My morning commute (warning - lots of images)

Kieran_Burns

I thought it's about time I shared my cycle commute with you guys. I've been banging on about how good it is, so I thought it only fair I take some photo's to share with you.

I want to apologise in advance to anyone who climbs any kind of hill (you'll see) and to anyone who has to suffer inner city commutes as there is a LOT of countryside in this journey of mine.

starting off outside my village is always a pain as I have this 1 mile dead straight and flat section which just seems to go on for ever:



a 1/3 of the way down and it looks like you've gone nowhere!



At the end is the village of Hilton where I cut through the old part



(that guy you can see coming towards me stopped and we had a nice natter, he actually complimented me on my touring Specialized (the first he'd seen) )

On the other side of the village you can see the start of the busy section where I have to cycle down the A516



When you get to the two roundabouts under the A50 dual carriageway, you get to see that there is a safe (albeit slower) route to take:



Normally I cycle on the road as it's busy enough to make people stop at the roundabouts but no so busy that you haven't got room.

Once past the roundabouts you get to the HARDEST hill on my commute:


No really, that's it. It does go on for quite a while though... just under 1/2 mile in total. Again though, please note the shared cycle / footpath. It's not ideal but this is a school route and is full of schoolkids cycling and walking in the morning.

A bit further down the 'hill' shows the end of it (the signposts show the turning I take which goes up to a Buddist retreat. I have actually met a couple of saffron robed shaved heads while cycling. Very peaceful types!)



Immediately after the junction I turn off and this is the start of the Bridlepath (please note the cycle route signs - I've just joined the last stretch of Cycle route 54)



A little rough at the start:


so the roadie types would be stuffed by this section alone

Once you clear that bit, the surface improves and you get onto the bridleway proper


that couple in front very kindly got out the way when I rang my bell but it was a bit comical as she broke left and he broke right!

The route straightens up and goes over and under (as seen) some country lanes:



these two show the view I get to see each day I cycle in
the first one was meant to be a barn conversion, I think they got carried away:



and turning around, there's a busy road over there somewhere, you can just hear it:



Showing again that this is part of TWO cycle routes ( 54 and 68 ) where the bridleway goes over a road, the cut off here takes you to a fine pub!



Now you can see a straight mile (or more) and the very slight incline that runs the whole length of the bridleway, something like 1 in 100



at the end of that you come to the first (and second in the distance) of the gates that slow me down. there are 3 sets in total each with two gates that need to be chained shut.



The first is the worst when wet as cows reguarly go over and you have to be careful to avoid the inevitable mess.

after you clear the first two, you have a 3/4 mile stretch to the next one:



this is the last of the 'open' stretch as the hedges get closer and offer more protection from the elements

this is the view back down before the last of the bridle gates and my favourite stretch as the surface and protection allows me to get a nice bit of speed up and it's always very calm down here (even at night when utterly pitch black)




and the last gate:



the incline (ahem) increases for the last stretch past Mickleover but the close trees make it very tranquil



and the surface gets better:



it would be a fast stretch but it tends to be busy with people walking dogs from Mickleover.

It carries on up to the end of Route 54 where the old station was:



they are now private cottages where the poor owners are forever telling people not to park as everywhere past the fence IS private property (but people have a right to pass)

This brings me onto Google streetview:

http://tinyurl.com/cuoae4

where I pop out at the bottom of the hill and come towards the camera then turn left (right as you are looking)

I then have a short hop along the suburban road until the cycle route goes off onto a shared path (again)



you have to pass through a kissing gate to get here, and the couple in front took the name literally!

brings me to the last of the hills:



for some reason this one always kills me, it actually is worse than it looks:

finally before the city roads hit, I get to pass along some more tree lines paths:



and a final stretch by a field:



This last stretch is by a very busy section of the A38, you can see it through the trees and up on that bank on the right, but you can completely avoid any stretches of it and get right into the City Centre without hitting any (bar one) busy roads

I then have to pass through the City Centre and out the other side but that's just standard urban stuff (with a couple of nice stretches)

People at work wonder why I commute on a bike, I think this may convince them!!!

jimmypippa

I started a similar thread here: Silly comuting Sightseeing

And an additional one from a slight extension to my commute:

jimmypippa wrote:

Should I get a cyclocross bike next?

