Saturday, May 23, 2009

Day 8 - Clitheroe

Why does my schedule say 59 miles for this day? That’s what we were expecting but ended up doing over 70 again!

This was a day I hadn’t really been looking forward to. Getting through the cities and towns of the northwest can be tricky. But in fact I loved it, Andrew was less keen on the cycling through the gritty towns as I was.

We did have our earliest start today, probably as we were both woken by 5am by the traffic noise. Nice old couple that run the site, but it has seen better days I feel.

First stop was Northwich (after an unplanned visit to Middlewich due to a missed turning). I wanted to get my bottom bracket replaced. The first shop (Grays) had closed down so I rang the other (Dave Hinde) to confirm that they could do it.

They are a specialist racing frame builder but kindly stole a bracket from one of their very expensive showroom bikes to fit to mine. Thanks guys, much appreciated.

Just as I was paying up my mate Red (Martin, and yes I realise that none of my friends appear to have proper names!) came with his Dad to say hi. He’d brought tea and chocolate with him which were very welcome. The choc kept us going chunk by chunk all morning. Red’s Dad runs a caravan park near Barcaldine and will be able to sort us out some camping nearby when we stop there. Thanks for coming to see us guys, it’s great that people are taking the time and trouble to wish us well.

After getting back on route we had a quick look at the top of the Anderton boat lift and headed into green leafy flat Cheshire lanes. Superb cycling country. The roads were very quiet too, it was good that we were here on a weekend. We crossed the Manchester Ship Canal by a wonderfully rickity looking bridge.

It wasn’t until Leigh that we encountered any built up areas. I thought Leigh seemed a nice enough town. Westhoughton was far less attractive. We only cycled the outskirts of Bolton.

Up to here I can’t see how you could improve on the route we took. Fast, smooth and quiet.

We had our first real proper hill since Bristol onto the moors above Bolton The contrast in scenery was stark from the morning. This was proper bleak moorland. Long climb through Belmont where I had the pleasure of overtaking a guy puffing away on his unladen racer.

We were pretty tired above Blackburn and took a few minutes to recover. We lunched in Glazebury before Leigh by the way. The drop down into the town was spoiled somewhat by stupid speed humps.

Blackburn was OK, a very cycle aware town with proper lanes and markings. The oneway system was a bit of a pain though. We didn’t dally and made our way to Whalley and the much further than expected stint to the Camping and Caravanning club site in Clitheroe. Proper clean facilities and a laundry. A laundry, bliss. I might have to go naked tomorrow as I need to wash everything I have!

Much needed rest day tomorrow. My neck and shoulders our causing me most discomfort but our bums will be grateful for a day off of the saddle.

Distance : 71.50 miles
Time cycling : 6h22m
Ascent : 1388 m
Average speed : 11.2 mph

Friday, May 22, 2009

Day 7 - Middlewich

Still exactly on schedule. Pretty mean planning I reckon.

Longest daily ride so far but also the least hilly. It was also the hardest first 20 miles for me. I was cold and tired and had doubts about making the distance. Weather today was steadfastly cloudy and pretty chilly. Wind is still with us. Occasional light showers which were barely enough to wet the road.

The picture shows the way ahead. Beyond Andrew eating his gravel the Corve Valley curves to the northeast.

The valley road on the east side offers good fast flat cycling. We joined the B-road at Shipton and this is where I started to feel very tired. Andrew was fine though.

We stopped for chocolate at the quaint village store at Brockton and on to Much Wenlock for a proper break. An expensive and empty café where I started to doze off.

It was the pick me up I needed though as I felt loads better. We crossed another Severn Bridge and up the long steady climb, not steep, past The Wrekin.

The rest of Shropshire was very flat and easy cycling country and it wasn’t too long before we had the steep little climb into Market Drayton for some lunch at the appropriately named Jones’s Café.

My bottom bracket had been clicking all day but it was getting worse, with a clunk and graunch with each pedal. Time to get that replaced. My mate Red has found us a bike shop in Northwich for tomorrow.

After lunch it was just a case of doing the distance to camp near Middlewich.

I had my closest encounter with a car yet on a double-mini-roundabout on the outskirts of Market Drayton. The car didn’t give way to me, luckily I was aware of the potential danger and took avoiding action. The driver was very apologetic but just a few metres from disaster.

We had a jolly tour around Nantwich first though as we went in a big circle and ended up in the town centre twice!

The B-road and A530 north from Nantwich were horrible. Busy and fast, the worst roads we’ve cycled on by far.

