Travelling Light (2)

This is how it's gone so far:

Friday night, had to carry a carton of grated cheese on the carrier. Tricky.

Tuesday, went swimming. Carying towel, trunks, goggles etc, again a bit tricky.
Seem to be having trouble keeping a lock in the right place.

Getting up the hill a bit easier - priceless!

Travelling light

I'm quite well known for cycling round with 20kg of crap in my panniers. On a typical day the contents might include:-

Small saw & Secateurs (for doing sustrans-type maintenance on cycle routes)
Pump, bell spanner, multitool, spare inner tube, puncture repair kit (belt and braces approach)
D-lock
Waterproof trousers, overshoes.
Sandwich box
spare pair of shoes, socks.
spare lights


...etc etc.

However, recently, having moved up to Greystones Heights I'm starting to question why I carry all this stuff. We have a heavily fortified bike shed at work so why do I need a lock? (for going out at lunchtimes, duh - but I could keep a lock at work anyway. )

If I got a puncture or other breakdown on the commute, wouldn't I just walk home?

I could buy a sandwich at lunchtime...etc etc.

So yesterday, having lugged #139's worth of fireworks up to work from the fireworks shop, I thought , well sod it, I'm going to come back down in the c*r to get this anyway, so I might as well leave the panniers behind as well, and I have to say the ride home was a lot more pleasant.

This morning I just used the top box for sarnies and rain legs, so I'm cutting down!

We'll see how it goes...
leave the panniers

Back on the bike!

Got the all-clear from the doc to start cycling again on Sept 4th. So that lunchtime, popped home and had my first ride for a month back to the office. This was notable for (i) number of cars in ASL's at red lights (ii) asian students walking out in the road while looking the other way- not a good idea!

That evening was the Sheffield Friday Night ride - Hidden Hillsborough. Mick who's imported this idea from London took us for a run up to the Birley stone near Grenoside, and then up the other side through to Loxley for a pub visit before heading back to Kelham Island. Mick has craftily scheduled the rides to be close to the full moon, and we were treated to beautiful, slightly pre-harvest moon as we crossed over to Loxley. I'm doing the next FNR, on the 2nd of October, on the topic of snickets, gennels and tracklements - why not come along?























Friday night riders check the view at the Birley Stone

The next day saw myself & the missus head up to Harrogate to join in the Sustrans
trailblazine ride for the Roses route - the next proposed Coast to Coast ride, joining the famous c2c and the trans-pennine trail. This route starts at Morecambe and will end at Bridlington.
If I hadn't broken my toe we would have joined the ride at Settle on the Friday, but we Settled
for Harrogate instead. So we caught the Northern Rail "fast" service to Leeds - normally no problem getting bikes on this train - and ran into Tony Gore, (big-T at Riding High) who was on his way to Scotland for a ride with his Airnimal in a bag. We continued to Ilkley and had a very pleasant ride over to Harrogate, climbing up to the Moors and passing the ominous domes of Menwith Hill.






















Windfarm with Menwith in the background.

We found the Sustrans gang enjoying Pizza in Harrogate, and arranged to meet
the next morning. We followed the Beryl Burton way between Harrogate and Knaresborough - a bit in need of TLC I thought - stopped for coffee by the Nidd, had an exquisite run along the river and made our way through to York, where a Green Fair was in progress and lunch was provided by the council. From what we saw the route will be very attractive to tourists, and hopefully the improvements that will be needed to bring it up to scratch will benefit local cyclists too. Having a couple of hours to spare we also sampled Route 65 to the north of York, along with the York-Selby route one of my favourites. Caught the train back to Sheffield with no problems (Despite having the wrong tickets!) and had a quick turnaround to go to Oxford for a training course. (I suppose I should mention that in the meantime, Sustrans rangers were gathering to prepare work for a new walking and cycling route through Beeley Woods)

Although the course (PRINCE2) was quite intensive, I did get a few opportunities to stroll around Oxford, and what a pleasant place it is - demonstrating that if a town is plesant to cyclle in it will be pleasant and loveable for everyone. The riverside path was buzzing with walkers, cyclists (inluding the inevitable sculling coaches) and joggers, while the road were also busy with cyclists. Oxford has implemented a default 20mph policy and this has really made the city a very pleasant place to be. I certainly wished I'd had a bike with me!

Coming up to date, on Saturday, 12th Sept, probably the best day of the year for weather, I went to a Sustrans Liaison Ranger East Mids meeting. Although Sheffield isn't really in the East Mids, my "patch" as a Liaison ranger used to cover NE derbyshire, until I hived it off to Paul Balderson who is doing a fabulous job of putting pressure on Chesterfield and Derbyshire councils to develop a rational cycling strategy for the area - there is a glaring omisssion in the NCN map, between Langley Mill and Chesterfield Station where you can pick up the TPT, although the route for cyclists heading for Sheffield could be made more attractive as well - which decidedly is in the E.Mids. Cyclists particularly in the east of Sheffield do make use of NE Derbyshire, and Nottingham & Derby aren't that far away, so my presence at these events is legitimate I feel.

Sustrans Liaison Rangers gather at Newark Castle station.

Getting to Newark was straightforward enough, again using the Northern "Fast" service to Nottingham, and an East Mids trains service to Newark (this train had 5 bikes on which didn't phase the conductor, in fact he wanted to chat about what would be the best bike for him to buy)



Newark is quite well sorted for bike routes - we sampled route 64 which uses a crafty combination of on and off-road paths to get you out over the railway, under the A64 and away through the fields towards Lincoln, and in a South-easterly direction take you towards Nottingham. Following the meeting I set off along this route towards Nottingham - the first few miles are on disused railway, then you take to quiet roads, heading into the Vale Belvoir before heading east towards Nottie. It was hot and I have to say it was hard going at first, still suffering from my four-week layoff, and two pints and a bellyfull of sarnies probably didn't help - I didn't seem to be able to rehydrate

The last section runs alongside the busy A52, and I opted to hop on the train at Bingham instead. I needed to be in Derby for early evening and was running short of time, so got on the canal towpath in Nottie to head out to Beeston Lock before switching to NCN6, then on the main road into Derby - should have peeled off a bit before I did though because I got onto the A52 again which is scary! Soon got into Pride Park though and along the river path which takes you through the city centre and along the Derwent to Little Eaton, where I met the missus and we headed into town for a Steve Earle concert which was excellent.

Off the bike :(

I dropped a tandem on my big toe (that's the easiest way to describe it) So I'm off cycling until Sept 4th according to the doc (although I might sneak on before then just to try it out) So I'm having an interesting time catching buses, walking and driving occasionally. Sheffield isn't too bad for driving around in August - however, when the schools and universities come back on stream it becomes a nightmare. (That's something everyone seems to be able to agree on!)

Northern rail & ride

Spent a fair amount of time on Northern at the weekend - train Sheffield - Brockholes, then cycled to Homlfirth to pick up route 68 which we followed through to Sowerby Bridge, switching to 66 to get to Hebden Bridge & Heptonstall where our friend lives. There are some hills on that route!. It's pretty much all on road so there are no maintenance issues to speak of, although the sign at Pole Moor is obscured by bushes. The cobbled path up to Heptonstall is a bad idea if you are wearing SPD's

However, I was struck by the crapness of the crossing of the M62 at Scammonden. There you are faced with a multi-million pound highway and you have to creep down an steep, loose unmade path. Then there are no signs at the bottom, or if there are, we missed them - so we went through the wrong tunnel and had to make our way along a glass-strewn track - throwing bottles out of cars must be a major way to relieve the boredom of travelling on the M62. Surely the highways agency could provide a decent crossing out of petty cash, or even the Vulnerable User crossings budget? To my mind it shows the contempt that the HA holds for cyclists.

Monday, got the train from Hebden Bridge to Leeds and hence to Sheffield - no problems with bikes on the trains there. I got off at Wakefield and had a rather wet ride over Emley Moor, but that's another story. Was however very pleased to see that the TPT through the Oxspring tunnel has been resurfaced with tarmac and an alternative route for horses (& masochistic MTB'ers presumably) Where the tarmac ends and it does get a bit rough again, an alternative road route has been signposted - good to see the needs of all users being taken into account and it looks as though more improvement work is under way.

Up and down the P*nistone Rd

Have been up and down the p*nistone rd a few times this week. The number of people using the cycleway has definitely increased - arriving at the Neepsend Lane there always seems to someone waiting on the other side. These lights take a long time to change in favour of cyclists, but when the traffic island is finished they will be quicker because it will be possible to only stop right-turning traffic to let cyclists & peds cross. Anyway the rule that you leave something in place for at least a year before Shefffield people will start using it seems to have been proved yet again.

Good to see Pedal Ready trainers teaching kids to cycle on the road at St Philips.
On the way back in this lunchtime, having picked up some spares from Butties and had a chat about the Next Bike project, I passed a lass on a mountain bike who was sticking to the road. She got caught in queueing traffic, then at a set of lights, and as a final insult had to stop for me as I crossed at Rutland Rd, she gave me a wave though, to say, OK you win this time! Off-road can be quicker.

Tram ride to Derbyshire

Set off early sunday morning to catch the cyclists special to waterthorpe. There were a few punters, on the family & women's rides. I split off to take the TPT down to Barrow Hill, then crossed over via Whittington Moor and Sheepbridge, to head for Baslow and the peak.

to be continued...

Snowcar gets a ticket

Spotted by one of colleagues...

London then and now

This is the text of a speech by Jenny Jones, Green member of the London Assembly.

I have posted it here because I want to add it to my boriswatch site: 

http://delicious.com/wildnorthlands/boriswatch

I think it shows why BJ is a very dangerous man indeed to have in charge of London. Apparently even the tories are a bit worried about him. 

Green Transport for a showcase city
18th October 2008
Cllr Jenny Jones AM

(Slide 1) Some of you will be coming to London for the Olympics in the
summer of 2012. I had hoped that when the world's media turned their focus
on London in four years time, that they would be surprised by how green the
city had become.

(Slide 2) Our previous Mayor, Ken Livingstone, was not only full of
aspirations - his green words were slowly being turned into a physical
reality by four years of having to do a budget deal with the Greens on the
London Assembly.

We had hoped to continue that process right through to the 2012 Olympics and
to showcase all the pioneering projects and changes that we had made in
London.

Alas, that is not the case and the new Mayor does not need the Green Party
member's votes on the London Assembly in order to pass his budget. Boris
Johnson, London's new mayor, has already cut some of our pioneering projects
and may well drop others.

I want to take you through the main achievements of the first eight years of
the Greater London Authority and set out our vision for creating a
sustainable transport system in London.

Then I will bring us back down to earth and look at what is happening under
our new Mayor.

(Slide 3) London as we are now

(Slide 4) London's big challenges

·                    London's population is growing fast.
·                    The public transport system is already over crowded and
roads congested.
·                    We need to contain that growth within London and avoid
building on green field sites in the south east of England.
·                    Achieving less pollution, even with a higher
population.
·                    Not enough money.

(Slide 5) Big solutions?

·                    Build on brown field sites and increase density of
development;
·                    Build low or zero carbon developments and
infrastructure;
·                    New public transport infrastructure,
·                    Reducing demand and a switch to walking/cycling.
·                    Using technology and behavioural change to reduce
pollution.

(Slide 6) Achievements
We have many achievements to be proud of.

1) Zero growth in traffic across London since 2000, despite rising
population and associated car ownership. This compares with 1.5% average
growth per annum in the UK.

2) A 5% switch from cars to public transport. Includes a record number of
people using the tube system (over a billion a year) and a 40% increase in
bus passengers since 2000.

3) Over 80% increase in cycling since 2000.

4) The fastest decline in road casualties of any region in the UK. 40% less
people are killed or seriously injured on London's roads now, compared to
the mid 1990s and this is 65% less children than in the mid 1990s – that
adds up to 600 less children a year killed or seriously injured on our
roads.

5) In the first eight years we had major innovations such as the
introduction of the Oyster card and Transport for London's (TfL) takeover of
the orbital railway in London.

From the licensing of the mini cabs, to river transport, the funding of car
clubs and door to door transport, London is now running a comprehensive
system, with something for everyone. It is not yet an integrated transport
system, but the cracks are getting smaller.



(Slide 7) My personal favourite was the congestion charge. This is
campaigners drinking champagne on the first day.

(Slide 8) We should also be proud of our Climate Change Action Plan.

I'd like to take you back to the list of solutions.

(Slide 9) Five solutions

Slide 10) Planning policy

Over 90% of new developments are on brown field sites in London.

London has tighter restrictions than the rest of the country, on how many
cars are allowed with new developments. There are now more car free
developments, although these are still the exception – even near public
transport hubs.

Nearly all areas of inner London are subject to parking restrictions and/or
resident only parking schemes.

Housing in London is now three times the density of many other regions in
London.

From 2001 to 2006, London's housing density increased from 48 dwellings per
hectare to 84 dwellings per hectare, as the Mayor's planning strategy took
full effect.

It is worth remembering that much of the most expensive and desirable real
estate in London is also in the most densely populated areas of London.

(Slide 11) Zero/low carbon developments

New developments must include 20% on site renewable energy. However, more
emphasis placed on the creation of combined heat and power generation.

A new zero carbon development is being built at Gallions Reach in east
London, just down the road from the Olympics. However, other zero carbon
developments will be slow to follow.

Public buildings and offices in London will be retrofitted with energy
conservation measures as part of the investment by the Clinton foundation
and the alliance of 40 major cities around the world who want to take action
on climate change.

Public transport infrastructure

The previous mayor had plans for a massive infrastructure programme in
London worth over £60bn between now and 2025.

The overwhelming majority of this massive investment is in rail and tube,
which currently accounts for only 15% of London's modal share.

Infrastructure being built

Tube upgrade – we are finishing the first seven years of investment and
because of part privatisation have gone well over the £8bn budget agreed for
the work (original cost to 2010).

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension to Lewisham and eastwards through
the docklands.

East London Extension connecting the railway system in east London to the
tube.

(Slide 12) Infrastructure planned

Capacity improvements to the railway system in London (£7bn needed, but not
promised).

Tram schemes to replace over crowded bus services.

Crossrail connecting Heathrow airport with financial district of Canary
Wharf and also the poorer areas of East London (£13bn is latest estimate).

Creation of a green grid of new parks and inter-linked open spaces in East
London – making the new developments accessible by walking/cycling
(estimated cost £500m, still unfunded).



(Slide 13) Traffic reduction

Transport for London estimated in their strategy document 2025, that this
£60bn of investment still wouldn't be enough to meet the demand for
transport from a growing population. The gap between the demand for
transport and its supply would have to be filled by a combination of:

·                    More walking and cycling. Reversing the historic
decline in walking. Increasing cycling by 400%.
·                    Reducing the overall demand for travel.
·                    Road pricing (congestion charging) across the whole of
London.

The price of continuing to neglect pedestrians, the majority of road users,
will be severe overcrowding on buses, tubes and roads. My calculation is
that a 1% drop in walking could mean an extra 2 million motorised journeys
in London, compared to today.

Spending on walking and cycling in London has increased five fold since
2000. We are spending over £55m on cycling this year and due to initiatives
which greens put into place, that is likely to climb further next year.

