14/6/26
Recumbent Ride
Trip to Audlem on the Rans
Hoping to get out this morning to finally do a decent length ride but some gardening jobs delayed the start until this afternoon. I set off hoping for the best. The plan was to go to Audlem via Nantwich mostly in the lanes, then to cut across to Sound and Wrenbury, and if there was time, to get as far as Harthill before turning for home.
Left out of the gate into a light though fitful wind. Not feeling at my best, mainly through not having done enough miles this year for various reasons.
A first at the lights at Darnhall bridge as the lights were green. I charged downhill and the lights went red as I passed them. I got most of the way up the other side before having to go down through the gears. Steady progress towards Wettenhall until I managed to unship the chain by changing my mind while changing gear on the FD and changing up again before a downchange had completed. Soon sorted and under way again.
Several cyclists came the other way but nobody overtook me. Tractors were roaring about presumably getting the hay in. I carried on under the Crewe-Chester railway line, over the Shropshire Union canal and on through Cholmondeston. Before long I was pedalling hard down the dip to Poole Bridge. After getting up the other side it was smooth running to the Chester-Wrexham road. Left towards Nantwich, some easy speed on the slight downhill, and little traffic until a large truck appeared in my mirror. He kept well back until I came to the roundabout outside Nantwich when I turned off to the town centre and he headed for the bypass.
Not much traffic, I got through the various traffic lights and mini roundabouts and was soon bumping over the level crossing by the station on the road to Audlem. Passing through the outskirts of Nantwich I came to a slight downhill but was unable to get the chain on to the big chainring despite several attempts. Strange, as it had worked OK a few miles back. I wondered if it was somehow related to unshipping the chain earlier on near Wettenhall. I experimentally changed up and down on the other two rings and they were fine. I carried on, intending to look at the adjustment when I stopped for a break.
I was soon on the downhill to Hatherton, getting up speed for the climb up the other side. Levelling out, I turned off onto a lane called Park Road. Straight across at a crossroads into Hunsterson Lane which was pleasantly shady for a few miles before turning right at a T junction into Bridgmere Lane. After meandering for a few traffic free miles and being overtaken by a speedy cyclist on a mission I came to the junction at an acute angle to turn left for Audlem. A few climbs and dips later and after passing through Hankelow I rolled into Audlem. A little further on I turned right into a car park. There was a public convenience there which had a plaque under which I wanted to photograph the Rans. I’d last been here on my first 40+ mile ride on the Linear.
Since I was there, I went to inspect the plumbing. I went in, closed the door and was plunged into darkness. No obvious light switches, obviously the automatic lighting wasn’t working. Options. Go back outside and find something to wedge the door open to let some light in. Go back outside and get a spare bike light from my bag. Open the door, memorise the position of the urinal, and end up peeing on my foot in the dark. Get my phone out, find the flashlight app, and use that.
I chose the last option. Heaved my phone out, fumbled around to turn it on, selected the flashlight app. Instant light. Then, “Accept all cookies” for targeted advertising, “select from options” and confirm choices. Whaat? Was I turning into Victor Meldrew? It’s a bleeding torch! Since I had light, I fulfilled my original purpose then found that I couldn’t turn the light off without selecting one of the options. Well, fudpuckers to that. I shut down the phone then restarted it. Fortunately, the light went off.
Back out in the world which still seemed to make some sort of sense again, I set off to the town centre. I turned right on to the Whitchurch Road and just before a canal bridge turned right. There used to be some touristy shops alongside the canal where I hoped to be able to get an ice cream.
Although there were a couple of pubs, the place that I had in mind was closed and had a “To Let” sign on it. Maybe not surprising as I recalled that the last time I had an ice cream here was in about 2019 when I’d ridden a hardtail mountain bike along the towpath from Nantwich to Audlem. Nicely surfaced near the built up areas but bumpy and rutted in between. Blooming hard work even on an aluminium hardtail.
There was a crowd of young chaps outside the furthest pub -world cup mania, of course, and I recalled that Scotland had just beaten Haiti so I turned back and stopped with a view of the canal bridge and the bottom gate of the Audlem staircase locks near the first pub.
While I took a photo I remember Alicia Keys belting out “This Girl is on Fire” (boom bada boom bada boom) on the pub stereo. I listened to the end of the song then went back to the road and turned right over the bridge.
There is a steep downhill a bit further on with a lesser climb on the other side so I was looking forward to giving it the beans and flying up the other side before getting to my turn off on to Coole Lane. Speed was increasing satisfactorily without any effort on my part and I’d just started pedalling when I came round a bend to find a red road works traffic light and a waiting vehicle.
