Veloviewer. Who is using it, and what do you get from it?
Discussion
Went out on a tiling ride yesterday. The nearest unexplored area to my house is North Birmingham, which has never especially appealed to me as a riding destination, But it had to be done, so I decided to do some of the worst bits on the canals to avoid some horrible roads. It was still a bit grim in places - underneath Spaghetti Junction etc. 
Battle On The beach race weekend for me this weekend. So I wasn't expecting much in the way of VeloViewer tiles. It was, then, quite a pleasant surprise to find I'd nabbed one new one...
...as a result of changes to the beach exit part of the lap.
I just wish I'd marked up my OS maps now, as I'd have plugged those two obvious holes in my coverage too, with a ride either before of after the race. It will keep for another time, though. This area is entirely isolated from my main cluster so any tiling activity here is just a byproduct of enjoying cycling at the moment, not really a focus of tiling for tiling's sake.
...as a result of changes to the beach exit part of the lap.
I just wish I'd marked up my OS maps now, as I'd have plugged those two obvious holes in my coverage too, with a ride either before of after the race. It will keep for another time, though. This area is entirely isolated from my main cluster so any tiling activity here is just a byproduct of enjoying cycling at the moment, not really a focus of tiling for tiling's sake.
19 new tiles today, adding 3 to my max cluster.
This wasn't a tiling ride, which is why we have features like holes. I talked my dad into a one way ride to Salisbury, and this route, following the railway line, was simply the least hilly route. And it was delightful! A few more potholes than my usual A30 fare, though.
This wasn't a tiling ride, which is why we have features like holes. I talked my dad into a one way ride to Salisbury, and this route, following the railway line, was simply the least hilly route. And it was delightful! A few more potholes than my usual A30 fare, though.
Went on a ride yesterday planned around picking up some new tiles, and expanding my max square. A lot of my ride was on the Cloud Trail, the trackbed of the former Ashby to Derby railway line.
Found a couple of tiles I'd planned to visit to be inaccessible. To the west of Breedon on the Hill I'd hoped to be able to access a road that forms part of new housing estate, which on streetview from October last year seemed near completion, but access to the bit I needed was still closed off for construction works,
Then south of Weston-on-Trent I followed a track which seemed like it would take me into the tile I wanted, only to find it fenced off at the crucial point.
Since getting home I think I've found alternative ways to access both tiles, but it means a special trip back to an area I'd hoped to clear.
My max square is coming along nicely though. 23x23, and getting to 25x25 looks pretty easy. It's a shame that the nearest unexplored areas for me now are in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Found a couple of tiles I'd planned to visit to be inaccessible. To the west of Breedon on the Hill I'd hoped to be able to access a road that forms part of new housing estate, which on streetview from October last year seemed near completion, but access to the bit I needed was still closed off for construction works,
Then south of Weston-on-Trent I followed a track which seemed like it would take me into the tile I wanted, only to find it fenced off at the crucial point.
Since getting home I think I've found alternative ways to access both tiles, but it means a special trip back to an area I'd hoped to clear.
My max square is coming along nicely though. 23x23, and getting to 25x25 looks pretty easy. It's a shame that the nearest unexplored areas for me now are in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Edited by Gareth1974 on Wednesday 20th April 07:15
Edited by Gareth1974 on Wednesday 20th April 12:38
Solocle said:
A tiling walk for a change. Only added a couple of squares to my max cluster, but that was really an aside. An epic one it was too, at about 20 km. Nor was it an easy 20 km...
...Especially as it was a question of Do, or Do Not. There is no try!
You've beaten me to it, then!...Especially as it was a question of Do, or Do Not. There is no try!
And if I don't get my skates on and walk it next week I'm going to have to wait until September. Or find a kayak...
I was thinking of parking in Weymouth then getting the coastal bus toward Burton Bradstock and walking back from somewhere on that route. Where I start depends on which tiles I need really. I think I will try to walk a lap of Portland at some point too, because some of the tiles at the edges are inaccessible by bicycle as far as I can see from my maps. At the moment, though, I think I need to concentrate on getting "bike fit" again. First ride in ages yesterday and 38 miles really left me feeling wrung out. Shocking how quickly you can loose fitness and condition. It's not like I've been completely inactive but it seems that walking does little to keep you feeling bike fit.
yellowjack said:
You've beaten me to it, then!