Spending on traffic demand management measures has increased to over £30m a
year. These measures include mainstreaming school and workplace travel plans
throughout London – which have been very successful in reducing single
person car trips by an average of 5%.

We had received a commitment have modernised all 785 junctions which
currently have traffic lights that have either sub-standard crossings, or no
pedestrian signals at all.

The current mayor is trying to strike a balance between bring lights up to
national safety standards, whilst increasing motorised traffic flows.

I also hope that the Legible London project will have spread throughout the
capital, so that we have a consistent and user friendly signage system for
pedestrians.

(Slide 14) Technology and behavioural change

All the new buses coming into service by 2012 will be hybrids, saving over a
third on fuel and emissions.

(Slide 15) Talking people out of their cars

The budget for Travel Demand Management is £33m a year. Successes include:
·                    On target for every school to have a travel plan by
2009, average of over 7% reduction in school run – two million fewer car
journeys a year.
·                    TfL support for car clubs means that 85% of UK car club
members are in London.
·                    More than 150,000 additional people being covered each
year by workplace travel plans.

(Slide 16) The new Mayor

This is a Mayor without ideology, a philosophy, or a plan.

He has dropped the £25 emissions charge targeted at gas guzzling cars.

He is consulting on abolishing or watering down the western extension of the
congestion charge. If abandoned, it could cost TfL £70m a year and also lead
to traffic increasing by 15% as it returns to pre-charge levels.

Government has a deadline of end of October to go begging to EU for an
extension to the time it has to meet the EU limit values. This is a key
immediate issue for the mayor, who has a legal duty to improve air quality,
but he is currently on track to make things worse.

The Mayor is consulting on abolishing the mid year inspections for black
cabs, despite the 39% failure rate, the largest proportion of which is for
emissions

He is consulting on replacing the large capacity bendy buses, which would
mean a large increase in the number of buses on the road, and will increase
the cost to TfL, create more congestion and lead to a big jump in emissions.
Unless the consultation changes the Mayor's mind, Boris will be taking
decisions which make air quality worse, not better.

The Low Emission Zone has been retained and seems successful. However, the
big policy test for the mayor comes in 2010 with the extension of the scheme
to the huge numbers of light vans in London.

Boris has cut the hydrogen vehicle purchasing scheme – the biggest in UK, if
not the world. However, London is going ahead with purchase of ten more
hydrogen buses.

Emphasis is now on electric vehicles and creating more charging points
around London.

Conclusion

Unless the Mayor tightens up on planning and car parking standards then
London will be home to an estimated 400,000 extra cars by 2025.

The Stratford City development, next door to the Olympic site is one of the
worst examples of outdated and bad planning with over 10,000 new car parking
spaces.

The Olympic media centre was due to follow this car dependent habit with
over a thousand parking spaces, but this has now been halved in the legacy
plans.

Unless the planning and economic policies are changed in order to reduce
demand for travel, especially in central London, then over £60bn of
investment in rail and tube capacity will not be enough.

Unless the London mayor increases walking and boosts cycling by 400%, then
the roads and public transport system will clog up. London needs as many
people doing journeys by bike, as currently use the railway system.

We are likely to be spending over 70m on cycling next year as we bring in a
Velib style cycle hire and other cycle priority measures, but this is far
from enough.

Crossrail alone will be receiving an average of £500m a year in Government
subsidy for the next ten years. Yet, it will be used by a fraction of the
people who TfL is hoping to get on their bikes.

The Olympic visitors and documentary crews who come to London in 2012 and
examine our green credentials, will not be comparing London to how it was
four years before, but with how their own cities are in 2012.

Despite the fact that London was starting to lead the country in taking
action on climate change and sustainable transport, we are now going into
reverse gear. We are also falling behind what some other cities are
managing.

Whether it is the Paris 'velib' bike hire scheme, or the New York pledge to
get all their yellow cabs to become low emission hybrids, we should be
adopting the best from around the world.

Hosting the greenest games is one achievement, but being the greenest city
to ever host the games is a better one.

GREATER*LONDON*AUTHORITY

Find romance on a Supertram Cyclists Special!

cue drippy music...

It's nearly a year since Chris and Richard met on a Supertram Cyclist's Special. They were both single at the time, discovered they had common interests, like cycling, and to cut a long story short, they have now set up house together.

Here they are on that tram ride a year ago, and to mark the occasion Chris and Richard will be leading a ride on this January's special.

Who will find romance on a Supertram cyclists special this year? Come along on the 25th and find out!

(Supertram special leaves Cathedral Tramstop at 10 a.m. on the 25th.)
(pic: l-r, Tim, Chris, Richard, Patrice)

Cycling to the inauguration

Quite liked this story - this guy's riding across America to get to Obama's inauguration. Only problem is, he hasn't got a ticket! I need a miracle! (as the dead-heads used to say)

Cycling Paramedics in Sheffield

There is a brand new city centre service provided by the Ambulance
Service. There are two fully kitted out bicycles with paramedics able to
get to people in medical trouble within the inner relief road far more
quickly than an ambulance. Because of this it has improved the chance of
saving lives (eg. cardiac arrests).

The new city centre bicycle ambulances service joins cycle mounted
police and fire prevention teams. It is a fantastic achievement for
Sheffield.

However there are several teething problems that need addressing urgently.

1. The need for the two of them to have a base in the city centre where
they can rest/have a drink etc out of the elements with a secure place
where their bikes can be parked. At present they are having to cycle in
from Middlewood.....beyond Hillsborough.

They have spoken with the services at Yorkshire House, which would be
ideal. However the people who own/manage the building say they cannot
have bikes within the premises. The police leave their bikes secured to
the safety railings in front of Yorkshire House (not ideal). With all
the paramedic equipment on the panniers of the ambulance cycles this is
not possible.

2. This newly launched service needs some high visibility publicity. I
am sure it would be good to have the City Council playing a part in
helping get media coverage.

Obstruction on Upper Hanover Way.

This isn't on the cycleway yet, although it leaves very little room for pedestrians, but once
the re-design of the cyclepath takes place it will have to be moved (at the taxpayers expense ofg course) A little forward thinking would have helped here.

Obstruction on Eyre st.

Sheffield council's latest attempt to kill cyclists.

The Beeching of model railways.

The Carfield Ave branch is now closed.

Cycle routes – the Wakefield recipe:

(Based on our experiences on the TPT link that follows the A655 in from Castleford)
1. Take one sub-standard footpath
2. Paint some cycle route markings on it
3. Allow to stand while shrubbery grows over it.
4. Sprinkle liberally with broken glass.
5. Finish with stepped kerb onto fast dual carriageway
6. Serve cold!
On the other hand the Rhubarb Route towards Horbury is quite good.

Castleford

Sunny day, river in flood.

Derry

Sunny!

Stall on the tram.

Taxis on Castle St

Since a taxi stand was installed on Waingate additional taxis
have taken to waiting for a place, firstly on the pavement
outside the taxi stand area, and then in the contra-flow cycle lane.

This area has a high volume of buses passing and this is putting cyclists
at risk - it's an accident waiting to happen. As you can see this cyclist has taken
to the pavement to avoid the problem.

Could something be done about this please?

More Pictures:-


This one is from Prof. Peter Marsh who says:-

Here is a taxi moving from blocking the contraflow, because I was photographing it! We really need to do something about this, it is disgraceful that they can flout the law in such an important area with such dangerous consequences.

It's Driving Me Crazeee!

Traffic chaos in Sheffield - no wonder the drivers are up in arms about it...

(Sheffield City Council webcam still)

Helmet crash shock horror

My helmet has already been in a crash and I should have
replaced it then, On Tuesday my bike fell over outside the Grouse (fear not, dear reader, I was safely ensconced inside)
- the helmet was hanging off the handlebars and broke in two. Good job I wasn't wearing it at the time!

A sign of the Times

Hoarding at Longnor...

Cycle routes, double standards

Some people have commented that I seem to contradict myself on the issue of what is necessary to encourage cycling. On the one hand I say that slower speeds and less traffic is what is required - on the other hand I am enthusiastic about cycle routes, on and off-road.

The answer is that I think you have to do what is appropriate in a particular location. Take the example of London. When I lived there and commuted from Camberwell to the City in the 80's,
the main problem was that you couldn't actually get along the streets becvause they were so jammed up with traffic. Then cycle and bus lanes started appearing, but the cycle lanes were frequently parked on and London buses are less than accommodating to cyclists. The problem was too big to be dealt with by enforcement so off-road cycle routes, as advocated by Camden Cycle Campaign, started to be built. These aren't ideal - often too narrow - but they do at least allow you to get around. That's an appropriate solution for that particular problem, given that congestion isn't going to disappear overnight, even with the congestion charge. Now that Boris is in charge congestion is going to get worse again.

I would still say that building a cycling culture is more important than infrastructure, but both are needed.

Boris reveals route for Freewheel cyclists

I would urge all cyclists to boycott this event. Boris is turning back the tide of sustainable transport in London. He is looking at removing the congestion charge from West London, to suit his Sloanie friends; he's cancelled the pedestrianisation of Parliament Square; he wants to break the unions and introduce low-wage, low-quality public transport.

Cycle campaigners know that you don't increase cycling, or walking and public transport use, through tokenistic one-off events, or even through introducing more cycle lanes, but by slowing down and reducing the amount of motor traffic on the streets. Boris doesn't get it. Let him and David "Wrong way" Cameron freewheel all by themselves.

Daily Mile

Some of us are using this to record our rides - seems quite good although a bit sport-oriented (when not commuting I ride for leisure personally) There are a South Yorkshire and Commuting groups to join.

It's still in beta at the moment so you need an invite to join. Leave a note in "comments" and I'll send you one.

Saxon Rd

Saxon Rd has been re-surfaced to Clyde Rd. Hooray! Couldn't decide whether to email blog or twitter this - isn't technology wonderful?

Supertram

Tandem plus trailer.

Putting bikes together

Gare du Nord

PM's Forum

Project handover

What's cool about Bike Week

What's cool about bike week isn't the events, the ride that half-a-dozen people go on, the breakfasts of instant coffee and bacon sandwiches that ordinarily you wouldn't go near in a million years. What's cool about about it is the 7 O'clock start, hauling a stall down to the Town Hall, or printing 250 leaflets on the sly while no-one's looking at work. It's the late night return after a brilliant night out with a waxing gibbous moon and a beautiful dark blue sky, close to midsummer.
It's the feeling after you've made the effort that it was worthwhile, that you showed someone how they could cycle that journey. that there was an alternative to life in a cage.

That's what cool about Bike Week, and that's why, even after all the effort and the pain I want to say, let's do it again next year!

Long Causeway

Not before time!

Green Roof

The Cube, Shoreham St.

Sculpture park

Sunday.

Journey's end

The Wetherspoons in Leicester-full of people who talk like Ian.Cambridge to Leicester in 9 excellent hours of cycling!

Oundle

Gateway to the Midlands I reckon. 5 hours from Cambridge-1 land ranger map from Leicester.

Tilney Fen End

Here's where I leave NCN1-so long old pal. Got two hours to get to Ely.

Making good time

Out in the fens past fossdyke bridge.

Camping up

Just south of boston-not as far as I would have liked to have got but should still be OK to meet Andy in Ely at 3:30 tomorrow. It's a shit tent by the way-don't get one.

Greenway into Boston

Longest flattest straightest road

Outside the american midwest it must be! This pic taken on the 1st bend for about 10 miles. Nr Boston.

Tattershall Castle

NCN1 Found at Bardney

Tandem'eers-Bardney

Branston...

...but no pickle. No sign of NCN so far.

Cycle parking at the station.

This bike parked on the rail near the booking office had a don't park here note on it . This rail was specifically put there so you could leave your bike while buying tickets. I had a word with station staff about it & ran into Andy Wild - how we laughed. I have the note :-)

Another Busy Week

First off, the Green Drinks visit to the Ecclesall Woods sawmill on tuesday. Sheffield Cycle Campaign has linked up with Green Drinks to provide sustainable transport for their series of visits to green initiatives around the city - followed by a social in a nearby pub of course...
























This house, made from local materials as far as possible, will be used as a showroom for products made of wood from Ecclesall.
















A useful piece of equipment parked outside Cole Bros Sheffield, last Tuesday.

Went to the YHTAR AGM on Saturday - http://www.yhtar.org.uk

Used the 09:29 Northern service to York via Pontefract. This used to be a regular service linking
South, North and West Yorkshire communities together (at one time the lunchtime train extended to Chesterfield, giving the opportunity for a quick lunchtime trip to Dronfield - handy for visiting GB cycles, now sadly closed) but is now pretty much much a rump service, with only two trains a day in each direction. However, if you want to get to York with your bike, it's a good service to choose, with no reservations required and generally light loadings. More on Pontefract later.















Cycle Rescue stall in York - more sustainable than Northern Rock?

We continue to plug away for better public transport, walking and cycling across Yorkshire (with some success). Our co-chairs, Anthony Rae and John Hoare go to YH Assembly meetings and try to bang some sense into them. The latest round of approved schemes aren't too bad - here's a quick list:-

• Yorcard, £28m
• Leeds Station Southern Access, £10.798m
• White Rose Way, Doncaster, £15m
• A61 Penistone Road Quality Bus Corridor, Sheffield, £9.959m
• East Leeds Parkway, Micklefield, Leeds, £19.4m
• York Park and Ride - Askham Bar, £5.241m
• York Park and Ride - A59, £10.401m
• York Park and Ride - Clifton Moor, £5.212m
• Rotherham to Sheffield Bus Rapid Transit Northern Route, £36.059m
• A684 Bedale, Aiskew, Leeming Bar Bypass, North Yorkshire £ 31.388m

As you can see only two of the ten schemes are new roads. However, there is concern that the Assembly is not fully taking into account Climate Change in its approval process, and we are going to press for this to be fully integrated in future.















Ray Wilkes holds forth at the YHTAR meeting


Last time I went to meeting in York, I took the train to Garforth, and cycled down the greenway to Castleford, which made me realise that the West Yorkshire rustbelt was really not that far from the capital of Elmet. This time, I started off thinking I'd try to follow the Pedal Pushers Recommended Route from Sheffield to York in reverse, then I just decided to throw away the guide book and make up my own route. Things started well as I powered away out of York through Copmanthorpe, then as I threaded the lanes I realised that there were really not that many crossings of the Ouse and the Aire, and if I was going to make progress I was going to have to either go to Tadcaster or head back to the York to Selby cycle route. This is an area with many railway lines (but not many stations) and I followed some yellow jackets in front of me
along a bridleway that cut many miles of the detour. I had the advantage of a North-Easterly wind that was certainly pushing me along.

Tadcaster offered water in the form of a bottle of Vittel and a bridge over the Wharfe, not far from Wharfe's mouth where this river that has taken its course from the high areas of the Dales, through Kettlewell where my family have had many enjoyable times, to Bolton Abbey where the tourist likes to wade in the brown waters, avoiding Leeds to retain the water's purity until it can be delivered to the Ouse and subsequently the Humber.

From here the logical thing was to take the A162 straight down to Castleford and Pontefract. This being around 5, I wanted to be back in Sheffield for 8 so my only hope was the 18:09 from Pontefract (told you I'd get back to that place) The signs said Pf was 15 miles so I figured I'd have to make an average of 15pmh (duh) . This being a pretty flat part of the world that seemed feasible. Things went well with a good stretch of A road with not too much traffic.

