Bit misty and drizzly when I set off at about 8.30am on Saturday but this soon cleared away. However, there was obviously a lot of crap on the roads as I only made it as far as Harthill before suffering a puncture (not the first of the day!). My humour was not helped by the fact that one of my tyre levers snapped. Damn. Oh well, weather starting to look a little better so off with the jacket and on we go. Good progress through Shireoaks, Worksop and Retford and then on to minor roads via Eaton and East Drayton to join the A57 for a short stretch over Dunham Bridge. Just before getting to the A57 I encountered the first flooded road of the day. Not deep but enough to get my feet wet. The Trent was VERY full as you can see from the picture.
From here it was back on to minor roads via quite picturesque little villages before crossing the A57 again at Saxilby. Going well so far. Averaging about 17mph and feeling good. More minor roads and a short climb up on to the ridge north of Lincoln. The clouds were starting to look a ominous now. So far, I'd been lucky but wasn't to last! Started to rain heavily near the vilage of Scothern and it just got worse and worse. Torrential would not begin to describe it. Twas nearly impossible to see through it and I've never experienced a cloudburst like it! Feet soaked now but I was loving it. Singing along to myself and laughing at the elements. Passed a couple of cars that had parked up on the side of the road (the rain really was too heavy to drive in) whose occupants looked at me like I was some sort of loon. Then heard the telltale pft, pft, pft from the rear wheel. Bollocks. Not another puncture and not in this downpour please. Found a bit of shelter and made my repairs. Thank goodness I put 2 spare innertubes in the saddlebag.
Off we go again and the sun comes out. Can see the water on the roads evaporating and the smell of the wet fields and verges was wonderful. Thats one of the best things about cycling in Lincolnshire. Soon come across another flooded road. This one was actually closed off but I ignored that. Hmmm. There was a good reason for those signs. It was deep and long. My feet were submersed as I pedalled. Never mind. They were wet anyway.
Approaching Horncastle (where I lived as a lad) and bugger, my front tyre starts to deflate. And it starts raining heavily again. Sod this I thought. I'll put the hammer down and get to the bike shop in Horncastle before its totally flat. Just get into the town as the last of the air goes. Its tricky trying to steer around corners in the rain, on the rim! Double bugger. The bike shop is no more. Its another bloody antique shop. Damn you Wiggle!!!! Oh well nothing for it. Couldn't really be arsed to sit there repairing a tube so resolve to put as much air as I can in and cycle up towards Louth. I'd have to stop and reinflate a few times but what the hell. Also resolved to source some new tyres from a LBS in the area and ceremoniously dance on the grave of these SHIT Schwalbe Blizzard Sports.
On the second 'reinflation stop' the valve of the tube comes away and I resign myself to defeat. Its only about 4 miles to my destination and so its easier to phone up the missus and get picked up rather than sit in the rain fixing a tube. After a quick shower I disappear off to a LBS in Alford (James's - nowt to do with JE James of course) who sell me some new conti's, new tubes and some better tyre levers!
Got completely rat-arsed in the evening which was probably not a good idea as I was planning to get up and go fairly early in the morning next day. I didn't leave until lunchtime!
The weather today was lovely. Sunny spells and light winds. What breeze there was, was in my face but it was OK. On some of Lincolnshire's flat, open roads even a modest headwind can be quite demoralising. There is often little shelter so its good to find lanes with high hedges. The lane in the picture is typical of the area. Narrow and big hedges where groups of Kamikaze sparrows and finches launch themselves across the road right in front of you. There are also lots of beautiful quiet places to stop and rest for a bit. I stopped at this small river with lush vegetation on the banks. Loads of wildlife to enjoy.
Anyway, retraced my route back to Sheffield, stopping for a pie and a pint on the way at Dunham. Started to get a bit tired around Worksop but plodded on and got back home just before 6.00pm. Not too bad. And stayed dry too.
158 miles in total (79 each way) in the two days. I'm feeling quite tired now.
2 comments:
Looks lovely Rob, when it's not raining! We don't get out into Lincolnshire enough, it's great cycling - it would help if the first train to Lincoln on a sunday wasn't 2 p.m.!
good ride! Nice post. Cheered me up and generates more urges to do long distances.
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