Stop motion rainy day activity

Cycle ride to Hest Bank along the canal

Distance: 14.39 miles
Average speed: 6.7 mph
Maximum speed: 15.7 mph

Today's outing took me along the canal to Hest Bank and then down into Morecambe and home to Lancaster.

Note to self .... check out cafe times for winter hours. The cafe I aimed for for morning snackette is closed on an autumn Wednesday.

I fixed the camera to the handlebars and set it to take pictures en route every minute on the way out, every thirty seconds on the way back. The following are a selection from the 100 or so pictures that were taken.

Leaving the house, cycling along the river and past the Millennium bridge.

Through the underpass and out onto the cycle path towards the aqueduct. The path up to the aqueduct has "gates" that need to be negotiated. I managed to cycle through all but the last two as my momentum flagged and pushing the bike seemed the easier option.

The canal bridges are quite a challenge; it's a case of bell ringing and hoping for the best that no-one else is coming from the opposite direction as the cobbles under the bridges make steering quite difficult.

Off the canal tow path and into Hest Bank, all primed up for a coffee and something to eat. I had to wait for three trains to pass through the crossing before reaching the CLOSED on Wednesday cafe. I explored a little further along the road and then turned back to go into Morecambe.

Along the promenade and then into Morrisons' for a coffee.

Back on the home run.

Over the Millennium bridge and homeward bound.

Back home, and ready for lunch.

Cycle ride to Woodie's snack bar

Distance: 10.3 miles
Average speed: 7.2 mph
Maximum speed: 16 mph

Earlier in the week we had hail, sleet and gale force winds, so waking up to a calm and blue(ish) skied morning I decided to ride to Woodie's .

The long awaited for Lancaster bypass is making progress, though the jury is out as to whether it will make any difference to Lancaster's ability to gridlock at a moment's notice.

I like the idea of options when I "think pink".

By the time I wended my way back there were grey skies and it was getting breezier, luckily the rain started once I'd got inside.

Another cycle to Glasson Dock

Distance : 11.6 miles
Average speed: 7.7 mph
Maximum speed: 13.5 mph

It's been a while since I've been out on the bike.  Today was a bit overcast but not too windy, so I set off. Even before I had left our road end I had seen four magpies together and en route there was lots of bird life. Now that autumn is here there are fewer leaves, so birds are more obvious. I heard the geese long before seeing them. There were hundreds of greylags and Canada geese in a field.

As I walked into the field they all took off with a huge amount of noise.

Destination reached it was time for a rest and an admiring of the view.

As I watched I played around with the little fisheye lens I bought that fits over my mobile phone.

A stop at the fish smokery for some smoked mackerel before heading back. Loads of bird sound, curlews, oyster catchers, robins as I made by way home. 

Cycle ride to Glasson Dock

Distance: 14.35 miles
Overall average speed: 6.1 mph (second half was much harder going and so much slower, average speed for the out trip was 8.4 mph)
Top speed: 13.4 mph

I attached a camera to the handle bars and took time lapse -an image every 10 seconds. Quite a few of the images are blurred - this is down to the very bumpy terrain.

Outward journey - along the cycle path. Unfortunately I didn't notice that the camera wasn't doing its stuff until I was halfway there.

Arriving at Glasson I enjoyed watching the world go by as I drank tea from my newly bought flask.

Every other time I have done this bike ride I have ridden back along the same route.

Today I decided to try routes new and cycle along the canal. This is more of a footpath than a cycle path and very narrow in parts. Thankfully it was not windy so there was slightly less chance of falling into the canal. Negotiating going under the bridges is particularly arduous.

Cycle ride to Morecambe

Distance: 11.4 miles
Average speed 7.8 mph

To Morecambe for exercise, a bit of shopping and some people watching while I drank coffee.

I have never noticed this before - the sculpture looked rather odd, but on closer inspection it became obvious that it was of a swimmer. This is a dedication to a long distance swimmer who apparently loved Morecambe bay.

No icecream today, just a coffee and biscuit.

Insects

Hoverflies on teasel,.

Time lapse, 20 second intervals over 2 hours

Greenbottle on yellow flower at our local garden centre

Bus ride to Heysham

En route the trees have been cut to accommodate double decker buses.

First stop - Half Moon Cafe for coffee, and then a walk along the coast into Morecambe

Cycle ride to Halton and Claugton

Distance 14.29 miles

Average speed 8.7 mph

Maximum speed 17.9 mph (not achieved by pedalling, but by freewheeling down a hill)