J
Jim
Guest
I'm not normally given to posting about my rides, but yesterday I beat my
old distance record of 135 miles, so wanted to write a ride report of sorts.
I cycled from Middlewich, Cheshire up the Horseshoe Pass nr. Llangollen,
then down the other side, then over a tiny road across the Clwydian Range,
across Halkyn Mountain and down through Northop into Chester (90 miles).
From there I was planning to ride the 25 miles back to Middlewich from
Chester, but turned off at Huxley and went past Beeston and Peckforton, and
too the A534 to Nantwich, Crewe (120 miles), Sandbach and Congleton. From
Congleton I went up through Mossley and to the Bridestones (by then about
1930 pm and I could see the lights of Leek twinkling in the distance).
Then a nice downhill through a tiny lane past the River Dane, up to the
Bosley Crossroads on the A523 and 16 miles back to Middlewich on the A54, in
the dark and the pouring rain. Last winter I bought some halogen Smart
rechargeable lights and felt a lot safer being out in the dark and rain as I
was well lit up and also could see where I was going.
I was amazed though - once I'd turned off the Cheshire Cycleway at Huxley
(100 miles) I just thought to myself that I wasn't going to stop until I'd
done 160 miles (mainly because that takes me just over 250 km). Of course I
was much helped by a tailwind more or less from Chester to Congleton - but
I'd never previously have thought I could do this.
Overall I managed 160.23 miles ridden in 11h40mins, at 13.71 mph, with a
total time on the bike from 8am - 21:23pm. Not fast by many standards, but I
was well chuffed with myself.
Didn't think a lot to the Horseshoe Pass though. Compared to the rugged wide
open expanses of the road up to the Cat & Fiddle (from Macc, Congleton or
Buxton sides), it seemed small (I don't mean gradient wise - it was still
steep - for me) and a bit scruffy. Also, I heard the National Hill Climb
champs were held there and from the Brittania Hotel to the first lay-by was
done in aobut 12 mins by Stuart Dangerfield. On my ancient Peugeot, complete
with unwieldy Panniers, I got from the Britannia to the Ponderosa in 23
mins. On a sleek race machine, I could've done it in 21 you know!
When I got home I peeled myself out of my soaking clothes, had a bath, and
went to bed asap. Today my legs have felt rather numb, but I have been
buzzing all day from achieving something I didn't think I was capable of.
Funny how one day you can really suffer on a small ride, and others you feel
like you could just keep going for ages. A case of mind over matter I think.
Anyway, that's my story. Sorry to blow my own trumpet, but I thought I'd
blow it in case anyone else was interested.
Jim
--
wasting my time since 2000 - http://jimpix.co.uk
old distance record of 135 miles, so wanted to write a ride report of sorts.
I cycled from Middlewich, Cheshire up the Horseshoe Pass nr. Llangollen,
then down the other side, then over a tiny road across the Clwydian Range,
across Halkyn Mountain and down through Northop into Chester (90 miles).
From there I was planning to ride the 25 miles back to Middlewich from
Chester, but turned off at Huxley and went past Beeston and Peckforton, and
too the A534 to Nantwich, Crewe (120 miles), Sandbach and Congleton. From
Congleton I went up through Mossley and to the Bridestones (by then about
1930 pm and I could see the lights of Leek twinkling in the distance).
Then a nice downhill through a tiny lane past the River Dane, up to the
Bosley Crossroads on the A523 and 16 miles back to Middlewich on the A54, in
the dark and the pouring rain. Last winter I bought some halogen Smart
rechargeable lights and felt a lot safer being out in the dark and rain as I
was well lit up and also could see where I was going.
I was amazed though - once I'd turned off the Cheshire Cycleway at Huxley
(100 miles) I just thought to myself that I wasn't going to stop until I'd
done 160 miles (mainly because that takes me just over 250 km). Of course I
was much helped by a tailwind more or less from Chester to Congleton - but
I'd never previously have thought I could do this.
Overall I managed 160.23 miles ridden in 11h40mins, at 13.71 mph, with a
total time on the bike from 8am - 21:23pm. Not fast by many standards, but I
was well chuffed with myself.
Didn't think a lot to the Horseshoe Pass though. Compared to the rugged wide
open expanses of the road up to the Cat & Fiddle (from Macc, Congleton or
Buxton sides), it seemed small (I don't mean gradient wise - it was still
steep - for me) and a bit scruffy. Also, I heard the National Hill Climb
champs were held there and from the Brittania Hotel to the first lay-by was
done in aobut 12 mins by Stuart Dangerfield. On my ancient Peugeot, complete
with unwieldy Panniers, I got from the Britannia to the Ponderosa in 23
mins. On a sleek race machine, I could've done it in 21 you know!
When I got home I peeled myself out of my soaking clothes, had a bath, and
went to bed asap. Today my legs have felt rather numb, but I have been
buzzing all day from achieving something I didn't think I was capable of.
Funny how one day you can really suffer on a small ride, and others you feel
like you could just keep going for ages. A case of mind over matter I think.
Anyway, that's my story. Sorry to blow my own trumpet, but I thought I'd
blow it in case anyone else was interested.
Jim
--
wasting my time since 2000 - http://jimpix.co.uk