal at Venetian Marine, Cholmondeston, and took another photo. The canal was very busy, plenty of people and boats about.
I continued and was passed by a huge tractor towing a reeking trailer. It really stank. It must be farm slurry pit emptying time, as I came across several in the course of today’s ride.
I came out on the A534 where I had intended to cross over and come out at the top of Welsh Row in Nantwich but the road opposite was plastered with Road Closed and Cyclists Dismount signs so I turned left instead.
An artic came up behind and loomed over me. I was creeping up to 20mph when I came to a pedestrian crossing outside Reaseheath College where the lights had just turned red. There was no one on my side and I noticed that a cycleway started just by the crossing. I nipped on to the cycleway in order to continue then crossed over as traffic behind was held up by the crossing light. There was a cycleway on this side too. This saved me going round the busy roundabout to get into Nantwich. I continued across the River Weaver on a bridge and had intended to take a short cut into the town centre on a cycle trail following the Weaver but for some reason there was a crowd of people talking at the turn off. I carried on until the cycleway came to a road. I turned on to the main road and continued through Nantwich. Past the railway station, bounced over the uneven railway crossing and turned right for the Whitchurch road. After passing the end of speed limit sign I turned left into Coole Pilate for the lane to Audlem. I would have taken a photo of the bike by the sign but it was just at the junction with the main road with fast traffic passing, so not a good spot.
I pedalled on, over a canal bridge, then in the mirror I saw a couple of mountain bikers behind. I carried on rolling as it was pretty flat, and when I looked again they had dropped behind. The road undulated, in some places quite a gradient. I came to another canal bridge, got up some momentum, then met a tractor and trailer coming over it. I was able to keep moving slowly and got over once the coast was clear. Soon afterwards the mountain bikers went past then turned right following a signpost towards Hack Green not-so-secret bunker. I turned right too. No idea if it was open but I have never been there before. The mountain bikers turned off down a farm track but I followed the road. I arrived at Hack Green and took a photo.
As I was getting ready to go a chap about my age walked past wheeling a drop handlebar Raleigh in nice condition. He made no comment but continued past.
The road continued with a sign warning of a weak bridge ahead. I hoped that it was the bridge over the canal by Coole Pilate locks but as it turned out it wasn’t. I turned round and returned to the road to Audlem. On the way I caught up with the chap wheeling his Raleigh. I asked him if he needed any tools and he said, no, he was just going for a walk. Fair enough, so I continued.
Later, a few road cyclists passed me in both directions on this stretch. I reached the A53 and turned left. I was tempted to turn right on to the Market Drayton road but time was getting on so I continued into Audlem and turned left on to the Nantwich road. Stopped at public toilets in Audlem, photographed a plaque.
Good progress was made on this undulating road, better than on my upright bike I think.
Once in Nantwich I turned on to the Whitchurch road then turned on to the riverside bike path. Where it passes under the railway line it is cantilevered out over the river which I found interesting so I took a photo.
From here onto Welsh Row, with its assortment of ancient and not so ancient buildings, turn right at the lights then turn left at the barriers on the lane which leads to the junction with the road to Wettenhall. A traffic free experience, but someone had been cutting the hedges and with no traffic to sweep the debris to the sides it was a slow balancing act with lots of careful manoevreing to avoid the thorns. Eventually I came to a barrier with Road Closed and Cyclists Dismount signs. I did not dismount but rode steadily through the gap. I came to the A534 crossroads and had to wait a good while for a break in the traffic.
I got across and then carried on steadily in the direction of home. I was going a lot slower than on the way out, but on a recumbent it doesn’t seem to matter, just keep turning the pedals and you get up the hills, and swoop down them. I was noticing the potholes a lot more than on the outward journey, and there are some gnarly ones on this stretch of road. A lot more traffic now, quite a few road bikers going past too, and some positive comments.
Stopped to photograph the sign at Cholmondeston (no idea how that is pronounced).
Eventually got home after 40.25 miles. Max speed 27.2 mph. Average speed 10.2 mph.
Painful above the knees after this ride, no pain after previous rides. Must be the recumbent legs developing! Next time out, try for 50 miles.
