Mad and muddy

After Sunday's chaotic ride, I wanted to get a bit of order in and do some hill climbing and some sprints if I could manage both on the same day. My shoulder was still sore too, so I wasn't holding out much hope on the hills.
As it was, I needn't have worried as the weather made my decision for me.

Thanks to the metrolink roadworks I couldn't take the immediate left once I'd left my crummy road so I had to tweak it a little to get onto Edge Lane and round through Fairfield, Daisy Nook and onto to Lees New Rd by Lily Lanes.
On the way up St Alban's the weather got a bit crap with drizzle and by the time I'd got to the top I couldn't see Hartshead Pike anymore due to mist and storm clouds. That was my mind made up; I wouldn't be going up that climb, so I focused on sprint training instead.

I carried on until I reached Alt Lane and swooped round by Alexandra Park to Hathershaw, around/through Limeside and to the start of Coal Pit Lane where I was going to practise my sprinting. Having no turbo yet and unable to afford the track sessions, this is the next best thing for me in preparation for the next club track championship in December.
The road is just over 1.03 miles long, little traffic and with approx 70ft of climbing along it's length. My LBS owner uses this road too for his sprinting, so I knew it'd be a good road to get top whack on.

I was, however, completely blown away by what I did mange to achieve.
I rode up it 4 times, each time sprinting as hard as I could for as long as I could. Granted, I know that the track sprint is only 200metres, but with the 1k TT and the 2k pursuit also ahead of me, I wanted to push myself.
The stats for the sprint are included in the usual stats below.

After nigh on wiping myself out to the point of nearly falling off the bike by the end of the sprinting (must've been doing it right then!), I carried on to Bardsley for my lovely off road route to the cafe where, due to the rain, I arrived very, very muddy, rather wet and knackered!

Stats - www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24706
Miles: 18.34
Average speed: 26mph (thanks to the sprinting)
Maximum speed: 37mph (top whack! PB for max speed too)
Climbed: 619ft

Welcoming?

My legs decided they'd be kind to me today and let me get out for a ride with some climbing involved.

I set off on a deviated route to Droylsden centre avoiding the roadworks and contraflows and headed through Littlemoss where I got stuck behind a very slow moving hgv - I could understand it being cautious on the bends etc, but it was uber slow on the straights too. It decided to pull over before the M60 crossing so the huge line of traffic behind managed to get past before we all had to stop at the temporary traffic lights heralding another single laned section of road (they're breeding rapidly I tell you!). On passing through the narrow section the car in front clipped a roadworks sign (you know the one with the little man opening his umbrella to the ground, lol) and sent it careening into my path. I had two options: stop suddenly getting a car up the ass and maybe falling off, or ride over the thing. I chose to slaughter the sign and rode over it; it was a little noisy and lumpy but it beats a car up the butt any day!

On the gradient up to Oldham Rd the afore-mentioned slow moving hgv now got stuck behind me, although I was going quicker than it was doing on the flat straight road earlier. Somewhere along here it turned off, dunno where but god help those narrower streets with that beast driving down it!

Over and past Hartshead Sports College I made a quick decision to head to Hartshead Pike for a climb I haven't done in a while. Round two sides of Oldham Golf Course and the climbing keeps on coming until I'm at the top where the glare from the hazy sun is a nightmare and the wind has gotten chilly. A rapid descent and I'm in Mossley and ascending Under Lane into Grotten, along Thorley and across Abbey Hills Lane before getting onto Alt Lane.

At the Alt Lane junction I came across this rather sad sight:

Welcoming? Not likely!

Alt Lane began as a normal suburban street with a hump in the midst of it. Once over the hump however things change quickly. It becomes a narrow single laned, twisting, steep (9%ish) effort. Partway down this descent my brakes decided to play up and not actually slow my bike down much. When I did manage to slow down enough, I decided to walk the longest and steepest bit to be on the safe side until I got to a level(ish) section where I could tweak the brakes. When I got them working again I continued down Mill Brow and onto Park Bridge Rd and it's cobbled speed humps and it's final long cobbled section. Juddering about on these cobbles with a painful pelvis and shoulder isn't the best of practices, but I had actually forgotten they're as bad as they are - they're pretty spaced apart with some completely missing in places and with deep ruts between some of them. I came off the other end unscathed if a little tender.