We arrived at the Camping and Caravanning Club certified site on the A-road Hmm, a bit disappointing. Seems to be more of a bus scrapheap than a campsite. At least we eventually got the shower to work. I hope I can sleep through the constant traffic noise.

Back and neck sore today. Gonna get to Clitheroe tomorrow and take Sunday off. The joys of urban cycling tomorrow.

Distance : 77.76 miles
Time cycling : 6h37m
Ascent : 1014 m
Average speed : 11.7 mph

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Day 6 - Ludlow

Hello blog peeps. Third of the journey done already. It really seems quite surreal that we are now in Shropshire when just a few days ago we were on a beach in Cornwall!

BTW contrary to what some people may think we have actually camped every night. Even at the YHA in Okehampton we pitched the tents in the rain and slept in them in the rain. We did use the nice warm lounge to eat and relax in though

So today. Three different counties in a day. Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. Not bad, not bad at all. Well Herefordshire was a bit grot!

We started the day, dear reader, climbing through the Forest of Dean to Coleford. Pretty scenery along the way, we saw several JOGLErs along here. Beyond Coleford we descended to Ross and a teabreak at the Pots and Pieces teashop and gallery. We had a lovely chat with the owners who kindly put some money into the sponsorship kitty. We had just missed a downpour as well luckily.

After Ross we had a very undulating minor road right next to the Wye at times. Pretty but tough. We got diverted at Brockhampton onto the B4224 due to a closed road. Probably just as well.

We skirted east of Hereford and were in a lunchbreak hunt. We did not pass a single shop or eatery until Bodenham. Even then it was just a very odd Post Office and a garage. Do people not eat around here?

We bought some bits and bobs and ate them sitting on a stile up the road. We quickly got to Leominster and out again (probably for the best) and made it onto the B4361.

Let’s hear it for the B4361. What an ace cycling road. Quiet, smooth, a little undulating but fun and great views! Ludlow was the target for this day and we got there, a crazy steep ascent to the campsite but worth it for the fantastic views.

We walked down into the very pretty town and ate at the Thai recommended by the Pots and Pieces guys way back in Ross!

A good day, weather was excellent. Cycling was good. Neither of us have any major physical issues so far. I have a bit of a sore neck and Andrew has sunburn.

PS I photographed 3 cut marks and a rivet today. Benchmarktastic!

Distance : 62.72 miles
Time cycling : 6h04m
Ascent : 2243 m (it felt like it)
Average speed : 10.3 mph (result)

Day 5 - Part Deux

Hmm, seems like only half of yesterday’s blog made it through the ether. Here’s the rest of what I writted…

Very soon after Andrew broke another spoke. Tch, how careless! Thank goodness we bought spares in Crediton. A repair later and we were up onto the Severn Bridge. This isn’t something you do every day, cycling high above the water. It was pretty ace but we were getting tired.

Chepstow is rubbish. It meant we did a few miles in Wales, but it had no open shop for food and no camping. Luckily we found a shop in Tutshill and made our way on the unplanned east side of the Wye Valley to get to a fab campsite Tracey had found for us in Tidenham Chase. A hilly end to a long day in the saddle.

A tired blog post today. Should be a shorter day tomorrow. Wind is picking up outside. Night night blog followers.

Distance : 69.33 miles
Time cycling : 6h21m
Ascent : 1632 m
Average speed : 10.9 mph

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Day 5 - Tidenham Chase

Tough day today, we think probably due to getting our breaks all wrong. We really only had one proper break at lunchtime. We must do better. The weather was better though, warm and sunny. No rain! Yippee!

We had our fry up at the farm, very yummy, and payment for the camping was waived! Such fine hosts.

We quickly made our way to and through Bridgwater, probably quicker than the cars. A couple of surprising small climbs were negotiated before we descended onto the levels.

Very, very flat. A little like the Vale of White Horse back home. I half expected to see the horse on the Mendips ahead. The pace was good and the weather good enough to ditch jackets and Andrew went down to shorts!

All too soon though the levels were done and we got through the gap in the hills ahead to Congresbury for lunch.

After lunch we headed for Bristol with a long tough climb up Ashton Hill. We stopped for an ice cream on Clifton Suspension Bridge which was narrow so barely saw the view.

Bristol is hilly. Some nasty steep climbs over Clifton Down and beyond before we descended into Henbury and a diversion towards junction 17 on the M5 due to the bridge at Hallen being shut.

At Pilning my Bristolian mate Chowny (Stephen) rang as he was out looking for us. He eventually found us at Northwick for a brief hello and good luck. It was great of him to make the effort to seek us and say hi. Cheers buddy

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