After yesterday, when I was sure I was going to have finished by the end of my ride- only to find there was a single, rogue square still holding out I wasn't sure if I could be bothered to hack all the way back out there and get it.
Then I looked at the weather. Clear this morning, and then with encroaching rain and wind over the next 2 days until I head back up to Glossop. Who am I kidding? Of COURSE I'm going to go and get that square. Lights and wahoo went on charge, wheels were changed and kit was got ready for the morning. A new route that went specifically to Garston Down was planned, and everything was ready.
Up, coffee and out for before 8- this was a sub-50k smash and grab, so hopefully back by elevenses. Out of the village by a *different* route today (gasp). Starting as I meant to go on, down the hill to the old railway line across the marshes and out to Brading. Then across the quiet lanes at the back of Alverston and Adgestone and then onto the cycle trail westward. The red squirrel trail... I don't know if ALL the cycle trails around here are called the Red Squirrel trail- but there you go.
It's good under tyre- but there are a few lumps and bumps, especially at speed. Again, it is an old railway line- mainly tarmacked. I can understand why a lot of the bikes around here are more mountain bikey than road bikey. If you're on a cycle trail it isn't guaranteed to be bump free. Nor are the roads, to be fair.
Along the way I had a minor navigational issue as the GPX decided it was simply going to stop at one point. I suspect it had something to do with the out and back nature of the ride, and the GPS simply got confused. The GPX was reloaded- and it did the same things again.... annoying as it is the bit Im about to get to that is the part I don't really know.... Cycle about 300 metres further, reload, and this time the confusion cleared up and we were back on route again.
Cheery hellos to all the dog walkers and horse riders- making sure not to disrupt the horses at all... the last thing anyone needs is a spooked horse, and eventually I reached the point where the loop of the lollypop loops- as it were. Rightwards and up along a road that eventually turned into Nunnery lane- which I was on a few days ago, dumping me out at Carisbrooke castle, then down and past the fords mentioned on day 2. Up and left, and along the road from yesterday towards Bowcombe, and then onto the clay/chalk double track that was the bit of offroad yesterday- which, with 2.1 RaceKings today, was a whole lot less of an issue.
Turns out, more grip is a bit of a confidence booster here!
Halfway along the bridleway there is a 90 degree turn away from yesterdays route that takes you along and up equally muddy and clay-y bridleways. Then- there is a short 30 metre section of steep mud and roots that would be eminently rideable downhill- but definitely not up. And so for the first time in this cycling endevour, I was forced to get off and walk.
The copse was not long, and at the top was a very big long field of a hill. Mostly mud and grass- and at a steady 10% ascent. Oh well- time to just pedal. It was a fair old slog to get to the top (and was congratulated by a couple of dog walkers on the way). By now- this is pretty much Garston Down. At least- I HOPE it is Garston down.
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| The barn |
Ah- Correction- now I'm looking at it- its Dukem Down and Dukem Copse- which is the west side of the down (the east side is Garston). So I hacked along the bridleway until I got to the old barn that I remember from umpteen hikes as a much younger person and stopped to take a photo of the "view" and was about to plunge down the hill- when I saw a sign saying "keep out- private land".
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| No entry! |
Better check the OS map then. And yes.... the OS map corroborated this... for the first time Komoot had failed me in my route finding. Gah! Still. Looking at the map, there was a Bridleway a little further back along the down which went where I needed it to go. (The reason for not coming up that way was because the contour lines were *very* close together, and along with the mud and grass, it simply wasn't going to be a cyclable way up).
So, a swift about turn, back about 400 metres to the bridleway sign, and down off the hill. Yes, it was steep. Yes it was muddy. Yes it was also chalky. With aspects of clay. And stream. Seems like I saved the best til last.
Off and down into Little Gatcombe and Gatcombe, back to Blackwater and then, back the way I came.
It struck me on the way back that there are vanishingly few signs that display the indication of a hill being 10% gradient. I initially thought that it must have been because not a lot of the hills are actually all that steep- so I started paying more attention to the gradient field on my wahoo on the way home.
It would appear that the reason for there not being more 10% signs on the island is because if they put in a sign *every* time the road hit 10% you'd have one on every incline. There are bits of the island that hit about 20%, and nary a sign to tell you. To be honest, with the amount of "careful! red squirrel crossing" and "cows on road" signs, if you included a load of 10% (or greater) signs, you'd have a never ending procession of signs across the island.
Basically, if you're here with a bike, simply assume that every hill or incline that you go up (or down), it's probably going to hit 10% or more. It's a good rule to follow.
So- I did indeed get home for just gone 10am, well in time for elevenses and pre-lunch tree-pruning duties. The tile was indeed got- so tomorrow I can happily stay in bed for a little longer!
Hopefully this link works: Does this work?! which should enable you to see everything I did over the last few days. (another excellent feature of veloviewer). I've had a lot of fun.
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| Boom! Done! |
So- finally- what kit worked? Well. Everything. Brief rundown:
Fairlight Secan - with 700c for road and 650 for offroad. (GP5000 and RaceKing tyres respectively)
Wahoo tickr HR monitor and Element Bolt for nav.
Komoot for route planning
Northwave Goretex arctic shoes (a size large to accommodate more socks!)
High5 gels, tangfastics and clif bars
SKS Blumels mudguards
Castelli Gabba jacket (yes- the original one)
Exposure joystick and TraceR lights, with alpkit Tau's on front and back. (and a fibre flare)
Endura reflective overshoes on the road day (over giro shoes).
Oakley Split Jackets. I can't believe they don't make them anymore!
there you go. Done and dusted. Time for Lunch!
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