Is this. Sadly, a common sight along that part of the route. Shame really.
26 May 2007
Cycling caps
I'm a recent convert to the old style cotton caps. Not simply for aesthetic reasons (although they DO look good) but because they are practical. They keep the sun off your head and stop the sweat running into your eyes. They do the latter very effectively too - much more so than the pads inside a h*lm*t. A good example of this was on the Winnats ride the other evening. In the past I've been stopping on long or hilly rides to wipe dripping sweat from my sunglasses but with the cap on - not a problem at all.
23 May 2007
Winnats ride
Simon made an interesting point about what sort of rides people were interested in. Most Tuesdays they arrange an easy pootle and perhaps 4 turn up; then, obviously under the influence of 8.5% cider, Ian plans another bastard of a ride and 12 turn up. And we were all treated to a fantastic ride on a lovely evening.
A few of us left Barkers Pool at 6 and made good speed up Ecclesall and Hathersage Road towards Fox House where we rendezvoused with a few more. There was a quick stop on the way up there near Blacka Moor where some wanted to look at the CTC centenary tree. I certainly didn't fancy walking on gravelly paths and through undergrowth in shoes with Look cleats so left that delight for another day. Beautiful and quick descent into Hathersage and then motored along to Bamford where we waited a while for Ian to turn up. Ian was wearing his helmet cam. Hope he got some footage.
12 of us now and off we go towards Castleton and Winnats. Wondered if a few might 'wimp out and take the old road but all but one of the group took the left fork and up we go on the right bastard of a climb that is Winnats Pass. Last time I rode up Winnats I was on my touring bike with uber-low gears. This evening I'm on the audax bike with a compact double and a low gear of something like 35". Still low enough though. Manage to keep a gear or 2 in reserve until about 50m after the bend and then I need them all! Grind up OK and even manage to chat with Alan for some of it. It is bloody hard though. On the way up Alan was telling a story about a bloke who lived next door to him in Hope who commuted to Stockport by bike and rode up Winnats EVERY day. Bloody Hell! Chapeau. Mike looks fresh as a daisy at the top and turns back to descend. Surely, he doesn't want to do it again! Yes I think he does!!! We wait for everyone to regroup at the top of Mam Nick and enjoy the rest and also the view of a gorgeous setting sun.
Get the fun bit now and 'wheeee' all the way down to Edale and everyone keeps up a good speed back to Hope where Simon hands out chocolate biscuits. Good man. They don't last long! Back through Hathersage, where the local youth come out with a new one ... "Get off and milk it!". Hmmm, not heard that one before. And then we're climbing again on the road back up to Fox House. I get into a really good rhythm and keep spinning at about 10-11 MPH all the way up with a guy on a Litespeed MTB (think his name was Frank?). A slight tail breeze really helps. Thats not that fast but its not bad going for me. Lights on now. Get to the top of the hill and whizz back down, turning off up Sheephill Road towards Ringinglow. Descend back to the Rising Sun in Nether Green for a couple of pints before making my way home and suffering a bit of a clipless moment on the way!! Oh well.
What a great ride. 46 miles on my computer when I get back at an average of 14.1 MPH. Not bad. According to Ian the ride itself (42 miles) included 4500 ft of ascending. Want to do it again!
A few of us left Barkers Pool at 6 and made good speed up Ecclesall and Hathersage Road towards Fox House where we rendezvoused with a few more. There was a quick stop on the way up there near Blacka Moor where some wanted to look at the CTC centenary tree. I certainly didn't fancy walking on gravelly paths and through undergrowth in shoes with Look cleats so left that delight for another day. Beautiful and quick descent into Hathersage and then motored along to Bamford where we waited a while for Ian to turn up. Ian was wearing his helmet cam. Hope he got some footage.