The route home from here wasn't really thrilling as it's a route I do on a regular basis and there was nothing to write home about.

Near home however was a different matter. As I rode along St Andrew's nearing Eastwood a moronic driver in a mushy pea green metro decided to ignore the stop signs, white lines on the road and the fact that a rider was nearing and chose to just swing out into my path, just metres away from me. Come-uppance came when a car did the exact same to him at the next junction. I tried to not laugh, but it was hard not to.

Stats - www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=23486

Miles: 19.7

Average speed: 13.4mph

Climbed: 1073ft

Windyville

After my enforced break from riding due to having to order in tyres and needing to find the money for them first, they finally arrived on Saturday morning. Hurrah! I was beginning to think that I'd have to miss the MCC Club Ride to Rivington on August 30th, but it's looking like I can ride it after all.

So this morning I set off for a ride to test out the new tyres - and to see how she'd cope after being pimped over the past month. One thing I didn't count on today though was the awful wind that evilly became a headwind no matter where I went. So much for seeing if the rolling resistance of the Luganos would be worse or better than the gp 4 seasons, with the wind I was struggling just to stay upright on the climbs.

So, here goes: after heading to Daisy Nook, dropping down Stannybrook I began the climb up Crime Lane (evil hill) to Bardsley and got onto Park Bridge Rd for a nice meander before the cobbled road took me to another short, sharp kick in the ass with the climb past the visitor centre and Dingle Terrace to continue climbing up Mill Brow until I reached Abbey Hills Rd and had a descent to the five-way junction on the Mossley/Ashton border where I began climbing up past Hartshead Pike and dropped down from Upper to Lower Mossley before climbing back up to Mossley Cross via the steepest little bastard of a hill (210ft of climbing in 0.48 mile averaging 14%), then descending back past the Pike to Gorsey Lane where I chose to ride down it for a change and headed to Daisy Nook for breakfast.

While at Daisy Nook visitor centre I had the funniest experience I've had for a while. Due to my height and short hair most people assume I'm a bloke when riding (despite the snug fitting kit), so when I rode to a table and saw a couple of mtbers already there I though nothing of it. Ditto neither did they. However when they realised I'm female, oh they changed their tune! All of a sudden they were showing off, flirting, mucking about near me. Every time I stood up they began whistling and suddenly turning it into a tune when I caught their eyes. Hilarious to watch them. They became like a pack of dogs!

Anyway, I digress. Back to the ride. After climbing back out of the valley, I descended down the fast, steep and narrow Medlock Rd before hitting my hill rep hill (where I couldn't be arsed doing any reps) although I did overtake a couple of cyclists - which is a miracle for me on that hill! And I dropped them too: click of the gears as I passed and bye-bye cyclists. I think it was just a fluke that I managed it that time as I'm usually rather pants at hills. of any variety.

Then it was home, pint of milk down the throat and off to moms.

Stats - view route
Lovely and warm but, oh so windy!
Miles: 20.68
Average speed: 15.4mph
Climbed: 732ft

Early morning ride

Seeing as it's still so hot outside, and I wasn't particularly in the mood for a morning or afternoon ride, when I woke up at 6am unable to sleep any longer I got out on Everest and took her for a trip to Hartshead Pike....the hillier way.

Usually I'd head up Lees Rd and past Oldham Golf Club for a short climbing experience with a few 11% sections. This time I head out the way I would normally come back - climbing Mossley Rd, passing Ashton Golf Course and turning off at the brow of the hill up Broadcarr Lane. I did this on purpose knowing full well that I'd have a 2 mile climb with an average of 5% followed by a short sharp 11% section that rears straight up from Mossley Rd with no let up - for me that is fairly evil as I can do short and sharp, I can just about do long climbs, but to combine the two was evil; but it had to be done seeing as I can't avoid hills all my life!

