Isle of Wight gravel ride – The Ryde Twist

Its my maiden gravel ride on the Isle of Wight, a place I have visited many times but usually with a road bike.

I’m following The Ryde Twist route created by Tim Wiggins from Life in the Saddle www.lifeinthesaddle.cc

https://www.komoot.com/tour/76637340

[Music] It is the start of another adventure. Uh I’m heading over to the aisle of white once again. Second time this year, but I’m on the um on the car ferry this time instead of the passenger one. So that’s the fast cat that I was on with my bike. As you can see, it’s a lot smaller than the uh than the car ferry. It’s Friday and I’m in the aisle of whites again as you probably saw from my introduction piece on the boats crossing. Um, but this time a handsy gravel bike with me. Um, it’s the first time I bought the gravel bike over here. Usually bring the road bike and I have a course to ride. picked it up online from someone who I think is a local. Um I’ll put a put a link down below. So if you watched the last uh island white video, you’ll know that that’s sand down the pier down there in the bay. Okay, 4K done. And I’ve just uh hit the first off-road um Bully’s Hill. Uh I’ve also just seen my first red squirrel of the week. Unfortunately, he’d recently been deleted by a passing car, so he was lying in a gutter. So you can see I’ve after dropping down from cobble down I’ve already gained some more height already. So this way I hear him. No, no, no, no. West Lane, probably number one in the things uh I didn’t expect to see on the aisle of white. Oh, there’s Spica Tower there in Portsmouth. Right. There’s been quite a lot of rain this week apparently according to Graeme. And that’s where it’s collected. Oh my god. Ah. I think that’s Culver down with the uh spot point on the top. Oh, they’re all over here. I presume they run along the ground because normally a beater wants to get them up in the air and someone taking pot shots at them. So, uh, but it did it’s a bit strange seeing something with wings running away from you. And again, look, they’re all over here. You never want to mess with a tractor. Got to be down, isn’t it? [Applause] Timber stacks, the old Mottown singer. So, I’ve gone from Greece where it was 32° sea, sunny, very few clouds, to the aisle of white where it’s 19° sea, still nice enough to be in shorts, but there’s a nice cooling breeze which was fantastic. And a few clouds, not many. Bit of a slo around that uh solar farm there. It’s not a not a proper trail and it’s quite boggy and it’s horrible. And I’ve now come up to a locked gate. So, uh, no barbed wire, which is good. And a handy little post there. I’m not in the habit of breaking an entry. So, this is uh this is quite tough. Glad I got off that. That was horrible. Um, it was worth jumping over that fence. Was I on the right track in the first place? Did I miss the more obvious bridal way? Tim, I think Tim something who uh created this route. What did I do wrong, mate? Morning. So, this is uh this is Baywatch cafe or Baywatch on the beach. Um can you see Pammy running around? Um I think seem to remember they do nice crab sandwiches here that wow big to the beach. Oh yeah. Hi. So the second time on the beach here. There’s the old warship there again. and the Spica Tower. So that’s Portsouth, the mainland over there. Look at that. The second uh stars and bars that I’ve seen on the trip today. That is strange. What is this? The 51st state or something. I thought that was Canada. Delightfully named Puckpool Park. Some actual sand rather than uh pebbles. Shingle. Nice. Oh, what is this? Looks like a folly. Oh, Appley Tower. Ah, that is that is what the ride is named after. This is the end point at um ride esplanade which is where you get the ferry back or the passcat back to uh the mainlands. Quite an interesting junction here. So we’ve got the aisle of white coastal path. We’ve got national cycle network 22 and we’ve got the red squirrel ride, the RSPCA red squirrel ride. Old Abbey Farm. That’s uh that’s beautiful, isn’t it? Look at that place. This is Fishborn. This is the uh car ferry terminus where I came into last night. Look out for the red squirrels. They’re everywhere. So, I left the seafront behind and I’ve been climbing gently and ste but steadily um since then and heading towards the center of the island. So, it’s got a bit of height now. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen puddles out on a gravel ride in the UK. Oh, must have been February. I think maybe early March. 40k up. Uh, yeah, it’s quite tough. Lots of climbing. I knew that would be the case. It’s the aisle of white. But yeah, it’s a it’s nice route. Okay, I’m at the strangely aimed shide. Um, and I’ve just joined the Red Squirrel Trail, which I’ve ridden a few times on my road bike, but um, yeah, I’ve I’ve ridden that when I’ve not been doing the uh, around the island circuit. So, uh, yeah, some familiar trails. This is probably the first familiar trails that I’m on. Public Bridal Way G6. Sweet. Look at that. Oh, this way sheep 53k. This is another nice place. Sort of a high point of the trail and of the island in fact. collection of bridal ways meeting here and some lovely views. I’m finding it quite quite hard now. Uh don’t know if I’m not fully recovered from uh my three days ago’s efforts in Greece, but uh just my legs are really struggling. So uh let’s see how we go. [Music] just started rolling down that descent. Having said I was on my last legs and uh funny noise and realized I got a flat. So, um I shall have to say what a wait uh for refreshments. And there you go. There’s the offending article. Been doing this too much recently. [Music] Finally ran out of gas, so I had to stop for coffee and cake. Uh, coffee and walnut. Coffee and walnut cake. And coffee and cake. Yeah, I’m crashing big time. Enjoying it, though. It’s a good ride. Another glorious view. Champagne gravel. Almost high. Couldn’t get any better than this. [Music] This looks like the right place to stop, doesn’t it? I just checked and Louise isn’t home yet. So, um, stopped again for um, chocolate milk, the ginger beer, and they also had a tap to top up the water. So, can’t beat that, can you? Pedalers, cyclists, welcome. I’m not too far away from the end of the trail now. Um, and yeah, it’s been good. It’s been quite hard, but I think that was uh that was more me than the uh the trail. There are a lot of ups and downs and uh as you’ve probably seen from my videos, I haven’t done a lot of gravel riding recently. Um, so perhaps I’m lacking a bit of fitness and put on some weight on the holiday, but uh yeah, it’s really good. Okay. And here I am at the bottom of Bully’s Hill again, braiding down road, 74K ridden, and just got to get up there. Look, there’s the monument just at the top there. So, I think if you want a good introduction to the aisle of white gravel, then this is the route for you. Um, so, uh, yeah, why don’t you do it? Or have you already done it? And, uh, comment down below. Let me know what you think. Just coming up the final climb. Woo! Got up to about 12 13%. That was tough. [Music] I’m still on control again.