At Sherburn-in Elmet the A621 takes a bypass so the obvious thing was to go through the village. Elmet is a concept that interests me, the ancient Celtic kingdom of Yorkshire. Previously I was aware of Ted Hughes 'Remains of Elmet' photo-poem - researching for the blog leads me to some interesting web sites which I will have to explore. Certainly the idea of Yorkshire as a Celtic kingdom is intriguing.

The road I was following was clearly part of the old A1, or Ermine St; something that fascinated my father, and he passed on his enthusiasm for the old roads of England, although I prefer to cycle them whilst he was enamoured by the newly ubiquitous internal combustion engine, in the days when it was still a means of freedom rather than an entrapment.

At South Milford there were vestiges of a cycle route, although as is so often the case it was on the wrong side of the road, so any safety advantages it many have given me were negated by the potential hazards of crossing a major road twice. After rejoining the A621 another off-road route was available to me, but with the same problem. this one had clearly been constructed to enable cycles to access some local lanes -all well and good, but longer-distance cyclists then had to rejoin the main road for another mile, where there was a roundabout for the A1 - could the off-road cycle route not have been extended for that paltry distance?

After that obstacle had been negotiated, one got the ominous feeling that something nasty was approaching - this would be Ferrybridge, where an enormous power station once fed with British coal, but now I suspect from Eastern Europe, just to add to the carbon footprint, lurks by the river. The A-road turned into a dual carriageway with nowhere for cyclists to go other than a stone-covered hard shoulder - the potential for punctures was high. I took the first available exit which took me through Ferrybridge village - not someone you would want to linger despite the riverside vista - and the road took me under where the A1 meets the M62, a modern river of steel and plastic quite different from Wharfe's Mouth.

Here I was was struck between the difference between this country and our European partners - a civilised country would ensure that our vulnerable road users were protected as they passed beneath busy motorway intersections, but somehow the Brits can't quite bring themselves to do that. Somehow I survived that experience, and soon found a road that would take me to Pontefract Monkhill with every chance that I would catch that vital 18:09 train. Sure enough I made it to that station, waiting in company with the original Fat Slags who were off for an evening of debauchery in Wakefield. I was able to drown out their raucous howling by turning up my ipod touch to the max, At Kirkgate things looked up as the Leeds-Sheffield 'Fast' Service turned up and got me back to Sheffield an hour earlier than expected. That's how public transport is supposed to work!

So was in good time for 'Happy-go-lucky', the new Mike Leigh film at the Showroom which I really enjoyed.

Gwyneth Dunwoody

Sad to hear of the death of Gwyneth Dunwoody. She was the scourge of New
Labour's transport policy when it was really at its nadir - thankfully
things seems to have improved, and I am sure that is at least in part
due to the work she did as chair of the transport select committee.
People like her are hard to find, but I hope there will be more in the pipeline
that are prepared to tell it like it is and not just stick to the 'party line'.

New Concept in Zebra Crossing

From Namibia where the term "Zebra crossing" has a slightly different meaning.
Note: pic taken from 4wd with bull bars (those zebras are mean) Me? With my reputation?

Only fools & cyclists

Where Del Boy ended up.

Cycle parking installed at Dore

Not! If this is your bike please let us know what you think about the cycle parking and access at Dore. Incidentally the timetables are from Deutsche Bahn - someone showing a lot of confidence in National Rail!

Separated at birth?

Cycle-squashing traffic island on Leopold St





















The remote control for my telly. Spooks anyone?
(That's my CAMRA membership card on the right)

Just picking up some DIY...

Bad morning

Yesterday, had a meet with asst. director at 10 so made sure I set off in good time to prepare myself. Pumped up tyres before leaving -big mistake. Got to Chesterfield and the rear tyre was flat. Strong winds, raining. Decided to replace inner tube -first one failed, fortunately I had two. Set off again only to have gear cable break whilst trying to maneouvre round motorists who was trying to cut me up so he could get to the bus lane. Limped on on first gear, covered with dirt, not too late for meeting but not in good shape for it either. Quick wash and brush up, just about presentable by 10. Phew.

Comfort testing the bike lane

Aarhus...

Moonrise over burbage

About 3:30, Dec 23rd. Taken with phone.

quick trip

Got to work on time, for once, and realised that although I had brought the works laptop in with me had neglected to bring power supply & mouse. Team leader needed it for high-level meeting so only option was to leap back on bike, go home and get it. Did the trip in under 30 mins (it's 2.2 miles each way) and am sitting nonchalantly at desk when TL wanders in at 9:35 to pick up the machine. It could only be done by bike! Only casualty was my shirt that was soaked and needed an airing.

Busted p.s.

Further to my earlier post would like to say that an LBS whose name begins with L did a perfectly good job on my rear hub. It took them a while because they didn't have a campag hub in stock, but otherwise it was fine.

Derby to Sheffield the long way round

Self & Spouse dragged ourselves out of bed on Sunday morning and headed down to the station. Having missed all the fast trains to Derby, we found ourselves on a very slow one, and 1 1/2 hous later we dragged ourselves & our bike off. The plan was to follow the Pennine Cycleway up as far as Parsley Hey and then head across to Sheffield - we would have liked to have got back before dark but with our late start this was going to be tricky, no matter, we set off on the bike route which bizarrely starts off heading south-west out of Derby - it's part of the route to Burton-on-Trent, which after threading through the houses finds a rail trail on the outskirts, and then splits off to head north.

The well-signed route takes you through pleasant countryside to Ashbourne, with its spectacular tunnel (complete with train sounds) taking you right to the start of the Tissington trail. 10 miles of steady climbing follows with the trail in good condition after the dry autumn we're having. We came off at Biggin, took to the main road for a mile or so before heading on thw back roads towards Bakewell. This takes you above Youlgreave and down to Lathkildale, with a stiff climb back out before the descent into puddingtown. By now it was dark and there was nothing for it but to grit the teeth and carry on to Sheffield, it being too late for the infrequent train from Grindleford.

The ride back was fine apart from the swine who won't dip for cyclists, and the chill factor you get from the long downhill from Fox House. Home around 7 and straight on to the next fireworks party. Endless fun!

The Good Ship William Wilberforce

On the way back to Sheffield from Rotherham I travelled on the Good Ship William Wilberforce. This is not really a ship but a train, in fact a Class 158, and I do like the cut of its jib. The point I wish to make about this fair vessel is the excellent cycle storage facilities, a cut above many of its marque.

Here you see the main storage area:
















Whilst opposite is a flexible space area, where you could fit another couple of bikes:-
















The reason I blog this is that Northern, our excellent local rail operator, has taken delivery of a quantity of these class 158 units. They are certainly a cut above the Pacer trains, up with us poor Northerners have had to put for many years, but some of them have inadequate facilities for cycles. prams large suitcases etc. On this train the problem looked to have been solved, partly by cutting out the cycle cubby-hole that these trains used to have, where even with one bike you had to remove all bags before you could get it in the space, and partly by getting rid of the second toilet, not really needed on the local services these trains will now operate.

Well done Northern! For further ID here is the carriage number of that train:-















(The cycle sticker could be a little bit bigger, but at least there is one)

The Tale of the Lost Boy

I was cycling along the Rotherham canal at dusk, (don't ask) when an elderly Glaswegian stopped me and asked whether I was looking for a boy. I assured him I was not, whereupon he explained that there was a lost boy wandering along the towpath just a but further ahead and enquired as whether I would be so kind as to look out for him. I assured him I would, and sure enough a little further ahead there was a little lad in a bit of a state. I asked him whether he was lost and he explained that he had been fishing with his da and somehow they had got separated (it did rather seem as though aforesaid Da had buggered off somewhere and left him.) So I called SY's finest and explained the situation. They had the usual problem that unless you are on a road with a name they can't locate you, but eventually they worked it out and we arranged that I would take him to the nearby road bridge and a police car would pick him up.

First though we had to look for his fishing gear, which seemed to have disappeared, so I gave him a lift on the back of the bike. Soon enough a young PC turned up, and I have never seen a kid get into the back of a cop car so fast! I hope he got back home OK, and that someone had words with his so-called Da.

Go east young man

What is it about the East? West of Sheffield we have the fabulous Peak District, an easy ride with just a little tussock of a hill betweeen us and there, or the Hope Valley train if you want to cheat. To the North lies the Rust Belt, forty miles of post-industrial wasteland before the Dales beckon. South lies the Promised Land, where the cycle routes are paved with gold or at least tarmac. But east? East lies an hours (at least) worth of suburbia before you so much as see a hint of countryside. If you take the trail it's a litany of broken glass, stolen cars, roaring motorbikes and rough surfaces. On the road, the man with the biggest 4x4 rules. You'd take the train, but on a Sunday morning that train don't run here anymore.

Still the east calls to me. There's something about that corridor of green running along the Parkway, those patches of ancient forest amongst the urban squalor, the shoots of renewed vigour in an exhausted and depleted scene.

If you manage to make it out of town, Rother Valley will offer you a cup of your favourite beverage, and once you've made it up that last hill, there is rolling countryside to enjoy. Worksop might not have too much to entice you, beyond an easy canal route through town, and you might not want to linger long in Manton town, but beyond this Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest await, with plenty of off-road to tire you out and greenery to sooth your aggravated brain. Lincolnshire and the Wolds await you further east, and if you head south through Nottinghamshire you might just find yourself in Nottamun Town, sampling the ales in the Trip to Jerusalem or the Lincolnshire Poacher.

So I say - head east young man! you won't regret it.

Different trains

Got a ride out to Gainsborough with my brother to look at the 'O' guage model railway. This is a quite amazing mythical re-creation of a muthical East Coast steam railway. There are a few anomalies like Hitchin being stuck between Leeds & Doncaster but it's great.

Then set off to cycle back towards Sheffield, since Alex was heading south. The National Byway runs alongside the A631 and takes you down towards West Burton before it heads off south, ;eaving you on the road to Retford which is quite reasonable. At the bottom of the hill there's a route avoiding a low bridge which takes you on a quiet road to Retford - particularly so at the moment since it's closed for sewer replacements. Then on through Retford towards Worksop, passing Ranby prison. At Worksop got on the canal which takes you through town, part of Route 6 . Stopped to replace some signs on the bridge. Onward to Shireoak, passing the Lock-Keeper where there is a spring ride next year. Stopped off at Shireoak station to see when the next train was, and it came in, so given that it's a two-hourly service I got on it! This is one of those free services that Northern like to run, no-one collecting fares although all the stations are unstaffed. It had just got dark (at 6:30) so it was just the right time to end the ride.

Enjoyed this video

Busted

Set off merrily for Huddersfield for the Northern Rail Cycle Forum yesterday morning. Having negotiated the City Centre I had the bike pointing north at Shalesmoor when I heard an ominous sproing from the back wheel. Had a quick look & thought "bust a spoke". Was not far from a bike shop who's name begins with L so thought I'd pop it in there for a quick repair - had booked it in when I realised that actually about a quarter of the spokes had come out of the hub. This sort of repair on my expensive touring bike is not normally something I would take to that particular shop, as I prefer a shop whose name begins with B. so it will be interesting to see what they do with it. Anyway, got the tram back to the station and and the next Pacer to H'field, so made the meeting in plenty of time.

Across the woodhead

Friday 28th took the afternoon off, due in Litton early evening for caravan close-down party , thought I'd cross the Pennines on the TPT and work my way down to the White Peak.

Did the 5WW out to Meadowhall & up to Ecclesfield - this was OK apart from the closed Cobweb Bridge & Thessco sections, and the very poor surfaces between Warren St and Thessco. The Chapletown Greenway was particularly good.

Thought it would be a good idea to check out the state of the TPT through Parsons Cross - this really is very poor and not suitable for road bikes. I knew Iwas approaching PX as I heard the sound of gunfire and off-road motorbikes gunning up. If we are to maintain a bike route through this area I think it should be on Deerlands Ave, Hartley Brook Ave & Butterthwaite Rd.

Up into Greno woods which was fine as ever, then the Woodhead Rd down to Wortley - conscious I had wasted some time in the suburbs I stayed on the road through Thurgoland, down to Oxspring where I rejoined the trail. Stopped in Penistone for some snap - cycling culture seems to have taken off in this area, saw quite a few kids cycling home from school, either by themselves or with an enterprising dad who had cycled down to collect them. Headed onwards in the drizzle towards Dunford Bridge.

Up the hill and onto the Woodhead itself, with time slipping away I decided to stay on the road
and avoid the trail this time. It was whilst thrashing down the road I heard the familiar hissing sound that indicates a puncture. I ground to a halt and got out my tools, to discover a spare inner tube, a pump, a multi-tool - damn! no tyre levers! Managed to pry the tyre off, probably detroying the old tube in the process, and get the new tube in and the tyre back on by hand - my thumbs still ache though! Luckily the whole thing held and I carried on into worsening weather continuing on the Woodhead Rd into Glossop. It was around 6 and it was apparent Iwasn't going to get to Litton for my 7:30 dinner date by cycling. A quick examination of my rail optionds reveled that if I went to Man Picc I could get to Hope by 7:35 and up the hill by around 8, so that's what I did. The trains worked and I emerged into heavy rain at Hope, put on all the waterproof gear I had on me, and struggled up the hill in the dark, with drivers more than willing to put full beam in in my face. My fellow diners had already ordered a steak for me and rarely was a meal more appreciated!

August Rides

No time for full ride descriptions but just to note where I've been this week :

Saturday Chilterns (in the rain)
Sunday Vale of the White Horse (in the rain)
Monday Derbyshire (Litton - Cromford & back on trails)
Tuesday Bamford Moor with the council
Wed Carr Walk

Phew!

Fat Cyclist Blog

He isn't very fat really...

Cycling serendipity

Spent all Sunday morning cleaning and fettling my bike, set off the peak only to find something was seriously wrong - the freewheel just wasn't freewheeling properly. So limped back to the garage, swapped it for my town bike, about three hours later than I should have been to get to my secret hideout. Imagine my surprise when, turning up on spec at Dore Station, there was actually a train approaching! Leaped on with a couple of other cyclists, ( there was one on already, no problem) popped off at Hope and was in the White Peak in under an hour. Serendipity!

Tour De France Blog V

Saturday morning dawned bright and breezy - a lie-in, hooray! Actually I was woken up by Tim & Matt bickering about whether 6:45 was a lie-in - Tim is plainly an early riser! "Do you mind" I said "I'm trying to have a lie-in!" Staggered around a bit, had a wash, a couple of cups of tea and a sosmix & cheese sandwich and all was good. Tim packed up and set off for Maidstone, allegedly to meet up with us later. Matt and I sat around for a bit and took stock of the surroundings.

The Lea Valley Country Park campsite was actually pretty nice. Having been brought up in the LV I've always hada bit of an affection for the place, although I couldn't wait to get out when was 18. The entrance to the camp-site, in one of the grimmer parts of London, off the busy Meridian Way with the railway the other side of the road, past a multiplex cinema - there aren't many campsites with a multiplex on-site are there? - and a leisure centre doesn't look too promising but once on site it's fine, with a golf course behind to provide a bit of greenery. I imagined it would have barbed wire all round and a controlled access, which was why I was a bit concerned about getting there before it closed, but it was actually just like any other camp-site, and that doesn't seem to be a problem.