Anyway, after getting to the Pike, savouring the breeze up there, I knew I'd have to leave again pretty sharpish if I wanted to avoid the rush hour traffic as they headed out to work.
I came back down via Lees Head Rd, Lees New Rd and Abbey Hills Rd (with its 20% section) to Alt Lane and a lovely descent through Park Bridge to Bardsley and more descending until an 11% climb brought me back out of the valley to a flat section through Failsworth and Newton Heath before reaching my hill repeat hill.
Sadly (or gladly, not sure which yet) there are lots of roadworks on this hill now and it's been narrowed down to a single lane while the work is going on, so I couldn't really do my hill climb on it as stopping halfway up a hill for traffic lights would really bugger up my times - I felt slower getting up it anyway, so numbers wouldn't really tell me much different!

Stats - view route
Already 20 degrees and sticky
Average speed: 12.4mph
Miles: 17.3
Climbed: 646ft

Everest Liberation

Say Hurrah! Everest got liberated today and she got to play out!

After all the pondering I've been doing since Doc said I can ride again and, what with all the crummy weather, when I saw today's forecast I just thought if I'm gonna get out and try riding again, now would be a good shot.

So after a little bit of faffing about I set off and immediately headed in the direction I usually do - towards Daisy Nook and up Littlemoss and Newmarket Rds. Once at the crossroads I had to do a fast bit of thinking - do I feel strong enough to go straight across and up Wilshaw Lane with it's nasty kick in it, or go a little out of the way and head up Cranbourne? Just as the lights changed to green Everest decided she wanted to go the slightly easier route (isn't she good to me?).

Once on Lees Rd (in the rain) with Hartshead Pike looming on the hill in front of me, I chose to go through Park Bridge down the steep twisting lane - nothing like that road to ensure you get over your fear of turning left (was turning left when I got hit by the car in Feb). Once through the lanes there and back onto Ashton Rd I took Everest for a spin in the mud through Daisy Nook and to the visitor centre for a bite to eat.

While at the centre Everest found herself in lust with a Spesh Stumpy while I fed the squirrel that lives in the woods there.

After a breather I set off in the mud again to Crime Lake, past a few friendly fellows (horses) and up the hill there to cross the M60 and head through Failsworth and down to the railway crossing at Berry Brow. Annoyingly I only remembered the crossing was closed today when I got down the bugger of a hill to it. So begrudgingly I had to turn tail and climb back up it and find an alternative route to get to the other side of the crossing.The alternative took me to the far side of Clayton Vale (Medlock Vale) for another off road section. Everest and her new tyres coped brilliantly and all too soon I was at the point I wanted to be - my hill repeat section. Although I knew I was badly unfit, I thought I'd still give it a shot and did rather well. You'll see how well when you view the stats.

Although I've not ridden since February, I'm a little unsure whether I'm happy or not with my average speed on this ride as you can see from the look on my face! On the brighter side my pelvis didn't hurt at all and the legs only struggled half the time.

The route can be seen on mapmyride - main route & the hill

Stats -

Cool, light winds, rain

Max speed: 26mph

Average speed: 11.2mph

Miles: 16.26

Hill stats -

Max speed: 10.6mph

Average speed: 7.4mph

Miles: 0.25

85ft of climbing (max 17% gradient)

Hartshead Pike

Yesterday I went for a wee wander up to Hartshead Pike and ended up walking pretty much all the way back to Droylsden - not entirely sure how I managed it without too much pain. Maybe the wonderful sun was stopping any pain?

It proved to be a rather interesting walk. I began on Mossley Rd in Mossley and began the upward trek up Broadcarr Rd, round by Lily Lanes and from the tidgy car park up the gravel path past the millstones which is where the original Pike stood to the beauty itself. After drinking in the stunning views on all side and taking hundreds of photos, I set off back down again.

I thought I'd go a slightly more rural route back down along some of the footpaths that are dotted through the farms that lie on the hillside. What fun that turned out to be! It became a 13 and at times 14 degree scramble (and quite often slide) down the hill on what at times was nothing more than a rut a wheelbarrow made. The pathway started off relatively easily, but steeply down Lily Lanes and alongside the border wall of a farm. Then it became fun. Across a skinny stile (do footpath makers think all walkers are super skinny?) and onto the narrowest of pathways, bordered either side with the obligatory bramble bushes that try to not let you past as your clothes snag on them - in my case my little figure snagged on them too and half of it was a trifle torn and very very scratched.

As the rutted centre was quite deep I ended up walking along straddling it (and most likely looking pants!) until, joy of joys, a tree was leaning right across the path and Ilike I'd had an accident in my had to scramble under it.

