Published in n. 37 of the magazine BB
Visit a country like England in cycling is a new and different experience. How to identify a British road? Easy. First, vehicles driven on the left, distances are in miles and altitude in feet. Curious, no? Second, the slopes are constant in any journey, the landscape is mountainous, all grass, and although the altitude never exceeds 900 feet, the slopes are very serious, it is hard to find slopes of 20%. Third, another distinctive fact the stone walls are usually found on the sides of many roads. The stones on which circulate in Flanders or Northern France, we find them in England delimiting the road. Another feature of English are under spectacular skies with dramatic clouds that offer all kinds of nuances. During our stay we enjoy fantastic landscapes with threatening clouds, but we were fortunate that very little rain. And last not understand English rural landscape without sheep. Where do so many?
British Cycling is undergoing a boom at present, although it has always been a popular sport in the islands. Today, with the guest appearance of a sprinter that will mark an era, as is Mark Cavendish, the love of cycling is multiplied. Sky team building this year 2010 with a national leader as Bradley Wiggins, also helps that the practice is booming road cyclists.
Our visit to England took place to mark the 2010 International Meeting of BIG, whose headquarters was Ambleside in the Lake District, Cumbria. The dates for the meeting was chosen were undoubtedly the most appropriate, the month of May, in which rainfall is the lowest of the year. The International Meeting of BIG is a time of year to greet old acquaintances, talk of new ports climbed, climbed, and remember the old port, in short, keep alive the spirit of the race's climber-explorer-traveler representing in many cases the member of BIG.
The vicissitudes of our trip were many and possibly if you go to England you can happen the same, or is that Take note and, above all, care. The theme car rental is a problem. In addition to driving on the left, we must bear in mind that the gearbox is also on the opposite side to European cars. We must learn to lead by measuring the distances to the left, making it relatively easy to give or receive a blow, especially if pos circuláis narrow roads and steep as was our case. If you do not manage it, it's easy to pass you and us and deprive you of the car incident. Imagine drama.
As road cyclists, the opportunities that arise in England are many. Before listing some of them, I must comment that most of these tests cyclists have a charitable purpose, which is still favored over popular participation. These initiatives could learn in our country. It would be nice.
Here are some of the many proposals offered by the English calendar:
• First highlights the Fred Whitton Challenge, a cyclist running in the Lake District that meets most of the more interesting hikes and therefore harder in the area. This year we celebrated on May 9. It is a grueling test of 112 miles (180 km) starting and finishing in Coniston. There is a chance to do what they call the Four Seasons (Four Seasons) Fred Whitton is the possibility of making the same gear but free and free of charge, taking time to step in some controls and may eventually prove the completion of test. More information: http://www.fredwhittonchallenge.org.uk/
• Another interesting possibility in Cumbria, also in the Lake District, is "The Cumbrian killer" The route is 145 kilometers long and up Blea Tarn , Birk Fell, Stickle Pike and Kirkstone Pass. Also grueling climbs the east slope of Wrynose Pass and then Hardknott Pass. The total gap is up 2.620 meters.
• The Tour of Dartmoor is another takes place in some way it has been compared to the Marmotte by their hardness. 170 kilometers and 3,810 meters of altitude is your letter. Held the last weekend of September with output in Devon, southwest England.
And is that one of the main characteristics of the routes in England are their slopes. For those most enthusiastic recommendation increases, the book "100 Greatest cycling climbs (English guide increases for road cyclists), written by Simon Warren and recently published by Cycling weekly (can be purchased online through http://cyclingweekly.ipcshop.co.uk/ ). Precisely this prestigious British magazine made a now legendary series was called "Killer climbs" (Upload killer).
For our part, we found many of them in the four-day meeting BIG, searching and researching English increases that are in the superlative, making a lot of miles by car and by bike to get to the bottom of them. In this article we'll present a few of the climbs we did, perhaps the hardest, but there are people who went home with up to 25 BIGS in the backpack.
On our trip to England also could do some of the routes through which flowed the historic (though not as old) Wincanton Classic, held from 1989 to 1993, also called Leeds Classic from 1994 to 1996 and explored in runs some of the increases emblematic of the area, as Holme Moss used to be placed in the final kilometers and it was decisive.
When I travel with my bike time flies. Without realizing it was Sunday. Again played the rush to get back to the low-cost flight, but this time without the car that had crumpled on Saturday night. That means that Jesus, the photographer had to lug all the stuff (including box board where to put the bike) to a place where we gather. The next day we had, by necessity, to test the quality of British public transport, had to arrive by train and bus to the airport. So now you see me rushing out the best in the morning, removing the bicycle inside the train and putting it in the cardboard box to the disbelief of other passengers. To viewers, I seemed to have zero mechanical skills mutated into a rare skill in assembling and disassembling of the bike. Outside saddle, pedals off, allen here, duct tape there. Perfect! When I'm ready I turn around and see all the paper bubbles out of the box and therefore unprotected change. As I said!
To conclude a bumpy ride as we only have the appearance of the now famous volcanic dust cloud that forced Liverpool stay on longer than expected. So I had to spend 24 additional hours in Liverpool. And, horror, without the bike, which was already packed. The solution was to do some sightseeing and planted on a brave face. What we see in Liverpool? The classic: the Beatles museum and Anfield. Fantastic. But also we approached the beach in Crosby, north of Liverpool, where we witness a spectacular sunset from over 100 statues ghostly that make up a wonderful piece of art and disturbing. It's called Another Place and is the work of Antony Gormley. In the pictures I refer.
Photo: Jesús García Pastor You see, the bike is a great way of touring. Although it is packaged.
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