Bob 5 Training “Cromwells Bridge”.

A late start to the journey on Easter Sunday (14:30) due to a clean and a service of the bike …

It was a sunny afternoon and at arriving at Great Mitton and after taking the photo below I found myself removing one of my four layers, my intended destination today was Ribchester.



Great Mitton

I followed the road to Hurst Green and stumbled upon Cromwells Bridge …

Cromwells Bridge

Page 111, Harold Briercliffe “Cycling Touring Guides” “At Lower Hodder there are two bridges,the oldest one (dated 1512) being narrow and covered with ivy. Over this bridge passed Cromwell in 1648, when on his way to the Battle of Preston in which he defeated the Royalists.”

After stepping foot on Cromwells bridge I followed the road to Hurst Green.

After a short stop to take the above photo I continued in the direction of Longridge / Ribchester.

One of the highlights of this trip was being passed by four fellow tour cyclists.

On leaving Hurst Green a Cannondale tandem over took me. The bike was being ridden by an elderly couple clad in lycra and with Altura jackets and Altura Panniers.

After a brief conversation I discovered they had been to Yorkshire, the Malham area for the Easter weekend. Before I had time to enquire further about their destination another tandem appeared and they sped off, I could not keep up !! Lite bags and four feet on the pedals, credit card tour cyclists ;-)

At least I was able to get confirmation of the direction I ought to be taking down Gallows lane towards Ribchester at the bottom of this lane you will find the junction below.

With time slowly running out on me I was so close but so far away this time, I turned left and headed home.



Lost in Lango, it turns out I was only about 3 miles away for York at this point.

Unfortunately it was up hill all the way !!

Stats for the complete journey are as follows ...

Distance .. my computer advised  22 miles.

Max height : 771ft

Min height :  96ft

Max speed :   31.2 mph

Average :      10.7

Time 2hr 04min   

Weight (to be confirmed) 8.2 kg

Al Training ride 30 March 2013

Well it was back to the cycling last week after a couple of weeks off training and taking part in an archery competition (I won in my style :0)) If interested Results

I got out on the bike two mornings (before work) in a row this week and put in 9 miles the first morning and 10 the second. These are just around the local area so that I can be back in time to have a shower and start work.

Bigger - Balerno

On Saturday the 30^th March I decided to do the Bigger to Balerno run. This was a cycle Bobby and I had done on a freezing cold day, 27^th October, last year. It was normally 24 miles following the normal route but I decided I would take a few wee detours to clock up a few extra miles.

Magic fuel

I also wanted to try out my latest energy kick trick. Wine Gums! Yup I just can’t go to long without a wee snifter ;0) I decided to only put a few in my jacket pocket as I knew if they were easy to get at I would just munch the whole packet.

The snow was falling at home and the temp was just below zero but the forecast had said it would improve through the day.

My wife ran me to Bigger in the car for 13:30 and I re assembled the bike with the snow still falling and the temp at about 1DegC. I set off and soon discovered that snow grains hitting you at 30 mph hurt (good excuse to slow down eh ;0)). I stopped to try and get a picture of the snow grains but they did not show up in the image.

Carnwath

I quickly detoured off the familiar route and went through Libberton and on to Carnwath where there was a lovley wee garden at the enterance of the town. I stopped to have a slurp and to try and warm my painful fingers up. The cold headwind seemed to be just passing straight through my gloves and freezing my fingers to the bone. After 10 mins and a quick text home to say I was ok I set off again.

A welcome stop

Wine Gum No1 taken.

Another budding cyclist cut down in his prime.

Once through Carnwath I was soon back on the normal route. I one point I thought to myself just how empty the moor is. It was then that I heard the howl of the wolf (or was it the wind) and found the evidence of what happens if you stop for to long.

View of some Windmills

The Water Works

I stopped at the same place Bobby and I had stopped at for a bite to eat and a cup of hot chocolate. This time though there was snow and a lazy wind that just cut straight through you. I had to sit round the downwind side to try and warm up a bit. Thankfully the sun started shining and the hot chocolate started to warm my fingers up. Round where Bobby and I had sat last time there was a water leak spraying water across the snow. Sods law eh… a water leak at a water treatment building.

