Day 394

Good to be back home from the training course. Being a country bumpkin it was a bit of a shock to cycle down some very busy city roads.

I managed to pick up the repaired Merida from Peddlers on the way home :-)

Unfortunately it started precipitating at that point and continued in various degrees for the rest of the evening :-(

After tea I set of on the Dawes towards Lacock on the cycle way and went up Naish Hill (Because its there!) and headed along the country roads to Headington and Stockley.

At Calne I headed down the Calne<>Chippenham Cycleway.

The tracks were all very wet and I got back home with most of the track surface on me!

When I got home the bike got a good hosing down and a spray of WD40 on the important bits.

It was great to know exactly where I was going and what the roads were like, I do have grave concerns about not having local knowledge about the JOGLE route.

The cycle computer had tonight's ride as 18.01 miles in 1 hour 21 mins with an average speed of 13.2 mph

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

Day 393

Got back to the hotel at 5pm by the time I had got myself sorted and out on the bike it was 5:40.

I had planned a ride that would be entirely on cycle paths, heading out towards Hampton Court on NCR 4 and a Local Route E4 and heading back towards Staines on the Thames Cycle route.

The cycle way out of Staines wasnt exactly what I thought...

They obviously coudn't afford to widen the path or even paint it! But still it was better than cycling on the dual carriageway.

Some of the cyclepaths turned into a guess where now puzzle. (Good job the GPS told me when I was heading of route!)

(If you look carefully at the wooden structure you will find a very small sign indicating the right fork in the path)

The ride to Kingston on Thames was much of a muchness with the cycle paths being hidden from plain view or in very poor condition, many requiring the crossing of major roads with no traffic control :-(

However when I got to Kingston on Thames I crossed the Thames and then I was on the Thames Cycle way :-) And that was worth the agravation of getting there!



The cycle path passed Hampton Court Palace

Things went a little awry when 4 miles from Staines the planned route indicated that I could cross the Thames from the left bank to the right, unfortunately at the point of crossing there was nothing but water!

This was a bit of a problem as I don't know the area at all! Thankfully the I told the GPS to plan another route to Staines and it worked :-)

The cycle computer had todays ride as 32.85 miles in 3 hours 34 minutes with an average speed of 12.3 mph.

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

I have enjoyed this weeks cycling away from home, I was lucky the Merida broke because it would not have coped with the cycle ways, and I wouldn't have enjoyed cycling on the busy city roads!

I am looking forward to getting back home tommorow and getting out into slower calmer territory!

The GPS carrier I made for the Merida is a godsend most of my navigation issues this week have been down to me having to listen to the GPS over the noise of the traffic whereas on the Merida I can see the route!

Ohh my story is on the local newspapers website today!..... (Gazzete & Herald)

Day 392

Woke up at my normal 5:15 am......although I am in walking distance of the office where I am on my course and I don't have to be there until 9:30 am and the hotel breakfast didn't start until 7:30 am. I suppose as soon as I get used to normal people's hours I will be back to normal work!

I got back to the hotel at 5:20'ish, got changed then set of on the bike at 5:45'ish.

I enjoyed my ride around Windsor Great Park so much yesterday that I thought I would repeat it, this time making a bit more of a direct route to the castle and coming back to the hotel through the Windsor Great Park.

I didn't take any pictures yesterday of the wooded are in the park so here are some to make up for it!



As I was leaving the public access fenced in area of the park I noticed the rules and regulations of the park. (You can click on the picture and it is a high enough resolution to read)

Interesting that the penalty for breaking any of the regulations is only £20 - I don't think I will be putting that to the test any time soon!

The cycle way into Windsor was pavement based and most of the people wanted to walk on the cycle part instead of the pedestrian part.


This time I made a point of taking photos at the castle!


After the Castle I headed on towards Eton then Datchet and then back along the edge of the Windsor Great Park

I used the cycle path on the dual carriageway both on the outward and return journeys.

I made it back to Staines just in time by the looks of the sky...


The cycle computer had todays' ride as 20.84 miles in 1 hour 55 mins with an average speed of 10.8 mph (Some of the cycleways were very poor surface and the head wind was a bit of a killer).

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

I had a phone call today from the local paper (Gazette & Herald) I am going to be in it on Thursday :-)

They asked for some before pictures of me before I found the path to enlightnment.....They scare me...

I am still a little overweight now. Its amazing what a difference a little excerise and watching what you eat can do! (Although it does take a bloody long time!)

Day 391

Set of from home at about 6:30 am after loading the Merida in one car (For wifey to take to the bike shop to be mended and serviced) and the Dawes in the other car to take with me to Staines :-)

The M4 and M25 was the normal nightmare, I arrived in Staines at just gone 9 :-)

The training course ended at 5pm and I checked into the hotel, got changed re-assembled the Dawes and set of into un-charted metropolis....(I was so excited I forgot to turn the GPS on until I realised I didn't have a clue where I was going!)

My first impressions were not great! A little cycle track not wide enough on a road that was too busy! The first roundabout was also a but annoying as I headed up the wrong road :-(

Eventually I worked out where I was supposed to be going and headed down a cycle way off of the main roads - It almost felt like countryside!

Although I am sure the smog has affected the tree growth...

The cycle way passed the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede

I then cycled through Windsor Great Park...I really didn't expect to find such beautiful greenary in London!

I then caught the first sites of my target :-)

The cycleways were ok for the Dawes but would not have been any good for the Merida.

