Cycling

[Matt Cycle]

I waited until the rain cleared and headed out this afternoon for a shorter ride than of late to experience the life of Brian. "Brian is not a storm, he's just a very naughty breeze." Conditions were very difficult which made it hard going. Very windy, twigs and branches everywhere and large lakes of water on some of the road surfaces. Also nearly came a cropper when two pheasants raced out in front of me but just managed to avoid them. 🙄 I headed on one of my usual routes towards Jodrell Bank. It was much cooler as well and with the weather as it was I had the bibtights on for the first time since Spring, with overshoes and long sleeved jersey. Despite the tough ride I enjoyed getting out and it was sunny when I got back. 🙂 Bike's filthy though and needs a reyt good wash.

Strava stats are 44.3 miles completed at an average speed of 14.7mph and elevation gain of 2102 feet.

Levels: at start 11.9 mmol/l, at 12 miles 8.7 mmol/l, at 21 miles 5.3 mmol/l, at 30 miles 4.7 mmol/l, at 37 miles 6.2 mmol/l and back home 11.7 mmol/l. Must have miscalculated with the gels but hey ho that's long term Type 1 diabetes for you. Started to drop anyway when I got back as my muscles snaffled glucose from the liver. On the ride I had 2 gels, quinoa cereal bar and a double macchiato 🙂 from Jodrell Bank cafe.

Clear skies in the distance towards Bosley


There's the telescope again


Rays of sunlight breaking through near Rudyard - wasn't as dark as it looks


Here's the Garmin

 

[HOBIE]

I could not believe it , I stopped at my mates & he said those tyres look soft. He did me a favour & blew them up ! I flew back home from his with wind in me boolers. You have to watch for them peasants coming at you Matt

 

[Matt Cycle]

You have to watch for them peasants coming at you Matt

I'm assuming that's a typo Hobie. 😉 Not many peasants in leafy Cheshire - they've probably been banished t'mills in Manchester or nowadays on zero hours contracts in a call centre.

 

[HOBIE]

No Matt its not an typo error

 

[Matt Cycle]

Been off for half term this week but parental duties relinquished today as they went to their Nans. Decided to make the most of it and head out for a hilly one! Plenty of hillocks as Hobie would say. Weather was fantastic, perfect Autumn day - dry and sunny but with a chill in the air. Bibtights and long sleeved jersey required. I took the mudguards off but with farm run off and quarry dust the bike needs a clean again. I went through Longnor, Tideswell, Bradwell and up Winnats Pass before returning via Buxton and over the Cat and Fiddle. Tough ride and I did have a headwind for what seemed like ages. 🙄

Strava stats are 71.1 miles completed at an average speed of 13.1mph and elevation gain of 6097 feet. 😱

Levels were remarkably well behaved. Started at 7.2 mmol/l, at 14 miles 7.6 mmol/l, at 21 miles 6.9 mmol/l, at 28 miles 6.5 mmol/l, at 38 miles 7.5 mmol/l, at 47 miles 4.8 mmol/l, at 64 miles 4.9 mmol/l and back home 5.8 mmol/l. On the ride I had 4 gels and a quinoa cereal bar.

Heading down to Longnor


Same place slightly different direction


Top of Winnats again


Top of the Cat and Fiddle


Top of Cat and Fiddle - you can just about make out the hang gliders just above the horizon


The Garmin

 

[Robin]

Lovely photos as usual, I'm just thankful I wasn't doing the pedalling.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Lovely photos as usual, I'm just thankful I wasn't doing the pedalling.

Glorious day today, well around here at least. Loads of people out and about at Castleton. The photos near Longnor from this morning had mist in the dips that was just starting to burn off. Clear blue skies with aerosplanes and vapour trails. I didn't feel 100% on this one so I did find it quite hard work and could have cut out Tideswell and Winnats Pass etc on the way out and just headed through Buxton and over the Cat and Fiddle but I thought I'd made up my mind where I was going and I was going to stick to it! Being a working day it was busy with traffic in Buxton and Macclesfield as well. Still, always good to get out. 🙂

 

[Ditto]

Lovely pics. Always wanted to go to the well dressing at Tideswell and to see if I could see the ghosts at Winnats Pass. 🙂
Creepy caverns and haunted hills: The ghost story of Winnats Pass ...

 

[Matt Cycle]

Lovely pics. Always wanted to go to the well dressing at Tideswell and to see if I could see the ghosts at Winnats Pass. 🙂
Creepy caverns and haunted hills: The ghost story of Winnats Pass ...

Tideswell is known as the 'Cathedral of the Peak' due to the large church. Most of the villages throughout the Peak District have a well dressing in the Summer. I hadn't heard that story of Winnats Pass but if you get the chance to go to Castleton it's well worth a visit - with the four show caverns, Blue John, Speedwell, Treak Cliff and Peak. I went on school visits to Castleton or with the family when I was younger. There's the 'shivering mountain' at Mam Tor as well. The A625 has been closed since 1979 forcing the traffic up and down Winnats Pass!

http://www.rural-roads.co.uk/winnats/winnats5.shtml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...kers-series-landslides-twist-recognition.html

 

[HOBIE]

Very good Matt 71 mile in the "cool" 😎 Up & down them there "Hillocks" . It does make you feel good. 🙂

 

[Northerner]

The A625 has been closed since 1979 forcing the traffic up and down Winnats Pass!

