Bank Holiday Ride 1

On Saturday I decided to play around with one of the routes I've been riding recently and turn it on it's head. I also left a portion of it out altogether.

So, it began with a nice sprint of about 1 mile along my main road to turn off as though going to the Velodrome (my route to the velo anyway) and up and over the speed humps that never seem to slow anyone down! Heading down towards Philips Park extension and I seem to be hurtling along at warp speed. Doesn't my body know that it was seriously injured not long ago and has no fitness or power in it??????
Once round the twisty turny section and onto the short twisty 8% hill to bring me out, slap bang, into crudville - derelict buildings along one side of the road. Right hand turn and I'm (trying) to sprint up Briscoe Lane to All Saint's Church but my body has now realised it was injured and seems to be having a massive strop as I kinda trundle my way along. Sigh. This is only 2 miles into the ride and already I'm screaming internally at myself to stop the legs being an arse and get their act together.

Once I get to a 4% rollercoaster section all the screaming seems to have worked as I flew through it towards Ashton Hill Lane and once at an annoying mini roundabout - this one perched just metres away from another roundabout and perched on a hill - a right hander takes me to a valley with a fast 8% descent and a (very unlike me) 6% uphill sprint at the other side and the top end of Woodhouses.

Coal Pit Lane used to be a cyclists worst nightmare - country lane with numerous potholes, narrow with only 1 passing place, lunatic drivers and a housing estate just shoved over to one side of it. Now it's a lovely smooth road - still have the other problems though. I positively flew along here to Knott Lanes and then began a great descent - 10% to begin with, then 15% and finally 20% all in a hill less than half a mile long. Fab!

Near the end of the hill the brakes get slammed on or the entrance to my off-road section is missed (happens to me a hell of a lot seeing as I enjoy that downhill so much!). Daisy Nook and the Hollinwood Canal is the port of call now hurtling along to the very necessary bacon butty and mug of tea. At this point I'm feeling a little foolish for wearing my nice new long sleeved club jersey as bought for me by the bro (Paul) cos I'm feeling extremely sticky. I could have taken it off as I was wearing my compression vest, but that'd mean I had nowhere to put the jersey unless I shove it into my bibshorts; i didn't really want to look like the hunchback of Notre Dame for the rest of the ride, so I just shut up and continued to get sticky!

Back on Everest and back to those 20% lock climbs; then back to that valley, only this time I was flying down the 6% side and climbing back up the 8% side to bring me out onto an unusually quiet Oldham Rd (A62) where I decided now would be a great time to punish the legs for wimping out so early into the ride. So sprinting I went. Only for a couple of miles, but still it felt good. Back down the twisty 8% hill and onto the second off-road bit - Medlock Vale, which is looking lovely now that all the work has been done on it to make it safer and more accessible.

As I've motioned in recent posts, I now seem to end my rides with a hill climb/test/repeat. Today was no exception as I went for the longer climb.

Sadly I forgot to change my bike pc from bike 1 to bike 2 (as I do when doing hill repeats etc after a ride) to record the time, so alas there're no stats from that particular section. Sorry to all you geeks out there. Also, there are no pictures as I forgot my camera and phone - sorry Jon!

Stats view route
Warm, still
Maximum speed: 28
Average speed: 12.7
Miles: 15.79
Climbed 322ft