Saturday morning saw a Mudhugger rear mudguard follow me home from my local bike shop, which was duly fitted to the Marin to finish off the additions to the bike. These guards aren't pretty, and certainly spoil the look of the Marin, but they do work really well at keeping crap off the rider, and more importantly, my new Buttbuster saddle. It'll help keep the saddlebag cleaner too.
So, with the Pine Mountain all equipped ready for some action, and having successfully rested my back after the trip into town, I set about planning a ride for Sunday just gone, as the forecast was for a good day at last.
Where to go though? That is always the issue, but I wanted somewhere a bit scenic where I could plot up and have a coffee from my stove, and somewhere that would give a decent ride.
I settled on going South of Truro to Coombe, a little village on a creek off the River Fal. I've ridden there once before as it happens, on the Voodoo, and it's a nice run, although a tad lumpy geography wise, with some hills to conquer along the way, but that's the nature of the beast and living in Cornwall. Cornish cyclists always say our miles count as double the up country miles due to the extra effort involved in travelling around our county - I don't disagree with them!
Sunday morning dawned an absolute cracker, but chilly as a dead man's nose as I fed the birds in my back garden first thing. I lobbed the Mini Trangia and some snackables in the new saddlebag, added two bottles to the bike - one water, one with some fancy orange flavoured sports drink, and dressed for cold conditions, set off into the gorgeous sunshine.
Having just fitted the new saddle I was fully expecting to be stopping every few yards to make micro adjustments, as is usually the case after disturbing the set up of a bike, but everything, to my surprise, felt bang on. The saddle did feel hard though, but not uncomfortably so, not yet anyway... Hard doesn't automatically mean uncomfortable anyway, I had a BMW motorcycle that on first acquaintance set my backside on fire as the seat felt like straddling a scaffolding plank,but once bum cheeks and saddle got to know each other better, it turned out to be one of the most comfortable perches I've used on a motorbike.
Threading down through the lanes towards Tresillian I stopped at one point in a gateway and listened to a Woodpecker getting busy in some distant tree or other, the first of two I heard during the day. Everywhere was perfectly still, and the sun was getting stronger by the minute too, warming the day nicely.
A lone bunch of Daffs atop the hedge at Trehane.
The main road through Tresillian heading towards Truro does offer some superb views of the Tresillian River, and the verge at this time of year is always lined with a great display of Daffodils. Pity though about the traffic noise otherwise this would be a great spot to linger a while.
At the Truro end of Tresillian, there's a big right hander with a little lane diving off to the left. This lane also leads into Truro and is used by busy commuters as a rat run to avoid the jams on the main road. It is rather narrow though, and heaven help the motorist salmoning against the commuter flow in the morning or evening.
This bridge carries a path, track or road through the Pencalenick estate over the lane, and for some unknown reason, is called Devil's Archway. For those with an active imagination it's certainly a tad scary in the dark through here!
Eventually, that lane drops one down St Clement's Hill and headlong into civilisation and the big city of Truro (big for round here anyway - the shops have even got escalators in 'em and stuff like that - dead posh). But on this route I wasn't dicing with the traffic for more than a couple of hundred yards before turning onto the shared path opposite Lemon Quay, which is also part of NCN Route 3. This runs up the side of Tesco in Truro and along the river's edge, so easy to find.
Arse update - The saddle is starting to make its presence felt.
Sunday morning in Truro and the place is alive with folk dashing to their place of worship. Not the pointy thing in the background... Tesco...
I crossed the road to take this photo, NCN Route 3 follows the path behind me here.
Stay on the path opposite Tesco and go left following the signs which take you...
...Back beside the river and then up that little ramp ahead on the right.
NCN Route 3 then runs alongside Newham Road on the shared path/pavement, past modern office buildings to the left, and shabby, crappy old higgeldy piggeldy buildings on the right, including Skinner's Brewery and Royal Mail sorting office.
Now this is where things went a bit wrong photographically, as somewhere here I turned the GoPro off for whatever reason, and so didn't capture the difficult to follow bit of the route - doh. Eventually though, the path/pavement comes to an end, near where an old rail over bridge used to be, and more or less opposite a short but steep hill. To stay on Route 3 you need to nip across the road and up that steep hill, and then into a small car park on the left to join the old Newham branch line. Or you can ride along the Newham Road a short distance and turn right up another steep hill and find the path crossing the road more easily perhaps.