We decided it was time to head for town. A quick pootle up the Meridian Way and we found our way to the River Lea towpath, through some of the extensive parkland and marshes that border the river. We pedalled through Hackney Marshes & on towards Bow, unfortunately missing the cut-through at Victoria Park that would hsve got us onto the Hertford Union. Realising our mistake however, we got onto Mile End Rd and headed for town. A motley peloton passed us, plainly heading for Hyde Park, and we tacked on the back as far as the City, where I veered off for Euston whilst Matt stayed with the pack to get to the Prologue.

I got to the CCN Meeting where the salient points were as follows.

Next conference to be in Oxford = will we get Boris there? Maybe. Theme is "Changing the climate on our roads"

Some groups are struggling - Tyne bikes is on the way out, Leicester has become a social only group. Now that the board has a few members on it - Rod King from Warrington has just joined - perhaps we can do a bit more development work.

The National Cycle Planner project is making progress, with OS agreeing to supply base data.

Board was duly impressed that I had cycled down but unwilling to pay cycle expenses!

Following the meeting made for Marble Arch, the next meet-up point. Caught up with Mike Edgington, who having finished his course has moved to Birmingham - we'l miss you Mike, come up and visit sometime. Matt was stuck in the crowds somewhere but eventually made it and we went down to catch a bit of Prologue:
















Eagerly waiting the next rider















Yes we made it to the Prologue!

Watched a bit of riders zooming past, then got bored and decided to head for the Pub,
as originally planned. Most of central london has been closed to motor traffic, so althugh it was still very busy it was a pleasure to wend our way through the crowds, and on to the embankment which was gloriously free of traffic. We got to the George, grateful for a drink, and Ruth and her friend Alexei turned up, so it all worked out pretty well for meeting people. They headed off for a bbq, and we headed up to a Turkish retaurant at the top of Brick Lane, which I would recommend to you if I could remember what it is called. We ate well and headed back up through Stoke Newington & Hackney to the riverside, witnessing some pretty hairy cycling on the way. Back on the river at Lea Bridge, and we stopped at a riverside pub for a nightcap, watching the moon rise over Hackney Marshes and the last trains glide over the landscape, before heading home.

Sunday morning I set off to see my brother - a mere 13 miles or so up the valley, nothing really - and then set off back through Broxbourne Woods, re-visiting some of the haunts of my mis-spent youth (I'm not kidding) got to Cuffley just to see the train leaving , so continuing over to Potters Bar (there are some hills in this area, I can tell you) for a train to Kings Cross, which meant I could just stroll over to St P. for the train back to Sheffield, in the company of Ruth and Trevor Mayne our fellow pp from Penistone.

Saw this couple of excellent Goths at St P.


























That's all folks!

==posted by Simon

Tour De France Blog IV

So we dropped Matt off at Leagrave station to make a train-assisted dash to the campsite and headed off around Luton. Tim navigated magnificently although I suspect we could have just followed the blue route 6 signs on the off-road path beside the ring road - the map I have for this area dates from 1976 I think. No matter, as we left Luton we passed the sign for Hertfordshire, and I knew I was near home, like Moley in the Wind in the Willows.

Herts did not disappoint, as we dashed down a pretty valley, stopping at a village store for more refreshment, passing by old Welwyn and the railway viaduct (Tim was convinced he started his survey of the New River here - I knew better but kept schtum) on up the hill and down the other side through Bengeo into Hertford. the country town treated us kindly and we were soon on to Ware, passing the real source of the New River (neither new nor a river, having been built by King James to bring fresh water to London, and not cyclable but a very pleasant walk) with the A10 viaduct rather than the railway as the landmark. We could see the results of the survey Tim had done as various parts of the New River embankment had been shored up, and at St Margarets we joined the River Lea towpath, part of NCN1 if I recall correctly and a good cycling route into London. It was 7:30 by now and I thought it was time to check up on how Mat was doing. It transpired he was a quarter of an hour from the campsite, so we still didn't know whether we were in or not, but we carried on as well as exploring other options. Soon enough though the call came from Matt that we were in, so it was time for a last spurt. I however was flagging by now as well as thinking we should get up to the camp site and keep Matt company so was strongly in favour of getting the train, so we called in at Broxbourne (my old home town, and we passed the house I was brung up in) to check out the trains.

Having 20 minutes to go before the next train we figured we could make it to the next station along, Cheshunt, and so we did. Tediously it looked as though they weren't going to lift the level crossing gates in time for our train, so we carried the laden bikes over the railway bridge, but then of course they did. De-training at Ponders End, the campsite was a short schlepp along the off-road route alongside Meridian Way, the campsite was far from rammed out and easy to cycle in, so why the person I spoke to had given me so much bullshit was beyond me.

Matt had popped up to the local store (a giant Tescos, and of course if you believe in shopping local you have to go to Tescos in this area, as they originated in Cheshunt and their Head Office is still there) and bought a large quantity of Meat (vegebangers for Tim) and a BBQ. So we ate well with no vegetables spoiling the purity of the meal. It was a beautiful evening, a hot shower was very welcome and we all slept well.

..to be continued...

Tour De France Blog III

Well, the downpour did lift slightly and we moved along, Matt & me thinking we could always jump ship and get the train back from Harborough if things still looked bad. We did about 10 miles and passed a pub - it looked like a good bet for dinner, and we noticed a spacious beer garden, the landlord was very friendly and took pity on us - it was quite a smart pub and not everyone would have welcomed three soaked cyclists! But they were quite interested to hear what we were up to. A few beers and a meal and we were in better shape, and tucked down to a dark and squally night. My new lightweight tent proved not to be the best design ever, but stayed up most of the night!

The morning dawned, grey but not raining.Tim with his lightweight cooker fixed us hot drinks and Ready Brek, which got us into a fit state to hit the road. Leicestershire country roads rarely disappoint, and we got in a good few miles before finding a cafe for a spot more breakfast. Back on the road, we were soon reaching the outskirts of Northampton, on the main road which was getting a bit hairy. Tim wanted to head in and find a bike shop to replace his stock of inner tubes, whilst Matt & myself preferred a more leisurely route in on NCN6, so Tim sped off and we headed for the trail that takes you along an disused line that is being brought back to life as a steam railway. Where the disused railway joins the live one there was a subway that had turned into one enormous puddle, and then there was a bumpy track for a bit. We got a bit confused coming into Northampton but that was really our fault for not trusting the signs which were fine, and stocked up on sandwiches & juices in the town centre, chatting to a busker who had moved from Sheffield (he played "it's all over now baby blue" one of my favourite Dylan tunes).

Leaving town, again a certain amount of confusion ensued (sustrans routes do often seem to lose direction in town centres) , but once we had got to the river and pointed in the right direction we were fine. By this time the sun had come out & we came across some brave souls practicing river rescues:
















...and there was certainly plenty of water in the Nene to go at. We pressed on, got a bit lost in the industrial estate at Hardingstone (first the signs had slipped down the pole and got overgrown, then there was an access barrier that was nor clearly signed - had to rein in Tim a bit who had developed a tendency to power off past junctions where we needed to check the route - apparently he has a tremedous sense of direction ) but soon we were off on the country lanes again. following the blue signs. Tim & I swapped again so I had the pleasure of his lightweight bike for the next few hours.

We called in at Salcey Forest which has a visitor centre, picnic tables & cafe, next to the M1 but still very pleasant, and worth hanging on for if you're doing this ride. It was at this point I thought it best to check whether we had a campsite for the night in the Lea Valley, and the conversation went like this:

"hello, just checking whether you've got room for three cyclists tonight".

"We're totally rammed out mate. Have you booked?"

"Well I did email you a few months back and you said it would be no problem"

"Oh well, I suppose we might be able to fit you into a corner. What time can you get here?"

"About seven?"(I said optimistically)

"Can you get here before that? only we close the shop at 7:30"

"Well it's a bit tricky because we're cycling, but we can always get the train I suppose"

"Alright mate, see you later"

So the time pressure was on. This was also where Tim, aka the Duracell bunny, for some reason decided he should take Matt's panniers instead of mine. Since Mat had been involved in an accident where one of his panners had come off in the path of a cycling companion who ended up in hospital, and we all know how we make adjustments to ensure that our own stuff all workd together wit the bike, he was a bit nervous about all this, & I don't blame him.

Things went well until we reached Castlethorpe where the route took us down a seriously overgrown path, got well nettled, then the next section had recently been flooded and ws covered with gravel - Matt & Tim found my attempts to control Tim's bike on this surface somewhat amusing, Vernon and Matt's converted MTB negotiated the surface with rather less fuss.

(Matt & Tim alongide the Nene)















Matt















Matt & Tim


...past the hairy bits, we were on the riverside heading for Milton Keynes. I have long wanted to visit MK and check out the controversial "redways", so this was my chance. The routes are certainly fine but there didn't seem ot be much utility cycling going on, while there was plenty of traffic on the roads nearby. We made made a slightly wrong route choice by blindly following Route 6, while Route 5 looks to be a better choice on the map - however we did power along an old railway line, stoping briefly to remove a fallen tree (Tim & self putting our Sustrans rangers hats on for a moment) and then followed the route alongside the Grand Union, pleasantly scenic if a little bumpy, and it did bring us out on the right side of MK, at Bow Brickhill, following the redways for the last part of the urban transit. From here we climbed up at 1:8 (what is that in percentages again?) into beech woods on the edge of the Chilterns, aligning ourselves with Woburn.

A fortuitious wrong turn saw us correctly placed for the spin past Woburn, and having got ompletely disoriented when we came out at the wrong place, I handed over the navigation to Tim (after all he already had my bike and I've got it set up so I can read the map as I go along on my own bike - see my comments above). With a strong following wind (We'd had a lot of that, the pay-off for the rough time we'd had on Thursday) we zoomed along towards Luton, aware of the need to get to the campsite in good time. Having discussed the options, it was clear that one of would have to get the train in to London, and Matt volunteered - I suspect he was ready for a break, the pace having been pretty hard over the day. As we approached Luton & crossed the M1, traffic got heavy, & some joker threw water at me from a van - I'm sure he though it was funny, but I didn't. We passed Leagrave station and this looked like a good spot to send Matt off on the train.

to be continued...

Tour De France Blog II

Thursday morning dawned and I found Tim bright and ready for the off at my door at 8 a.m. After a spot of coffee we were ready to roll. Tim seemed to like to ride my heavily laden tourer better than his ultra-lightweight carbon racer, so I was happy enough with that so we swopped and took off up to Meadowhead. On the way down through Dronfield Tim realised he was only wearing one glove, and I was missing my SDP clips so we stopped in at James's Chesterfield where they were just opening the doors. I merrily fitted my new spd's while Tim inspected the stock and off we set, choosing the short section of the canal in preference to rush hour traffic to get us to the station, with only a slight glitch when I realise I couldn't get out of the SPD's as I negotiated the access barrier to the canal - quickly grabbing the wall was only to prevent a disastrous topple.

It transpired I hadn't done the bolts up tight enough and one had come out. A bit more adjustment had us on our way, emerging out of the canal, back on the road, negotiating the intimidating A61 roundabout and heading up towards Clay Cross (see my May 20 blog entry)
we enjoyed the ups and downs of this section, swopping bikes again near Ripley, stopped as is traditional at the co-op in Little Eaton for sustenance, and got onto the cycleway and through Derby in short order. Following route 6 now - what a blinder this route is, anyone who hasn't done this and still claims all sustrans routes are pants should really put up or shut up.

Following the route of a disused canal out of derby, then on a real canal for a bit before joining a disused railway, mostly tarmacced, then linking with the Cloud Trail and minor roads through rolling farmland, we kept up a good speed, despite a bit of headwind. Nevertheless our estimate of a 2 p.m. arrival at Leicester was optimistic - we saw off Loughborough in reasonably short order, chasing down the old A6, but it wasn't until 4 that we hit Leicester and found the Cycle Park, that excellent facility in the Town Hall where you can leave your bike, have a shower, get your bike fixed and buy some spares, meeting up with Mat who was to join us for the rest of the ride. We refreshed with tea & cake and as the market was closing I was able to pick up a tray of bananas which stayed with us for a few days.

However, as we left Leicester on the Great Central Way the heavens opened. Things got worse when, in the outer suburbs, Tim got a puncture which took 5 attempts to fix, and we spent 1 1/2 hours in a bus stop in in the rain trying to sort it out. Morale was low and both Mat and I were thinking of returning to Leicester (Mat would have been very happy to put us up) but Tim was determined to press on.

..to be continued..

Tour de France Blog

The first leg of the ride to london for the start of the Tour De France was ignominiously cancelled due to the weather - not so much because of the rain itself but because all the camp sites in Derbushire are flooded. So me & Tim are going to set off early in the morning, either getting the train to Derby or cycling all the way depending on the weather.

Topiary cyclists in hyde park

...for the tour de france london stage.

Source: bbc

Cycling to Derby

Was going to go down on Friday for the conference drink and camp at Elvaston. However a call to the campsite revealed that it was flooded, so a quick rethink ensued & I decided to cycle down, have a drink and get the train back, returning in the morning.

Took the pedal pushers recommended route to Derby. A strong south-westerly blasted in my fact as I headed up Abbeydale Rd to Owler which I didn't lose until I turned left at Curbar Gap. Following that the route zig-zags so I was either blasting along with the following wind or struggling against the breeze. Suffice to stay that it took me an hour to get out of Sheffield, and I covered an equivalent distance in a quarter of an hour once I had turned. The last bit into Derby on the B6179 was particularly taxing - however , I soon found myself pootling along the river and ending up at the Brunswick about 9:15, where I met the first bunch of people who were "just leaving" going upstairs I found some more folks "just off for a curry" - however there were still enough folk around to have a discussion about the merits of Sustrans vs the CTC etcetera, and after a few beers headed off for the train home and the comfort of Myy Own Bed.

In the morning , up early to head to the conference (report to follow - it's stuck on my Palm at the moment) Had a good day and once again a couple of drinks at the Brunswick. Decided to take a different route home, following the B6179 out of Derby, but continuing up to Ripley, (which has a greenway that might be worth exploring) then via Oakerthorpe onto the B6013, which links up with the A61 at Higham and onwards through Clay Cross to Chesterfield. Looking at the map you might think that as this more or less follows the railway it would be fairly flat, but this is far from the case! the B6013 is a stonking road with plenty of ups and downs., and views looking over the Amber valley towards the route I had taken to get down.

The A61 is a road of character wih some great downhills and it was good to see ex-mining townss like Clay Cross obviously having recovered somewhat from the mine closures.

At Chesterfield where the big roundabout is being rebuilt I found myself in a throbbing town centre at 8pm, lots of revelry, but I headed to the station to pick up the TPT route out of town as recommended in another of our bike routes, Sheffield to Chesterfield.

The tow path whilst bumpy was reasonably fast & I was soon back on the road climbing up towards Dronfield. My dinner date at 9 in Nether Edge beckoned, and I made it for 9:15. The journey each way took 3 1/4 hours, regardless of the wind direction - anyone care to beat that? I hear it rained in Sheffield - I didn't see a drop in either direction, or in Derby.