That was a steep hill, Honest

Once I had warmed up a wee bit I set off again and with the sun on mu back I managed another 5 miles before my frozen fingers made me stop. I stopped and warmed up in the sun. This time there was no wind as I was down in a dip. I also blew into my gloves to warn them up and this really helped as I did not need to stop again for frozen fingers.

Wine Gums 2 and 3. (well it was a steep hill)

I carried on to my favourite reservoir (Harperrig) and stopped to take some pictures as the sun was now out and the snow on the hills looked wonderful.

Wonderful eh!

Wine Gum No4. (the view was breath-taking an I felt I needed to toast it somehow)

Off again and on the home stretch. I decided to add a few extra miles and went round the Rig before getting home, this added about 4 extra miles and helped me to my 30 mile total. Finally home at 5pm. The actual cycling time was 2hrs 45mins so I must have had 45 mins on my break, pictures and frozen finger stops.

Stats

Total Distance: 30 Miles

Average Speed: 11mph

Max Speed: 23mph

Cycle Time: 2hrs 45mins
Extra Weight carried: 15Kg

Wine Gum outcome: Yum Yum. Yep they seem to help.

UPDATE: Just managed to buy stove like Bobbies for £35. At least I hope it’s the same… :0)

Trangia 27-2UL

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trangia-Cookset-Kettle-Spirit-Burner/dp/B0014BMS5E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364812206&sr=8-2

Well that's it for now. Will try and get out again next week.

AL

Bob 4 Training “Through the Nick”.

On a sunny but cold Good Friday afternoon I ventured out to conquer the Nick of Pendle.

If you turn right at Pendleton onto “Route 91” and continue to the road junction you are faced with a decision you can either turn left in the direction of Clitheroe our alternatively right in the direction of Sabden, this road takes you through the “Nick of Pendle”.

My records show that on the 27^th August I attempted this road for the first time and on approaching the first cattle grid I turned around as the road was to steep ;-)

I was only carrying 5kgs on the that day unlike today I had two rear panniers totalling 8.2kgs.



I made it to the ski slope this time.



You can see the road in the distance there was a further climb in order to reach the top ;-(

The view from the top :-)



I continued my journey to Sabden, then onto Whalley then the dreaded hill up to York.

Stats for the complete journey are as follows ...

Distance .. my computer advised  20 miles.

Max height :  969ft

Min height :  153ft

Max speed :   39.8mph

Average :      10.5

Time 1hr 55min 

Bob 3 Training "I am no chicken just a mad cyclist"

Further to the email which I sent Alasdair and Andrew at the end of January  which read …

“Dear Both -

Question) What do you do when you can't get on your bike due to the bad weather?

Answer) Plan a circular trip which can be used in preparation for your next touring trip.

At 35.7 miles in length I thought I would share this one with you.

At it's highest it's 1159ft above sea level, at it's worst you climb 700ft in approx 3 miles and at it's best you descend 959 feet in 4 miles? 

…

I think I will travel light the first time, carry as little as possible and check the weather forecast before I set off to ensue the wind is on my back?

I think it may also be wise to ensure I have got my cycling legs back and carry my inhaler just in case ;-)

I think this e-mail will require a further one containing some photographic evidence of my journey which I will undertake some time in late February or early to mid March. Provided I don't chicken out first of course! “

I woke up on the 20^th March having had little sleep as I was a little anxious and excited about my planned journey. If the planning in respect of the route had been done in January then any routine maintenance on the bike had been done the night before. I had washed the bike, tightened the spokes on the front wheel and lubricated the chain. With a little play on the front fork I made a decision to tighten this en-route when I visited my Father at the start of my trip.

The day started cold, there was snow in the air and the wind chill factor was to say the least very obvious.

