Training Log Archive: Thraws

Too nice a day not to get out. Steady ride. Ice cream stop in Bosham, then round the harbour as the tide was out. Back tyre stayed up.

Been meaning to do this ever since I moved to Sussex and bought my bike 21 years ago. And now it's a 'thing' on Strava and a route is marked on the OS map. From the pier at Ryde we went St Helens, Bembridge (coffee), Alverstone, Wroxall, St Lawrence, Blackgang Hill, Yafford, Brighstone (lunch), Brook, Freshwater Bay, Freshwater, Yarmouth, Newbridge, Newtown, Gurnard, Cowes (chain ferry), Whippingham, Wootton Bridge, Upton, Ryde. Complemented the Coast Path walk of 4 years ago as it opened up some of the 'rolling' interior, which looked lovely in the sunny afternoon we had. It was pretty hilly almost throughout, with some big climbs in the south. And the strong westerly didn't help with these at all in places. But the biggest problem was the traffic. Looking back, it seems like throughout the entire route in the eastern half of the island we had a car or van trying to overtake (which is all you need when toiling up a steep one on the little ring). Thankfully the western half was much better and some of the 'quiet roads' here really were just that, and a delight to ride along. Just after taking the mandatory photos at the top of the biggest climb, my rear tyre came off on the descent (probably forced off by over inflated inner). I replaced it with the patched up old spare I had, but wondered about tyre wall damage and left the pressure fairly low. I did have another spare but after an hour or so's worried riding forgot about the flat and jut got back into it. If I did this again I'd probably stick entirely to the western half.