Feeling guilty at hiding from the rain and staying in bed last week, and with the Bangor Coastal Challenge coming up in only a month or so, I felt I needed to get some big, quality miles in today. So with shame and terror as motivation, I plotted a 45 mile course that took in Lisburn, Carryduff, Moneyrea and Belfast before heading back home.
Following a bit of a lie-in after getting home from a wedding at 3am, I headed out around mid-morning, later than usual. For a change the Sun was up and shining, though a stiff wind blowing up the A6 Antrim Road had me doubting the wisdom of being out on the bike today. Still, I tucked in and persevered on towards Lisburn via the B103 and Queensway where the “breeze” thankfully died away.
Passing through central Lisburn, I took a turn for Saintfield along the A49. At the Lisburn end, this road has a deceptively steep climb and I always struggle to get up it without nearly passing out; today was no exception! With breathing returning to normal and the pain subsiding, I somehow kept the wheels turning and took the B178 to Carryduff and on through the hills to the village of Moneyrea.
We are alive
This stretch of road is a great one to cycle. The terrain is undulating, but there are no serious hills to speak of. The road surface is good, the scenery is, well, scenic, and you’re largely untroubled by traffic. The sun was out, the wind was nowhere, both bike and rider were working well cruising easily at over 20mph and my iPod made another claim for sentience by picking a perfect track – Paul Van Dyk’s enormously uplifting “We Are Alive“. This was indeed a good day to ride.
Approaching Moneyrea
My original route plan had me turning for home after Moneyrea, taking the busy Ballygowan Road down into east Belfast. But as I approached the village I was feeling good and decided to continue on across the hills for another few miles towards Comber. From there I took the excellent Sustrans Greenway back into the city. The Greenway was quite busy at this time on an early Sunday afternoon and I encountered a number of other cyclists and plenty of walkers, but it was still easy to maintain a good pace.
I stayed on the Greenway as far as the A55 Knock ring road before veering off the direct route home and heading towards my original route along the Castlereagh Road. Since I was in the area I took the opportunity for a nostalgic swing by Grosvenor, my old school, and have a quick refueling stop in nearby Orangefield Park.
While sitting in the park munching on a banana, I noticed a number of serious looking cyclists milling around and wandered closer to investigate. To my surprise, I discovered a tarmac cycle oval that, in seven years of walking past twice every day to and from school, I never knew was there before! Observation fail. A cycle club was doing some sprint training there, riding on very quick looking, carbon black track bikes with all the demeanour and charm of flick knives.
So refueled, but still tired, I left east Belfast and made my way into the city centre along the Castlereagh Road, before heading home along the A2 Shore Road. Along the way a canvasser for one of the local candidates standing in the forthcoming 2009 European Elections made a half-attempt at handing me an information leaflet as I passed. Kudos on the enthusiasm, but seriously?
Sunday 2009/05/24 Route
Sunday 2009/05/24 Altitude Map
I was pleased with completing this 54 mile loop at an average speed of 14.8mph, as it included quite a bit of pootling about around Grosvenor and Orangefield Park, slowing down for other users along the Comber Greenway and a long, slow climb back up home again. Having missed (ahem) a few weeks training, I was becoming concerned at how I might fare on the 60 mile course of the Bangor Coastal Challenge, but after today’s ride I’m resting a little easier. Especially since the Challenge route features a lunch stop half way around!
A couple of useful, if slightly painful, “it’s a warm day” lessons were learned today:
- I can’t carry enough water on the bike for a ride of this duration.
- Wear Sunscreen.
Water stops should be in plentiful supply on the day of the Challenge, the other one is entirely up to me.
John,
I can’t remember where the water stops are on the Coastal challenge as I never use them, but there is only 1 on the way down to Portaferry, possibly Ballywalter??? The lunch stop provides water and I think there should be one on the way up but I have never encountered it, obviously I’m going to fast to notice :o) I have used a hydration pack in the past and plan to again this year, however the folks I cycle with generally use 2 bottles on their bikes and have no problems with that.
I carry two bottles on the bike and on a warm day (here’s hoping!) they last me about 40 miles. So if there are water stops every 15 miles or so around the Bangor Challenge course I should be fine.
Theres just one water stop at Portaferry (but you get soup, sandwiches, Mars bars and banana’s as well as H2O!)
The official route ( http://tr.im/oEBM ) shows water stops at Cloughey and Greyabbey, as well as the lunch stop in Portaferry.