...'b'lie 've it or not, that headline took 8 hours and 76 miles to work out so I hope you like it. There was no tickertape and no one was singing as I rode into the little market town of Wem, just as well as I was bound for the Burlton Inn seven miles further on and a well--earned venison steak.
This morning Sue drove me back to Wigan and left for home, while I hit yet another canal en route for the Mersey. A decent surface and not many people was good news but there was a succession of complicated barriers with sort of bike-shaped gaps to slow you down (and presumably keep motorbikes out). Another cyclist riding by said his mate had been out with an angle-grinder and certainly after that point most of the gates were wide open.
Then reality in the form of fast A roads intervened and I was briefly not sure of the route. After I found it Darren C informed me I'd just ridden past his brother's house, would have been useful if he'd been there to help but it's the thought that counts. Soon I found Great Sankey, a country park leading all the way to Widnes and the Mersey bridge. A little slow but a most enjoyable off-road section. Spotting the impressive bridge at a distance I thought there was a lot of work going on, lorries, people, equipment everywhere. Then I found a sign saying the route I was on was suspended while the new bridge was built. Panic set in...do I have to ride up to Liverpool and the tunnel or ferry? Obviously the old bridge was in fact still running so over I went (sole pics for today). On stopping for photos I found the cycleway disconcertingly bounced when anything heavy drove past so on I went.
The route thereafter was flat and fast with little wind and apart from half an hour lying flat out beside yet another little canal in the sun, it was full speed ahead to journey's end.
This morning Sue drove me back to Wigan and left for home, while I hit yet another canal en route for the Mersey. A decent surface and not many people was good news but there was a succession of complicated barriers with sort of bike-shaped gaps to slow you down (and presumably keep motorbikes out). Another cyclist riding by said his mate had been out with an angle-grinder and certainly after that point most of the gates were wide open.
Then reality in the form of fast A roads intervened and I was briefly not sure of the route. After I found it Darren C informed me I'd just ridden past his brother's house, would have been useful if he'd been there to help but it's the thought that counts. Soon I found Great Sankey, a country park leading all the way to Widnes and the Mersey bridge. A little slow but a most enjoyable off-road section. Spotting the impressive bridge at a distance I thought there was a lot of work going on, lorries, people, equipment everywhere. Then I found a sign saying the route I was on was suspended while the new bridge was built. Panic set in...do I have to ride up to Liverpool and the tunnel or ferry? Obviously the old bridge was in fact still running so over I went (sole pics for today). On stopping for photos I found the cycleway disconcertingly bounced when anything heavy drove past so on I went.
The route thereafter was flat and fast with little wind and apart from half an hour lying flat out beside yet another little canal in the sun, it was full speed ahead to journey's end.
At this point, more than half way through the challenge, I feel pretty confident about finishing and will provide a few stats and route detail soon. Tomorrow: Hereford and meeting my brother who is coming over for a ride on Wednesday.
Wem the original inspiration for the Wembley arch..?
...no, it's actually the Silver Jubilee bridge linking Runcorn and Widnes
View up the Mersey from the bridge
Wigan home of Northern Soul. Plus other stuff.
ReplyDeleteReading your posts from sunny Koh Chang, Thailand! Well done and keep pedalling! A and T xx
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