Veloview IOW tile Challenge, Day 3

 Ah yes. Christmas day. It seemed like it might be an idea to go out for a swift half hour jaunt to Ryde to grab a single tile at the end of the pier (I know... its not the island, it juts off the island, but it would be nice to get it). Then things transpired that there might be a little more time than that in the early afternoon, seeing as Christmas dinner would be in the evening - a slightly extended (though not crazy long) ride might be in order. 

Your standard sign around here

What would be a bonus was that I was heading out just after midday. With any luck everyone else on the island would be sitting down and tucking into Christmas dinner of some sort. Only being out for a couple of hours at most would mean that I should be back as the post-prandial "compulsory family enjoyment" of massed dog walks etc. would be beginning- and- I'd be home before the traditional communal drink driving from one family home to another commeced. 

Road wheels on- 700c, 32 wide GP5000s, ready for anything that the roads were to throw at me. I even remembered to change the spare tubes in the seat pack from 650's to 700s. You never know.... A quick plan of a route on Komoot (I know the roads around here- but not THAT well), and bang, out of the door. Within short order I was on Ryde pier, heading out to get the tile that is right at the very end of the pier, and then back in again. 

Ryde Pier

Next stop was Wooton, and Little Canada. There is a little circular "road" that kind of takes in 2 tiles. Komoot wasn't entirely happy with me choosing this as a route, and it because obvious as the "road" turned into something very much akin to "Isle of Wight gravel". Massive pot holes, streams, puddles, kind of like a bridleway really. The tyres coped with it admirably, though I was fairly amused by the whole thing. Kind of road.... kind of not. 

Aha! a "road"

Back onto the main road and across to Firestone Copse and Havenstreet, going south towards Newchurch, gaining a new tile on the waypast Rowlands wood. Further south, and keeping a decent average speed up, I joined a road that I was on yesterday- but at a much greater speed! 

Still very few cars about, and I swooshed down into Shanklin, across Sandown and down to the front, getting another few tiles and a nice view of the pier, before heading home via Yaverland and Bembridge. Not a huge ride- just under 2 hours, but it was good to get out on the bike, get some tiles, and save me going to some random places tomorrow (with rubbish roads)...

Sandown pier ("a despicable hovel" according to Mark Steel goes Local - in Ventnor!)

So this is what it was looking like prior to the ride....

 

And this is after. So 6 more tiles. - Yes there are only 5 arrows here- I forgot to arrow the one near havenstreet. It's pretty obvious where it is when you compare the 2 maps.

So now I have to replan tomorrow! Komoot, here we come.