Solid Air is gone

After several days of feeling like I was cycling through treacle, the air seemed a lot thinner today as the bike shot along down a clear bus lane on London Rd, and I gave the cycling police a cheery "good morning" in the Moore St subway. Must've been last nights Jaipur...

Great advice from a car driver

Avett Bros link & vids

My favourite band at the moment..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dREqDHBg6KI

Old Joe Clark/How Many More Times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM_FdQIe4MA

TV - Paronia In B Major

Lots more vids on Youtube if you search for Avett Bros but beware - a lot of 'em are audience tapes and an Avett Bros show is a noisy affair!

Avett Bros Website

2 ride weekend

Saturday 12th May:

Four hardy souls - Gary, Simon Ian & Richard - set off from Hillsborough Park at 10-ish (Simon was late) After calling at Butties to pick up Essentials - water bottle, new rear light, we set off up through Oughtibridge up to Stockbridge (the last bit being the route described in the solid air posting below - could've called in at Andy's house to make ourselves a cup of tea but forgot the key - and the milk - and the teabags, and the duster - doh!) Hence up to the balcony road to make our way to the Flouch, plenty of hard climbing and solid air involved, plus a bit of storming downhill, on to the Holmfirth Rd,

Simon's confident prediction that it would all be downhill from there turning out to be false. Plenty of showers to keep is refreshed as well. On the first proper downhill there turned out to be a farmers market going on, cars and people everywhere, but soon afterwards we were on the proper downhill into Holmfirth, Ian & Richard doing strange things to get past the inevitable queue of traffic heading into town, whilst I found the offside the best place to be. Soon eating breakfast in the cafe - Gary popped off to see a friend - and then we were fully prepared for the climb ahead - and it is mega.

The April/May CTC mag said it was a "Northern classic". The hairpins on the approach I found not bad - having done a few of the classic French climbs, and some in the Pelopennese - but the last section was definitely painful.

It was a relief to get to the car park and sit down for a while.
However, some of us took it in their stride...














Ian strolls up Holme Moss...

Whilst others weeped with joy when they got to the top...

























Whilst we were all pleased to have a sit-down...















..and some of us had a spot of bother with our Kaggies in the breeze (Richard actually)


























& Simon just pretended it was nothing to him, whilst harbouring aching muscles he previously didn't know he had.

The downhill run made Alton Tower's Oblivion ride seem pretty tame. Simon's topbag came open risking jettisoning his possesion all over the peak district, so a stop was required. At the bottom the Woodhead road offered the usual stream of cars & trucks; fantasies of a button you could press that restricted traffic to 20mph "whilst lights flash" for the 10 minutes or so you need to get to the Glossop Rd ensued. The Woodhead Road over to Glossop really is a cracker - we were musing on what a shame it would be if cyclists were dissuaded from using it by the stupid revisions of the highway code, because the transpennine trail runs alongside and is therefore "available".

Rolling into Glossop, and you know you're on the wrong side of the pennines. The cafe was indicated, but according to Ian we were not allowed to go inside the cafe because we would only get too warm and comfortable and not want to leave. This leads me to Ian's Rules of Cycling, as I understand them:

• Cyclists should use main roads whenever possible.
• Putting your bike on the train as is as bad as putting it in your car - if you go for a bike ride you should cycle.
• You should never go inside a cafe because you will only get too warm and comfortable and not want to leave.
• Only 8.5% cider should be drunk on bike rides.

Any more Ian?

Having sheltered outside the cafe for a bit there seemed to be a minor letup in the torrentiality
so we set off up the hill and towards the Snake. At first the rain was bad enough, but then it cleared as we reached the top. However this was a false friend and as we started to descend the Derbyshire Monsoon commenced. For me, my brakes didn't work as we were aquaplaning, the road was a river, I couldn't see a thing and the traffic wasn't all that forgiving.
Eventually the torment ceased and we emerged to a reasonably clear vista as we descended towards Ladybower. However we were now soaked as wall as aching in those unknown muscles. When we got to Yorkshire Bridge I decided to check the trains from Bamford - there was one in about 12 minutes so ignoring Ian's strictures I went for it. Got to Bamford with a minute or so to go, just time to smugly text the still-cycling, detrained at Dore and half an hour or so later I was relaxing in a Radox-enhanced hot bath. Bliss!

Gary & I decided that this would be known as the f***ing h*ll ride, as this was the most frequently offered comment!

Sunday 13th May - The Rhubarb Ride

This was a slightly different kettle of rhubarb. It was an opportunity to meet up with pp & pedal Ready trainer Mike, in his relocated town of Wakefield (he actually lives in Crofton) With a projected meet time of 11:00 I went for the 09:36 train only find that this doesn't exist - the 09:42 to Huddesrfield got me to Barnsley & I set off from there. (train info follows) This was one of the class 158's relocated from Central, as you could tell from the grubby interior and faded green exterior.

Having had the experience of the TPT in Barnsley, allegedly it's spiritual home but where some othe most-abused sections reside, I hit the A61 from right outside the station, with a stonking downhill run getting me out of town, heading for Royston.

Here I came across some of the most inconsiderate road users you can ever hope to meet. Yes, I had the misfortunate to meet..a cycle race. Why a pack of cyclists think they can pass you with milimetres to spare, whilst offering patronising comments like "eh, you're doing quite well really" is beyond me. If a motorist offered such behaviour I would (a) try my best to D-lock 'em
(b) take their numbers and 101 'em.

Any, took the first opportunity to de-stress by getting onto the lovely Barnsley Canal section, of the TPT past Cold Hiendley and before you know it you are Walton just outside Wakefield. The TPT skirts around Wakefield through up-market Heath, but it was time for me to bite the bullet and head for Wakefield central, passing this excellent candidate for Cycle Facility of the Month:


























Rolled up at Wakefield Westgate to find Mike waiting around, after a cup of tea and a chat got the call from P&T, "We're at Kirkgate. where are you?" It seems rail confusion continues.

So, we set off through Thornes Parkwith its Motte & Bailey, Mike filling us on the local political situation. It seems there is an ambitious plan for a BMX park and other facilities, although local residents are concerned that this could lead to young people hanging around together engaging in healthy activity and and enjoying themselves when they should be stuck in their bedrooms IMSing, eating takeway pizza and drinking coke. Also Wakefield recently got rid of its healthy travel initiative and cycle forum , so the place really is in trouble.

This got us down to the Rhubarb route. Wakefield is of cuurse famous for its Rhubarb production, although I have yet to see a Rhubarb farm. There's a rhubarb sculpture along here that you can see quite clearly from the train, but I have yet to see from a bike. Maybe its all a myth? However, we did come across this rhubarb painting, which as Tony said made it the vegetable seem quite exotic:















Then we found this one a bit further along in Horbury:
















Soon after this we found ourselves at Horbury Bridge, where all routes collide. (see earlier blog entries on this topic) Then a sharp climb to get onto the valley road toward Cridgington, a bit of a roller-coaster, over the motorway, a sharp climb and lots of roads with names like "vCliff RD, and it was here that Polly Blacker found her spiritual home:















But by now the rain was definitely setting in as we headed for Newmillerdam. We thought we had spotted a bench under a tree where we could eat our sarnies in a slightly soggy setting, but it turned out that the bench was in the open whilst the tree was obscuring the view, so there was nothing going for it. However, Mike was kind enough to invite us back to his place, a mere half an hour or so away, so off we set. The route back took us past Walton where the TPT passes through again This was a chance to chat about the cycling situation in Sheffield and elsewhere whilst eating our sarnies in the dry.

The time came to head home sowe set off to find the main road into Wakefield. Simon thought he'd left hi goggles back at Mike's so I returned, but then found them in my bag so was able to shoot off to town. Headed to Kirkgate but missed the train there so the next stop was Westgate.
Sure enough P&T were there & with a chat about stuff with the booking clerk we were on the next Virgin to Sheffield despite not having bike reservations. Anothe great pp ride! Don't miss it next year!

Solid Air

Around 4 yesterday we noticed that the pedalpushers server was apparently down. Andy was in Italy - what to do? So I agreed to go up to Stocksbridge and reboot it. A slight complication was that the key was at Ian's house in Walkley (if he could find it) Anyway, home after work, stuff down some pizza & spinach (toot toot) don some vaguely appropriate clothing, switch bikes and off I go. (could have driven or got the bus of course but what would be the fun in that?)

Thrash up to Walkley, already so driven that I shot past Ian's house (must've had the autopilot set to Walkley Cottage) and have to turn round and come back. Ian & family are out messing around in the garden. Switch keys (he's got Andy's I've got the stall garage key as sorted out by Tim). Come out of Greenhow St onto South Rd into a stream of cyclists, including a guy I know called Simon who works for HSE - not wearing a helmet I note. Storm down Walkley Bank , round Malin bridge and up on the hard route via Worrall (having already had the punishment of going to Walkley thought I might as well finish to the job) That brings you out at Wharncliffe Side, so thrash up to Stocksbridge from there - this is where I experience the phenomenon known as "Solid Air" or sometimes thick air , where it literally feels like you have to push the air out of the way as you cycle. Still, get to Andy's house, try the modem, looks OK, and re-boot the server, acting on SMS instructions from Andy in Italy. Get Ian to check the site is back up (first he has to give the batteries in his wireless keyboard a rub) all, OK, get back to town in 40 mins, that solid air now pushing me along.

Saw some very hairy driving on the way in, some guy in a volvo undertakes a load of cars waiting att he lights then gets in between the two cars at the front of the queue and hoots at them to get out of the way so he can roar away from the lights. Don't know what was going on there, but was quite relieved to get off the dual carriageway and onto Old Penistone Rd and then the cycle track, although this has its hairy moments at the junctions - at Neepsend Lane was nearly mown down by someone turning left without indicating. Toucan crossings please mr. council!

Anyway made it to the Boardwalk for 9-ish to see KEITH JAMES & RICK FOOT play THE SONGS OF NICK DRAKE - he also threw in the John Martyn song "Solid Air" apparently written about Nick Drake, hence the title for this post.

(Then I hear it was probably the ISP that was down and not the server - Oh Well!)

Revalatory Ride

Last night SWMBO asked me to pop into the Sainsburys for some veg on the way home, so I thought, oh well I'll go via Ringinglow then - that way its all downhill to Archer Rd.

So fought my was up past the lemmings on Carterknowle Rd -how does anyone put up with it? -
upEndcliffe Vale to Fulwood Rdm, stormed up to Fulwood. Out of interest decided to go up Crimicar Lane that legendary destination of the no.60 bus - just another suburban street really
- then Crimicar drive took my fancy - it must have been the really steep uphill nature of it plus the no through road sign, but I was confident there would be a gennel to get me out to the west. There wasn't but there was one to the east that got me back onto Crim Rd. There is some land at the top with a footpath - took that, OK for the first section but the next one is prett narrow and rocky with a deep narrow drainage ditch on one side - like a mega-tramline, quite hairy really. The next section has walls crossing the path to keep bikers out I suppose - fair enough , so not recommended for cycling (some footpaths are OK as long you defer to walkers) Up to Ringinglow and discovered that the Norfolk Arms has reopened, so popped in - nice decor obviously a bias towards eating but they have kept a stone-floored public bar for hikers and the like. Deuchars & Black Sheep (& landlord but not tonight) Interestingly was trying to work out whether it was a no-smoking pub or not - with two months to go before the ban there were no signs and no-one was smoking. I guess this is the pub of the future - no point in putting up signs, no point in ruining the nice decor for the sake of two months. Will re-visit on a pp ride.

Just I'm leaving, herself rings up to say whe'll get the veg, so I've got a bit more time. Over Sheephill to Hathersage Rd, and thought I'd try to locate the CTC centenary tree. This involved
pootling along the de facto footpath & peering over the wall - slow work but it wasnice not to have buzzing past your ear for a moment. The tree & plaque are actually located just past the gate to the Blackamoor bridleway & was in good nick -
















so that was the second revelation. The third was that this footpath has now been upgraded to a bridleway on a trial basis - open to horses and ramblers but not bikes at the moment as the surface is pretty poor - having said that I managed to get up it Ok. When complete it will create a loop for MTB'ers off Blackamoor, but could also be useful for people who have had enough of the uphill on-road slog. So those were the three Revelations of the Ride!

Heron on the River Don, Sheffield

Heron on the River Don, Sheffield at Walk Mill Weir (near the Cobweb Bridge)

Easter Monday ride

Took Vernon up to Wakefield Kirkgate by Northern's Fast service, then off to Horbury via the cycle path that takes a bit of finding, but if you head for Thornes park you won't go far wrong. The path follows the railway and dips under the motorway before bringing you out in the village - then you can head down the A642 and end up at Horbury Bridge.

This is a vital navigational point for the area - whether you've come down from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, tried to avoid Wakefield by going through Criggleston and Netherton, or made your way along the Calder and Hebble Navigation you will come through here. I took to the Navigation - although narrow at first the towpath is rideable in the dry and soon opens up. On reaching Savile Town, fooled by some green dots on the map I took the loop - mental note, follow the main canal next time.

However, I was soon back on course, stopping to berate some boys who were pulling bricks out of the wall and throwing them in the river - whether I made an impression on them in my Sustrans tabard I'm not sure, however, here you get the turn off to the Spen Valley Greenway. The bottom half of this hasn't receive its spring clean-up yet, and there was the odd bad boy around trying to get an illegal motorbike started, but in the main this is a fine route and I made good speed.

















Things go pear-shaped when you reach the end of the SVG though. The trail comes to an end - if it didn't you would end up on the Bradford - Halifax railway - and although there are other sections of this route as you make you way into Bradford there are no temporary signs linking them. How about it Bradford Sustrans Rangers? I made a few exploratory trips and eventually made my way via Oakenshaw via a steep climb up to Brierley, and enjoyed a fast descent through Bowling Park, hampered only by a gaggle of park rangers gathered on the cycle path for a chat. once through the park however the signed route petered out in an alley strewn with broken glass - the true show-stopper for any cycle route. I completed my entry to Bradford with a run down the three-lane A642. Stopped for lunch in a square in town, but soon started getting harassed by drunks so it was time to move on.

As luck would have it Bradford F.C were at home and the traffic wasn't moving in Forster Square retail park, so I made my way along the imaginary cycle route - alleged to follow the route of the old Bradford Canal, but it's hard to spot. Stopped at Frizinghall for a station survey - no cycle stands here - and as a train was announced thought I might as well hop on and go to Keighley in hopes of a pint of Tim Taylors. The clientele on this train consisted mainly of cyclists - showing how important we are in filling trains on off-peak services however little thanks we get for it.

Enjoyed watching the Worth Valley steam train set off...

















...then looked for a decent pub but no joy. So, headed for the canal and a fast run into Leeds (stopping for a pint of Cumberland Ale on the way) on a fine cycle route with the wind behind - bowling along at 18mph most of the way. It's beautifully clean and litter-free as well - congrats to whoever it is who keeps it that way.