12 of us now and off we go towards Castleton and Winnats. Wondered if a few might 'wimp out and take the old road but all but one of the group took the left fork and up we go on the right bastard of a climb that is Winnats Pass. Last time I rode up Winnats I was on my touring bike with uber-low gears. This evening I'm on the audax bike with a compact double and a low gear of something like 35". Still low enough though. Manage to keep a gear or 2 in reserve until about 50m after the bend and then I need them all! Grind up OK and even manage to chat with Alan for some of it. It is bloody hard though. On the way up Alan was telling a story about a bloke who lived next door to him in Hope who commuted to Stockport by bike and rode up Winnats EVERY day. Bloody Hell! Chapeau. Mike looks fresh as a daisy at the top and turns back to descend. Surely, he doesn't want to do it again! Yes I think he does!!! We wait for everyone to regroup at the top of Mam Nick and enjoy the rest and also the view of a gorgeous setting sun.
Get the fun bit now and 'wheeee' all the way down to Edale and everyone keeps up a good speed back to Hope where Simon hands out chocolate biscuits. Good man. They don't last long! Back through Hathersage, where the local youth come out with a new one ... "Get off and milk it!". Hmmm, not heard that one before. And then we're climbing again on the road back up to Fox House. I get into a really good rhythm and keep spinning at about 10-11 MPH all the way up with a guy on a Litespeed MTB (think his name was Frank?). A slight tail breeze really helps. Thats not that fast but its not bad going for me. Lights on now. Get to the top of the hill and whizz back down, turning off up Sheephill Road towards Ringinglow. Descend back to the Rising Sun in Nether Green for a couple of pints before making my way home and suffering a bit of a clipless moment on the way!! Oh well.
What a great ride. 46 miles on my computer when I get back at an average of 14.1 MPH. Not bad. According to Ian the ride itself (42 miles) included 4500 ft of ascending. Want to do it again!
21 May 2007
Clumber not slumber
Option 1: Stay in bed on a Sunday morning until kids wake you up and demand food/X-Box/drink/demands to call on friends at some ungodly hour/ ... well you name it. Or,
Option 2: Get up before them and bugger off on the bike for a few hours.
Its no contest on a warm and tranquil day and I'm out of the house by 7.00 Wake up 'Blue Vernon' and off we go with a bit of AC/DC on the MP3 player to get the blood pumping. I could take NCN route 67 (is it 67? I can't remember) but I really don't like the section between Sheaf Square and Beighton so stick to the roads via Mosborough and Killamarsh and join the NCN route at Harthill and then onwards to Worksop and Clumber.
Its a mainly beautiful morning with hardly a breath of wind. Skylarks starting to chirp over the fields. Well I would have heard them if it wasn't for Bon Scott belting out some classic tunes. No traffic and I'm loving it.
Get to Clumber and make my way to cafe to try and get some tea. I'm easily the youngest person around! Dog walkers at the moment. I've beat the rush. Not even any other cyclists. Anyway, quick pootle the roads and tracks around the park before making my way back. I'd heard that Clumber had become a bit of a mecca for 'dogging' but no evidence of that. Don't suppose there would be at 9ish on a Sunday morning though. That, of course, was NOT my reason for riding here!
Could choose a different route back but decide that I enjoyed the route here so much I'll retrace it. Lovely along the Chesterfield Canal although need to take it steady and avoid the many dogs that are being walked without a lead. Everything is great until get to White Lane and you have to contend with the tram tracks and then the ring road. Stopped in Graves Park to watch Norton Lees Juniors play a friendly match and then home.
Really enjoyed that and felt like I could have ridden all day. Just over 52 miles on the clock.
Option 2: Get up before them and bugger off on the bike for a few hours.
Its no contest on a warm and tranquil day and I'm out of the house by 7.00 Wake up 'Blue Vernon' and off we go with a bit of AC/DC on the MP3 player to get the blood pumping. I could take NCN route 67 (is it 67? I can't remember) but I really don't like the section between Sheaf Square and Beighton so stick to the roads via Mosborough and Killamarsh and join the NCN route at Harthill and then onwards to Worksop and Clumber.
Its a mainly beautiful morning with hardly a breath of wind. Skylarks starting to chirp over the fields. Well I would have heard them if it wasn't for Bon Scott belting out some classic tunes. No traffic and I'm loving it.
