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.