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Eng-uh-land Swings

05.30.2014 by Ray Niekamp // 2 Comments

My wife and I took a week off to visit England this week — actually, it was six days. Actually, because two of those days were spent traveling from Texas to England and back, we really had only four days.

I was struck by the density of London’s population. Regardless of where we were in the city, the streets were crowded with cars, buses, taxis — and cyclists.

Maybe it was our base of operations — we were in Bloomsbury, around the block from the British Museum and close to the the University of London — but lots of cyclists were out on the streets all day long. Most of them were commuters or what we call “utility” cyclists. They were using their bikes not for recreation, but to get somewhere, or deliver something.

Commuter cyclist in Bloomsbury. (Click all pix to enlarge.)
Commuter cyclist in Bloomsbury. (Click all pix to enlarge.)

Cycle Hire stands can be found every few blocks, and they are well used. Tourists, students, and business people could all be seen riding the distinctive blue and silver bikes. The bikes look thick and heavy, but the ones I observed moved easily through the London traffic.

Cycle Hire stand near St. Paul's Cathedral.
Cycle Hire stand near St. Paul’s Cathedral.
A rider on a Cycle Hire bike dodges a tour bus near the British Museum.
A rider on a Cycle Hire bike dodges a tour bus near the British Museum.

It does take some chutzpah to cycle in London, I think. Most of the narrow streets have little to no room for cyclists, who can be seen hugging the left curb. Motorists might not like cyclists, but I got the impression that cyclists are an accepted fact of life. I saw no confrontations, no flipping off, not even any horns honking. The cabs we rode in were driven by some of the most patient drivers I’ve ever seen, who often held back to give a bike a chance to squeeze into a traffic lane.

In fact, the only cabbie who complained about bikes was the fellow we rode with in Cambridge, and even his criticism took a constructive turn. When we were held up by a woman and her daughter on bikes, the cabbie observed that the woman needed to watch her daughter more closely to teach proper cycling technique. The little girl got too far out in the traffic lane for the cabbie’s taste.

A cyclist takes the lane to beat cars to the next stoplight. Tottenham Court Rd.
A cyclist takes the lane to beat cars to the next stoplight. Tottenham Court Rd.
Most buses carry this warning for cyclists.
Most buses carry this warning for cyclists.
Typical commuter rig. Near the University of London.
Typical commuter rig. Near the University of London.
A segregated cycling lane on a narrow London street.
A segregated cycling lane on a narrow London street.
A team of cycling paramedics from the London Ambulance Service confer at street side.
A team of cycling paramedics from the London Ambulance Service confer at street side.

Our own plans for biking in London fell victim to the foul weather. It rained three of the four days we were there, and a bike tour of the city we had booked was canceled. That only increased my admiration for the everyday commuters, who braved the rain with aplomb.

On a rainy afternoon, two cyclists plod up a small hill -- one bundled against the wet and cold, the other blasé about the whole thing.
On a rainy afternoon, two cyclists plod up a small hill — one bundled against the wet and cold, the other blasé about the whole thing.

With only four days, I really couldn’t get a thorough overview of cycling in London. My impression is that it is regarded as more of a fact of life than it is in the States. London is by no means the ideal cycling city, but it’s head and shoulders above most cities over here. We’re already talking about our next trip there, and how this time, we’ll be on bikes.

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Categories // Travel Tags // Travel

Nine Bike Rides to Take Before You Die

09.20.2013 by Ray Niekamp // 4 Comments

It’s a nice summer day, but I’m cooped up inside because it’s raining cats and dogs (That’s what makes it nice — we’re still in a severe drought in Texas). So what better thing to do than dream about where I might ride my bike someday?

A blog called “Travel Supermarket” helped, by listing nine bike rides to take before you die.

Grand Teton National Park is worth a pedal.
Grand Teton National Park is worth a pedal.

Northern Michigan is my most exotic (?) biking venue so far. How about you?

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Categories // Travel Tags // Travel

Great Explorations

11.29.2011 by Ray Niekamp // 4 Comments

Guest poster Jeff Hemmel hits the hills over Thanksgiving.

This past Thanksgiving I found myself in Asheville, North Carolina, the same place I had dragged my bike to several years back with mixed results. What I envisioned then were glorious climbs in the mountains; the reality turned out to be several days of misread directions that never got me to my intended goal. Sure the rides were still fun, but they included making a wrong turn and actually riding several miles on an Interstate highway, almost making it to the Blue Ridge Parkway only to find the road I was on turn to dirt…and constantly finding my knee warmers falling to my ankles. Hey, I’m a Floridian. Until then, I had never even worn them, much less understood how they were supposed to fit.

This time was different. I researched my potential routes, I knew how to properly wear cool weather cycling gear, and although I didn’t bring my own bike, I had a decent rental. My goal? To climb something much bigger than the Intracoastal Waterway bridges that are a highlight of a ride at home.

To be honest, I’m a decent climber. I actually enjoy the challenge, and I’ve discovered I’m fairly good at it. But the climb that I chose in Asheville was both steeper and longer than I had done before. The first, Elk Mountain Scenic Highway, would take me up a lengthy Category 2 (in cycling the lower the number the harder the climb), narrow road with multiple switchbacks. The next, Blue Ridge Parkway, would only throw a steady Category 4 increase at me over the miles, but continue almost as long as I wanted to keep riding. Both also had the unnerving aspect of few or no guardrails, absolutely no shoulder or bike lane, and frighteningly steep drops off the side of the road in many areas. Not to mention the irony of their names (highway, parkway) not matching their tiny, two-lane reality.

View from peak of Elk Mountain Scenic Highway. There was a “TT FINISH” spray-painted on the roadway here…maybe I’ll come back and try it! (Hard to tell from this persective, but this is actually a pretty decent drop, and that valley is WAY down below.) 

Still, I absolutely loved them. I climbed the same route both days I had my bike, winding my way up thousands of feet of elevation. On the second day, I even tacked on some additional mileage on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was cold, the skies were a mixture of grey clouds and occasional sunshine, and the leaves that just weeks earlier had probably been magnificent in color were now mostly dull, brown, or gone. But still, it was some of the best fun I’ve had on a bike in a long time. The views were fantastic, and the roads surprisingly quiet. A really cool break from my everyday routine.

Funny thing about climbs, they also include descents. Heading back into the city on the aptly named Town Mountain Road, I discovered the sheer thrill of a steep, switchback-filled descent, even if my rental did have sketchy brakes. It was awesome — and frightening — all at the same time. I’ve done steep descents before, but they were relatively straight. These curved back and forth like a roller coaster ride.

At one of the scenic overlooks along Blue Ridge Parkway…

I’ve often said running is an easier sport when you travel, simply because all you need is a pair of sneakers. But a bike truly lets you get out and explore, covering distances under your own power you’d never experience if not for the wheels below.

What about you, have you ever discovered a great ride far away from home? Ever rented a bike in a strange town and discovered something terrific? Let’s hear your stories.

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Categories // Rides, Travel Tags // hills, Rides

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