manchester to liverpool

Today I rode from Warrington to Manchester, well Salford Quays to be exact, for the start of the Manchester to Liverpool bike ride in order to raise money for the NSPCC.

I set off at 6 am meeting up with Shent to get to Manchester at 7.45 (18 miles at a leisurely pace).

The start was at 8.00.

 This is just arriving at Salford Quays for the start.


CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE....

The iconic Imperial War Museum's Shard building. My bike leaning against fence.

We're off....

After riding the roads through Stretford, Carrington and Partington, we hit the Trans Penine Trail which took us through Dunham, Lymm and Warrington (where we started from).

Notice the clear blue sky, we dropped lucky with the weather (probably the nicest day of the year so far) which is quite a contrast from the ride last year where it poured down all the way.

Shent gets a puncture...

AGAIN!

WOW!

How does he do it?

 10 seconds previous I asked him to check my rear tyre 'cause i thought it was punctured, no its not he said just before his front blew out. This was just before Warrington under  the Thelwall viaduct.

Here at the Marina at Penketh. Fiddlers Ferry Power station in the background.

And finally arriving at Otterspool Park on the banks of the River Mersey at Liverpool

                                      THE END
Manchester to Liverpool 43 miles plus the 18 miles to get there and the further 20 back home. Total 81 miles. 

Now thats not bad for a fat lad that!!

 

50 miles in the Peak District

  

 Last Sunday I completed the 50 mile ride in the Peak district that I have been training for for some time now.

I rode this route last year with Shent and completed it in a gruelling 6 hours 45 mins.

This year me 'n Shent decided to do it again and the toss of a coin decided that we would try to beat last years time as opposed to a more leisurely pace. Hence the last couple of months of training for the event.

So  the alarm clock went off at 5 am I got up to a dry but rather foggy start. After loading the car with the bike and a quick coffee and energy bar for breakfast I set off, picking Shent up on the way, for Ashbourne in Derbyshire.

We arrived just in time to register for the event and we set off at 8.10 am

Start / finish line

The ride was just as tough as I remember from last year but as Ive heard this cycling doesnt get easier you just get faster.

Some photos of the ride.

Note most photos were taken whilst riding down hill because it was too much to take 'em while riding up...

CLICK ON PIC TO ENLARGE

Out of Ashbourne

Head down slogging uphill

On top of the Peaks

Shent gets a puncture

Some magnificent scenery make it all worth while.
I completed the route in 5hours 28 mins including a 10 minute stop for the puncture. Thats knocking 1 hour 17 mins off last years time

NOT BAD FOR A FAT LAD THAT !!

Last training ride

Thursday, me and Shent went out for our last training ride before the Peak District 50 mile Challange which takes place next Sunday.

The weather was poor with 20mph winds and pouring rain but we still managed to do 2 laps of our training route where we completed 43 miles of hill riding in 3hrs 40mins. Thats a good time for us considering the conditions and after a days work too. 

But our hills are not as steep as the hills we will be riding next week so it wont be a walk in the park, believe me. I nearly died last year.

Last year took me 6 and 3/4 hours to complete the course, this year I want to do it in under 5 and 1/2.

Now that WONT BE BAD FOR A FAT LAD.

Stay tuned for the update here next week!!!!

Oh if you can donate a quid to the charity it will make it all worth while, the link can be found on the right hand side near the top of the blog.        Thanks. 

Mr.Hecks joins the gang

Tuesday night after work I went out for another ride to Lymm Dam.

I was joined by Andrew and Shent and another rider who joined us for a first ride.

This other rider is just getting into cycling again and will be joining us on some rides in the future I hope, but he has asked for anonimity on the Blog so I am going to be reffering to him in future posts as Mr. Hecks.

Andrew and Shent

 Scroll down for a sneaky pic of Mr. Hecks...

Mr. Hecks

Clares 10 miles

Now hear this........

Monday (May holiday in UK) we decided, that's me and my partner Clare, to go for a short ride along the Sankey Valley Canal.

The weather was great for a change, sunny, warm and no wind and its been that way for a few days so the ground is dry (no mud).

Clares new to this cycling and at present her longest ride has been 6 miles. Today we set off with the intention of extending that distance to 8 miles.

The riding was very enjoyable and in the end we managed to ride 5 miles out and 5 back.

His n Hers

   

Dam It !!!!!

The Friday Night Ride After Work took place on Thursday this week.

From Princess St. to Lymm Dam via the Trans Pennine trail, along the Manchester ship Canal.

Unfortunately a few miles into the ride a puncture was picked up, this time it was Andrews rear tyre that suffered. 

Not a problem if you have a puncture outfit and a pump. 

Three of us had puncture outfits but no one had a pump. DERR. Luckily we were only a couple of hundred yards from a bike shop and equally luckily they were working late so we bought one,

MJCycles. Very helpful guys. Thanks.

 fixed puncture and carried on

20 mile round trip........NOT BAD FOR A FAT LAD

Some pics of the ride.


CLICK TO ENLARGE 

At Lymm

 

The Dam

 

Here's a rare sight. The bridge at Stockton Heath opening to allow a boat down the Ship Canal.

                      Try this short vid........