Adam's bike challenge. Stage 17: Wind, wheels and natural power

Adam Bradbury

09 May 2012

My silence on this blog for the past few days is down to poor internet connections as the Big Green Bike Ride has made its way north from London. But I just know you've been glued to our progress on Facebook and Twitter.

Tonight about 30 of us are taking a break from camping and are snug in a hotel in Great Stainton, near Darlington.

We've cycled more than 300 miles in four days and are over half way to our destination - Edinburgh on Friday.

Too much to tell in one post but here's just one story from the first four days.

On Sunday night our campaigns chief Craig made a short speech to riders who'd made it from London to Cambridge. He pointed out that we'd not seen one wind turbine over those 65 miles.

On day 2 we turned on to the high street of Ramsey in Lincolnshire. There framed by buildings at the end of the town was a majestic turbine. And beyond the town a couple more wind farms.

As we rode down the high street local youngsters joined in on BMX bikes, leaping the pavements and weaving in and out of parked cars. It all reminded me of that scene in 'Titanic' when Jack (and Rose, I think) stand on the prow as dolphins cavort in the waves.

Then, with the 400 plus miles ahead in mind, I thought better of making comparisons between my bike and the Titanic.

Next day on a high ridge near Kirton in Lindsey, a worried local asked if we'd come to campaign for a wind farm on the ridge. We hadn't but it's nice to be asked.

I don't know the ins and outs of the location - and wind farms need to be sited sensitively. But it did strike me as ironic that this ridge looks out over what's known as megawatt valley (picture, right) - everywhere you look your eyes rest on the massive cooling towers of power stations.

And a mile further on we ate bread made from local organic wheat, ground by a windmill on that same ridge.

Tomorrow we head for Alnwick, our last stop before Edinburgh. I hope the wind is with us.

Adam Bradbury, Publishing & New Media team

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