Head sting.

Posted on 14th Jul 2016 by essiep

Rode Home with MapMyRide+! Distance: 29.66km, time: 01:15:13, pace: 2:32min/km, speed: 23.66km/h.

Ordinary ride home until the wasp got into my helmet. I heard a faint clunk as it entered one of the helmet’s vents. It didn’t sting immediately giving me time to pull over and take the hat off. The wasp then seized its moment and stung just below my head buff thing.
That’s it! Three or more days of itchy head. The piercing sting sensation wore off after a few hours and didn’t even bother me while getting to sleep.
Was that little wasp trying to sting through the fabric of my hat? I can picture it probing the fabric with its sting.

Cross the Chase.

Posted on 10th Jul 2016 by essiep

I rode The Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 70.44km, time: 04:40:08, pace: 3:59min/km, speed: 15.09km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1597123868

I stayed upright, I even passed some mountain bikers on a climb. Later, just as hunger dominated my thoughts, a nice cafe appeared near the Katyn Memorial. Food meant I could continue riding. So the next leg, the Glacial Bolder.
I used a leftover map from easter’s treasure hunt, a training exercise for Y9s who had signed up for bronze. My group didn’t make it to this checkpoint and I wanted to see it. It’s on the edge of a heather moorland that is dotted with warning signs about mine subsidence. Actually, there were stories about people disappearing up here, in particular, a young lad. It turns out tattie stories were nearly true, he was actually rescued by miners.
Most of the tracks were of coarse round pebbles, the Bunta Pebble Bed. The same deposit that Birmingham is built upon.
Mostly dry and dusty, they were no real hazard today.
At the Glacial Bolder, a guy was with a group of teenagers and we got chatting. There are groups of youngsters all over the chase today, in small groups carrying rucksacks. I asked whether they were DofE, but no. It was part of the NCS Scheme.

My bike at the Glacial Bolder for scale.

The Glacial Bolder is am erratic from RW Scotland.

Later, I rode north and eventually got to the canal at Great Hayward.
Here’s another curious picture:

Rhubarb?

Look at the size of it! It must be 10ft high, oh sorry I’ve gone metric, it’s 3m.
It looks like wild rhubarb to me, but is it?

Anyway, I’m recovering now. My arms have taken a battering from the vibration and my tiredness is mostly dehydration.

Double metric centuries.

Posted on 3rd Jul 2016 by essiep

I rode with MapMyRide+! Distance: 124.55km, time: 05:10:27, pace: 2:30min/km, speed: 24.07km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1581417773

Fine summer’s day, and a good way to use it? This racing bike has hardly been out this year. An oversight perhaps, it felt perfect on the route. It ran silently and there was not a glitch. Not bad for a 20 year old bicycle.
At the risk of sounding a bit OCD, I’d like to turn the rear tyre round so it matches the rim logo.

Summer canal loop.

Posted on 2nd Jul 2016 by essiep

Rode the cyclo cross with MapMyRide+! Distance:26.01km, time: 01:34:01, pace: 3:3min/km, speed: 16.60km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1578538022

a pleasant and relaxing ride along a familiar route. Vegetation has bulked up, in places, I had to weave out of their way. Mud was there too, but thinner than last night’s rain would suggest.

Cool, sunny with a brisk wind from the south. It’s July, it should be warmer than this.
Still, it was a good ride.

Lost a bolt.

Posted on 26th Jun 2016 by essiep

I rode Fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 83.86km, time: 03:22:42, pace: 2:25min/km, speed: 24.82km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1564894565

When did that bolt drop out? The two either side were loose too. Perhaps it’s been a while. The loss of support worked them undone. I picked up a new set on the ride.
As for the ride itself- quick, smooth and free flowing. It’s marvelous when when it feels like this. The route was typical, included Dalton and Bannister Lane climes. There was wind too, but it didn’t cause much discomfort.
On the approach to Bannister Lane, a guy on a bike set up for time-trials lay ahead. Strangely, however, his low gears were very low. Nonetheless, he was easy to pass.
A good day out. Rain arrived in the last few miles, but so what? The afternoon was very wet and relentless.
these Schwalbe Durano tyres are impressive. The running surface seems tough enough to resist local roads and their thorns. Meanwhile, those side-walls are supple. A good combination that seems to run well.

Canal commute.

Posted on 21st Jun 2016 by essiep

Cyclocross Jake with MapMyRide+! Distance: 25.40km, time 1:23:17, pace: 3:17min/km, speed: 18.30km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1553902193

First trip mother route with the gravel tyres. They’re not as grippy in the muddy sections, but they’re fast on tarmac. I don’t mind, the slippy bits can only build my skills.

Next month is the last payment the Jake bike. Then it’s all mine.

Time for N+1?

Gravel lanes

Posted on 19th Jun 2016 by essiep

20°C, sunny start but building clouds and light S breeze.
I rode Cyclocross with MapMyRide+! Distance: 74.35km, time: 03:30:43, pace: 2:50min/km, speed: 21.17km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1548544646
Main feature- weaving through the gravel lanes behind Southport. There are many signs forbidding access to private roads, but they are not marked as such on the map. So, I pressed on. This time, I carried a 1:25k map which is suffering from the damp now. Note to self, it needs replacing.
The bike ran smoothly and the gravel tyres remain a good choice for days like this.

At the time of writing, heavy rain has set in.

Javelin.

Posted on 24th May 2016 by essiep

12°C, dry bright and light wind.
I rode with MapMyRide+! Distance: 25.42km, time: 01:18:02, pace: 3:04min/km, speed: 19.54km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1489635909
Before riding home today, I took part in an athletics session. Specifically, I went to try javelin. Along with archery, I have quite fancied this for years.
I was rubbish, but got better significantly during the time. There were too many things to coordinate. Steps cross over, twist, lunge and release angle. More practice required.

The ride back was okay. The rear wheel didn’t hold pressure very well. Changing the tyre seems to have disturbed the self sealing inner-tube.
Apart from that, I had less energy available than usual. My legs still feel tight from the weekend.
I need to taper towards the weekend too. In-Pinn plus 3-Peaks is soon upon us.

Looks like summer, but it’s cold.

Posted on 15th May 2016 by essiep

I rode fixed with MapMyRide+! Distance: 84.86km, time: 03:18:54, pace: 2:21min/km, speed: 25.60km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1474829699
That’s 52 miles to you.

A field in Dalton, where an intimidating sign warned off trespassers. Looking left, the eye is drawn to the door of a sandstone church. Looking ahead, I could see all the way to Wales. It was that clear.
That was a very satisfying ride, it felt easy to life the pace as the bike felt light. That’s partly the summer wheels, partly the fine, energising sunshine.
It’s remarkable how quickly the summer takes hold.

I’m going metric.

Posted on 14th May 2016 by essiep

I rode Cyclocross with MapMyRide+! Distance: 31.24km, time: 01:33:30, pace: 3:00min/km, speed: 20.05km/h.
http://mapmyride.com/workout/1473311243
To tie in with hiking, I will try recording rides in metric. It’s going to take some getting used to.
Besides, the Jake has new tyres, a pair of gravel tyres, Schwalbe CX.

Somewhere in West Lancs.

For today’s conditions, they were perfect. Rolling is much better on tarmac and hard tracks. There are plenty of those this time of year. The only problem I had was a slow puncture caused by disturbing the slime inner-tube.
What a gorgeous day, not warm but blazing bright sun and fees blue.

Micycle

Mike thinks b/hikes

Category Archives: Cycling