Reach Ride 2019

So the Reach Ride 2019, woo hoo!

Again, lots of people grab hold of their bikes and ride out to Reach to see the 800 year old fair. It's around 14.5 miles in length, but that's not the thing people take away from this ride. What is the big thing is cycling with so many others enjoying the chat as we go along.

I had so many conversations with people I knew and people I'd never met before and may not meet again. Some people I'd recognise from previous years, and they'd always be new people coming with joyful ideas and positive involvement with riding.

Here's the route, with the main route in red and my short cut home in blue. Note that the shortcut home isn't possible as the busy road through Stow-cum-Quy is not passable by our larger group with a wider range of abilities.

It really is worth opening this up larger in a separate window.

Open Map Larger.

So this year's video is a combination of the view forward and the reverse "faces" view. I do like ot see where we are going and it brings people in seeing what's about to happen in the facecam, possibly making it easier to spot yourself!

Here's the video of the route. Look out, music!             (Go HD see * below)

00:11 Starting from The Guildhall
00:30 And onto Sidney Street
01:30 Explaining the TdF bunting
01:45 The first jam
02:30 A patient and happy taxi driver!
02:45 Zooming along at 8mph on Jesus Green
03:45 Camera fail!
05:00 Further jams at Cutter Ferr Bridge
07:00 Getting up to the front in a record distance
07:40 New path approach to Fen Ditton Lane
08:00 Loosing the leader's flag
08:45 Stopping in Bottisham
09:35 Final big pedal in a group to Lode
11:10 Reaching Reach!
































* How to go HD.

#CamRideHome Visits Arbury

After a really rather damp day, the ida of going out for a social ride seemed a bit too much. However, the experience was very different. There's something about doing things in a group that makes fun and worthwhile, despite the potentially inclement weather. In fact the adversity may actually bring about more pleasure as you seek to beat it as a group.

The start point, as always, is from from The Mill by the river in the centre of town.


The Mill in Sunnier Times (from their twitter stream)

Here's the route.

Open Map Larger.

Whilst we did meander around a lot of cycle infra around north east Cambridge, the primary aim was to look at the new cyclepaths on Arbury Road.


Plan for the new cyclepaths

And there are a few more photos of this bit of our ride here.

It was good to note the works at the end of the cyclepath, it's the extension going ahead soon.

And here's the video of the route. Look out, music! And inspired by the water all around us, a little ditty by New Model Army.            (Go HD see * below)

0:11 Starting from The Mill
0:30 Passing Kings College
0:44 By the river on Jesus Green
1:22 Green Dragon Bridge
1:33 Fen Road Cyclepath
1:41 Snack break on the Guided Busway
1:59 Getting to the Arbury Road Cyclepath
2:30 Returning to The Mill for a pint and a natter


A slightly sad part was coming back down Mere and Carlton Way, although it didn't spoil the evening mood generally. Several close passes as people driving risked (us) getting round us on a narrow road with oncoming traffic.

One particular fine example of driving was someone passing us close at high speed and parking up in a bus stop. Reviewing video frames against nearby street items and measuring on satellite images showed they were doing at least 37mph (in a 20mph limit).

Large car being driven well over the speed limit






























* How to go HD.

#CamRideHome on 29.04.2016, the Reach Ride Explore

For the Bank Holiday weekend of the Reach Ride, #CamRideHome explored the city sections of the Reach Ride.




And here's the video of the route, with pictures along the way!

#CamRideHome on 29.04.2016, the Reach Ride Explore (Go HD see * below)

0:12 Setting off
0:26 Kings College Chapel
0:45 First wait for everyone
0:59 Onto the delightfully green Jesus Green
1:10 Another wait!
1:30 The river looking great
2:00 The Technology Museum
2:10 Cows!
2:20 The Green Dragon Bridge (which permits cycling!)
2:55 Back over the new cycle bridge
3:16 Waiting at the traffic lights, twice
3:34 Newmarket Road Retail Park
3:57 Cut through to York Road
4:19 People go the wrong way!
4:33 Crossing Mill Road a driver bullies their way through without priority (see https://www.cyclestreets.net/location/81074)
5:20 Pasing the cycle counter on Parkers Peice
5:43 Onto Downing Street Contraflow Cyclelane
6:00 Like "a sinner we crawl" back to The Mill


* How to go HD.

A Late Sunday Afternoon Lazy Ride

I just fancied a short late afternoon lazy ride, which in the late spring sunshine felt glorious.




And here's the video of the route, with pictures along the way!

A Late Sunday Afternoon Lazy Ride (Go HD see * below)

0:12 Start a bit late on Brooklands Avenue
0:56 Lots of people by The Mill
1:10 Town centre is crowded!
1:45 Jesus Green, and lots more people
2:10 Some cows sleeping just before The Fort St George
2:31 Riverside
2:52 Stoubridge Common. more poeple, more cows
3:15 A big horse and a little horse
3:41 Onto an empty Ditton Walk
4:01 Crossing Coldhams Common
4:57 Mill Road, and a driver going the wrong way down Sedgwick Street (see YouTube clip here)
5:12 Carter Railway Bridge
5:46 Into the Triangle and almost back to Brooklands Avenue


* How to go HD.

Reach Ride 2016

All the fun of the ride to Reach Fair. Shout out where you are on this video! #ReachRide




The Reach Ride on Bank Holiday Monday May 2nd 2016. Shooting along the 14.3 mile route to get to the 800 year old Reach fair. Shout out if you spot yourself!