The plan was to cycle down NCR routes 4 and 52 this sent me past Dorney Lake(Joy had told me about this purpose built rowing lake)

From here I headed back towards Windsor - Alongside the rather noisey M4 and a river that I have never seen before - even though I have traveled the M4 dozens of times before.

I then headed towards the castle

I then started to realise that the ride time was a LOT longer than I expected and the GPS battery was starting to run low :-(

Fortunately I made it to the castle and on to a road that was signposted to Staines before the battery ran out!

I am sure it was only a week or two ago where I stated that I must always carry a spare battery!

When I started the ride it was beautiful warm sunshine with a very slight breeze, when I finished the ride it was starting to get cold and a hefty wind had risen.

I didn't enjoy the start or end of the ride but the ride through Windsor Great Park to Windsor and Eton was really nice, I must do it again tommorow - but next time I will take a spare battery!

The cycle computer had the ride as 33.44 miles in 2 hours 44 minutes with an average speed of 12.1 mph

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

Day 390 (Sunday)

Got up early and went for a walk in the woods with wifey and Rosie (Dog).

When we got home I cut the grass then vacumed/cleaned the house.

After lunch I set about removing the mudguards and fitting the SPD pedals on the Dawes (I am on a training course next week and am going to take the Dawes for some evening cycle rides around Staines and Windsor), I also changed the tyres on the Peugeot road bike (Nathan has kindly given the bike to me - Thank you Nathan) I fitted some part worn tyres from the Merida :-)

I then set of for a nice cycle ride down the Chippenham/Calne cycle way - I was enjoying the ride so much I continued to Headington and Stockley then headed towards Lacock down Naish Hill and returned home on the Lacock/Chippenham cycle way.

The cycle computer had the ride as 17.9 miles in 1 hour 19 minutes with an average speed of 13.5 mph.

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

When I got back from the ride I fitted a cycle computer and a saddle tool bag to the Peugeot and took it out for a short 10 mile ride.

I did find the gearing on the Peugeot a little tough for the steep 1:6 Bencroft Hill climb but other than that it was a lovely smooth ride :-)

The cycle computer had the ride as 10.1 miles with an average speed of 15.6 mph

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

Day 389 (Saturday)

Woke up and got up early! Sorted my lunch out (2 Peanut Butter and Honey Rolls) and got out on the bike at 7:40 am.

On Friday I thought it would be a good idea to do Chippenham to New Forest and Back but I realised it would be in excess of 140 mile round trip (Not somthing I fancied) So I thought what If I do Chippenham to Lymington, then do a lap of the Isle of Wight :-)

The cycle to Devizes was normal..... Once out of Devizes I headed out towards Amesbury along fantastic roads I used to commute along for over a year.

I was then onto Salisbury Plain proper, with tank crossings and everything!

(In over a year of commuting I only saw tanks twice and neither time were they crossing :-)
After Salisbury I headed out onto country roads.

Along the way I had a bit of chain suck and the front derailleur bent again :-( I stopped and bent it back into shape with a handy piece of wood lying on the side of the road.

Eventually I popped out and ended up in Hampshire and the New Forest :-)

I was initially taken back by how liitle forest there was in the forest!

But then there was trees, and everything was ok :-) Besides the horses made up for it anyway!

Eventually I ended up at Lymington arriving at about 12:30 :-) I bought my foot passenger ticket (£11.90), and parked up and had my lunch whilst I waited for the ferry to arrive.

The cycle to Lymington from Chippenham was 66.88 miles and took approximately 4 hours 25 mins with an average speed of 15.13 mph

The RunGPS plot can be found here...

When the ferry arrived and after the passengers had alighted, the foot passengers were the first to board :-)

I was a bit uncertain about leaving the bike alone in the rack provided, but on consideration who the hell could steal it on board a boat!

At Yarmouth I decided to do a clockwise tour of the island :-)

Within minutes of setting of I came across wonderfull blue seas and lovely shoreline.


Unfortunately it would be another 30 miles before I would sea anything as stunning :-(

I have never come across so many traffic lights as on the Isle of Wight, and they are nearly all at the bottom of hills!

I was naively hoping that there would be less cars on the island and that I would have an almost constant sea view, on both counts I was mistaken :-(

There was also a rumour that the Isle of White is flat, this I can confirm is also a lie. It has rolling hills and one or two of them are quite high!

It was whilst climbing one of these hills that I experienced the second chain suck of the day and this one appears to be terminal for the front derailleur (Notice the crack in the picture)

Plan is to take the bike in for a service next week, I will get them to replace the front derailleur at the same time.

The tour of the island was approxiamately 50 miles and took approxiamtely 3 hours 40 minutes.
The GPS and phone had a hissy fit about 5 miles from Yarmouth and I lost the will to fix it on the side of the road!

I managed to get back to Yarmouth at 5:30 and caught the ferry arriving back at Lymington at about 6:15 where wifey was waiting in the car to take me home :-)

The RunGPS plot of the world tour of IOW can be found here...

The cycle computer had todays ride as 117.30 miles in 7 hours 56 minutes with an average speed of 14.7 mph

And I enjoyed it!

Day 388

Did a drive by pick up of wifey and daughter on the way home from work and went swimming :-)

I actually managed to do a full 20 lengths without stopping, wifey tried instructing me on a better swimming style rather than my personally discovered 'Edge of Drowning' style...

I dont quite understand how I can feel more tired after 20 lengths of swimming than I do after 50 miles of cycling????

Now I had planned to start tapering the cycling this month...but the prospect of a long and interesting cycle tommorow intrigues me :-)