And if I don't get my skates on and walk it next week I'm going to have to wait until September. Or find a kayak...
I was thinking of parking in Weymouth then getting the coastal bus toward Burton Bradstock and walking back from somewhere on that route. Where I start depends on which tiles I need really. I think I will try to walk a lap of Portland at some point too, because some of the tiles at the edges are inaccessible by bicycle as far as I can see from my maps. At the moment, though, I think I need to concentrate on getting "bike fit" again. First ride in ages yesterday and 38 miles really left me feeling wrung out. Shocking how quickly you can loose fitness and condition. It's not like I've been completely inactive but it seems that walking does little to keep you feeling bike fit.
That's effectively exactly how I did it. Parked at Park Street Car Park, a very short walk to King's Statue, where I caught the last X53 of the day up to Abbotsbury. At the other end I caught a bus back from Chesil Vista holiday park - the last one of the day, I was in time for the previous one, but it was running early and didn't stop.And if I don't get my skates on and walk it next week I'm going to have to wait until September. Or find a kayak...
I was thinking of parking in Weymouth then getting the coastal bus toward Burton Bradstock and walking back from somewhere on that route. Where I start depends on which tiles I need really. I think I will try to walk a lap of Portland at some point too, because some of the tiles at the edges are inaccessible by bicycle as far as I can see from my maps. At the moment, though, I think I need to concentrate on getting "bike fit" again. First ride in ages yesterday and 38 miles really left me feeling wrung out. Shocking how quickly you can loose fitness and condition. It's not like I've been completely inactive but it seems that walking does little to keep you feeling bike fit.
In all honesty I was a bit underprepared, and not exactly walking fit... but time was running away from me to, so I figured I'd just get it done.
Edited by Solocle on Friday 22 April 09:55
Solocle said:
yellowjack said:
You've beaten me to it, then!
And if I don't get my skates on and walk it next week I'm going to have to wait until September. Or find a kayak...
I was thinking of parking in Weymouth then getting the coastal bus toward Burton Bradstock and walking back from somewhere on that route. Where I start depends on which tiles I need really. I think I will try to walk a lap of Portland at some point too, because some of the tiles at the edges are inaccessible by bicycle as far as I can see from my maps. At the moment, though, I think I need to concentrate on getting "bike fit" again. First ride in ages yesterday and 38 miles really left me feeling wrung out. Shocking how quickly you can loose fitness and condition. It's not like I've been completely inactive but it seems that walking does little to keep you feeling bike fit.
That's effectively exactly how I did it. Parked at Park Street Car Park, a very short walk to King's Statue, where I caught the last X53 of the day up to Abbotsbury. At the other end I caught a bus back from Chesil Vista holiday park - the last one of the day, I was in time for the previous one, but it was running early and didn't stop.And if I don't get my skates on and walk it next week I'm going to have to wait until September. Or find a kayak...
I was thinking of parking in Weymouth then getting the coastal bus toward Burton Bradstock and walking back from somewhere on that route. Where I start depends on which tiles I need really. I think I will try to walk a lap of Portland at some point too, because some of the tiles at the edges are inaccessible by bicycle as far as I can see from my maps. At the moment, though, I think I need to concentrate on getting "bike fit" again. First ride in ages yesterday and 38 miles really left me feeling wrung out. Shocking how quickly you can loose fitness and condition. It's not like I've been completely inactive but it seems that walking does little to keep you feeling bike fit.
In all honesty I was a bit underprepared, and not exactly walking fit... but time was running away from me to, so I figured I'd just get it done.
Edited by Solocle on Friday 22 April 09:55
Edited by yellowjack on Sunday 1st May 14:36
yellowjack said:
Ah well. Looks like I've missed the deadline now. September or nothing it is then. Rather irritatingly I was at Abbotsbury Subtropical Garden yesterday and I could see all the way down The Fleet and Chesil Beach, but it was just out of reach...
I had a similar view as I started at the top of Abbotsbury Hill.Edited by yellowjack on Sunday 1st May 14:36
Took forever to actually get onto the spit!
Portland is on my "to do list" too.