Friday's commute (I added a mile an a half, and 300ft onto my normal route)

EDIT: prj45 also posted some nice picture there (do you want to cross post?)

Kieran_Burns

i thought about adding to that thread but wasn't sure if it was suitable.


Do you think the London commuters will end up hating us?

downfader

Anyone with an inner city route will be jealous. It looks REALLY nice, I wish I had a route like that myself.

itboffin

very nice but where are the hills? :shock:

Kieran_Burns

itboffin wrote:

very nice but where are the hills? :shock:

i photographed them and even drew attention to them.... did you miss them? :P

fatblokefromwarwick

What a great start to the day, that route looks so relaxing !

Jay dubbleU

Nice route - similar to mine but a bit longer (and minus the hills)

jimmypippa

Kieran_Burns wrote:

i thought about adding to that thread but wasn't sure if it was suitable.


Do you think the London commuters will end up hating us?

Go on go on go on.

Ah but they can get proper SCR.

The only potential sport I have seen was in the headwind/rainsquall of doom last week, and I got well and truly pasted twice on the same ride, once by a guy doing about 20 mph (I was struggling at about 13).

I usually like the added visibility of flat bars, but not the aerodynamics. I'd like to have thought that the bike was the difference. but some how I doubt that all of it was...

Kieran_Burns

If the pictures go a bit nuts - I apologise but i have made everyone the same size and so that they would as near as no odds fit without scrolling

prj45

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Do you think the London commuters will end up hating us?

Nope, I actually find cycling in the country a bit dull, I mean one tree is much the same as the last, give me the city any day!

jimmypippa

prj45 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Do you think the London commuters will end up hating us?

Nope, I actually find cycling int he country a bit dull, I mean one tree is much the same as the last, give me the city any day!

Where were the trees in my picture?

there are lots of sheep, but they are all individuals to someone living in Derbyshire of Kiwi extraction...

EDIT: I can see one tree, but you have several...

Actually: those photos of yours are cool...

prj45

jimmypippa wrote:

Where were the trees in my picture?

:roll:

OK, for you one rock is much the same as the last!

(perversly I'm just about to look for a three day cycling holiday coast to coast across the pennines)

Kieran_Burns

prj45 wrote:

jimmypippa wrote:

Where were the trees in my picture?

:roll:

OK, for you one rock is much the same as the last!

(perversly I'm just about to look for a three day cycling holiday coast to coast across the pennines)

I understand what you mean about city /country cycling. I dislike cities, too noisy / dirty / crowded for me, but i know people who find the country too quiet and boring. I guess it is the same for commuting. My commute in is very relaxing but I would think that some people prefer the cut and thrust of the SCR and getting through the heavy traffic.

roger_merriman

being a country boy at heart, until recently i still lived in the area i'm not wild on very busy roads though if the road is the fastest route i will take it, but i'd be lying if i said i like busy multy lane roads.

some city roads can be fun, though they don't have the views or the hills of the country.

il_principe

@ Kieran_Burns

You insufferable git!

I have to ride 6 miles to find anything that remotely resembles the countryside and even that is only Richmond Park!

Kieran_Burns

jashburnham wrote:

@ Kieran_Burns

You insufferable git!

I have to ride 6 miles to find anything that remotely resembles the countryside and even that is only Richmond Park!

errrmmm....

Sorry! :oops:

I think you can see why I enjoy the commute in so much. Now imagine cycling down that route after dark in the Winter. It's a little creepy but a lot of fun!

I think I've also proven why I had to get a CX bike for my route as nothing else would fit the variety of surfaces.

beanzontoast

Know that Derbyshire route very well. The old bit of Hilton is a bit of a bind now that the very pronounced traffic calming measures are in place - they seem to keep changing it too. I like the cycle track - for me I can't do it on my Galaxy. Bit too rough in places. Prefer the trail bike.

Had to laugh about the mile of straight road leading to Hatton and beyond. You do feel like you've been pedalling for a while and have gone nowhere!