Then came the best bit. I had to cross a field. That's not too bad you might think. but it was bad.....as the pathway became a muddy, boot-sucking, squelchy 5 inch deep muddy bog-type thing. After a fair amount of heaving myself through the gloop I reached yet another skinny stile -the kind you have to go through sideways and still get your butt stuck if you're not careful! Splodge!!! T'other side of the stile was the glorious gloop I'd struggled through before; and as I was still descending a steep hillside, it was a big drop to the floor, so yet again it was a case of heaving myself across this bit. Now I was confused as the path seemed to just completely disappear into the air. was in a field with no trace of a path and fence posts that were difficult to make out if anything was between them. As the previous paths were along the edges of the fields you naturally assume this one will be too. But no! This one was right through the middle of the boggiest field I've every seen. Luckily a tractor had been through it at some point and I opted to walk in its tracks which thankfully led to a gate and back to where the path continued. This brought me out onto Twirl Hill Lane and where I wanted to be. Phew!

Once across Lees Rd I set off up/down Alt Lane before veering off to the River Medlock and it's steep sided vally before joining a Sustrans cycleway along a lovely tree-lined avenue that led me through Limehurst farm and out to Riversvale and Daisy Nook. After a welcome rest on a bench on Riversvale Drive, I though I'd clean my boots off in the river before hunting out a bacon butty at the Jown Haworth Centre in Daisy Nook to replenish my energy reserves.

Glutton for punishment

I picked up Everest from Gerry Shields today. Just shy of a ton for her to have a nice shiny silver (used to be black) stem, headset, rear derailleur and gear cable.

As she's not been ridden for a week, I took her on a spin - it was intending to be shortish, but kinda grew into a longish ride. A ride that was made difficult by my aching legs after yesterdays track exploits!

I set off towards Hollinwood in Oldham taking the right turn just before the M60 to take me towards Ashton Rd which I cut across and towards Glodwick, onto Kings Rd, Summerfield View and Alt Lane, through a little bit of Park Bridge before joining Lees New Rd and my Hartshead Pike route. As I haven't been over to the Pike at all since saying I would make it a New Year resolution (I have done other hilly routes though), I though I better get up there before the month is out.

Up I went along Thornley Lane and Lane Head Rd, past Lily Lanes and onto Broadcarr Lane for a little downhill section before turning left to head through Upper Mossley on Stockport Rd and Mossley Rd to bring me out in Greenfield. A welcome break was needed here as my legs were beginning to hurt and I was carrying my backpack with my normal clothes in - I walked for 40 minutes to get to the bike shop, and certainly wasn't going to do that in full bike gear, not with all the workmen about anyway!

After a welcome bacon butty I went for a little lane ride just off Uppermill's main road and came out on Holmforth Rd not too far from the Chew Valley roundabout. Nice little level road here let my legs ease off a bit before I punished them again with the lovely undulating Huddersfield Rd and it's continuous humps and drops until I nearly fell off in Stalybridge (not quite sure what happened to make me nearly fall off though!).

I snuck along the roads through an industrial estate to get me into Dukinfield, just so I could have another road that felt like it was downhill before my super speedy dual carriageway-esque road home.
For a 'test' ride I think I tested her pretty well - wore myself out in the process - and she's running better than she has since her last service.

I'm glad I have a rest day before the Middleton CC club run on Sunday, as I don't think I'd be able to get very far if I were to ride tomorrow! It's just a case of putting all the attachments back on her and leaving her well alone for a day before ploughing on with the challenge.

There would normally be a button link to mapmyride right about here. For some odd reason mapmyride cannot be found my my Internet connection right now, so I'll have to post the route map tomorrow or asap.

Boring bits - Wintry showers, cold winds and dull/grey. About 2 degrees.
Maximum mph: dunno - I left my PC at home Average mph: I left my PC at home Distance: 24.17 miles 1165ft climbed 1 knackered rider!

300 mile in a month challenge - 31% complete.

After yesterdays slight catastrophe with the case of the exploding tyre, I decided to have another look at my old Hutchinson tyres - only replaced them as one tyre sidewall was really worn and I'm a bit of a tyres have to match freak! Anyway having looked at them both, one is k to use, so have put that on the front wheel and moved my Bonty tyre onto the back. Now for the test ride to check it is actually OK.