Pirate boat on the Leeds-Liverpool canal

Came across a chav casualty who had done too much booze, and was lying on the towpath with his eyes open but not seeing anything. His pals had got him into the recovery position and seemed to have things under control, so I left them to it - I have to say I have no interest in whether chavs live or die, they have given me too much grief in the past for me to care. Anyway the paramedics were just along the way, rushing along with their stretcher - I wondered about the wisdom of leaving their ambulance in such an isolated spot for more Leeds chavs to trash though.

Stopping off at Leeds City station for a crayfish and rocket sandwich from Marks & Sparks - us affluent cyclists can afford that sort of thing, or is it just the money we save not buying petrol? -
and although I could easily have caught the 18:15 fast back to Sheffield was determined to end up back where I started.

So, found the start of the Trans-Pennine Trail - Leeds is making attempts to join the routes together but hasn't managed it just yet, any more than Sheffield has.

First impressions not good - I pictured myself zooming along brick cycleways beside swanky city-living apartments, but found myself bumping along a pitted towpath alongside a burnt-out warehouse. At least on the next section the authorities had the good grace to direct me back to the road - however after that there were some steep steps to negotiate before getting onto a good clear track along the Aire, and it is an impressive navigable river. With the wind behind I was getting up to the 18mph level once again. Had a strange encounter with another cyclist who just wouldn't move over and let me past no matter how much I shouted - when I eventually did overtake I gave him the fright of his life, turned out he was plugged into his ipod! He was going pretty fast himself, obviously not expecting a CTC Refugee on a fast tourer to outgun him.

Soon enough a route choice came up, and chatting to some locals explaining that I wanted to get to Wakefield I was bit dismayed when they said "well it's back there" - pointing back the way I had come!. That's the motorists mentality for you - although they were on bikes at the time. I took to the road anyway, although I found a very good section of relaid TPT between Methley and Bottom Boat, and with a stiff climb on the A642 found myself back in Wakefield, made it to Kirkgate with 72 miles on the clock and a quarter of an hour to go before the next chuffer (complete with jobsworth guard who was paranoid about having two bikes on a train with 5 other passengers) back to Sheffield and dinner with the Orc and his good lady wife.

All along the cycle route bits of this ride I saw loads of people out cycling, families, couples young and old, bunches of lads, women in pairs, as well as loads of people out jogging and walking - maybe some of them had come out in cars to enjoy these traffic-free routes, so what, who cares?

TPT Clean-up

Had quite a successful clean-up day with Mike Beaumont along the Canal towpath at Tinsley. Check it our next time you're passing. Buzzed by a heron and found a toad.

Other rides, other places

(i) Had to get to Longley Park quickly so took the quickest route I know. Over Brook Hill roundabout (motorists always surprised to see a cyclist there so they tend to treat you with respect), hurtle down Netherthorpe Rd. First problem - cycle lanes put you in the wrong position to cross the tram tracks. Oi, Council, No! An opportunity to do something radical on tramway safety, missed.

Next problem - with three lanes of traffic bearing down it's impossible to get over into the right turn lane to go up Rutland Rd. There is a cycle crossing here but there is no slip lane to get you off the carriageway. Oi, Council, No! Rutland Rd itself is horrid - heavy traffic, dirty, polluted. A bit of protection for cyclists under the railway bridge would help.

Coming down on Barnsley Rd, those pesky traffic islands make life difficult. Always a danger of getting squezzed by drivers going through. Not so bad beyond Herries Rd junct.

Coming back, tired of the traffic so took the Osgathorpe Rd diversion. Still no dropped kerbs to make it easier for cyclist on the closed roads and no sign of the city centre - NGH route via Ellesmere. Spital Hill downhill still closed so a bit of schlepping required here. Wicker still clogged up - Pond Hill - Flat St (Who called it that?) - Paternoster Way - Kettles Route leading to Devonshire Cat - pint of Pale Rider worked well.

(ii) Nottingham - Derby, 4th April 07,

Coming back from AUA conference, figured the trains between Notty & Sheffield would be pretty horrid so decided to pedal to Derby using the University Pool Bike. Have done NCN route 6 before but it used to fizzle out beyond Breaston before = with promises of a route along the old Derby canal but "please don't try it at the moment as it could affect delicate negotiations with the landowner." Anyway had cycled out the night before to check it out so I know it was now OK.

(Interlude - there are some arsehole git cyclists out there who think that all sustrans routes are pants. In Sheffield we have a phrase for these people. There are some crap Sustrans routes but then again there are some crap roads to cycle on, some crap bands, some crap beers (Carling Black Label for one) and some crap restaurants (McDonalds and KFC for example) In many cases Sustrans routes are the ones you would work out yourself before you left home, with the benefit of some engineering work to help out with the tricky bits crossing railways and rivers etc. I accept that they are sometimes slower than the equivalent road routes, but sometimes time isn't everything.

What I really like about good Sustrans routes is that they put you into a different head space - as you no longer have to worry about the rules of the road or that truck that's bearing down on you ahead, you can really start to think about things or just dream as you pedal along. The Nottie - Derby route has some anomalies- you wonder why they didn't use the canal instead of going around the houses as you head out of Nottie - but then again both routes, as well as the tarmac road are available so why worry? In Nottingham itself, where a lot of not-very-good off road routes were put in a few years back, the situation seems to have re-balanced, with many cyclists re-asserting their right to be on the road, whilst others are happy to use the off-road alternative. I did think the barrier of the inner ring road needed to be broken though. Freewheel cycle shop still going strong.

Anyway I had already used the NCN route to get to the Uni from Beeston station so I retraced my steps, thinking I would catch a train from B. to Long Eaton & continue from there, I just missed one when I got to Beeston so I continued using the bike route, which takes you through some very pleasant parkland around the north of Long Eaton as well as a few rather dull housing estates.

Also checked out Elvaston campsite which we plan to use on the Tour De France ride - looks good, very nice spot with Elvaston Castle nearby and GBG pub in nearby Thurston. From here you follow the Derwent up into Derby itself, and was pleased to see a lot of young people out on their bikes, it being the Easter hols. Derby has excellent cycle-friendly approaches to the city centre & the station from all the main directions.

SWMBO's blog

So anyway he drags me out for a bike ride. Quelle Drague! Firstly we have to go on the train - why can't we go in one of our two motor vehicles? - on time & with plenty of room for bikes for once, so he got away with that one - but then we have to go to New Mills! Christ what a dump, and there were at least three cars on the roads we had to get round. And we have to go and look at how many bike racks there are at the stations, Jeezzuz pannezzas! So then he makes us cycle along the canal - well it's a bit slow and we have to be nice to walkers, "couldn't we go along the road" I say. Then we go past a canal basin that's an ancient monument apparently - Well I didn't know they had canal basins in pre-historic times and I'm an an archaeologist, so there - actually I'm a Customer Service Manager, you've got to earn a crust haven't you? - but he says we can't stop and have a look 'cos we've got too far to go, miserable git. Then we get to Chinley - another shithole, even worse than New Mills - hasn't even got a decent shop! Anyway things get worse as we have to go up some bastard of a road - it's called Rushup Edge but I certainly wasn't going to rush up it!

He wants to go down Winnatts but I soon put the stoppers on that - it's Edale or nothing I said, so over Mam Nick we go - I hate going downhill, it's even worse than going up I reckon. The next bit wasn't too bad but then we have to go up some other bloody fucking hill to Yorkshire Bridge - he wants to go over the dam, what's wrong with going all the way down into the valley and back up the other side I say! Then we have to go practically all the way back to Bamford so we can go over Bamford Moor - that's a bastard of a climb, no-one in their right mind would want to do that - well the views were quite good but what's wrong with seeing them from the comfort of a 4x4? Not bloody soon enough we're getting back into Sheffield but he says we should go on the back streets as going down Ecclesall Rd Sth at dusk can be a bit hairy. Then he takes us on some lunatic route that involves going up as well as down! And we end up going down Sheldon Rd which is the second worse road in Sheffield to cycle on, after Brocco Bank - normally we go along the back streets but of course I moan about that as well because it's too bloody far - and then to cap it all we run into our fool of a son who's mooching about meersbrook trying to borrow a bike to get to his pal's house because he had his stolen-ed from his pal's house (yes the same one)the other day. Well we gave him short shrift I can tell you.

Anyway when we got back I told him it was a great ride but we know better don't we!

This is what happens if you don't put the cycle parking in like you promised guys....

In the news

Jeremy Paxman on how britain has become a squalid filthy nation.
As a cyclist you spent quite a lot of time looking at road verges, and I certainly agree with him.
"We are a filthy island in which there is now an occasional oasis of cleanliness."

Also "Where cyclists dare" - Cycling in Birmingham & Manchester

Interesting article by respected journalist Christian Wolmar on road pricing

The Avett Brothers

I was driving back from the supermarket last night when I heard the Avetts for the first time on Bob Harris Country, When he said they were on in Sheffield that night I knew I had to be there! So I dumped the shopping and headed down. What a great show, what a great band. For an old fart like me the comparison was like seeing Old & in the Way or the Burritos for the first time. It's a sign of a great song when you can sing along with it even though its the first time you've heard it! Come back soon guys, I'll get the gang down.

Good article on why rail privatisation isn't working

Overheard in sainsburys

Sainsburys cash desk person talking to colleague: "I don't use my car for work any more, I walk to work and I feel a lot better for it".

That's the spirit!

Sunday ride

Just a little run-ette this Sunday: Set off with the thought of surveying Chinley/New Mills stations. Did a quick phone check* and the trains seemed to be running so set off up the hill to Fox House. At the Grindleford junction thought I'd check on train progress, so on to the GPRS again, but this time I did the correct drill down and discovered that what I thought was a train was in fact a bus. The buses don't carry bikes, so decided to divert, visited Grindersfoot which has not yet been covered, then enjoyed a Sainsburys taste the difference cheese&pickly sandwich on Froggatt bridge before pootling home again. Spent the afternoon clearing out the garage - what fun!

*You can check train times on Vodafone Live.

Adventures in Bassetlaw

Set off today to do a bit more station surveying. Those of you who follow my ramblings will know of my disquiet that the first train to the east of Sheffield on the Worksop line, on a sunday, is at 13:48. I had occasion to take this train and one thing I hadn't realised about it is that it runs fast to Worksop. My plan was to de-train at Kiveton Bridge, and take to the Chesterfield Canal into Worksop so I could check out Shireoaks and Worksop stations. However, I discovered that the 13:48 is actually FAST to Worksop. The first slow one leaves at 14:01 although I didn't twig that when looking at the departure boards. In the other direction, the first train from Worksop to Sheffield leaves at 15:01 on a sunday - small wonder then that people drive to Sheffield or Maadowhall for their shopping & sightseeing. Hardly what you would expect of a European city though is it?

Nevertheless a 20 minute journey time to Worksop was a pleasure and I decided to head on to Gainsborough to have a look at the stations there. Gainsborough Lea Rd is actually a Central Trains (CT) (shortly to be handed over to the East Midland Franchise) although more Northern Trains (NT) stop there than CT. Gainsborough Central, on the other hand, is a NT station, but actually no trains stop there at all. This is the most desolate station I've visited on the Northern network, located next to a steel stockholder and up a litter-infested track. However, there are signs of what we call re-generation in Gainsborough, with a shopping and leisure centre being build next to the station, so perhaps it will rise again one day. Surreally, there are oil derricks bobbing up and down next to the station.

So I headed out of town on the A631, which does have a cycle route alongside, starting off as bumpy pavement but getting a bit more professional -looking when the road turns into a dual carriageway. My attempt to use a bit of "old road" turned out to be a disaster when I came to a railway with no way across so I had to retrace my pedals. The A620, with some bits of off-road, took me down to Retford - the town has made a bit of an attempt to create a cycle route along the Chesterfield canal, but really, could do better.

Turning up at the station, I heard a train to Sheffield announced , so thought I might as well hop on and get down to Worksop to get with my original plan. This was a mistake. First-ly, the announcement had stated the wrong platform , so although I knew which platform the Sheffield train should go from I met a bunch of people off to find platform 1 - the fast platform for GNER expresses - then some people who had stayed uneasily on the right platform. Shortly after another anouncement advised us to switch to the opposite platform - always a pleasure whwen lugging a bike. A bunch of local youths had appropriated the adjacent field for a spot of off-road motorbiking, and I was joined by a chav family with double whining brats and yapping lap-dog (makes a change from child-killing pitbull I suppose) so the wait was less than relaxing. Anyway half an hour later the train arrived, already packed. No time left for a nice run along the canal, so back to Shef I went.

Reflective Jackets

Sourced without permission from the gmcc site, who reproduced it without permission from Private Eye

Check out the Couchbike!

Government as much to blame as First for Great Western fiasco

.. Says Christian Wolmar

Good ride today

Set off with Patrice and Martin the bus-man up through Holmesfield, down Cowley Lane to Commonside, then via Barlow and Pinfold up on to the tops. P & M set off home at that point, but I continued to Calver down the main rd (a few cars passed me but I passed them at the approach to the roundabout- quick search for a cafe in Calver, but nothing doing so settled on the Country Bookstore for lunch. Quick climb over the back road, down the main road and there you are! Good homemade soup as well. Was heading for the Hope Valley to do a survey of the cycle parking at stations (I am doing this for Northern Rail with Martin Bright) - so to get in the rail mood took the monsal trail to Gt Longstone and then Longstone Edge - starts as a punishing climb but gets better after a bit, big quarry at the top that doesn't add to the landscape at all. After you get over the top the world seems to tilt towards you, a bit like Google Earth (except this is the real thing) - down andacross to Foolow, skirting Gt Hucklow and then swooping down through Bradwell.

Did Hope, Bamford Hathersage & stations - would have done more but had to head for home as there were no trains. So it was up over Fox House and home via Dore where there is still no cycling parking. 52 miles total. Knackered now!

Reasons to be a Sustrans Ranger pt II

..the Decaux advertising sign at the top of Staveley Rd has been subjected to a sustained campaign of glass-breaking, presumably by local kids. This leaves bits of broken glass all over the cycle ramp leading to Abbeydale Rd. Streetforce are very good at coming out to clean up once its reported, but use a mechanical cleaner that leaves some bits of glass still on the ramp. Passing by with my Sustrans broom (kindly donated by Streetforce, and of a standard that leaves no prisoners) I was able to remove the remnants in a jiffy, so they won't end up lodged in your inner tube. Jobs a good'un!

Reasons to be a Sustrans Ranger, pt 1

Cycling home along the Upper Hanover Way cycle route (not a Sustrans route) on Jan 18th, the windiest, stormiest day of the year (transport chaos everywhere) my hat was grabbed off my head by a passing bramble (these are rampant despite it being mid-winter - nothing to do with climate change of course) Having my trusty Sustrans secateurs in the back pocket of my pannier, however, I was able to not only retrieve said headpiece, but give the bramble in question a right good seeing to with the old secs. There will be no question of another cyclist's hat being robbed by those anti-social brambles for quite a while now I can tell you.

Connoisseurs of the UHW bike route will note that not only has the broken-down tree been removed, it has been scrubbed clean and the fast growing nettles (nettles? in January?) have been removed due to my exhortations to Streetforce and their speedy response, as well as my own ministrations with the secateurs, particularly with regard to eye-level thorns.

First Great Western ARE shit

It's offiicially confirmed in parliament!

See this one also!

