To Peterborough

July 2, 2022

Today’s an intertwining of two threads - of the winds that wouldn’t go away, and of the threatened rains that never came - or at least not until we were safely sheltered at the end of the ride. We knew rain was a threat so we got an early start and were on the road by 9 with the goal of reaching our hotel by one and hanging out until check-in at two.

Two miles into the ride I stop for a photo and Rachael passes by, calling out that she’ll see me at the hotel. She means it this time too - she keeps a fast pace and I really wouldn’t have seen her for the next forty miles if she weren’t faced with an unexpected private road that held her up and required a team discussion. After that she really was gone for good though, arriving at our hotel almost three miles ahead of me.

I could have biked faster, but once I realized she was serious I decided I might as well take my time and stop where I wished, not really feeling concerned about the threat of rain until ten miles from the end when it suddenly looked very real indeed. At one point it was very gray ahead and I was sure I was destined for a drenching; but somehow I threaded through.

The winds though? They never let up. Fortunately they were on the balance favorable, but they required work when they were head on and at times made my spokes sing.

A comment on the music for today’s video. We featured Gogi Grant’s version of the western classic The Wayward Wind when we were holed up in Tucson hiding out from Covid two winters back. Gogi’s is the classic version, the one that was a big hit when it came out in 1956. For variety we chose Patsy Cline’s version this time, which I might like even better. I wanted though to use this rendition by Tex Ritter which came out about the same time as Goni Grant’s did, because even though hers was the most popular in America, Ritter’s was a bigger hit here in the UK. We couldn’t find it available for purchase to use in the video, but you can still appreciate it here:

A shot from last night. I looked out our window as we were getting ready for bed and saw this so I walked outside to get an uncluttered view.

The cathedral this morning at 7:30 walking over to Caffe Nero. It looks like another beautiful sunny day ahead, but first looks are often deceiving.

The first 20 miles of the ride were identical to the out and back two days ago, so we don’t need to look again. Just one photo: approaching the climb to Coveney. Rachael’s gone from sight already, behind those trees. I won’t see her again for another fifteen miles.

Now we’re on to something new. This is on Round House Drove. We’re happy to be able to bike here, because the road is prominently marked as private property. Rachael’s been waiting here for me, and we proceeded together after getting permission. Rachael will disappear again soon, so this is the only time I’ll see her in the entire ride.

Along Horsely Fen Middle Drove, appropriately enough.

On the map this is labeled River Nene (old course). The Nene now runs through Peterborough and east to The Wash (the deep bay that separates East Anglia from Lincolnshire). Maybe the Nene was diverted and straightened as part of the drainage of the fens.

Maybe I should start taking that threat of rain seriously.

Yes, definitely. With still about twelve miles to go some luck will be required.

On Marriott’s Drove. For a few miles here the setting startled me. Flat, rough road, wind turbines spinning, old farming relics. We could be back in Sherman County. Makes me homesick.

Not exactly the surface you’re hoping for when you’re racing to beat the rain.

The worn greens on the face of this Nissen hut (the British predecessor of the Quonset hut) blend in well with the vegetation. You should look for this structure in today’s video, when it turns almost golden when a window of sunlight flashes over.

Approaching Whittlesey, and still seven miles from our hotel. Rachael is over two miles ahead and it seems like she might get through dry, but I’m thinking I might need to hide out in this upcoming town for awhile.

An interesting structure, on Turningtree Road where it crosses the Briggate River (drain). A brick pillbox?

Another Millenium Milepost, and a different model than we’ve seen before. This one, designed by the Welsh sculptor Andrew Rowe, is based upon the nautical and industrial heritage of the maker's native Swansea and can have up to four directional fingers.

Saint John the Baptist Church, Stansground. I wonder if we’re moving away from the fortress-like churches we’ve been passing for the last week.

Video sound track: The Wayward Wind, by Patsy Cline

I arrive in Peterborough dry, not long before two. Rachael was nearly three miles ahead of me when she arrived, and she’s standing on the sidewalk watching for me as I bike up. She’s already checked us in and is waiting for me to show up to help carry the gear and bikes up to our second floor hotel room.

Petersborough was never in the plan for this tour. We’ve been booked for months to stay at King’s Lynn, a more direct stopover between Ely and Boston. At almost the last minute though we hurriedly picked a new destination and rebooked here after Rachael did the research and couldn’t find any place attractive for a dinner in King’s Lynn, much less the two that we’d need. Fine with me - I’ve never been enthusiastic about the stay in King’s Lynn anyway. It just looked like the natural spot. Peterborough is out of the way and makes for a pair of longer rides, but it’s a more interesting stay. And we figured it out just in time - I cancelled our booking at KL two nights ago at 11:30, just a half hour before the cancellation deadline.

Crossing the Nene and entering Petersborough. Town center is just at the bend in the river.

13th century Peterborough Cathedral, built at about the same time as the cathedral in Ely. We’ll have to make it inside before we leave - it’s nave has the only carved wooden ceiling in Britain, and one of only four in Europe.

Cathedral Square, the cathedral, and a very nice Starbucks outlet.

The waterfront along the Nene. There must have been a hundred swans gathered here.

Cheap evening’s family entertainment, even better than an X-box.

The willows lining the waterfront are strange. They resemble a row of giant Joshua trees.

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Ride stats today: 40 miles, 800’; for the tour: 612 miles, 23,600’

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 612 miles (985 km)

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Kathleen JonesI like to change the posted route maps to the terrain layer. I have to say this part of the world is kinda boring for that kind of thing, and this one in particular. After all the other climbing you’ve done on this tour though, you’re entitled.
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Kathleen JonesYou’ll be excited by top today’s post then, when we make it all the way up to 333’ elevation. After that we’re back in the fens for a few more days before moving out of their northern edge. We won’t see any serious contour though before reaching the North York Moors in about a week. After that everything looks pretty lumpy though and we’ll be wishing we brought some of the fens along with us.

In the meantime, I suggest keeping up with Keith and Susan. They can suffer for all of us.
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1 year ago

Kathleen JonesYou may have heard of cycle.travel for route planning. Saw an exchange on my social media that it wasn’t very good in France for one person but someone else in England said it was a game changer for them.
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Kathleen JonesI have - someone pointed it out when I started planning this tour - but had forgotten about it. It is very good, and thanks for reminding me. We’ll start testing out our planned rides against its recommendations. We’ve already altered our planned ride on our next travel day because of it.
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1 year ago