North East England Cathedrals Ride

[Graeme]

Pedal and Puff!

... ignore that this was a 200km diy audax... actually I was trying to piece together a ride that had a theme and took advantage of Saturday's prevailing wind. The pieces I wanted to put together were:

1. Riding north to south.
2. Catching a train home from York.
3. Enjoying that beautiful flat piece of road from Leeming Bar alongside the A1M.

The audax'y bit was trying to make it 200km long, and I found myself trying to find interesting places to pass through - as I moved the cursor on googlemaps further north, I eventually twigged that I could ride to several Cathedrals in the North East of England. I started with an early morning ride to St Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle and then back home - Carol was just getting up when I got home so I made her some tea. Then down to Durham Cathedral.

The middle bit I wasn't sure about - I knew that I wanted to do Leeming Bar south, and wanted a southerly run into York, so adding Boroughbridge and Ripon Cathedral into my plans made sense, which left me with Durham to Leeming to plan - I opted for flat and familiar roads down through Stockton-on-Tees and Northallerton. Looking at strava later I saw the fboab had a similar idea and had passed through Boroughbridge on the way south to Doncaster.

Although there was some tough weather during the day, and I was cold - I did get to enjoy beautiful sunshine for most of the time and really enjoyed the tailwind. I especially like the bit of the A6055 alongside the A1M - I was being blown along in bright sunshine, grinning like a fool at the people in cars, coaches and trucks on the motorway.

I was pleased that Thornton Bridge was passable - I hadn't even realised it was damaged by the floods earlier this year.

I've blogged about the ride here.

[Si S]

Enjoyed that Graeme, thanks. I too was grateful for that northerly wind to shove me up Horseshoe Pass, wasn't much fun riding into it on the Cheshire plain though.

[L CC]

I went over Thornton Bridge on last week's ride but this week hung a right to try out the Tadcaster footbridge replacement. I got hardly any of your nasty weather, but I doubt that was the sun shining on the righteous, more a fluke of start time.

[Steve GT]

Nice write up as always Graeme.

[Peter]

Graeme, thanks for sharing that, it was marvellous!  Please, do they teach you common sense as well as human kindness on your course....?!  It's a hell of a long way down off the High Level and the world needs you, not a headstone.  That said, I'm very impressed.  The pictures are great.  I went up the tower at Durham Cathedral with two of my brothers in January, pretty much the same day a year on from our Bollihope ride.  I thought a lot about you that day.  On a similar theme, I worked out a 100k for Fra Trev from Northallerton which visits loads of churches and is thus called The Northallerton Steeplechase.  Trev did it with his son.  You could do it for fun, or ECE it for an Audax 200.  (There's something wrong with that sentence but I can't quite put my finger on it.)  I've got a proper routesheet, etc, so PM if you'd like it.

How do you do those lovely maps?

Thanks again

Peter

[Graeme]

You may laugh - but it takes me almost as long to write an ejournal/blog entry as it does to ride the darn thing. I spent an hour sifting through photos and uploading them when I came home on Saturday. Then on Sunday night I started writing at about 8pm, pausing progress at midnight. The following day I finished off the bulk of the ejournal before editing and proof-reading - so I spent about 8 hours on the one account. I would really like to write something that has a flow or story to it, I'm not sure how much I achieve it with each individual attempt - but I try not to write *just* about cycling so at the same time I try to write something of what I personally experience. I like sharing these stories in the hope that someone visiting the north east of England might be inspired to go out and ride - whatever the weather. I also like reading back through the stories and remembering some of the wonderful people I've met and the places I've been - so I find the blog personally rewarding... and I think that's why it takes so long to write. Blogging about cycling is not an add-on to cycling, it is a separate activity in its own right. The inner narcissist loves to be told that the work was good, but the inner cynic doesn't believe it anyway - people are just being nice. Perhaps one day I'll find detachment - but I hope not - I'm too passionate to be detached.

They don't teach us common-sense at theological college Peter! Hevel, hevel, everything is hevel.

The maps are done by screen-capturing any of the popular online maps (subject to not infringing copyright), then running the image through PerfectEffects 4.0 using a set of vintage filters. I like the way this approach makes the map look a bit more like a photo of an old motoring map.

Graeme.

[Jakob W]

That was lovely, Graeme; though it has led me to the startling realisation that it's been a quarter century since I was a second treble at St Nick's - time flies!

[andyoxon]

Thanks Graeme, enjoyed the blog.  I to use Barley on t'classic rack - neat & handy combo.  Am looking forward to getting the bike up to North Yorks. in July... 

[Graeme]

Cheers.

I like that rack because it gives an extra 10cm clearance over the rear wheel - not that the wheel clearance is needed but that this allows me to use a rear light fixed to the seat post without being obscured by the Barley. Adding the fibreflare to the Barley gives a strong visible presence on the road without blinding anyone.

Looking forward to the Easter Arrow next.

[Graeme]

That was lovely, Graeme; though it has led me to the startling realisation that it's been a quarter century since I was a second treble at St Nick's - time flies!

Trebles all round!
I did a placement at St Nick's - had a chance to climb up onto the roof overlooking the city. Impressive building. As an experiment in silent prayer I managed to fill the crypt with smoke too - it worked: no one went down to the crypt and it was totally silent!

[andyoxon]

Cheers.

I like that rack because it gives an extra 10cm clearance over the rear wheel - not that the wheel clearance is needed but that this allows me to use a rear light fixed to the seat post without being obscured by the Barley. Adding the fibreflare to the Barley gives a strong visible presence on the road without blinding anyone.

Looking forward to the Easter Arrow next.

I do feel strangely drawn to attempt an 'arrow-like' 400km+ Oxford to Scarborough (where parents live) at some point, but given my max ride is 200 so far, it would probably have to be a full value DIY solo-see-what-happens, in the summer...     Easy direct train back from York - Oxford though.