At the back of a small car park off the first hill is where Route 3 continues, now using the bed of the old Newham branch line.
On the Newham branch.
I've got a leaky valve on the rear tyre (flipping Schwalbe tubes - had the same with Fatso) and not having a spare valve core I know to be good, I'd pumped up the rear tyre before setting off having found it a tad soft.
Arse update - Pumping up the rear tyre would come to bite me in the backside, literally with that new saddle, as I was feeling the bumps rather more than I'd like...
Halfway along the old line lies this old level crossing. As I was heading south I left the line here and turned left.
Any rider heading south or west of Truro would do well to use the Newham Line as it dodges a gert big hill around the city and also some busy roads. For those going west, it drops you back out into the bedlam of modern life beside County Hall. It might be a slightly longer route, but it's far, far safer and quieter, and just a damned sight more pleasant, than battling the traffic.
After leaving the old line the lane drops down to Calenick and there is a choice if going where I was, of two routes. Go left, the shorter way, or go right, and then left beside the primary school. I chose the latter, as taking that first left would involve climbing an absolute bear of a hill, properly steeporrific it is, scoring a double arrow on the OS Maps. I gave that beggar a swerve then and ground my way up the longer, but less sharp lane to the school, then left past the posh gaffs at Porthkea, then made a right and down to Coombe itself.
Yes there is a lack of photos along this stretch as although making for perfectly nice riding, it isn't particularly photoworthy either.
Arrived in Coombe and the rather odd 'Reading Room.' This looks for all the world like a village hall (but isn't, there's another hall a bit further back) an old school room or even a chapel perhaps. Whatever, the sign says it's a reading room, but I didn't have any books with me, and besides, it was too nice to be indoors.
Those two shots are the view to the right, let's have a look at the view just to the left...
Now we can see why this is not a bad place to spend a little while. Coombe lies off Cowlands Creek, which itself is a sticky inny bit off the River Fal.
Taking the track to the right here and looking back reveals this...
All so very pleasant.
I had a ride along the waterside track for a while, and did decide to set up the stove by a pair of benches but everywhere was a minefield of dog bombs and it all stank of dog poop, so I made my way back again. After my rant the other day about dog poop bags you might think I'm anti dogs, but I'm not, I love dogs, miss my Jack Russell terribly and hope one day to have another hairy arsed mutt companion.
Up the waterside path a bit, but watch where you tread...
Pottering back towards Coombe. No problem with riding or walking along here, it's not at all soft and boggy and as can be seen, cars mooch along here too.
Arse update - it's coffee o'clock... I think I'll take it standing up...
Coffee time.
Beverage of choice on this occasion and very nice too.
Weather update - getting very warm indeed - I'm very over dressed as usual.
While the beaches were no doubt busy, these inlets and creeks are always quiet and peaceful, and it was great standing in the sun, watching folk rowing/sailing and canoeing up the river off to my right. Unusually for me, I had some lunch here too, just some Peanut Butter sandwiches and some sort of snack bar thing, I forget what exactly now, but I normally don't eat anything before, or during, a ride, so this was a bit of an experiment for me, to see how things went. Hopefully, I wouldn't suffer any griping pains of the guts or the need to dash over a hedge quick.
Well I've heard of high fibre diets but I didn't know you had to climb poles to fetch them.
I had a good look at this as I thought it could be either one of those ring things you throw at drowning peeps, or a handy Hemorrhoid emergency comfort cushion. Unfortunately for my backside, it was the former.
Getting back on the bike and starting the 11 miles or so home I found my backside was really starting to hurt on the unforgiving saddle, and also my legs were aching unusually badly as well. Hmmmm.... Oh well, crack on!
Oh erm... this looks nice, I'll just erm... get off the bike and take a snap...
Oh and erm... the same again...
And again. Nothing to do with my sore backside and aching legs at all you understand... uh-uh. I wasn't looking for any excuse to get off the bike at all, no... not me.
Yes mate, you can see the join...
What the heck went on here? The roof matches nicely as obviously the opportunity was taken to renew the main house roof at the same time as that extension thing was being built.