I made sure the test ride was one of my local routes in case anything did go wrong and I needed to hitch my way home! I also made sure the route took me along some rubbish road surfaces.
So, I set off along Ashton New Rd and turned towards Littlemoss and following the road past Daisy Nook to take me to Oldham Rd; a right turn along here before turning off to head up Cranbourne Rd, up the one way Ladbrooke Rd and onto Whiteacre Rd. Now for the royal roads - a left turn onto Queen's Rd and a left onto King's Rd to begin the little climb to the top of here with it's junction with Gorsey Lane. Excellent views over to Hartshead Pike from here too.

No time to stop though as I wanted to get home asap due to being tired - didn't really sleep well last night.
Down Gorsey Lane onto Mossley rd for a nice little downhill section where I pick up some great speed, before taking a sneaky little turn down a road that looks like it leads purely to Tameside Hospital; but no! It houses an entrance onto Silver Springs where I had the pleasure of an isolated loop round the lake before getting back onto Mossley Rd for the return journey.

Getting stuck behind a bus isn't fun, and that's what happened to me all the way home from Ashton. The lights turned red for me as I got close, but not close enough to sprint my way across, so I patiently waited, and groaned as a bus pulled out of the adjacent bus station. Groaned even louder when I saw that it was going the same way as me!
All the way along Newmarket Rd I got stuck behind it as it trundled it's way along - the road isn't really wide enough to pass it safely without getting splattered by oncoming traffic, which was beginning to build by this point. So, I stuck with it until the turning for Daisy Nook; I took a right turn to take me to the disused Hollinwood canal and pootled my way along it until Littlemoss. I got off and back onto the road, looking left and right....no bus! Hurrah! I had beaten it to this point (or it had beat me and zoomed far into the distance).
Back home, I checked the tyres again - they seem fine, so here's hoping I may not have to buy some new ones just yet!



Boring bits -
Cold (-2), dull, grey.
Maximum mph: 26.1
Average mph: 12.6 - thanks to that blooming bus!
Distance: 14.44 miles
381ft climbed.

2009 aims

Although I don't normally make resolutions I've decided that this time I will make some plans and do my damndest to stick with them. So, my aims for 2009 are -

Complete the 300 Mile a month Challenge that re-starts January 1st.
Ride every other day.
Ride at least 7 of the monthly Middleton CC club rides.
Ride at least 7 of the monthly Chorlton Wanderers rides.
Make 1 ride per week up to Hartshead Pike.
Improve hill climbing ability (or current lack of).
Ride out to Dunham/Lavender Barn once a month.
Complete at least 4 sportives.

Phew!

I'm not entirely sure why (I think I may have been a little delusional) but I decided to do a ride with a nice little combo of hills to climb and sprinty sections. I never, ever, ever combine the two things into one ride and now I know why......I feel so shattered after it all!!

As the weather was quite warm compared to recent weeks the thermals got left behind and I braved the world in my dhb base layer, short sleeved jersey and long sleeved jersey over the top. Perfect.

I set off along my usual route through Daisy Nook and across Oldham Rd in Ashton before getting onto Kings Rd where the road kicked up and over Queens Rd towards Knott Hill, along Gorsey Lane to bring me out Mossley Rd where I'd usually turn right to head back into Ashton. Not today though. Instead I turned left and carried on up into Mossley Cross with Hartshead Pike on my left shrouded in mist.
Through a busy and annoying junction and I was happily heading to Uppermill for a while before dropping off down Chew Valley Rd to the start of the Isle of Skye climb - which I totally ignored for today! A right turn brought me back to Mossley (eventually) and on into Heyrod where I decided to give myself a kick up the butt as I took a road with a sting in the tail - the lovely Luzley Rd and it's skyward (for a little while) heading. This brought me back out directly opposite where I left Gorsey Lane earlier on.
It was a case of left turn and sprint away to my hearts content now as I flew through Ashton and onto a lovely section of road for really testing the legs, the section of the A635 between the A627 roundabout and the other slightly deadly triangulated roundabout thingy before turning off for Guide Bridge, up and over the motorway, saying a very close hello to the bus that lurched out into the road in front of me.