Get to Clumber and make my way to cafe to try and get some tea. I'm easily the youngest person around! Dog walkers at the moment. I've beat the rush. Not even any other cyclists. Anyway, quick pootle the roads and tracks around the park before making my way back. I'd heard that Clumber had become a bit of a mecca for 'dogging' but no evidence of that. Don't suppose there would be at 9ish on a Sunday morning though. That, of course, was NOT my reason for riding here!
Could choose a different route back but decide that I enjoyed the route here so much I'll retrace it. Lovely along the Chesterfield Canal although need to take it steady and avoid the many dogs that are being walked without a lead. Everything is great until get to White Lane and you have to contend with the tram tracks and then the ring road. Stopped in Graves Park to watch Norton Lees Juniors play a friendly match and then home.
Really enjoyed that and felt like I could have ridden all day. Just over 52 miles on the clock.
13 May 2007
Great morning, Shit afternoon
Set off at 7.30am with plenty of cycling time ahead of me before a rendezvous with family at Linacre Reservoirs (just west of Chesterfield). Weather forecast wasn't great but it wasn't raining (yet!). Got passed by the most miserable bastard of a slim roadie on the climb up to Whirlow from Abbey Lane. Sensed someone behind; quick look over the shoulder and a breezy 'Morning!' leaves my lips. Not a flicker as he drifted past. He definitely heard me though. Defintely saw my raised hand. Not the remotest sign of an acknowledgement. Not a nod. Not the merest raising of a finger from the handlebars. Not the slightest indication that the person on the bike was anything more than some sort of staring, cyclomaton. Now, given another comment along similar lines in a recent post I wouldn't want anyone to think I was a 'single issue cyclist' or that I supported compulsory extravagent waving. Rudeness and ignorance does bother me though. Oh well, matey boy was the only example of this today. I shall mention this issue no more!
Anyway, after climbing and then descending into Hathersage decided to go via Grindleford to Bakewell and then Chatsworth. Sadly saw a dead badger on the roadside en route to Grindleford. Its surprising how BIG they are. Apparently there is a 'Badger Group' somewhere around Sheffield that will recover any dead badgers reported to them. Didn't have number though. This isn't the first time I have come across one though and so I should find the number and stick it in my phone.
As I got close to Chatsworth I heard some godawful rattling and scraping coming from behind me. No difficulty in identifying the cause - the 'Bagman' rack holding up my Carradice Barley saddlebag had come away from the bracket holding it to the underside of the saddle. There are only a couple of poxy grubscrews holding the rack part on (see photo) and you can't really tighten them. A crap design fault in an otherwise excellent product. Maybe I should use some loctite though.
Chatsworth was already busy as the international horse trials were on. Lots of big Landrovers, shiny 4x4's and horsey looking people in expensive clothes. I am the only one within the Chatworth grounds on a bicycle. In fact I am the only one inside the grounds with transport that is smaller than some terraced houses in Huddersfield. Cafe not bloody open though so make use of facilities and decide to wait for a bit to see if it does open as I really fancy some tea. No chance so off we go. Enjoy the climb up to Beeley Moor (translated this means I rode up there very slowly) and onwards to Linacre Reservoirs. Sit and wait for family to arrive. Crave tea and cake now. Family arrive and I dive into a packet of biscuits before remembering to say hello. Mental note - I really must remember to eat breakfast before these early rides. First time I've been to Linacre. Its very nice. Lovely walks around the reservoirs and kids had a whale of a time for a couple of hours or so. You can ride around some of it too although you'd need a sturdy touring bike at the very least. MTB's would be the order of the day.
Finish walk and it starts raining (a lot) as soon as I change from walking boots to cycling shoes. Bugger. Was going to ride home on quite a circuitous route but can't be bothered now. Quick check of map and decide on shortest way back to Sheffield and in spite of rain do it bloody quickly as well. Beat family home although to be fair they did stop at the supermarket in Dronfield on the way :-)
47 miles (intended to do more) but very enjoyable morning and lunchtime.
Oh yes. Nearly forgot. The afternoon. Blades relegated. Bollocks! Don't want to talk about that.
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