August 2021 - Searching for tunnels - Bath to Bristol and back.

It’s Saturday morning and we are in Bath… we didn’t fancy a day looking round the Roman variety, so instead planned to take full advantage of the amazing National cycle network route between Bath and Bristol. 

But that wasn’t our only aim. I mean how can you resist the opportunity to ride through a couple of miles of railway tunnel cut through the local hillside. So our search for the tunnels was on. 

Our day started with the most amazing continental breakfast at our B&B which perfectly set us up for the task ahead. 

A glide down the big hill to the start of our route beside the canal. (Let’s worry about riding back up the thing later). We really didn't get far before the camera was out.  

And almost immediately we reached our first tunnel. 

But this was small fry compared to what was to come. 

Sue stood talking to a really interesting chap who had paused to let us pass, while I busied myself trying to be artistic. The scenery was stunning, even on this slightly overcast day. It really didn't take long before we were in the centre of Bath. I was already eyeing up the local cafes, but Sue was more sensible and urged us to get more miles under our belt before we thought about loosening it. 

The route was built on a disused Midland Railway line and was one of the first routes built by the charity now known as Sustrans (It's been around quite a while - they started work on it in 1979 and finished in 1986. It is hugely popular, Sustrans suggest there are over one million trips a year made on that route alone. We could well believe this as the path was very busy. 

Just as we reached one of the many old railway bridges, we were distracted by the buzz of a Drone. Looking over the side, we could see that the Canal was pretty popular too. (the drone was apparently following a rowing boat team that had rounded the corner by the time I had grabbed out my camera. 

An increase in carriages along the seemingly disused track beside our route heralded our first station - yes literally a station, Bidden Station to be precise. We chose from their amazing array of food (especially from such a small kitchen) and sat and enjoyed the ambiance as the local steam train pulled in, picked up its next set of passengers, then moved on.  

 

There were a couple of stopping places on this route, but as time was marching on (and we were going nowhere) we decided to save further stops till the way back. So though the smells coming from the Warmley Waiting room Teagarden were quite tantalising, we rode on. 

Having past few a couple of other sites that I will mention shortly, we reached our first major tunnel at Staple hill, we popped on our lights and headed in. We were very glad of our coats as though it wasn't the warmest of days, the tunnel was definitely a few degrees colder still. 


This was great fun and we couldn't wait till we reached the bigger tunnels on our trip. 

Though this was the planned end to the 'there and back' section of our ride, we decided to continue on a little further, as we didn't feel that we had truly reached Bristol just yet. We were very happy to find the gold at the end of this rainbow was the Bakehouse Kitchen warehouse - with attached cafe - We did stop for a tasty treat before heading back down the line.  

Next stop - Mangotsfield old railway station - opened in 1845 and closed in 1966, only the walls and the platform itself remain as a testament to its past. The artwork in place of the windows were really cool. Shame about the graffiti. 

We made it back to Warmley, and waited in a very long queue to get some lunch. As with all the stops, the attention to detail was amazing, the gardens, beautiful and the food delicious. Even going to the toilet was like an act of time travel.  

So after spending much too long enjoying the beautiful gardens, we remounted our bikes, retraced our steps for a while before turning right towards Medford and joining the Sustrans two tunnels loop. 

We soon reached the entrance to the first of the long tunnels - the Devonshire - we were very excited! It was cold. It was dark. It echo’d as we peddled. Two bikes and an electric scooter passed in the other direction. Each adding to the illusion of being a train using the tunnel in its first incarnation. I wondered what was above and how deep we were. But all to quickly we could see the end and we popped out into daylight. 

This didn’t last long however as we rapidly approached Coombe Down tunnel. This is the longest walking/cycling tunnel in the world, It’s just over a mile long and like it’s partner, impossible to take photos in when you only have a phone at your disposal. Though it was lit all the way, we were very glad of our lights. It was also as cold as the freezer section of a supermarket, so we were very glad of our coats. 

We were climbing and turning for much of the ride. 

Mid way through, we started to hear music and noticed changing colours of the light. I was momentarily wondering if the whole experience was going to my head, but no. it it was indeed,  a permanent sound and light installation. We eventually could literally see the light at the end of the tunnel and we popped out just below a folley named Monkton castle.

We continued following the aigns for route 24, the path taking a winding route down towards the Kennet and Avon canal. We wound our way past a small reservoir and a rather large, well kitted out ‘independent’ boarding school before reaching the basin. 

We opted to take a very slight detour, over the moving bridge, to investigate the grade 1 listed aqueduct. We watched one family’s barge being guided through their first lock by the local pilot as a second family wizzed past in a motor boat, being expertly skippered by their very underaged son. The leisurely and luxurious lifestyle depicted by these groups must be a far cry from the original boats travelling up and down the waterway.  

