The plan that had evolved for today, Wednesday 11th was to give blood at Haslingden; to cycle there on the Brompton as a bit of a training run, leave enough time for recovery, give blood, have a leisurely brew then cycle downhill to Rawtenstall and catch the bus back to Burnley then the bus to Read. That way I wasn’t likely to fall off my bike!
The bike trip was very uphill. The steep bits are a struggle on the Brompton with its 3 speed Sturmey Archer limiting gear choices. The hill up through Altham Industrial Estate to the canal is deceptively pernicious and I was standing on the pedals which is not me anymore. It’s always good to get past the site of the old Huncoat Power Station up onto the wide flat main road but even the surface of that is poor now, no surprises there then. In Accy I crossed the town centre and picked up NCN6 the Hyndburn Greenway, all new to me. The first stretch is an office workers’ lunch break paradise. The cycleway passes the disused Globe Works mill lodge and the large stilts that once supported the railway line to Manchester over the lodge. The history in this immediate area is world history. The remnant of the original mill is now a swish office block. Platts as I knew the mill when I came to Lancashire or Howard and Bullough’s as it was previously, was the largest textile machinery factory in the world making power looms, the famous Lancashire looms. The factory was run by the Bullough family, who became very rich and a local legend, philanthropists too. They had their own yacht, ran a fleet of Rolls Royce cars and owned the remote Scottish Isle of Rum and there is quite a story about their excesses in Edwardian times . . . . . ! There’s nowt as queer as folk.
Back to the old railway cycleway and more climbing. Overall, from the River Calder low point to the high point at Haslingden it’s at least a 600 feet climb. The route is very sylvan now. You’d hardly know you were passing through the south side of Accrington, a real contrast of housing juxtaposed: very poor terraces at Woodnook and expensive, desirable detacheds up the hill around Howarth Art Gallery above the valley cycleway. Being the old railway it means a steady shallow gradient and that makes the climb more manageable. Onwards and upwards to Baxenden then along a short section of main road past Holland’s Pie works ooooooh! at Rising Bridge and on to Haslingden, a total of 11 miles.
Eventually I arrived at the donor session at The Community Link on Bury Road. It was very busy and that didn’t auger well for my turnaround. However, I did need the rest and, once reassured that I would be bled, I got a sugary brew and a pint of water and squeezed onto the last chair in the waiting room and settled in to await my callup. At least it gave me time to go on Twitter and tweet. I enjoy the challenge of using the 140 characters to good effect.
I knew from the start that it would be over an hour's wait. In the end I was the last. Almost everyone else has an appointment but not for me a fixed time and place. I never know where I’ll be so, when my four months wait between sessions are up I pick and chose between over six donor venues in NE Lancashire to get to the most convenient as soon as it’s practicable and then go on spec. According to the girls today that means I see three separate teams of donor staff! Anyway, some good news. At my donor interview I learned that I can speed up the pace of my donations. The scientists have decreed that male donors need wait no longer than 12 weeks between donations. That means at 84 pints today I should get to my 100 gong by the age of 65. Fantastic, after 43 years! But will I retire then? Doubtful as I can carry on until I’m 70 and I’d love to see how many pints I can give before I’m told to stop.
Eventually I was the last in the session at the drinks table taking my time to make sure I was stable. The plaster wasn’t leaking so my release was approved and away I went on the bike downhill all the way to the bus in Rawtenstall. And then I couldn’t find the bus stop! They've moved it because they’re demolishing the terribly grim 60’s town centre shopping centre next to it! Help! Bad signing! Eventually I got to the bus waiting by Asda and the rest was uneventful except . . . after the Burnley change I nearly missed the final connection in Padiham because I took the risk of buying milk at the Co-op. Anyway, I did it! And it took five hours door to door. Good job I’m a pensioner.
Looking back on the day I realise that my life and way of doing things might appear eccentric. Noooo, I hear you say but yeeees, it has been said! Yet, the juggling is my sort of crossword or Soduku. I love the challenge of achieving a journey without the car and without environmental impact or cost implications particularly if I am volunteering my time or services. Yet, I love being outdoors, in any weather it seems. I love the exercis and its benefits. I love discovering new places and after 40 years this summer in Lancashire I can still find new nooks and crannies and more history. Industrial archeology is my favourite and the north takes the prize for that. And then there’s just communing with nature . . . and being alive . . . It’s a win win life in many ways.
One of the tools that makes it all possible is the smartphone with its maps and internet access for bus timetables and social networks and texting and diary and Word document and music for passing the time and camera and . . OMG how did I ever manage before?!
When I got home look who had come to see me . .
The bike trip was very uphill. The steep bits are a struggle on the Brompton with its 3 speed Sturmey Archer limiting gear choices. The hill up through Altham Industrial Estate to the canal is deceptively pernicious and I was standing on the pedals which is not me anymore. It’s always good to get past the site of the old Huncoat Power Station up onto the wide flat main road but even the surface of that is poor now, no surprises there then. In Accy I crossed the town centre and picked up NCN6 the Hyndburn Greenway, all new to me. The first stretch is an office workers’ lunch break paradise. The cycleway passes the disused Globe Works mill lodge and the large stilts that once supported the railway line to Manchester over the lodge. The history in this immediate area is world history. The remnant of the original mill is now a swish office block. Platts as I knew the mill when I came to Lancashire or Howard and Bullough’s as it was previously, was the largest textile machinery factory in the world making power looms, the famous Lancashire looms. The factory was run by the Bullough family, who became very rich and a local legend, philanthropists too. They had their own yacht, ran a fleet of Rolls Royce cars and owned the remote Scottish Isle of Rum and there is quite a story about their excesses in Edwardian times . . . . . ! There’s nowt as queer as folk.