The garage doors are a great choice and would be in keeping with the house too - much better than the usual up and over jobbie. But what's with the paint? I can only think they have made the decision to separate the extension from the house visually so as not to spoil the proportions/look etc, as it is a cracking looking house it has to be said. If it were me though I'd have made sure the new bit blended in with the old, or not done it at all, but it's not my house so none of my business!
This house is stood at the top of that socking great hill I mentioned earlier, as travelling back towards Truro the gradient is far more friendly and makes for some serious gravity hooning.
Flying down that hill sees you back at Calenick once again, just below the Newham line.
Arse and legs update - really struggling now!
Wah ha ha.... nooo... my lovely clean bike!!! Once more I took the Newham line which is only muddy in a couple of places, and went back to Truro.
Riding back around the side of Tesco and a look at the block of flats that are on the site of the old warehouse building that I used to work in when it was an auction room. Quite how they were allowed to scat that building down I don't know, as it had some age to it and the internal timbers and roof were fantastic.
As modern builds go this doesn't look bad at all I must admit, apart from that bare concrete band running just below the walkaway bit, most visible to the left. Quite why they couldn't face it/clad it or just flipping paint it to finish the building off I don't know. Bare concrete is just ugly.
Local legend has it that Seagulls inland means bad weather at sea, or the council tip has just opened...
Maybe it was looking for sailors in the local harbour - as we know - all the nice gulls love a sailor...
Rather than head back from Truro the way I'd come, I opted to nip through town and head towards Idless, which is my preferred route when riding back.
All looking lovely in the Sunday sunshine, although the theme park is a little disappointing...
Now there's an old building I really like - the Old Ale House. I've not been in in decades (back when it was Charlie's Wine Bar in fact, must be back in the 1980s that was) but I love that facade and especially the half frosted arched window. So much nicer than the more modern effort to the left in this shot (where another old building - the Hotel Central, once stood, and again I was surprised, and shocked, to see that demolished). The cafe building also has some age to it but the architect for that wasn't the most imaginative, or just had a tight budget to play with.
Now I could take the left fork, then a right, and have me a mooch through the main street and past the front of the Cathedral, but that's all cobbled... and bumpy... and my backside is... no I'll go right instead...
This narrow street has all the feel of being a one way street, and many folk think it is, but a quick look at the previous photo shows a no left tun 50 yards sign, and indeed, it is open to two way traffic. On a push bike no one says anything, but on my motorbike back in my argumentative youth, I'd often be stopped by someone telling me it was one way, and boy did I take pleasure in correcting them. I was a bit of an aggressive smart arse back then!
Good job it's Sunday and Warren's bakery isn't open, because the whole street would be smelling of hot pasties and that is a smell that just cannot be ignored, and I'd be in there procuring a Warren's Wonder - a pasty the size of my right thigh. Just the thought of it sat here now, typing this, is making me salivate.
Not a bad little corner of town, but I need to get me and my screaming backside home...
I could have ridden the shortest way home - straight along the A39 but that is a narrow and very busy road, and I just plain will not ride along there at all. So instead I made my way through the lanes past Idless and Lanners Barton and Mill to finally make it home after 22 miles, with a very sore backside and surprisingly aching and fading legs. On the upside, my modest intake of food gave me only a little discomfort as I rode home, so that was very encouraging.
I have since adjusted the seat a little - dropping the nose slightly (as my 'boys' were starting to feel some pressure) and I've also lowered it just a tad, but have yet to ride it to test these small changes. I know the saddle will take some breaking in and will be mighty painful during that, but my aching legs were a worry. I can normally do 20 ish miles without leg aches easily, so I'm not sure what's going on there. The saddle might actually have been a smidgen too high, hence me lowering it (the Nidd seat sits higher above the rails than the previous saddle, so I'd lowered it a bit after fitting it, but maybe not quite enough). Mind you, going too low with the saddle will also create issues so maybe some fine tuning will be in order.
Anyway, regardless of the minor agonies imposed on my pert posterior, and me walking like a Cowboy and unable to stop a pig in a passage, I'm looking forward to getting more miles in on the Marin this year - I've just got to get over my desire to keep the darned thing clean that's all!
Handy map of the torture ride on Sunday, but fuller, betterer details can be found HERE
Right, that's the gossip about the Bimbler's bad backside...
Happy cycling!
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