Almost home now, hurrah! Back onto the A635 at the Snipe before maneuvering round another lovely, deadly nightshade kind of one-way system and the best sprint bit of all - no traffic lights for a whole mile! And then another mile without lights. Hurrah!!
Now it was just a case of hoicking the Everest onto my shoulder and dragging myself upstairs to my flat, where a welcome pint of milk was waiting for me, teasing me with it's condensation running down it's side.



Boring bit -
Temperature: 12 degrees
Max speed: 31mph
Average speed: 12.6mph
Miles: 21.79
Climbed: 863ft

Frosty the cyclist

When I saw the weather this morning, I just had to get out. Everywhere was all twinkly with the frost and looked so pretty, I just had to be part of it all. So I wrapped myself up nice and warm in my Orca base layer, Discovery Channel jersey & bibs and Altura reflex jersey, and the oh so important Specialized legwarmers (though they do have a hole in the knee from when I fell off!) and Endura overshoes to keep my tootsies nice and toasty, then I was off into the frost.

I decided I'd head East into the foothills of the Pennines - although I only wanted a short ride - and set off towards Daisy Nook where I was treated to the sight of what looked like the dawn of the day, although it was 9:26am, honest!

Everywhere looked great and I felt good, so I carried on despite it being rather cold out. Lots of funny looks were the order of the day as I must've looked like I wasn't wearing much while everyone else was wearing every coat they owned - several people looked they were wearing all their clothes at once! I even had several coppers commenting on my (apparent) lack of clothes; then they started whining cos they were cold in several layers and I was cosy in my 3. I left them to whine to themselves.

At this point I discovered that I hadn't put my pump back on the bike after I washed it last night, so thought better of going to the Pike or the foothills and stuck to Ashton and it's 'burbs. Up through Hurst and by Knott Hill Nature Reserve and I was suddenly part of the way I'd go to the Pike, so I thought I better head back downhill, just in case I punctured - not really the weather to have a long walk to a bike shop or home.

I snuck in a loop round Silver Springs before getting back on road and flying through Ashton's heart and up to Taunton. Usually I'd get in the drops for this section of the ride, when I tried it today I yelped as my wrist really didn't want to play in that position, so opted for hands on the brake hoods, arms resting on the bars - still got as aero as I wanted to, so no worries there.

Down along Newmarket Rd, past Daisy Nook and I decided I'd have another sneaky section - this time on the Littlemoss 'camp' of the Hollinwood branch canal. Lovely and frosty here; only downside was the thundering traffic on the M60. I doubled back on myself here to get back to Daisy Nook and back along the roads to where I took the 'dawn' picture and noticed that the cottages across the road were looking lovely in the light, so snapped them then chatted to a couple of horse riders on lovely chestnut mares before pootling along quite happily til I got to one of my favourite sections of the ride; although it's on the busy main road I like it cos I get to drop down into the bars and sprint the mile to home.

It was doing this that I scared a copper! Lots of the Droylsden Force were out pulling drivers for random checks etc and as I flew past them at God knows what speed, all I heard, "Bloody Hell, that was a cyclist going at that speed!" Heh heh...well, you do have to keep them on their toes!

All in all, it was a fab winter wonderland ride/route, and it's great when you can rattle a PC!

Boring bits -

Temperature: -5 degrees

Average speed: 11.4mph

Max speed: 27.9mph

Miles: 14.39

Climbing: 381ft

A little bit ouch

After getting my bike back from it's service after the crash I had in November I went on my first ride to test it and my poor body out.

The day dawned sunny and the roads were a little slick after early rain, but there was no threat of cloud or rain. Until I left my flat that is!
I managed a few miles before the heavens opened; I chose to carry on though seeing as it's a bit pointless going out for anything less than 5 miles. The route I took was based on rough jolty roads to test my injuries and also nice new slick tarmac to ensure I've not lost any cornering confidence.

As it turned out I hurtled round slick puddle-filled corners no problem; the jolty sections were a little painful on my wrist, but I think that's down to having taken the strapping off it. I'll give it another go with the strapping back on and see how it goes.