Blah Party

A refreshing bit of nonsense from Captain Sensible

SMS Trivia

I am sometimes amused by the predictive text on my phone. For example if you type in Simon

you can also get Phono - which as I have a passing interest in hi-fi & music I thought rather appropriate.

If you type Mal in, the name of a renowned trike-maker and carpenter, you get Oak.

Anyway, if you type in Awake, you get Cycle - which I thought was good.

Just thought I'd share that with you.

Some jokes

Wit of Richard Hawley last night:

People say that I'm as soft as a bag o'tits, and this song proves it.

Oh, you're from Rotherham? Gimme six!

After a stonking performance of The Ocean:

Christ! I feel like I've had a shag!

and from uk.rec.cycling:

Bloke in Paris, apparently caught short:

Gendarme: Monsieur, défense de pisser!
Bloke: Mais non, je m'abuse
Gendarme: Pardon monsieur. Vive la sport.

First Great Western are shit

Went to the Cycle Campaign Network board meeting in Reading on Saturday. Got to Paddington after an unfeasibly early start from Sheffield, and the same thing had happened as the last time I had been there - the Cheltenham train had been cancelled. That means the (In this case) Paington train is full of rich tossers (in the supposedly quiet coach) bleating down the phone to their posh friends "oh gahd, they've thrown off off our train, we don't know when we'll get there" What must make it all the more galling for these appalling ageing sloanies is that they will have to change in Swindon, the armpit of the West Country.

On the way back, the train was running late because one of the power cars had broken down. Now I'm sorry, but millions of motor cars are running up and down the roads that girdle the globe, and generally they don't break down. The reason? Maintenance, pure and simple. Maintain the trains properly and they won't break down.

So, three messages for First Great Western - firstly, you are shit. Secondly, I notice that you have managed to put ticket barriers up at many of your stations. This is all well and good, but if you want us to pay for your services you will First have to provide them. Run them on time, don't cancel them, make sure everyone has a seat and all will be well. Thirdly, don't cancel the Cheltenham train - it just makes life completely appalling for the rest of us.

We are not impressed by your (First Mainline) bus fares policy in Sheffield either. Just because 36% of the population of the city doesn't own a car doesn't mean you are entitled to fleece them for all they are worth.

LO, and the First shall be last...

What's needed for a cycle route, Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield

Sheffield to Chesterfield – what’s needed.

(as promised in previous post)

Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield rail services are set to improve with the introduction of Nottingham - Leeds services. With this a parallel cycle route is needed that will enable people to cycle along this busy commuter route, and mix'n'match with the rail service.

The implementation of the route will require co-operation between Sheffield City Council, Derbyshire County Council and local councils of Dronfield and Chesterfield.

Sheffield City Centre to Meadowhead has a signed route and Chesterfield Rd has some bus lanes/bike facilities, so unlikely to make any further progress here for a while (completion of the route through Meersbrook Park would be useful)

Meadowhead “squareabout” is due to a refurb but this has been postponed by SCC.

An off-road route is needed between Meadowhead & Bowshaw.

Speed limit reductions are needed between Bowshaw and Dronfield, and between Dronfield and Chesterfield. Dronfield itself has a 20 mph speed limit although better enforcement of this is needed.

Sign Mill Lane in Dronfield as a cycle route & improve surface at southern end– avoiding busy section of road. Cycle Stands needed for visitors to GB cycles, the Sidings and the nature park.

Unstone – investigate alternative route following river and avoiding the railway bridge. Note that the Nationwide boatyard has closed, could lead to development, hence planning gain funding.

Sheepbridge – imporove conditions under railway bridges, remove ridiculous cycle calming measure in bike lane. If you want to slow someone down slow the traffic down!

A61 Roundabout (James’s cycle shop) Signage in centre of roundabout subway system to include

Route should be signed from both City Centres and the three Railway Stations.

Feeder routes should be identified that will enable access to the spinal route from residential areas.

Note that the journey time, for an experienced and confident road cyclist between Sheffield and Chesterfield is approximately one hour.

Mud-plugging on the TPT

Rode the Calow section today with new rangers Paul & Pip & then rode back to Sheffield. (We have had heavy rain & strong winds in the last few days)

Took the B6057 road route from Sheffield to Chesterfield and noted some measures that are needed to make this a safe commuting route which will be reported separately.

The Calow loop is in good condition. The signing at the golf club is a bit ambiguous and Pip agreed to sort that out - it might need the OK of the golf club but I expect they don't really want lost trail-ers wandering over the links so shouldn't be a problem. This section will be in good hands with Paul & Pip.

Staveley - a link is needed between the TPT and the Five Pits trail near Arkwright Town.

There is a litter problem at the access points in Staveley.

North of Staveley the trail is in good condition and with a strong following wind I was able to travel at speed. However, the area around former Renishaw central station is a mudbath. This is a pity because it is an access point and the condition deters potential users. Also it is visible to road cyclists as they pass over the road bridge and they are unlikely to be attracted onto the trail in its current condition, although the surfaces are quite rideable a few hundred yards away from this location. Suggest therefore that this area should get some priority.

North of Renishaw the surface is mediocre and has plainly been disturbed by off-road motorcyclists (I came across one in this area)

I veered off to do some shopping at Crystal Peaks shopping centre, and tried to put myself into the position of a tired & hungry stranger to town who had done this and then needed to get back onto the trail.(the tired and hungry part wasn't hard) There is no link between the trail and Crystal Peaks. It would seem logical that there should be one, and the off-road path that passes the Drake House Lane tram-stop is an obvious contender.In fact there is a whole network of pathways in Mosborough that could be converted for cycling, as has been previously noted. There are no links enabling a cyclist who has strayed from the trail and find themselves on the A57, one of Sheffield's classic roads designed to deter cycling, to get back off it and on to the trail. The traffic around Crystal Peaks on a December Sunday is horrendous. I won't go into the details of how I got back on!

Came across some off-road motorcyclists at the Stradbroke Rd crossing. Unfortunately my phone was dead so couldn't report them.

There is a breed line all the way up the incline to Richmond Rd, as previously reported . This is quite hazardous now.

Coming into town the trail is in reasonable condition although there is a lot of litter in the borders and there was evidence of a burnt-out car near Prince of Wales road. One anecdote I picked up was that when the Fire Brigade were on strike there were a lot less burnt-out cars around, as part of the thrill is getting the fire engine to turn out (& quite possibly stone the firemen) Perhaps the fire brigade should stop coming out to burning cars.

Where the trail crosses the Mosborough Parkway I noticed that the cycle route has been extended towards the Richmond College site. However, the signs are missing so this is likely to confuse trail users. I will get some temporary signs up.

Thoroughly enjoyed the ride despite the defects!

Town & Country

A hefty cycling day. Down to town to meet up with Tim who became a father today. Went for a spoing around the TPT in Sheffield with him, then back to town to meet Michael, and up to Redmires meeting Ian, Jon & Charlotte to tackle the Stanage Pole & Long Causeway. Then on to the Stanage Forum and back by train to Sheffield.

Gross...

Vote for your favourite driving bend.. you never know, there might be a cyclist coming round the corner...

Living Art

Living Art in the Peak District

Photos from Another Space, Blundellsands

Coming back from the Tuesday ride, excellent run to Hathersage, great food on the Wicker and a few pints in the new Real Ale house, the Harlequin, formerly the Manchester Arms, got onto Shoreham St when something went at the back of the bike. Bit of wobbling and I'm off to meet the tarmac with a horrifyingly familiar crunch. Pick myself up, get the bike off the road, sitting on the wall and start to assess the damage. Police Car tuns up really quickly (maybe I was seen on CCTV?) two policewomen but they don't get out straight away, just look at me. I'm sitting on the wall going "Hello? I'm hurt?"So they get out and take a look. One of them says have you had a drink?" I say yes (well there's no point lying to a policewoman is there.) "You know it's an offence to be drunk in charge of a bicycle don't you?" Thanks for letting me know.

Meanwhile two cycling police turn up and are a bit more sympathetic, dig out out their first aid kits and clean me up a bit (but run out of wipes so I have to lend them mine) and an ambulance is called. Got a cut on my eyebrow line (the usual place) and although they have people who can come out and sort you out on the spot they don't like to do faces apparently. So bike & I are loaded into the ambulance and off to the NGH. Quick exam, no apparent more serious damage and I'm soon glued up and packed away. Patrice is called and I'm home by about 1:30.

So what went wrong this time? Two falls in two years is a bit too often, on the same bike, isn't it? The rear mudguard is damaged so could be something to do with panniers and mudguards. Less serious than the last one, and I was wearing a helmet which looks as though it didn't actually come into contact with the ground. Last time I couldn't remember the incident and therefore had to spend the night under observation in the NGH - I figured I might have got away without the eyebrow line cut that time, but it seems I might have been mistaken. Going to be off bikes and off the bike scene for a while anyway - please respect my privacy.

Simon

Don't forget to go see "An Inconvenient Truth, on at the Showroom until 5th October at least.
http://www.climatecrisis.net/

Ring Cycle, 19th Sept.

Piccies from Shalesmoor...









"

With Dr Bike cancelled, had no excuse for not driving SWMBO out to the van for the on-going refurbishment work. Then selfishly set off on a bike ride, wanting to try out the section of the Pennine Cycleway between Parsley Hey and Buxton - not done that bit before. Down and Up Millers Dale, always a good climb, then Sheldon, Flagg (spotted a few spire-ites at the tea shop)
and onto the trail just above the Hey. Good surface on the old rail trail, a bit bumpier and with loose stones on the connecting bit that takes you onto the road to Earl Sterndale - wonder if motorbikes have churned it up. Quick pint at the Quiet Woman (sexist chortle at pub sign, picture of woman with no head) White Lightning I think it was, very tasty, on over the hill into Buxton. The route uses a quiet-ish road through Harpur Hill, and into the very genteel Victorian residential areas of Buxton. Outside the Opera House though, in full view of a troupe of Morris dancers, terrific sprang and my rear mech collapses in a twisted heap of expensive Campag spare parts. Quick mod to convert the bike into a single speed machine, decide to head back to the van. Not too bad except occasionally forget and try to change gear on the front, which pulls the wheel out of true - have to stop and adjust. Gearing mostly OK but had to walk up Smalldale - maybe I'll turn it into a fixer! Got up Cliffe Rd in Tideswell OK, quite pleased with myself for that.

If you're viewing my blog via an aggregator like the Pedal Pushers Social Blog (http://axelrod.plus.com/sftp/ppfiles/ppsocial.shtml) you might not be able to see the pictures unless you click on the title bar which is a link to the blog itself. We're working on it.

Just liked this ...

Took a ride down to Corporation St to see how the new road is going


Just trying something out with pictures here...

Now it's (nearly) always good to see a new cycle route going in, but what kind of perverse logic puts the signs up before the tarmac has even gone in?











North Don Trail emerges north of the Corporation St Bridge...













Needs a bit of tidying up south of the bridge though.













...and the road is coming on. It's good to see that the retaining wall is quality stonework, matching the Wicker Arches with which it is contiguous.

Wearing helmets more 'dangerous'

Trike spotted at Norton Water Tower...






















& I'm the guy that got it there. (For those who don't know, Norton is one of the highest spots
in the hilly city of Sheffield.) The trike is, I think, no.10. Runs on croissants, scrambled eggs, toast, coffee & water.) Mal (who makes them) thnks it needs a shortter wheelbase but I thought it was a dream to ride. The full trip was, from Meersbrook, Newfield, Blackstock Rd Dumpit site (the guys laughed when they first saw it but took it seriously when they saw what I was carrying, including a defunct Black & Decker Workmate - I laughed when I saw the current price of petrol) up to the Tower, Hemsworth Rd, Pole Hill (that was fun) Homebase, Meersbrook Park & Home.

Syd Barrett has died.

I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like.
It's got a basket, a bell that rings and things to make it look good.
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.

Guy under a train at Sheffield Station, 05-06-2006 (3 Photos)

mopped the floor and cleaned the cooker, then up to Meadowhead via the preferred route. Out to Holmesfield, got cut up just as I was about to turn left for Common Side (no not that one) Followed the miscreant all the way down, but never quite close enough to point out the error of his way (just as well probably). Then up the hill to Pudding Pie, being followed by a trotting horse but he never quite caught up. Over Beeley Moor, did a zigzag to avoid the rough bit of track, following the pp route to Derby. There's an enticing looking track off to the right which looks to take you down to Darley Dale, so I followed it - warned by some MTB'ers thst it was pretty rocky, but it was OK to go down on a tourer with a little walking - uphill might be a different matter, Down to Two Dales, across the A6, found mysefl in the car park
of DFS Sofas. You can get on to the narrow path that runs alongside Peak Rail - this might be fun to follow down sometime, narrow but cycleable (give way to walkers of course, but it's not exactly the pennine way) had a look at the station, no large kettles in sight, so on to on to Winster & Elton - this a strenuous climb. Beyond Elton you are in one of those area where nothing is quite like it looks on the map- set off down a road then convinced myself I was going the wrong away, went back to the top, discovered I wasn't. Despite this my best efforts to come out on the Long Rake west of Youlgreave were thwarted (think I know what do next time though) and I swooped across the Bradford vallet leaving with me with that tedious climb out of Y. continuing to Arbor Low. I knew I had to turn around at 2:30, and this was rapidly approaching, so a quick cup of tea and cohocolate cake at Parsley Hay was in order, the soft cyclists parading around in their smart gear, with my Sustrans tabard on (become a Sustrans ranger and get one free) I felt like everyone's great-uncle. (Sustrans didn't built the Tissington & High Peak trails of course, but they have linked them in to the Pennine Cycleway, forming a continuous route between Derby & Berwick-upon -Tweed and placing a requirement that the trail be kept up to NCN standards. ) Turning around, shot back down the way I had just come, across Lathkildale with its steep climb out, found a neat little way in/out of Bakewell,
stopped to take water (it was HOT!) over to Froggatt, drifted up the climb to Longshaw with the wind following, checked out whether the path through the estate is a bridleway but the evidence is inconclusiv. Shot down Hathersage Rd, across Sheephill to Ringinglow, then down the 50th anni route (unusual to go down it - usually the temptation to shoot down Ringinglow Rd is too strong.) Just below Forge Dam, took the new route up to Fulwood (loose surface and bit steep - had to push up the last bit just because I couldn't get any grip) - leaving me to hurtle down to the Rising Sun to meet Ian Sam and Andy for a world-shattering meet of the Executive and a couple of tasty well-earned pints, before repairing to Kumquat Mae for dinner.

Another blog from a fellow Pedal Pusher..

Cycling in the states

My Way is the highway

Simonsway is a road near Manchester Airport. Like all the best roads, it has a clean tarmac off-road cycle route running alongside, but is also perfectly cycleable on-carriageway. That's Simon's Way.

Sheffield businesses currently black-listed for bad driving in the proximity of a cyclist:

RCA Taxis
Gibb Bros builders (their music's crap as well)
First Mainline

When Bromptons attack!

