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Having just moved to Anglesey last month, and having got into road riding over the last year, I've come up with a little challenge to keep myself motivated over winter and to stop the (minimum) 18 mile each way commute from becoming tiresome.
My plan is to cycle every road on the island. To keep it realistic and prevent myself from cycling in circles around housing estates, I'm defining a road as anything that's coloured on a 1:25k OS map. So far this pointless challenge is doing its job and giving me the little extra push to get out in all weathers, thanks to my slightly OCD tendencies, and my progress can be nicely visualised with Strava's heat maps.
I think I've made a pretty good start of colouring in the island:
[url] https://www.strava.com/athletes/1048361/heatmaps/5a4d5486#11/53.31447/-4.32518 [/url]
The hardest part of the challenge is going to be the 200k ride that I've got planned that goes around the whole island as close to the coast as possible. That's going to have to wait for some less windy/rainy weather though.
Anyway, just thought I'd share in case it inspires anyone else with similar OCD issues to do something similar to keep themselves motivated over the winter.
That's a great idea!
Does Tony Oliver still live in Rhosybol? He was a fantastic frame builder.
Used to live there (Plas Newydd), sounds like an ace challenge it's a fantastic area for road riding.
What a top idea.
We've done the clockwise loop from Llanfair PG on the two numbered routes, works out about 73 miles - my favourite road ride by far.
Bits of the coastal path will go and Parts Quarry is worth a mooch.
Llandwin Island & Newborough Forest are ace too.
With a few tweaks this route from a sportive around the island would make a good basis for your planned ride
http://gb.mapometer.com/cycling/route_3443056.html
I grew up in Llynfaes but I've long since moved away. I was however hoping to complete your challenge at some stage in my life. Good luck with it!
Edit, Parys Quarry in my last post.
Good work.
I grew up on the island (Llanrhyddlad) and still visit from time to time.
When you get around to it, the network of lanes in the top NW corner stretching from Llanfaethlu along to Rhydwyn / Church bay, up to Llanfairynghornwy and onto Cemlyn are worthy of an explore. Very wild up there - some cracking coastal scenery, a few sharpish climbs (for Anglesey) and some fun but admittedly cheeky offroad options.
Same goes for the bit just inland of Lligwy around Bodafon.
Have happy memories of cutting my off-road teeth pre-mtb bombing around Parys Mountain (some terrifying drops in places) and sections of the coast path on completely unsuitable BMXs and mutant home-brewed "crossers".
Cheers for the encouragement. The NCR routes are definitely a good way of getting around the island and I used them to do a 65 mile route at the weekend - nice and quiet. I'd seen that Tour de Mon route and much of it is shared with my planned 200k perimeter route, although I prefer to go clockwise around the island due to location of hills and direction of prevailing wind. I'll definitely be entering the Tour de Mon this year if I'm free, if only for the chance to cycle down the runway of RAF Valley!
I went to Bangor Uni and i'm pretty fond of all that area, especially Newbourgh beach.
Think that's a great idea
The Tour de mon is a great route, apart from this year when it was like riding in a lot of rivers! I'm based over in Caernarfon and have ridden Anglesey a lot My personal highlight is the Creperie in Rhosneigr. that is well worth woring into rides.
If you want to get out on the main land on your mtb drop me an email.
Cheers rhid. Will definitely be up for some mainland MTBing sometime, although probably not before Xmas due to various commitments. I'll drop you an email once life settles down a bit and I can get out on the MTB.
I wasn't aware of the Creperie in Rhosneigr, I'll have to check it out - my waistline may not thank you for that tip!
How many miles will it take to colour in the island?
that's a great idea. I love Anglesey, me and my mum used to spend the entire summer holidays in Benllech for the first 15 years of my life and they've still got a place there. I've done hill reps on the bike over at Llandonna a few times, which was unpleasant.
I'm three years in to doing just this thing, lots of back roads with green centres to explore, lots of churches to stop at and look at, Saksa Fargo is the perfect bike 🙂
qtip - Member
I wasn't aware of the Creperie in Rhosneigr, I'll have to check it out - my waistline may not thank you for that tip!
Don't overdo it in there - you'll have to stop for coffee & cake at The Lobster Pot at Rhydwyn.
🙂
Well, I've finally done it and my OCD is satisfied:
[url= https://www.strava.com/athletes/1048361/heatmaps/5a4d5486#11/53.31365/-4.25583 ]Heatmap linky[/url]
It has definitely kept me motivated over the last few months, having ridden 4,000 km since the start of November, and it has been great seeing parts of the island that I otherwise wouldn't have (although a lot of the riding has been in the dark).
Now I need another pointless target for motivation!
You inspired me with the thread to do something similarly pointless
If you have Strava link it to Veloviewer.
Then you can play the explorer game of seeing how big a square you can get (I've got to 11x11, not far off 12x12)
Just took a look at that. I've got 2 overlapping 12x12 squares on Anglesey. Unfortunately there's no way to extend them unless I can work out how to ride on the sea!
Brilliant, lovely work