Over Cannock Chase - First Ride on the new bike:Collected my new bike yesterday & was hoping for good weather today & it came, so I waited for the mist to lift before setting off. Just off the estate & bumped into Adam, he was going my way so we rode together for the first 25k, to the other side of Swarkstone Causuway, that made a pleasant change. Soon after we seperated I was onto the 10mile pan flat section along thro' Willington to Hilton & Hatton, past the Salt Box Cafe & thro' Tutbury. Form here the route rolls along to Draycot in the Clay where there's a 10% climb on the A515 before swinging right off of the main road & down to Newborough where a right & a few more undulations bring you to Abbotts Bromley. A right going into & a left going out of take you over the Blithfield Reservoir & on to the back of Rugeley. Swinging right avoids the main road & after a right/left over the A51 it's thro Colwich & the Hayfields before turning left at Tixall. Out at Milford & no stop at the Cafe today, now it's starting to climb around the far side of the Chase to Brocton where it's left to test oneself up the 15% climb to the top of the Chase, it's a better route than sticking to the main road & I wanted to see how I would get on up here on the new wheels, fine! A couple of lefts & it's not long before I'm back into Rugeley centre, a quick stop at a garage to top up the water supplies & onward along the main road all the way to Elford, that's a good long section on the A513 but the wind is favorablly behind me, as planned so I push as hard as I can for as much as I can. Left & back into the lanes thro' Clifton to the A453, left & left again. Nearly there, rolling down past the polytunnels to Netherseal where right at the church up to the A444, right & left & climb from Acresford back to the village. The day was again great, enjoyed riding the new bike, as the front end is a bit lower than I'm used to it'll take a bit of getting used to but it's gonna be GREAT!!!