After weighing my back panniers yet again I made a decision not to take my rack pack this time. Weight for this journey totalled 10.2Kg

The journey for me today did not start from when I left home but from when I started travelling down roads on my bike which I had not cycled previously. It’s from this point I started taking my pictures.

I left home, visited my Father before continuing my journey down Goldacre Lane and then down Old Nab Lane to York. Then down the “dreaded hill” to Whalley (see the previous post with pictures). At Whalley I followed a shortcut along the viaduct to get onto  Mitton Road (B6246). On Mitton Rd I kept on this road until I arrived at Great Mitton, then at the Hurst Green junction I turned right and followed the road until I arrived at the sign below …

At this point my stats showed as follows …

Distance Travelled 11miles

Average 10.9

Max 33.3

The time was 10:27

My next planned stop would be The Red Pump Inn at Bashall Eaves

 

At Cow Ark I turned right ..



I needed to go to Newton but I went via Whitwell as this route followed the river :-)

Unfortunately I cycled straight passed the Inn at Whitewell and only realised when I hit Dunsop Bridge. Please note the sign, it’s only 15miles to Lancaster from here and what a 15 mile journey that would be through the Trough of Bowland?



Photos above approaching Newton.

My view at lunch time.

Hills, hills and more bloody hills !

I conquered Waddington Fell and put my hand prints in the snow on the top !!

The hill right in the distance (just about visible) between the handle bars and the saddle is Pendle. See the previous post with a photograph looking at Waddington Fell this time I am looking back at Pendle!

From this point it was down hill all the way literally, right into Waddington, then Clitheroe, up the hill out of Clitheroe to Pendleton then onto Wiswell and then home.

Stats for the complete journey are as follows ...

Distance .. my computer advised  38.36 miles.

(I had deviated a little from the original route I had planned)

Max height : 1159ft

Min height :  142ft

Max speed :   36mph

Average :      10.0

Time 3hr 47min 

(I did start the journey from home at 09:00 and returned home at 15:00. Cycling time therefore does not include a stop for routine maintenance (front fork) and a brew, taking photos, lunch and regular map stops (ensuring I didn’t get lost)).

Bob 2 Training "2 Panniers & 1 Rack Pack"

A lite load?
2 Avenir panniers and 1 Karrimor Rack Pack
Karrimor Rack Pack contains one Vango Tempest 200 tent, and a tent carpet (4.2kg).
Daily commute Avenir contains tools, spare tubes, cycle pumps,3in1 oil, waterproofs (4.2kg).
Other Avenir contains my kitchen so to speak, water, stove, meths (fuel for the stove),juice, tea/coffee/sugar, cooking pots and pans & fire starter (3.8kg).
Total weight 12.2 kg

The afternoon is bright but cold and there is still snow in the air ...
A short journey around a small corner of the Ribble Valley ..

I made it to Wiswell, I did like the flag pole!

Still plenty of snow on Pendle hill.

I think the snow covered top in the distance is Waddington fell? 

I kept to "Route 91" that way you get a cycle path to help you cross the A59.

(better to be safe than sorry?)

I made it to Clitheroe

The dreaded hill (Whalley -> York)

 Has spring finaly sprung?








Stats for the journey ...
Distance .. my computer 17.8miles.

Max height : 658
Min height : 153

Max speed : 29.4 mph
Average : 10.4

Time 1hr 43min




(cycling time does not include taking photos & having a brew at Mother and Fathers).

Bob 1 Training "Take the long way home .... (Supertramp)"

Counting down the days and realising that I have still a bit of training to do I decided to take the long way home. It just adds 3.66 miles to my total for the week (40 miles total this week to date), hopefully every mile should  help me achieve my goal of 2500 miles for this year?
Stats for this daily commute 12.66 miles, average 11.2, max 23.8
(full waterproofs both ways due to weather conditions).
Total miles this year to date 417.5 miles, total miles at the end of week 11 in 2012, 361.

Looking down the M65 towards Burnley.

Its better to be on a bike in the slow lane than doing 70mph in the fast lane?

I did take a little shortcut ...

On a sunny dry day I think I'll go right next time ...