I kept going to the last second hoping that the light would change then accepted the inevitable and came to a halt. I sat fuming, mentally releasing a few flying fudpuckers while I waited.
Finally the light changed and I ground up the short hill. Another half mile or so and I turned right into Coole Lane. I’d taken a photo at the Nantwich end of this lane on my last, exceedingly hot ride so it seemed only right to to take a picture here as well.
Off I went. Somewhere along here I needed to turn left on to Back Coole Lane to get to Aston to cross the A525. I came across a turning which was festooned with warnings about road works, poor surface etc but no road name. A cycleway sign pointed to Coole Lane so I carried on. There were no turnings for a few miles so I began to suspect that I should have turned there. My galloping press-on-itis wouldn’t let me turn back. I came to Hollins Lane but there were no signs. There was an impressive gate opposite so I parked the bike in front of it and took a photo. Then I pressed on.
A few miles further on I came to French Lane End and a sign for the Secret Bunker. If I’d checked the map I would have seen that French Lane joins Mickley Hall Lane and leads to Aston. However, time was getting on, and I was beginning to think that Nantwich and home was the best option so I continued along Coole Lane. I passed Over Water Marina and crossed a canal bridge. All this time tractors and trailers were passing to and fro. Coming up behind, the empty trailers would clank and boom over the bumps. Passing in the other direction, the load of hay would damp out any noises. Meanwhile, the drivers would sit like lords of creation in their high cabs looking down on the little people below.
I was looking forward to a break but hadn’t come acoss any suitable spots. I’d passed through Austerson which was the only significant development and that was just a few houses.
Suddenly I was at a T junction outside Nantwich with Baddington bridge on the left and Shrewbridge Road to the right.
I set off right and shortly afterwards was passed by a clutch of cars which had been held back by the lights on Baddington Bridge. Then there was a car free spell. By this time I was alongside Nantwich Lake. I turned into the car park and rolled up to a bench. Here I sat down and took a break.
It was quite busy with passers by, dog walkers, etc and I found it a bit oppressive. I had a tentative tweak of the FD cable with no improvement so decided to leave it until I got home. I was feeling quite irritable as I set off, not helped by having left the stand down and having to stop to flip it up.
I turned into where Shrewbridge Road continues as a minor residential road with speed bumps. Part way along were warning signs for a level crossing. I took a photo of the bike in front of them.
I rode over the crossing.
Then I turned left into the Waterlode, and after a few hundred yards turned left on to a path through a park and over a bridge over the Weaver. The path came out on to Welsh Row where I turned left.
At least with my shades on Welsh Row into a low sun looked very picturesque: maybe not so much with the camera. I took some photos anyway.
If you like loads of bins and parked cars.
Right at the lights before Nantwich aqueduct then left into Welshmans Lane. Despite a slight headwind I was able to freewheel slowly down most of Welshmans Lane to the Chester-Wrexham Road before pedalling across into Wettenhall Road.
A curious combination of super smooth surface, wind direction and barely detectable gradient meant that I had an effort free ride for most of the distance between here and the turn downhill for Poole Bridge, even if only at 7-8 mph. I had to pedal downhill then to get some momentum to get up the other side. I could feel my energy fading by then, but was able to continue well enough at reduced speed.
Easy rolling to the humped canal bridge over the Shropshire union, under the railway line, then a leisurely trundle along the wide open, pothole strewn stretch of road to Wettenhall.
A more tree sheltered stretch from there. While dawdling along I was passed by what looked like a refugee from the 1960s – pressed shorts, short socks, short sleeved buttoned shirt, Carradice style saddlebag. He wasn’t going particularly fast but too fast for me in my current state.
My feet were becoming sore with a burning sensation. I changed my foot position which helped a bit. Down a dip, up the other side, steady trundling. The final stretch through the lanes to pull in outside Darnhall village hall to rest with my feet on the pedals and a hand on the wall.
Once my feet eased I set off for the lights. A slow approach, the lights went green and I rushed the dip. Then the steady spin up the other side with the horizon receding at first then getting closer. Over the top then a gentle freewheel down the other side. Then steady pedalling until I eventually reached my back gate.
I really must get out more and do more miles!
Later, I experimented with the cable tension and high gear stop screw on the front derailleur. After winding the stop screw out by 1 ½ turns and adjusting the cable adjuster it seems to change reliably now. The acid test will be to take it out on the road.
Distance 38.94 miles. Max speed 29 mph. Average speed 8 mph. According to Cateye Velo 7.
Ascent 726 ft. According to Bikehike.
