Today's Ride

Monday Monday.

The commute providing respite from the busy-ness of the weekend. Bought another bike last Thursday, another Stumpjumper. Swapped a few parts at the weekend in preparation for this morning - pedals, stem and seat. My endeavours lasted 5 minutes. Got up the road and the seatpost slid back into the frame. Not to worry, pull up and whip the tools out....Ah, I remember why I forgot to finish this job now. The bolt was spinning and I'm unable to tighten it. Only able to shift through 4 gears too, dammit. Turn around, go home and swap bikes.

Take two, and I'm now running late. The ride in is now a 7.5 mile dash. I manage to break the speed limit and hold off a couple of cars down the hill at Rawmarsh. The highlight of the ride being the Kingfisher that flashed past as I rode along the river bank behind Mexborough Station.

Nice and cool. No breeze, about 6 or so degrees.

I take the long way home. This time deciding to cross more of the Wentworth Fitzwilliam Estate. I suppose it's like Chatsworth but on a slightly (only slightly) smaller scale, and not quite as glamorous. There is no cycling allowed ANYWHERE on the estate. That's crap, and I won't be doing that again. So after charging down Greasbrough Hill the next couple of miles were much more sedate, a slow amble in cycling shoes: sounding like I'm bloody tap-dancing when the cleats hit the tarmac.

Through the estate and on to the TPT ncn 67, heading over to Elsecar. Through the heritage centre, following the old railway and Hemingfield Canal until I join up with NCN 62 near Wombwell.

The TPT was very busy this afternoon.

The rest of the ride was a charge for home. Good pace and the run through to Bolton on Dearne quieter. 18 miles.

Best day of the year so far. 16°c and sunny. I could have got away with shorts. Screenshot_20210419-214902_Gallery.jpg
Can you read it? No, neither could I. So I left the footpath and walked across the grassland to go and read it.
First line says 'Keep to the footpath provided '.
Second line says 'No trespassing on the grassland'. Screenshot_20210419-214816_Gallery.jpg
 
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D'yer want a flake in that, love?

Bit of fatigue today. Took the 99. Quite like it, but need to make a couple of changes. Wider bars being one. Did we really used to ride 'em like that?

7 miles in - 6°c or thereabouts.
Almost 8 home - 15°c.

Totally different route home. Might try it in the morning as I've found an off road equivalent of Rawmarsh Hill. It's got wipeout written all over it. Screenshot_20210420-184522_Gallery.jpg Screenshot_20210420-184415_Gallery.jpg Screenshot_20210420-184605_Gallery.jpg
 
Great to see a quiet beach. See some horrendous pics in the media.

A Orange Juice bottle order was another excuse to do some 'physio'. Just 3.6 miles. Bikes covered in pollen - just as well I don't have hay fever!

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Aye - I'm happy with progress. Thanks. I'm just about to crash on sofa with it elevated. Been on feet all day & it's telling me enough is enough for today.
 
Wednesday. Felicity Kendal, and why not?

A bit dull and cloudy. Cool.

Rode 98 today. It's funny how making a minor adjustment to one component can make a bike feel very different. In this case changing the pitch of the seat made the bike feel too small.

Anyway...legs felt good this morning. Pace was good. Good ride in, but didn't stop for pics and no kingfisher today.

The first few miles home were fairly dull. Getting to Kilnhurst I wanted to try the path I can see from the opposite bank of the cut, as I pass by in a morning.
Was it worth the effort? In all honesty, no. Screenshot_20210421-200834_Gallery.jpg Screenshot_20210421-200845_Gallery.jpg
 
There was a flypast from the kingfisher this morning. In Mexborough Station car park of all places. The sign of a healthy river is whether it can support kingfishers. I remember the Don when I was a kid, this is a remarkable turnaround.

With The New York Bagel Company behind me, it's along here that I usually see them.
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There was a light frost, a chilly morning. 0°c.
No hanging about. Good pace, no drama, but a lower top speed.

Home a different way again. A public right of way is an invitation. As sad as it sounds I took the local OS map to work, taking a few minutes to see my options homeward bound. Many of the local paths are only fragments.

This was interesting though: a Roman Ridge. Steep too, a real lung-buster. Cobbled almost all the way.

16°c. Climbed three hills, highest being 520ft. Had to get off and push the last bit. It hurt.

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