I remember when that happened, in my second year at Uni! 😱 We all went up to have a walk along the road, and had to jump down about 4ft at one point where the road had dropped 😱 'Shivering Mountain' ought to have given them a clue... 🙄

 

[HOBIE]

You have inspired me to be out on me Bike tomorrow Matt ! I think I will have something warm on

 

[Ditto]

If the road is closed I might have been through the pass without realising as we used to go up that way to Courts of Queens, nightmare sans lights on winter evenings! Have been to Castleton once and went down the Blue John Mine I think it was. Nearly dropped dead trying to get back out, good grief there should be an elevator! You're very lucky being able to cycle round them hillocks. 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

You have inspired me to be out on me Bike tomorrow Matt ! I think I will have something warm on

Good stuff 🙂 - just make sure you pump up your tyres. 😉 It's noticeably cooler now. I spent the afternoon cleaning and lubing my bike and have put the mudguards back on. They'll probably be on now until the Spring.

 

[Robin]

I remember when that happened, in my second year at Uni! 😱 We all went up to have a walk along the road, and had to jump down about 4ft at one point where the road had dropped 😱 'Shivering Mountain' ought to have given them a clue... 🙄

The holes are still there, or at least they were about 10 years ago, when we stood the kids in one to give the photo a bit of context.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Took the day off today to go to the dentist. It's not as crazy as you would think as it was an early appointment giving me the chance to get out for a ride. My dentist is the other end of town so it was a 4.5 mile walk, check up was fine but blood sugar was low when I got back so aftre dealing with that I knew there might be fun and games on the ride. After last weeks leg burner in the Peaks I went for a smoother ride and headed into Cheshire to Alderley Edge. Weather was fine, bit overcast and cool but dry - I suppose I can't really complain as it is November. Very nice ride. 🙂

Strava stats are 58.3 miles completed at an average speed of 15.5mph and elevation gain of 2518 feet.

Levels - at start 6.8mmol/l, at 18 miles 9.9 mmol/l, at 28 miles 10.9 mmol/l, at 34 miles 9.6 mmol/l, at 40 miles 5.4 mmol/l, at 47 miles 6.3 mmol/l, at 54 miles 6.0 mmol/l and back home 3.9 mmol/l. On the ride I had 1 gel and a quinoa protein cereal bar and a cortado at Alderley Edge whilst people watching sat outside at Costa. Got chatting at Costa to a retired couple who had cycled there on a 28 mile ride. Fair play to them.

Autumnal scene and as the sign says not far from Henbury


Maize at Goostrey partly gone. (By the looks of things I think the crop was ruined).


All gone on this bit.


Here's what the Garmin said

 

[Northerner]

Really good control on the ride Matt 🙂 I'm terribly unfit at the moment, can only manage about 3 miles! 😱

 

[HOBIE]

I was getting worried. Half way through you post & you had not mentioned coffee. BUT no it was ! Good numbers Matt & you deserved you chew bar 😉

 

[Matt Cycle]

I was getting worried. Half way through you post & you had not mentioned coffee. BUT no it was ! Good numbers Matt & you deserved you chew bar 😉

Cycling and coffee go together. Costa had their Christmas drinks list up in the shop - on sale from today. (2nd November!! 🙄). I've looked it up and it includes billionaires hot chocolate with layers of caramel sauce; honeycomb latte; Black Forest hot chocolate. I'd need some insulin and a bit of pedalling to burn those off.

https://www.costa.co.uk/Christmas

 

[Matt Cycle]

You're probably all getting bored of these now but it was back out today for another ride around the lanes of Cheshire. Capesthorne, Snelson, Goostrey and the like. I was hoping to get out earlier and go for a longer ride but heavy overnight rain and this morning delayed my start meaning a shorter ride than planned. It wasn't a damp squib and turned into a sparkler. 🙄 It had brightened up by the time I set off but the on some of the lanes there were lakes of water - see below. 😱 Although sunny it was much cooler as well so it was winter gear on today. The bike needs a clean. Just for Hobie 😉 I stopped at the cafe at Jodrell Bank for a double macchiato - rocket fuel for the return leg.

Good news last week after what seems an eternity as my pump has finally arrived. 🙂 The DSN has emailed the Medtronic rep with 3 potential start dates in November and is waiting to hear back. So, shouldn't be too long now. Looking forward to it. 🙂

Strava stats for the ride are 57.9 miles completed at an average speed of 15.3mph and elevation gain of 2352 feet. (After Thursday's ride that's 116.3 miles for the week).

Levels as follows: at start 6.9 mmol/l, at 11 miles 6.6 mmol/l, at 23 miles 5.3 mmol/l, at 36 miles 8.3 mmol/l, at 42 miles 7.0 mmol/l, at 48 miles 3.6 mmol/l, at 54 miles 6.5 mmol/l and back home 9.3 mmol/l. Alright I suppose. 🙄 On the ride I had 3 gels, quinoa protein cereal bar and half an energy bar.

A bit of rain around here (near Chelford) by the looks of things last night. (I didn't go through it but carried the bike on the verge to the right)


Not far from Jodrell Bank


Sun low in the sky and chilly - near Rudyard


Here's the Garmin