We headed back along the canal towpath. It was bumpy in places and gravelly in others - not my favourite sort of cycling and as we neared the city we came across a lovely looking pub beside the canal. Being Sunday afternoon, we were surprised how quiet it was, expecting to struggle to get a seat, we were really pleased with an outdoor table right next to the bike racks. We headed in to make an order discussing whether to stop for food “Sorry, we are closed” I checked my watch 330pm. “I’m sorry” she said again “I have no staff, I have no choice. It’s been just the two of us since 7 this morning. We have to clear up” 

We returned to our bikes and were soon on our original route back to our accommodation then on to a search for food. Such a lovely day.  

August 2021 - Upgrade time

I've been doing some research - trying to work out if my bike really is as comfortable as I can make it. 

It was billed as an entry level cyclocross bike when I bought it. 

If you have never seen cyclocross, then stop right now, do a quick search on you tube for 'women cyclocross' and wonder and those crazy people that start a bike race and end in a mud bath, with lots of peddling and running in between. 

Not being a huge lover of mud, I have not actually ever taken part in a race. I have been to a couple of training sessions though and marvelled at way others could jump off and on their bikes with ease and grace, without loosing any momentum at all. 

So why did I buy a cyclocross bike then? Well it was extra brake levers that attracted me. 

I also wanted drop handlebars as I was fed up with the sore hands that came with the one position on my flat bar bike,  but I really felt that I was just way too clumsy for the thin sleek road machines on sale at the time. 

I saw this bike - a Liv Invite and just loved everything about it - except the colour of the bar tape. 

Pink? I hate pink! Why does everyone put pink on anything designed for women? 

When I get that bike - the first thing I am going to do is change the tape to black. 

Now if you have been following my posts at all, you realise that the pink has stayed, in fact it has been totally embraced and accentuated over time. (The fact that it is also my house colour at school has helped somewhat too.)

So having never debuted in the glory of XC,  the bike has spent its time being my main ride - my commute bike and now my tourer. 

There are a couple of things that make it harder to use as a touring bike - the main being the lack of attachments to the front forks meaning that all the weight is on the back of the bike. The other issue is the handlebars are really narrow. So having watched a couple of You tube videos from another inspirational woman cyclist - Kajsa Tylen who is also vertically challenged, but has just tried a particular handlebar from Redshift called the Kitchen Sink. (Don't ask me why!) So when I found a set in a local bike shop, I decided to give them a go. They are a little wider than my current bars, they angle back towards the rider a little and sweep out making them much wider at the drops. All this should give a more stable platform that a gravel rider craves. Though I have no desire to ride gravel, I am hoping the extra control (and space) will be useful. 

So enough of the reasons why - lets get on with the job:-

First job - take the old tape off - I cant believe how mucky they look and they haven't been on a year! And, of course, photos taken to remind me which way to wind the new tape. 

It took a while to undo the hoods and the secondary brake levers, then remove the old bar. Putting them in the correct place on the new bar, I realised that I would need to put some new cables on, this again added to the job as a whole, but if its worth doing, then it's worth doing properly. So I set to and recabled my brakes. 

Then time for a test ride with my naked handlebars. 

I had bought some gel pads last year, but hadn't used them. So I set to and taped them into place. Then off for another test ride. 

When I was happy with the position of everything, I applied the new bar tape and was very pleased with the effect. 

But, of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and what better way to test than a Ninja training ride. Now I can't say this is wholly as a result of this change, but the resulting ride saw me hit the highest average cycle I've ever ridden. Impressed is an understatement. 

August 2021 - Bike TLC time.

I had to stop. The clunking was getting worse. 

Was there something loose? I needed to check. Grabbing my pedals, pushing then pulling them at 90 degrees to the frame gave me the answer I didn’t want to hear. 

It moved. 

Was I making it up?

Was I sure? 

I pushed then pulled the crank away from the frame once more, this time looking carefully at the bottom bracket. 

Yes there was a definite movement. Bother! 

Maybe the crank had just worked loose? 

I would have to wait till I got home to check that one. But in my heart of hearts, I knew that I was looking at replacing the bottom bracket again. But thankfully,  this time, the job didn’t fill me with quite as much fear as it had the first. 

It was too dark to do anything when I got home, instead I ordered another bottom bracket - just in case I needed one and knowing it wouldn’t go to waste. Then I patiently waited for the next sunny day to take a proper look. 

The sun came out, so did the bike stand. 

As always, I took a set of photos to remind me how it all looked before taking apart. I am not experienced enough to know what looks right and don’t ever trust my memory. 

A quick reminder from Kelvin on the invaluable Park tool You tube channel and I was off and running. 

I checked the crank. Nope, not loose. So that confirmed it. The non drive side came off really easily and with a slight tap of a mallet so did the drive side. Meanwhile my chain enjoyed a luxurious bath of well earned degreaser. 

The bearings were surrounded by a mix of grease and grime. No wonder they weren’t running smoothly. I removed them and set to cleaning the area where they once sat. 

Then time to put the new ones on. Grease first just like Kelvin said. Then fit the  non-drive side being careful not to cross thread it. 

It wouldn’t screw in. What was going on? 

