Chop!

Following my Birmingham ride, I decided to brave gale force winds and on - off downpours to ride along the L & L canal from Leeds to the Rodley Barge pub.
I joined the River path and asked if there was a continuous river path / canal towpath to Rodley, the local person pointed down the river, " Sure, no problem, you might have to change sides though" So off I go, glad the wind is behind me, after a while, I twice asked passers by if I could get to Rodley " Keep going"
After a few more miles I thought, I'm sure I'm heading South, checked my Satnav (I keep it for emergencies as battery doesn't last long) Yep! I was going in the opposite direction.
Turned around & fought my way back against winds strong enough to stop me & push me back. After 1 hour, I was back where I started, I stopped on Neville Street bridge, and checked my satnav again. A bit further on, the river dissappeared into a tunnel with no paths, rode though 1st one, then another adjacent tunnel, both were underground carparks, but the 2nd one had a road at the far end, so I rode to it, only to come out 50 metres from where my bus was parked, Grrr!
Finally onto the canal towpath, I battled on against increasingly strong winds and deep mud. About 200 metres from the Rodley Barge, the towpath was blocked by a police barrier, so I had to take a steep hill to the main road, which was also blocked by a lot of policemen. A huge roof had blown loose a big industrial building and was about to crash down onto the road or the canal.
I turned back, warning the few other cyclists I passed, they told me that the route ahead of me was blocked by a truck that had blown over in the centre of Leeds.
I stopped in The Abbey Inn (reputed to be haunted) then had an easier ride back to Leeds. When I returned to Neville Street Bridge, I was horrified to see the truck that had been blown over, lying on it's side in the exact spot I'd stopped to check my satnav!
Maybe I wasn't having such a bad day, then I found out that it had fallen onto several pedestrians and one poor woman had died. And that it happened minutes after I stopped there. Article here

Sorry, if that was a bit of a ramble. Not many pics as I struggled just to stay on the bike. Just one of a windswept Armouries Basin, One of the truck on it's side and finally my GoBike looking more like an off-roader.

badrad

near disasterous, but any ride where you get home safely is a good ride...

sorry to hear about the pedestrian killed, as was one of the lorry drivers.

it once again reminds us how powerful nature can be, and where we may have a little inconvenience, but around the corner is life and death. and yes, a matter of minutes or even seconds makes all the difference in the world.

SunnyFlorida

Well, it would have been more disastrous if you were.....err....dead. Damn pretty inconvenient I would think too.

Sorry your ride wasn't more pleasant but at least you got home in one piece despite the challenges Mother Nature kept throwing your way.