Sadly I've had to hit the 'Pause' button on my tiling adventures for now. My wife has had surgery and is laid up for about ten weeks, so I've not done any cycling this last two weeks, and anything I might get out and do in the next few weeks will probably be close to home. Although she does want to make our long planned trip to London at the end of the month, so if she's up to that I'll feel more confident about leaving her at home while I ride...
Sadly I've had to hit the 'Pause' button on my tiling adventures for now. My wife has had surgery and is laid up for about ten weeks, so I've not done any cycling this last two weeks, and anything I might get out and do in the next few weeks will probably be close to home. Although she does want to make our long planned trip to London at the end of the month, so if she's up to that I'll feel more confident about leaving her at home while I ride...
Just checking back in after a couple of longer rides recently. Not specifically for tiling but max cluster has gone up from 823 to 867. Max square is still 23x23 but I do have 3 now overlapping (vertically).
Slowly plugging away, and riding with local club more than solo tiling which is a different kind of fun
Slowly plugging away, and riding with local club more than solo tiling which is a different kind of fun
Just the one tiling ride of late, two weeks ago. But it was a whopper of a ride.
7 new tiles. 2 were very awkward to get to without using the A31, 3 were quite awkward to get to without using the A31.
So, I used the A31.
If you look the other way, it's the end of the M27.
But fear not, like Baldrick, I had a cunning plan! Only this one was, in fact, more cunning than a fox who's just been elected professor of cunning at Oxford University.
I set off about 1 minute before they closed the road. Getting off the slip road was a little fun, but after that the traffic stopped like a tap being turned off, and I had the dual carriageway virtually to myself - only the odd occasion did my Varia beep for the works folks making sure side turnings were closed off.
The chaps who I was talking to in the above picture even cheered me on as they passed - I was also treating it as a bit of a TT, covering the 38.2 km back to my house at 28.5 km/h. Fairly fast for my current form, there were a couple of hills. Down Poulner into Ringwood was a 01:55 mile.
Awkward tiles dispatched, will avoid any temptation to use the A31 while it's fully open.
7 new tiles. 2 were very awkward to get to without using the A31, 3 were quite awkward to get to without using the A31.
So, I used the A31.
If you look the other way, it's the end of the M27.
But fear not, like Baldrick, I had a cunning plan! Only this one was, in fact, more cunning than a fox who's just been elected professor of cunning at Oxford University.
I set off about 1 minute before they closed the road. Getting off the slip road was a little fun, but after that the traffic stopped like a tap being turned off, and I had the dual carriageway virtually to myself - only the odd occasion did my Varia beep for the works folks making sure side turnings were closed off.
The chaps who I was talking to in the above picture even cheered me on as they passed - I was also treating it as a bit of a TT, covering the 38.2 km back to my house at 28.5 km/h. Fairly fast for my current form, there were a couple of hills. Down Poulner into Ringwood was a 01:55 mile.
Awkward tiles dispatched, will avoid any temptation to use the A31 while it's fully open.
Bit of an adventure last night for one elusive tile just to the west of me:
35km return trip, quite a lot of gravel/grass track (not ideal on 25mm tyres!) then a tall gate blocking the last few hundred meters:
Hopped over the gate and jogged (in my SPD shoes) along the track until I could see I was well into the tile then headed home, job done! Realised after about 1km that I'd forgotten to take my Garmin off the bike so had to head back and repeat the exercise. All good fun!
Max cluster: 223 > 228
Got a 114-mile ride from Glenshee Ski Centre into the centre of Aberdeen in September which should cut a swathe of new tiles to the West... Might break me though as the furthest I've ever done is 84 miles for the Etape Caledonia. Hopefully the pace won't be too crazy!
35km return trip, quite a lot of gravel/grass track (not ideal on 25mm tyres!) then a tall gate blocking the last few hundred meters:
Hopped over the gate and jogged (in my SPD shoes) along the track until I could see I was well into the tile then headed home, job done! Realised after about 1km that I'd forgotten to take my Garmin off the bike so had to head back and repeat the exercise. All good fun!
Max cluster: 223 > 228
Got a 114-mile ride from Glenshee Ski Centre into the centre of Aberdeen in September which should cut a swathe of new tiles to the West... Might break me though as the furthest I've ever done is 84 miles for the Etape Caledonia. Hopefully the pace won't be too crazy!
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