Re:
Todays road ride was on my Trek tourer conversion.
I wanted to know how it / I would cope with miles and climbing and how much of each was sensible for a days riding, bearing in mind that my plans for touring all involve Scotland.
In the end I managed a smidge under 60 miles in 4hrs 40 minutes and packed 2,850 feet of climbing in.
After that I recon 40 to 45 miles are a sensible distance, if putting up a tent and cooking a meal are on the agenda for the evening. I also need to change the brake blocks, as they sound terrible, like bits of wood up against the rims. I also need to change the saddle, as my backside had reached the limits of comfort after three hours. :facepalm:
The bike rides beautifully and I am very happy with the gearing and tyres. Next time out I'll put some weight in the back panniers too and maybe strap the tent on.
I rode from home, over to Burrington Combe and up over the Mendips.
Hup onto the Mendip Hills.
At the top of Burrington it was a sharp left, from where I could see straight across to Bristol airport (slightly below me) and the whole Chew Valley.
A rattle down a fast hill on a road bike, which is a moderate hill on a tourer, all that frontal area I guess, through a few villages and over to Chew Valley Lake.
From there it is now a skirt around the Western edge of Bristol, which is where I saw my first Swallow of the year, near Winford and Barrow Tanks. From there it was over to Long Ashton and then up Belmont Hill, then across to Horse Race Lane and down towards Portishead.
Horse Race Lane, looking towards Bristol.
In the Gordano valley just outside Portishead I crossed a bridge with the old railway line still in place. There are plans to bring this line back into service, but the costs are astronomical. Who knew in the 1960's that a town with a port for heavy shipping would turn into a commuter town.
Just down the road I saw my second Swallow of the day. :mrgreen:
Then it was down the Gordano Valley and into Clevedon, from there over towards Yatton, passing over the M5 several times. Who would drive by choice on a Bank Holiday Monday.
From there I cut out the drag through Yatton by nipping down the first section of the Strawberry Line, the old railway that used to run to Cheddar and beyond, then it was roads and lanes the 12 miles home.
Tea's cooking, hot quiche, baked potatoes and salad; OMG I'm hungry.