Kieran_Burns

beanzontoast wrote:

Know that Derbyshire route very well. The old bit of Hilton is a bit of a bind now that the very pronounced traffic calming measures are in place - they seem to keep changing it too. I like the cycle track - for me I can't do it on my Galaxy. Bit too rough in places. Prefer the trail bike.

Had to laugh about the mile of straight road leading to Hatton and beyond. You do feel like you've been pedalling for a while and have gone nowhere!

The speed bumps, now that they have added that middle one are actually better as it stops people driving down the middle and onto the wrong side of the road. When there are cars parked NEXT to the speed bumps and I have to pull out, I've been nearly totalled by car drivers on my side of the road expecting me to get out of their way. :roll:

That last mile is horrible at the end of the day, it's like a duracell battery.. on and on and on... the road surface doesn't help either as it gets rougher the nearer you get to Hatton, and as the prevailing wind is ALWAYS in your face; it's just not nice.

Kieran_Burns

I have to confess at waiting for Sarajoy to come on and berate me for my virtually flat commute

Of course, i'll know she's just jealous

sarajoy

Hahah!!

Bless your heart - you've been waiting for me to fume at you?

Yes I'm jealous More of the countryside than I am the flatness, mind you! I could take a slightly prettier route but it'd mean a MUCH longer commute - maybe in the summer once my fitness is up...

As much as I wouldn't mind some lovely flat stretches, part of me really enjoys the hulking great hill (well, as I see it) in the middle of my route - and not just for bragging rights!

Every time I cycle in (as the way home has a shorter, sharper incline) it starts off easily enough, fastish bursts with traffic and junctions and what-have-you, and then the hill begins.

My train of thought (amongst all the inward swearing at traffic and people making themselves into hazards) goes thusly:

Mmm, nice little incline, never as bad as I think.
Whoo, down a gear. Just to keep up the cadence, honest.
Go on lights, wouldn't mind a break, turn red...
...still green, dammit, push on!
Ahhh, nice flat bit, up a gear.
But only a brief flat bit, down a gear.
Gnnnhhhh, last kick up the hill...
...don't you DARE swing by in fron... oh cheers. Down two gears.
Whhhyyyyy do I do this again? Just keep bleedin' pedalling...
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Oooh flat. Oooh fast.
Ooooh downhill!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Christophe3967

Well, there's no doubt that this is a beautiful commute, and I can undersatnd why anyone would enjoy it - and why you need a cross bike

Still, speaking as a Devonshire boy, I wouldn't swap it for the cut and thrust of London Horses and courses.

always_tyred

prj45 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Do you think the London commuters will end up hating us?

Nope, I actually find cycling in the country a bit dull, I mean one tree is much the same as the last, give me the city any day!

Some good photos in there!!

Although, I find one traffic light much the same as any other, and one office block much the same as any other.

How about a commute up past farmland, through open countryside, then down into a city centre that is a world heritage site? Best of both worlds?

fnegroni

A beautiful commute indeed! :-)

Kieran_Burns

Always Tyred wrote:

prj45 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Do you think the London commuters will end up hating us?

Nope, I actually find cycling in the country a bit dull, I mean one tree is much the same as the last, give me the city any day!

Some good photos in there!!

Although, I find one traffic light much the same as any other, and one office block much the same as any other.

How about a commute up past farmland, through open countryside, then down into a city centre that is a world heritage site? Best of both worlds?

Ummmm..... it's not a world heritage site but I DO cycle into the middle of Derby City centre as part of the commute as well.....



Maybe i should just shut the hell up. :oops:

jimmypippa

Er.....

Stockport has a hat museum...

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that....

vorsprung

Kieran_Burns wrote:

brings me to the last of the hills:

What Hill? Where? Where is the Hill????

Kieran_Burns

It's actually a downhill.... and the photo does flatten it somewhat

It is there though.... honest.

jimmypippa

Is this a hill?

Eccles Pike




My previous photo in this thread was taken on "Over Hill Road"

vorsprung

jimmypippa wrote:

Is this a hill?

Eccles Pike

YES

and so is this

Kieran_Burns

So's mine..... just not so MUCH of a hill :P