Re:
Really liking this thread, so thought I'd post some pics of todays Good Friday road ride. It's been a while since I rode the 1200 in anger; it spends most of its time set up on my turbo trainer. I recently changed the stem to get a bit more of a stretched out riding position, so decided to head out on it.
Out of Corby, and round the back of Rockingham Speedway. I don't think they ever fill these massive grandstands, but they're an impressive sight nonetheless. There often seems to be something going on there though, plenty of noise today
IMAG1555 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Headed out towards East Northants. Some of the roads are quite bad, but the rolling hills are sometimes preferable to the steeper climbs of Rutland, which is in the other direction from here. This is Deene, and the perimeter wall of the Deene park Estate
IMAG1556 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Out of Deene, across the A43(busy) and through Deenethorpe towards Upper Benefield. Nice stretch of road, good surface, occasional traffic. Today there was hardly any. This pic is a prime example of how a camera can flatten out gradients. This looks flat, in reality is anything but.
IMAG1557 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Left turn for the long descent into Glapthorn, over two crossroads into Cotterstock. This is where the River Nene splits at the nearby lock. The Old Mill was built here in the 19th century. The bridge over the main part of the Nene is about a hundred yards further up the road, although it's not quite possible to see where the mill section rejoins it.
IMAG1558 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
IMAG1559 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Another left into Tansor, then Fotheringhay(famous for being the site of Mary Queen of Scots' trial and eventual decapitation), and Woodnewton. Although I'm not religious, some churches are incredible buildings. I've always liked this one, and its location on a 90 degree bend at one end of the village
IMAG1561 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
On towards Apethorpe, then Kings Cliffe. It was fairly breezy today, and at this point it was a headwind. The 1200 has a low front end, so at least I could 'get aero' and hide from the worst of the wind
IMAG1562 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
From Kings Cliffe to Blatherwycke and Bulwick. This is the man-made Blatherwycke lake, created by damming the Willow Brook in the early 1800s. There's a brilliant section of road through the village. Downhill left-right, and over the bridge that spans one end of the lake. Short sharp climb after the bridge, then a 90 degree right as you leave the village. Very rare to be overtaken by a car there
IMAG1563 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
Back over the still-busy A43, and back into Deene. Back down the atrociously badly surfaced Kirby lane. Fairly bad going out, even worse coming back. Round the Speedway the other way, and home through the industrial estates.
IMAG1565 by
Toby Taylor, on Flickr
33 miles in all, and bang on a couple of hours. Safe to say that I'm still rather fond of the 1200. It's a keeper
Regards, Marge