Back to the old railway cycleway and more climbing. Overall, from the River Calder low point to the high point at Haslingden it’s at least a 600 feet climb. The route is very sylvan now. You’d hardly know you were passing through the south side of Accrington, a real contrast of housing juxtaposed: very poor terraces at Woodnook and expensive, desirable detacheds up the hill around Howarth Art Gallery above the valley cycleway. Being the old railway it means a steady shallow gradient and that makes the climb more manageable. Onwards and upwards to Baxenden then along a short section of main road past Holland’s Pie works ooooooh! at Rising Bridge and on to Haslingden, a total of 11 miles.
Eventually I arrived at the donor session at The Community Link on Bury Road. It was very busy and that didn’t auger well for my turnaround. However, I did need the rest and, once reassured that I would be bled, I got a sugary brew and a pint of water and squeezed onto the last chair in the waiting room and settled in to await my callup. At least it gave me time to go on Twitter and tweet. I enjoy the challenge of using the 140 characters to good effect.
I knew from the start that it would be over an hour's wait. In the end I was the last. Almost everyone else has an appointment but not for me a fixed time and place. I never know where I’ll be so, when my four months wait between sessions are up I pick and chose between over six donor venues in NE Lancashire to get to the most convenient as soon as it’s practicable and then go on spec. According to the girls today that means I see three separate teams of donor staff! Anyway, some good news. At my donor interview I learned that I can speed up the pace of my donations. The scientists have decreed that male donors need wait no longer than 12 weeks between donations. That means at 84 pints today I should get to my 100 gong by the age of 65. Fantastic, after 43 years! But will I retire then? Doubtful as I can carry on until I’m 70 and I’d love to see how many pints I can give before I’m told to stop.
Eventually I was the last in the session at the drinks table taking my time to make sure I was stable. The plaster wasn’t leaking so my release was approved and away I went on the bike downhill all the way to the bus in Rawtenstall. And then I couldn’t find the bus stop! They've moved it because they’re demolishing the terribly grim 60’s town centre shopping centre next to it! Help! Bad signing! Eventually I got to the bus waiting by Asda and the rest was uneventful except . . . after the Burnley change I nearly missed the final connection in Padiham because I took the risk of buying milk at the Co-op. Anyway, I did it! And it took five hours door to door. Good job I’m a pensioner.
Looking back on the day I realise that my life and way of doing things might appear eccentric. Noooo, I hear you say but yeeees, it has been said! Yet, the juggling is my sort of crossword or Soduku. I love the challenge of achieving a journey without the car and without environmental impact or cost implications particularly if I am volunteering my time or services. Yet, I love being outdoors, in any weather it seems. I love the exercis and its benefits. I love discovering new places and after 40 years this summer in Lancashire I can still find new nooks and crannies and more history. Industrial archeology is my favourite and the north takes the prize for that. And then there’s just communing with nature . . . and being alive . . . It’s a win win life in many ways.
One of the tools that makes it all possible is the smartphone with its maps and internet access for bus timetables and social networks and texting and diary and Word document and music for passing the time and camera and . . OMG how did I ever manage before?!
When I got home look who had come to see me . .
. . #lifesgood as they write on Twitter.
So, another ride done, the main event for Rosa and CLIC Sargent starts on Monday. For those interested our itinerary is scheduled as
Monday 16th Read to Formby via the Trans Pennine Trail start line at Southport
Tuesday 17th Formby to Altrincham
Wednesday 18th Altrincham to Wortley
Thursday 19th Wortley to Selby
Friday 20th Selby to Hornsea and the finish line of the Trans Pennine Trail
I shall then be cycling solo roughly as follows
Saturday 21st Hornsea to York
Sunday 22nd York to Harrogate
Monday 23rd Harrogate to Read Hooray! End of! Time to count the pennies! . . .
. . . and a huge thank you to the generosity of all who've been on JustGiving. CLIC Sargent, Marian, Carl and I all really appreciate the support given.
So, another ride done, the main event for Rosa and CLIC Sargent starts on Monday. For those interested our itinerary is scheduled as
Monday 16th Read to Formby via the Trans Pennine Trail start line at Southport
Tuesday 17th Formby to Altrincham
Wednesday 18th Altrincham to Wortley
Thursday 19th Wortley to Selby
Friday 20th Selby to Hornsea and the finish line of the Trans Pennine Trail
I shall then be cycling solo roughly as follows
Saturday 21st Hornsea to York
Sunday 22nd York to Harrogate
Monday 23rd Harrogate to Read Hooray! End of! Time to count the pennies! . . .
. . . and a huge thank you to the generosity of all who've been on JustGiving. CLIC Sargent, Marian, Carl and I all really appreciate the support given.
Really enjoyed reading that Peter - it shows you'll do just about anything for a free cup of tea and a biscuit! It's just amazing how much history there is on our doorstep: a lifetime is just not enough to take it all in. And I never knew the Bulloughs owned the island of Rum, which I hope to visit on my own bike tour next month! Keep pedalling Peter! PS and for a wonderful cause too.
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