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
Posted by jochta at 10:00pm
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 22 at 10:52pm
Sounds like you’ll benefit from a day off. Speaking as someone who’s done his fair share of cycling, in spite of currently being about as fit as Pete Doherty, I can assure you that the day off will be a miracle cure for the aches and pains. Do as little as possible and refuel sensibly and Monday morning will have removed those cobwebs from the legs. (That’s an expression I used to use when I was tired too. Amusing).
Bananaman
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 23 at 03:05pm
Supporting :
Good works dude, and excellent progress I have to say. Never toured seriously on two wheels that didn’t have an engine before so max respect for youse guys’ efforts.
J.