- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Playing catch-up yet again.
Last Wednesday (30th of April) I'd arrived home on Tuesday evening to find that I still had the work keys in my pocket. Oops! I had to get them back before the staff needed them on Wednesday morning and decided to make a ride of it. I set off on the Raleigh into a beautiful warm and sunny morning, using the slightly longer way into town as it makes use of more cycle paths. Traffic into the town centre was quite busy but there weren't too many people walking in the Quarry yet so I was able to make quicker progress than I'm used to.
With the keys returned (thankfully nobody had started early on this day) I retraced my wheel tracks through the Quarry then carried on along the riverside path to the weir then Sydney Avenue. On the old canal path I caught up with a much slower rider and decided it would be impolite to try and squeeze past on this narrow bit of the path. Eventually they turned off before a chance to overtake presented itself and I could get along a bit quicker again.
Once on the roads at Uffington the bike went really well despite the gentle headwind, which encouraged me to push on a bit. As the morning rush was finished by now the roads weren't too busy, so not very many hold ups through Upton Magna, Atcham and Berrington.
After reaching Condover I had that light wind helping and I flew along really well on the road to the A49, only to get stuck in a queue at the junction (found out later that there had been an accident near Stapleton so some of the drivers were cutting through Condover to avoid it). Once I joined the A49 I hadn't gone very far before having to pull in to allow an ambulance to overtake.
21.2 miles at 15.7 mph average. A great ride in some really nice weather. I'm very chuffed with the average speed as this is not normally a quick route. No photos on this occasion as I was concentrating on
too much.
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Saturday 3rd of May: @gavgav had asked if I was free for a ride and I said yes. A trip to Church Stretton was the plan with a cafe lunch and a possible pub stop. In contrast to the preceding few days it was feeling cool in the relatively strong northerly wind - that would be helping us along for the first leg of the trip at least.
Gav came to meet me then we set off, heading over Lyth Hill as Gav wanted practice climbing on his carbon bike (preparation for a ride planned later in the year). Having dropped in to Condover, we got along at a brisk sociable pace. There were a few other riders about on the lanes through Ryton, Longnor and Hollyhurst, which I always like to see.
Reaching the Hollybush Cafe in Church Stretton we enjoyed a pleasant light lunch, but not before I'd scattered most of my change all over the floor - I really must get a better wallet.
It had clouded over and the wind felt quite cold as we left the shelter of Church Stretton and headed back towards Dudgeley. We met a horse being led on the lane here and the lady doing the leading was quite apologetic that we'd stopped for her.
After the undulating lanes we dropped down to Leebotwood and had our pub stop at the Pound (a pint of Butty Back for me and Ludlow Gold for Gav. The legs had stiffened up as we set off again but they freed up nicely by the time we headed back into the wind along the old Roman road to Longnor and we started to get along fairly well despite the headwind by the time we reached Acton Burnell.
We were decently quick through Pitchford, enjoyed the fast descent at Cantlop and managed to maintain a good pace against the wind to Weeping Cross. With a football match taking place in the afternoon I decided to part from Gav a little earlier than usual and cut through to Hazeldine Way so as to avoid the worst of the crowd arriving at the ground. There were still a few supporters walking on this route but it wasn't bad.
In the last half mile I met another friend who was out walking so stopped for a while to have a chat.
31.6 miles at 14 mph average. Great to get out in company as always. I do like these rides with a lunch stop.
Gav at The Pound.
Last Wednesday (30th of April) I'd arrived home on Tuesday evening to find that I still had the work keys in my pocket. Oops! I had to get them back before the staff needed them on Wednesday morning and decided to make a ride of it. I set off on the Raleigh into a beautiful warm and sunny morning, using the slightly longer way into town as it makes use of more cycle paths. Traffic into the town centre was quite busy but there weren't too many people walking in the Quarry yet so I was able to make quicker progress than I'm used to.
With the keys returned (thankfully nobody had started early on this day) I retraced my wheel tracks through the Quarry then carried on along the riverside path to the weir then Sydney Avenue. On the old canal path I caught up with a much slower rider and decided it would be impolite to try and squeeze past on this narrow bit of the path. Eventually they turned off before a chance to overtake presented itself and I could get along a bit quicker again.
Once on the roads at Uffington the bike went really well despite the gentle headwind, which encouraged me to push on a bit. As the morning rush was finished by now the roads weren't too busy, so not very many hold ups through Upton Magna, Atcham and Berrington.
After reaching Condover I had that light wind helping and I flew along really well on the road to the A49, only to get stuck in a queue at the junction (found out later that there had been an accident near Stapleton so some of the drivers were cutting through Condover to avoid it). Once I joined the A49 I hadn't gone very far before having to pull in to allow an ambulance to overtake.
21.2 miles at 15.7 mph average. A great ride in some really nice weather. I'm very chuffed with the average speed as this is not normally a quick route. No photos on this occasion as I was concentrating on
too much.-------------------------------------------
Saturday 3rd of May: @gavgav had asked if I was free for a ride and I said yes. A trip to Church Stretton was the plan with a cafe lunch and a possible pub stop. In contrast to the preceding few days it was feeling cool in the relatively strong northerly wind - that would be helping us along for the first leg of the trip at least.
Gav came to meet me then we set off, heading over Lyth Hill as Gav wanted practice climbing on his carbon bike (preparation for a ride planned later in the year). Having dropped in to Condover, we got along at a brisk sociable pace. There were a few other riders about on the lanes through Ryton, Longnor and Hollyhurst, which I always like to see.
Reaching the Hollybush Cafe in Church Stretton we enjoyed a pleasant light lunch, but not before I'd scattered most of my change all over the floor - I really must get a better wallet.
It had clouded over and the wind felt quite cold as we left the shelter of Church Stretton and headed back towards Dudgeley. We met a horse being led on the lane here and the lady doing the leading was quite apologetic that we'd stopped for her.
After the undulating lanes we dropped down to Leebotwood and had our pub stop at the Pound (a pint of Butty Back for me and Ludlow Gold for Gav. The legs had stiffened up as we set off again but they freed up nicely by the time we headed back into the wind along the old Roman road to Longnor and we started to get along fairly well despite the headwind by the time we reached Acton Burnell.
We were decently quick through Pitchford, enjoyed the fast descent at Cantlop and managed to maintain a good pace against the wind to Weeping Cross. With a football match taking place in the afternoon I decided to part from Gav a little earlier than usual and cut through to Hazeldine Way so as to avoid the worst of the crowd arriving at the ground. There were still a few supporters walking on this route but it wasn't bad.
In the last half mile I met another friend who was out walking so stopped for a while to have a chat.
31.6 miles at 14 mph average. Great to get out in company as always. I do like these rides with a lunch stop.
Gav at The Pound.
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