I tried again. Nope. It just wasn’t going to do up without force and I knew that wasn’t right. 

I stopped. Went back to the instructions. Nope, no inspiration there. Was I going to have to admit defeat and find a bike shop? 

I checked the arrows on the new bearings. I was definitely turning it the right way. What was going on? 

I went back to Kelvin. Watched the video once more. 

Stopped it. 

Replayed. 

Checked. 

That was it! How stupid did I feel? 

I’d turned the bike round when removing the cranks. I was trying to fit the non drive bearing cup onto the chain side. 

I tried the other side. It went on like a dream. Back to the drive side (the side the chain goes on) and that slipped straight on too. I was so glad that I hadn’t resorted to brute force. 

They were on, and ready for the crankset. The upgrade looking a much smarter black. 

I wondered how far the old one had gone and how far this new one would manage. I thought I really ought to make notes, then decided that was just way too geeky. 

Everything back together, just in time for a scheduled and hopefully very smooth bike ride! 

As for taking photos - can you spot the mistake? I didn’t till

I checked. 

All sorted now. 

June 2021 - My first cycle tour (Self propelled camp) Day 2

‘Don’t judge camping on your first night away’ I was told. ‘You never sleep on your first night’ said another seasoned cycle tourer. 

Thankfully my body hadn’t listened. Whether it was the fresh air, the exercise, the soothing sound of the rain or just the comfort or the sleeping bag, I went out like a light. 

I could hear the others moving around and unzipped my tent to see what the new day held in store. It was like the world had changed seasons while we slept. 

There was no blue in the sky. In fact the clouds had decided to join us for breakfast. 

We could hardly see the end of the field and the nearby horses threw strange shapes in the skyline as they moved around. Time for a coffee. 

Battling with yet another leg cramp while sitting awkwardly on the floor, I vowed then and there that next time I would need a camp chair. I would just have to shed the pounds that the chair would bring - it’s a necessity! 

Time for breakfast and the camp dog was well aware of the campers routine. He took quite a shine to Bab’s, sitting beside her as close as he could. I’m not sure whether he was after the warmth from her blanket or a bit of her porridge, but either way, he stuck around long enough for Bab’s to get a selfie. 

We took our time packing up - everything was wet and with the low clouds still hanging around, the tents were unlikely to dry any time soon. 

I have realised that things never quite pack the same way twice. And the bike seemed so much larger and heavier today. We filled our bottles and readied ourselves to leave. All hoping back off the bikes as soon as we remembered the strange, unridable, surface of the driveway. 

We left our home for the night in search of new adventure (well a local windmill to be precise) 

After a slight detour (we took the wrong road), we arrived at Wilton windmill. Note to self - windmills are usually at the top of big hills - remember this when you agree to go sightseeing with a very heavy bike ;) It was worth the trip though. 

The sign for coffee and cream tea reminded me how hungry I was. Shame the cafe didn’t open for a few more hours. No worries though as Jo had another coffee stop in mind. 

This place was amazing, an open barn at the end of a farm track. An honesty box for any small purchases of the homemades dotted around, but best of all, a sign with a phone number to order hot drinks and fresh sandwiches. 

It instantly became lunchtime! 

The sandwiches were amazing. And Pinckney’s farm shop was quickly added to my list of favourite stops that I must revisit at some point soon.  

Fully satisfied and pleasantly warmed by our impromptu feast, we needed to make a move. We had to climb the Chiltons. We had travelled through a gap on the way there, but this time we were climbing up to the ridge - this was no easy ride  -before dropping down to Weyhill, a town with a rich history of Gypsy conventions. Though it meant more to me in a slightly more modern era as the last village we drove through before my grandparents house. (This was a very welcome signpost when you were a carsick youth) 

Bab’s neatly zoomed up the hill on her Goddess of a bike. Reaching the top with enough time to spare to grab our her camera for an embarrassing photo of me struggling up there with Jo politely riding alongside to give me moral support. She was pretending that the small wheels and heavy bags were holding her back too. But I knew she was really just keeping me company. 

Once on the ridge the 360 views were just amazing. I only wish the phones camera - or any camera for that matter - would do the scene justice. 

We carried on a while before we felt the need of another stop. It was warming up by now and the friendly pub was welcoming us to join them. 

We all ordered cold drinks and while I went to investigate the very animated game of dominoes on the nearby table, Jo and Babs tried to identify the pretty comfrey in the ditch behind us, which were singlehandedly providing a whole hive of bees with their pollen.  

 We didn’t have far to go now. We dropped down from the ridge and headed back towards Winchester. 

We said our goodbyes just before a long down as Babs didn’t turn off as soon as we did. 

I once more marvelled about the many friendships and experiences that cycling has brought me. 

My life unmistakably enriched by my favourite hobby and the friends who enjoy it alongside me. 

Thank you Jo and Babs for your friendship, great company and tremendous patience shown when answering my billion questions as we travelled. 

‘Have we put you off yet’ asked Jo. 

‘No chance - when and where is tour number 2?’