damerell

I'm back and totally still alive. Got back about 0340, having eventually left the FsG at about 0215. Since no-one else was there, I decided to go for a ride rather than a walk.

I was going to post a Bikely route but Google Maps (and hence Bikely) is no use at all for footpaths and the like. Hence, if you're curious, you'll have to trace it on OpenStreetmap, starting by searching for "Jesus Green, Cambridge". The Fort St George bridge is just West of the Jesus Green Pool.

This was a surprisingly pleasant ride. I didn't much exceed 10mph in the conditions, but then 10mph on snow and ice next to a freezing cold river feels quite fast. However, I remember the Cam froze solid enough to walk on (how do you _think_ I found out?) in the winter of 1997 - we may have a little way to go yet.

Go east along the riverbank to the large Elizabeth Way flyover, then continue up Riverside. On Riverside there were mysterious clots of snow and ice that wanted to throw me off; I ended up just steering around them. Generally stretches that cages don't use are in much better condition; tarmac with a light coating of crusty snow, not squeezed down into ice, is ideal for riding on (with a studded front tyre, anyway!)

I continued on the riverfront up past Stourbridge Common and the Green Dragon bridge (the road opposite is Ferry Path on OSM). I had planned to cross the river there, but I decided to follow the sign up the south bank to Fen Ditton and see where I ended up. Halfway up the blue dotted route turns south across the Common, and so did I - I saw the gate that leads to the red dots, but I was basically flying blind here and there was much more bicycle spoor (and a route sign) pointing south. I felt pretty smug on this bit, since I was following a set of bicycle tracks that weaved all over the place, and I was able to steer a straight course without trouble.

Turned east on the south side of the common, and northeast at the next junction, where signs offer a choice of Fen Ditton and, er, somewhere else. Ended up in Fen Ditton, where (fortunately) there's another map. Decided to head north, up Church Street, but then across the footpath on the recreation ground (the footpath is marked on OSM but the rec ground is not), and rejoin what looked like it might be a riverside route again.

The recreation ground was tougher, any sight of a footpath vanishing, and footprints and wheel tracks leading in all directions. I guessed where north was and set off, now clearly riding on snow-covered grass not a hard surface.

I encountered the yellow-dashed road and turned west, then north - at first it was easy going, with a paved section under the A14, and I encountered a sign saying Baits Bite Lock 3/4 and decided to press on to that, cursing two kissing gates. However about 500m from the lock things turned for the worse; the surface suddenly changed to what had clearly been rutted mud before it froze hard as iron, with the path now being a thin thing between overhanging trees. This would present a bit of a challenge even if half of it was not hidden under white stuff, so I dismounted and pressed on on foot, knowing the lock was close.

I was a bit worried when I came to a dead end, but I could see a few tracks leading off to the left through a too-small gap, and squeezed through to find we were circumnavigating a fallen tree. Shortly after, buildings appeared, and I found the lock.

I crossed the river and paused for a bit to take a photo (all I need now is to figure out how to get it off my cellphone) and ditch a plastic bottle I'd found in the lockkeeper's recycling. It seemed pretty plausible that the route leading west up the river was the towpath, so I set off that way, and that turned out to be quite right. Progress was astonishingly quick - still riding at no more than 12mph, but with no need to slow down or stop and ponder, and I was quite surprised upon reemerging on some random snow-covered road to realise I was already back in Chesterton.

I rode home by a normal route. I should have gone up Union Lane but I don't really know that neck of the woods.

This was a lot of fun for such an itty-bitty ride - I doubt the round trip was more than 8 miles. I might do it again before the SNO vanishes.

ETA: I was pretending to ride in mostly normal clothes but secretly I had bibtights on underneath.