Author Archives: essiep

Drying mud.

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17°C, sun and negligible wind. Dry.

I rode CX with MapMyRide+! Distance: 18.4mi, time: 01:47:20, pace: 5:51min/mi, speed: 10.3mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/931767171
Better weather brings dry air and warm sun. Each day sees the ground becoming dryer and firmer.
I alternated rides this week on the CX and fixed bikes. Each is getting faster.
Today, the canals were less busy, only a few lonely anglers and couples walking dogs. Between them, I built up the speed reaching 17mph along some towpaths. It still requires considerable concentration, but there is less squelching around in black mud and nervously negotiating bridge cobbles.

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The bike has thin mud at the back, but some of it smells of dog shit.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country basks in sunshine.

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I rode CX with MapMyRide+! Distance: 18.4mi, time: 01:47:20, pace: 5:51min/mi, speed: 10.3mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/931767171
Plod around some canal towpaths in figure-8 routes. On one bridge, a family stopped while dad fixed the lad’s puncture. That was his role for the day.
The mud is more viscous now and the thorns seemed to soften. Anyway, no punctures today either.

Started quickly.

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I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 51.9mi, time: 03:15:43, pace: 3:46min/mi, speed: 15.9mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/930567699
Started this ride in sprightly fashion and zipped along, often at 20mph. The climb up to Dalton was fine too, though I avoided Bannister Hill later.
While much of England basked in sunshine, here is misty under thick cloud.
As the sun burnt through, an interesting effect was visible in brown fields. Only the ploughed dark fields had a duvet of white mist up to about 6ft above. In places it rolled over hedges or gathered into conical convection structures.

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Mist near Hesketh Bank.

Muddy good ride.

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I rode CX with MapMyRide+! Distance: 22.1mi, time: 02:30:15, pace: 6:5min/mi, speed: 8.8mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/927048337
Slow recovery ride along canals and paths. Largely repeated the route up to Wychnor and found it waterlogged in places, but not the same places as last time.
No punctures. 🙂

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This part of the canal runs next to the river Trent, overspill pours into the river to the left of this photo. Nearby fields are also flooded.

Passed the worst.

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9°C, windy with light showers and sun.
The chilly fevers have gone, so I took the bike out for a test ride. Three laps round the dog-walk field and then put the road wheels on. That makes about 5 miles I would say.
Tomorrow, I will ride a few miles along the canal to a tea shop. Ride slowly!

It looks a bit absurd with huge clearance around that 25c tyre, but once mudguards are on, that won’t show. Swapping wheels is dead easy, I am not proposing using these road wheels for the canal trip. However, they are silky smooth on the road, Great for commuting.

Easter chills.

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8°C, strong NW with heavy rain pm.
Scratch plans: no cycling, camping, nor hiking.
The weather is terrible and I am full of cold. Even cutting some planks for the fire, I was left exhausted. So otherwise, I  can’t do much.
Here is my bike, whispering ‘can we go out yet?’ Imagine that in a voice like the snake from Jungle Book.

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There it is, gathering dust instead of mud. That’s not right, I tell you.

Easter.

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11°C, brisk westerly carrying showers.
Plans: may be abandoned for this coming week.
Abandoned so far:
Ride to work on the cross bike and return along canals. Felt ill yesterday.
CX ride to Fradley junction. Same.
Camping in Wales next week, bad weather forecast.
Maybe go to Castleton instead, and go up Kinderscout.

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It’s still cold.

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I rode Arrow with MapMyRide+! Distance: 16.5mi, time: 01:07:07, pace: 4:05min/mi, speed: 14.7mi/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/916495469
Air quickly chilled tonight. Clear sky has let the little warmth escape into the blue. Venus lies near the thin crescent moon, a reminder of Friday’s eclipse.
I thought there would be more energy in my legs today, but no.

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An idea, what about riding the cross bike in on the last day. After an earlier than usual finish, I could ride home on canals to get back.

Breaking: cyclist jumps red light.

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7°C, mostly dry.
Yesterday, I ran a red light. I had no choice. At the lights at Stanley Gate in Lancashire is on a normal four way junction. I approached from the north and stopped on red. Then the lights went through the changes twice before it became obvious that my side were staying red.
I would still be there now if I waited for them to turn green.
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