My route took me out towards Littlemoss on the roads before diverting along a track through fields and over the M60 to bring me out in Taunton before a little back road loop that took me part of the way towards Hartshead Pike. I crossed over Mossley Rd and set off down the side of Tameside Hospital to the track that is alongside Silver Springs and Stamford Park. Back along Beaufort Rd and more back roads to Taunton, through Daisynook and Littlemoss and onto the lovely section of the A662 Ashton New Rd where I always drop down into an aero position and fly along til I get back home.

Annoyingly, at some point through the ride my bike pc went flying off my stem - don't know where it went. When it's done that in the past I've either seen it fly off or heard it land/get drove over etc, but I think due to the amount of rain it did a runner without me even noticing until I got home!

Boring bits -

Temperature: 0 degrees
Average speed: abt 10mph
Max speed: abt 23mph
Miles: 12.1
Climbing: 302ft

Amount of pain when riding -
Ribs: 0%
Shoulder: 10%
Wrist: 30%

I must be crazy!

After yesterdays ride and still feeling good, I decided that I'd head out for a ride this morning to try and get my mileage up and over 100 miles for the week.

So I got up nice and early and set off about 9am heading towards Park Bridge where I wanted to do a few easy loops round there before heading back home to chill out properly.

I took my usual route up through Daisy Nook/Littlemoss via Newmarket Rd and out onto Lees Rd to the Twirl Hill junction.

At this point my legs felt really strong and good, so I made the decision to continue along this road and turn off onto Lees New Rd and head to the Pike - having never been this route up before, I was a little apprehensive.

I started out very cautiously as I'm pants at hills and I knew there was a lot of climbing for me to do, but I think I was being a little too cautious as I was spinning along a little too easily; change of gear or two later and I was at a point where I had to push a little without it being too hard or easy. Perfect.

Pretty soon the road started to kick up some more and I was changing back through my gears and starting to feel the effects of the climb. Up and up and up past some very pretty stone cottages and converted barns, round a corner with an evil kick in it, then over a brow for a wow moment - to see Manchester sprawled out in front of me with the hazy sun filtering through clouds was excellent. The weather was a little changeable while up there as it was also quite mean and moody looking at times too!

After drinking in the views I had the joy of a tiny little drop in the road before the surface went from lovely smooth tarmac to a very rutted, crumbly, water-filled pot-holed bundle of fun to get across, then onto a rather murky and squelchy track to get up to the Pike itself. Hurrah!There are a few tracks to get back down onto one of the main roads but I chose to head down Broadcarr Lane before joining Mossley Rd, hurtling the whole way down this with a grin like a Cheshire cat on my face as cars were giving me the widest berth ever, drivers wondering who the lunatic was!

Once in Ashton it was simply a case of getting onto the A635 & A662 and head back home.

Boring bit -

Temperature: 7 degrees

Max speed: 29mph

Average speed: 13.2mph

Climbed: 633ft

Miles: 15.96

Challenge 34.73% complete with 195.81 miles left to go

Are we having a late Indian summer?!

The weather was gorgeous this morning - just perfect for a ride, so I headed out with all intentions of going to Hartshead Pike, but it all went a little bit wrong!

I set off through Daisy nook towards Ashton with the sun beating (well, trying to) down, but by the time I got to the road to take me to the Pike I couldn't see the top of it due to low lying mist, so a change of direction was the order of the day.


I turned off towards Park Bridge - excellent decision: narrow, twisty roads with some steep descents. Perfect. That is until I came nose to radiator grille with a truck trundling up the hill I was hurtling down! As this road has few passing places and is only just wide enough for the truck, I had to turn around and haul ass back to the top and eagerly wait to go again. This time success. It proved so much fun I just had to do it again.

By the time I got round to the turning again, the Pike & the hill it stands on were completely veiled by the mist. Back on the descent, I managed to hit a pocket of mist, although I'm convinced it was a very lost cloud, as I hit it dry and was totally wet when I came out the other side!

On the way home I managed to tuck in behind a British Cycling car and kept pace with it, so I got in a good mile or so of sprinting. Kept getting funny looks too; though I think that it's down to my Middleton CC strip as it has been mistaken for the British team strip before - well, it is red, white and blue with union jacks on it!!

The boring bit:
Temperature - 15 degrees
Max Speed - 27mph
Average Speed - 14.7mph