Useful stuff on how to video on a bike

Boycott Google

Interesting info about Hendersons Relish

Daft cycle farce-ilities
On the otherwise excellent Fallowfield Loop, Manchester. This one is where the path has been diverted to make way for a new Sainsburys. A fine example of Compulsive Risk Assessment Prognosis. (CRAP)

Images of a Velo-Parc
Sports City, Manchester

people need inspiration:-

Inspiration, move me brightly. light the song with sense and color,hold away despair

See Sheffield in a different light

Visions of Global Warming
October 27, 2005 - Warmest October Day Since 2005 (or was that 1905 - whatever)
Trans-Pennine Trail, Barnsley - Penistone














Keep that carbon coming...

Hope on the horizon (wind farms in the distance near Penistone)


















On the road (or just off it)

















Journey's end (Old Brockholes station house near
Holmfirth)

City Hall re-opens (great pic)


A fellow Pedal Pusher opens a new blog:-

Interesting stuff from Jos Kingston about the area where I live;

Note to council officers/pedalpushers: see below for comments on Moor cycle parking.
Anyway, about those unconventional loads;









Roll out the barrel...
Actually it was empty - the remains from the CICS BBQ. By running it back to Kelham Island, another car journey saved.

Now what does this tell you about the cycle parking around Sainsbury's at the bottom of the moor?






or this?



(That's my bike fighting for space with a scooter and the remains of a mountain bike.)

Now there's actually lots of space for extra cycle stands and even some motorcycle parking.....


Strikes me that you could even replace some of the trees by putting them in between the cycle stands, thus preventing the market traders from running them over...

Meanwhile on London Rd the ratio of bikes to cars was 5 to 1 (including me and the guy in front you can't see) ...

Bush goes biking...

More bike news from Beaver County

DfT report on impact of LTP2

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_control/documents/contentservertemplate/dft_index.hcst?n=14325&l=3

Bike Routes from Midland Mainline Stations updated today. Reported successful outcome to campaign to get Sheffield CC to particpate in the CT regional benchmarking scheme.

Rides site updated
Admin for pedalpushers & ppmail
Respond to mpoole re removal of bikes service on rural buslink
Events updates on Sheffield Forum

Sent out meeting minutes by email

Preparatory work for Day of Action: Talked to Press : Attended cycle forum meeting

Set up new northern-urban -cycling ng; Advised members of our pieces in Shef Telegraph that day. Explanation of Day of Action event 10/12

sumfink I did for work
posted details of new cycle route - Meadowhall-Chapeltown

The blog is being hijacked! I'm not doing any incredibly interesting cycle trips at the moment, but I need to keep a record of
what I do as secretary of Pedal Pushers, so I'm going to keep it here.

Pedalpushers Events Diary

Warren Zevon has died.
Entertainment Story - canada.com network

this a.m. Have to collect something from the sorting office. Am also heading off for the weekend so am heavily laden with panniers etc, including Brompton pannier, as am planning to switch to the B. (IL having borrowed it to go to the Bikes on Trams conference in Nottingham the day before. Get to sorting office to discover the item is in fact a big box of Sheffield Cycling Packs. How do I get this home? Conumdrum. End up with it on the rack, and Brompton pannier bungied to front rack and waving about a bit . Just about make it home - not recommended. Later discover all trains cancelled, so no need for BRompton & Bag after all! Going to drive instead -wld have gone to bed earlier if I'd known that.

Saturday: Start of National Bike Week (It's always something week isn't it) Did Dr Bike in the city centre - pretty good fun, we fixed a few bikes. Sunday, blew off all that nonsense, went for a nice bike ride to Abney and up to the gliding club, back via Eyam.

Sunday 9th:To Meadowhell Retail Park to whinge about my Palm which is no longer synchronising. It seems you have to ring the Palm support line. Is it open on Sunday? No. 5 Weirs walk is OK with a trailer - reminds me that we need an Accessibility register for cycle routes in Sheffield for people with unusual bikes. Having established that scanners are about UKP20 more expensive at PC World than they are at Maplins, back into town to pick one up, along with a USB hub and some rechargeable batteries. Then up to work to pick up the laptop - haul the lot home, get home just in time to miss the rain, which could have been embarassing. Monday, ring up the Palm helpline, after half an hour picking up the voicemail "options" trying to avoid buying some support that I've already paid for, get through to a Glaswegian lassie who judging from her croaky voice survives on 60 Benson & Hedges a day. I know and she knows that the device is faulty, but we have to go through the hoops of uninstalling the software, removing the references in the registry that the crap uninstall program has left behind, and re-installing the software only to find that it doesn't work. They then ask if I can try connecting it with a different computer. I say OK, but subsequently realise that I can't be bothered. So I ring back and say "tried that, didn't work" They then agree to send out what they term an "Expansion Card" which, they say, will solve the problem. They could have done that in the first place and not wasted my time, but presumably they make you jump through the hoops in the hopes that you will give up and go away. I am awaiting the card, so we'll see how we get on.

Tuesday: Just the usual, hauled the recyc, up to Beanies to load up with foodstuff (tue and thurs are veggie delivery days - get there early) home for a delish stirfry. OLC + trailer.

Wed: Set off on the Wednesday night bike ride w/ Gerry & the Doctor - Lurch having decided he was in too much of a hurry to wait on his way to Litton. Us three go up the parks and carry on towards Fox House - the Doctor fancies a bit of rough stuff so he goes up Sheepshaggers Lane, while Gerry & I hit the main road in a rainstorm, other cyclist are cowering under trees but we carry on. We wait for the Doctor over a pint at the Fox House - he arrives soon after, complaining that what he thought would be a pleasant country lane was more of an obstacle course- the effect of four-wheel drivers anbd motorbikes tearing up the surface, unfortunately. The Doctor has an appontment with the Dentist so we leave him there, and carry on towards Litton, having arranged a lift home. Our route takes us through Grindleford, up the Eyam road which is closed because of subsidence and therefore very pleasant, continuing to climb onto the limestone plateau known as the White Peak. Rain buckets down as we turn onto the Main Road, a fast but not pleasant run down to Wardlow Mires, and back up to get onto the Litton Rd. Our lift is already waiting for us at the pub, and Lurch's wallet is lying on the floor, so I pick it up, remove a tenner and buy a round. He himself has been do eager to get there that he carried on past the Litton turnoff and ended up at Peak Forest, so had to come back again - adding about 9 miles to the journey. Some very bad jokes are told, and Terry the landlord invites us to pull our own pints, so we do. Back in town there have been floods and hail.

Headed off to work this a.m. in shorts,realised I had nothing to change into (having taken my smart trousers home at the w/e for washing). So there I am, meeting with the boss in half an hour, no trousers. Solution, pop into office, turn on PC, check messages, shoot down to Burton's and buy some trousers, shoot back, still in time for quarter hour preparation for meeting. You couldn't do it any other way - mind, you wouldn't find yourself in this predicament in any other way either...

Saturday, Did the Pedal Pushers Sheffield to Derby ride with SWMBO Fantastic day, lots of highlights.
Sunday, Did a little shopping - HP 5550 printer, new rubbish bin, new curtain rail - hauled the lot back home in double quick time, (photo here) as had to get to the supermarket before it shut at 4. 8 bottles of mineral water clink rather a lot. Got back just as it started to rain.

3 days tandeming in West Wales with the Doctor. Day 1: Get a lift to Rosebush, high in the Preselis. A ten mile downhill run to Narberth, where we are slightly held up by a puncture. Climbing up again from the river valley, reach the southern braid of the Celtic Way, part of NCN route 4, Fishguard - London. This takes us down to Saudersfoot, a slightly downmarket resort with which we are not impressed, and up the big hill again to drop down to Tenby. We tour the town to look for a b&b, the tandem attracting attention from all, eventually ending up in the Ventnor hotel, the scruffiest place in town, with wood-chip panel abounding. As the Doctor likes to have a smoke before retiring, this suits us down to the ground, and nylon sheets are hard to find these days. Out to hit the town, all the pubs are heaving, find a relatively quiet one, then on for dinner. The second bottle of wine might have been a mistake - can't finish the tin of lager afterwards, wake up feeling a little fuzzy. Never mind, a day on the tandem sorts out most problems. Heading East, the coastal cycle route takes us up hill and down dale, perhaps slightly more than we would have wished. A long swoop downhill takes us to Laugharne, home of Dylan Thomas' boathouse (where he presumably used to drink himself insensible as he was young and easy under the apple boughs. We satisfied ourselves with a large pot of tea and a Cawl for me, the Doctor not being partial to lunch. Climbing out of Laugharne, we chased a posse of ancient british motorcycles down the hill on the main road to St Clears, where the pub beckoned.
Two pints of Greene King IPA under our belt (accompanied by a TV advert for Greene King IPA - can you say no to another? ) we set off on a short trip the wrong way up the A40 before diving off to mount another hill, the A40 having stolen the easy route, and climb through Welsh countryside, past the county fair, the blue signs guiding us through the lanes (just one missing) until finally we hurtle down into the industrial area of Camarthen, across the railway and the trunk road, eschewing the quiet route by the river (it's to late for that) up past the war memorial, rejecting Spillman's hotel, settling on one of the rambling old comfortable inns on the high street,Tried all the real ale listings, (lovingly torn out of the book before leaving Dinas) and a 20oz steak at Hamilton's, unconscious as soon as the telly came on, leaving the Doctor to inspect his medicine chest.
Day 3, breakfast didn't go down easy, many hours have been spent discussing whether to follow the route which is a mighty switchback for the first five miles, or join it further on having cut out the hard stuff. We go for the latter, get a good speed going up the A40, the hard shoulder not too hazardous, and a bike route on the other side, taking the side road to Meidrin, starting to meet the hills, then two ledges to gain the height (we walked some - we're not proud) Agreed that a big f***-off triple clanger is required - the bike's a little too slow in top, and it doesn'r crawl like an Evans - but once we're up there she steams along, soon at Tegwyn and rejoining the route. We find Dinas mill, looks in need of some refurbishment, and pass the watershed. Rain threatens but the donning of waterproofs staves it off as ever. We sense victory as we crest the hill to find the sea and the view of Dinas Island before thrshing down to Crymych, where the Cafe, open on bank holiday, serves us nourishing soup. There are more cyclists around as we skirt around the Preseli, in the bowl of the mountains. A last climb above Maenclochog find us once again on the road to Rosebush, earlier than expected - an hour with a pint or two reading the papers, before we take the long downhill gradient into the Gwaun to meet our families, Bessie less impressed with our exploits than we are.

More rain. Last night did the re-cycling, (OLC + trailer) product of SMBO's weekend in Derbyshire - 2 bottles Cava, 3 bottles Sainsbury's Claret (I prefer the Special Reserve) , lots of strawberry boxes. Quite abstemious really. Met Mal on the way back - he was off to Safeway on his utilility tricycle, having just constructed a wooden box for the back of it. We were able to pretend to stop to let each other go past like the cagers do, even though I think we would have been able to squeeze past with a few metres of road space to spare:) Anyone seeing us merrily chatting away in torrential downpour in 'us waterproofs might have thought that the future of sustainable transport had arrived! One thing about using a cycle as primary transport is that you frequerntly meet people you know either cycling or walking - beats trying trying to have conversations on the mobile whilst dangerously careering about on the highway in a high-speed killing machine. Switched to Vernon to take a cheque up to Greenhill - slow work getting up there, pretty quick getting back. Stopped to inspect new cycle-friendly junction on Broadfield Rd.

The part I missed from the birdseed narrative was the ratrunning cager (trans; motorists taking a short cut) who leaned out & said "is that a DVD player in there?" I said "no, it's birdseed". "Too bad", he said.

Took a duff monitor to the computer centre in trailer - impressed the techies by cycling in with it (well, the door was open). Returned with functioning monitor. This was OK for a short trip, but leads one to think about what would be required to shift IT equipment full-time - suspension, and a lockable rainproof padded box capable of containing a 17" monitor or tower case. Anyone know of such a thing, please contact me at s dot geller at blueyonder dot co dot uk.!

"Heavy" Showers (you have to have lived in the North of England to know what that means). SWMBO rings up from her weekend retreat in Derbyshire and says "I forgot the photos of Namibia" (she had spent a month doing Good Works there earlier in the year) "why don't you cycle out and drop them off?" So around 1:30, muggins looks up the trains, there's one at 2 (it's a quarter hour ride to the station) This only entails returning the tandem to the garage, cycling back on the Brompton, putting on waterproof gear and heading off on Vernon . No problem except can't find my keys. Find' 'em with 10 minutes to go, set off, heavy rain, strong headwind, road works. Made it though (helped by train a little late, you can always rely on UK trains) Grindleford, bright sunshine , still a strong headwind. Had already realised not going to make it to Monyash (it's up a big hill on one of the the bleakest and most windswept plains on the planet, honest) so left messages on mobile to say, you want 'em, meet me in Bakewell. Fought my way over to Bakewell - just outside the town, the mobile rings - I could tell this because it interferes with my CD-Walkman just enough so you can hear it ringing, handy that really (listening to Neil Young, Sheffield Arena 9/6/01, you want a copy, get in touch, B&P please, s dot geller at blueyonder dot co dot uk.) Herself to say she, along with any fool, would be in Bakewell in 20 mins. Arrange to meet up in Car Park, slight confusion over which car park, meanwhile buy a medium size bakewell pudding and eat it (normally two bites of a b.p. is enough to make anyone feel ill) V. nice by river in B. watching the birdies. Make the handover OK, Set off back in torrential downpour (soon over) just miss train, so over the hill with that fiendish wind behind me now, quick pint and packet of S&V in the Grouse, fast downhill to Sheffield. Bluebells v.nice in Ecclesall Woods.

Rain. Went up the parkway to take a look at the new cycle/foot bridge that's being put in. It's sitting at the side of the road, with a few workman standing around looking at it. Also took a look at the Cobweb bridge, a specatacular structure than runs under the Wicker arches - massively over-engineered Victorian railway arches. It's taking ages to build because of the risk of flooding. There has been some work on - I was able to get onto it from the northern end, and for a moment I thought I would be able to get all the way across! No such luck Soon another excuse for not cycling to Meadowhall will have been removed.

Went on a shopping spree - bought new USB card, 40 CDR's, some rechargeable batteries, a new portable radio to replace the one than got nicked when my daughter held an impromptu party, some mags and a doorknob. Hauled the lot home in panniers.

Have recently transported 2 used car batteries to the dumpit site by trailerbike. One was from my car; other had just been dumped in our car park at work. Car batteries are surprisingly heavy ! Can get to dumpit site through local woods so don't have to go up a huge hill and down the other side like the cagers do.

16/5 (really!) Raining so drove to work with SWMBO who's off to Derbyshire for weekend. Caught in tailback on ring road so got Brompton out of back of car, cycled rest of journey. Got to work unreasonably early.

OK previous post was actually 14/5/3 (UK date format - day before month which is obvious) ) 15/5 - commuted to work on Vernon (Touring bike) 2.2 miles. Home at lunchtime to switch to One Less Car (Evans MTB) & trailer, back to work. Hauled a 20kg box of birdseed home. Evening , to Pedal Pushers meeting on Brompton - cock-up over room, so we had to hold the meeting outside the pub. Early finish so as to avoid rampaging Blades fans.

Catching up. 15/5/03. p.m. Cycle ride to Apperknowle NE Derbyshire . On tandem with Dr Walker as stoker. Two clapped out nearly 50 - somethings gave the heavy duty Pedal Pushers a run for their money. Yellow Lion a recommended pub.