Cycling England in a straight line

[Paulatic]

I’ve been watching these guys and found them entertaining. Mad idea, crazy guys, full of determination. Released weekly we've reached London this week.

[gbnz]

If they enjoy cycling in a straight line, it's their choice. I wouldn't, even in the majority of countries I don't know.

With that start and end destination, I'd head NW, then more Northerly, possibly jumping on a train to miss parts of the post industrial North West. But if heading across most countries I don't know, I wouldn't choose to follow the route of a major motorway, through heavily built up parts of the country, missing out parts of a what even with no knowledge of the country, would be obviously be scenic chalk, limestone, post glacial country areas, with views over towards the hills and/or mountains to the West.

It's like the North East, unless I had some particular desire to cross the Tyne Bridge, I'd follow multitudes of castles down an empty, partial limestone landscape, prior to heading inland over fell sandstone moorlands, crossing the Tyne by any of those post Roman crossing points, in probability touching on Durham Cathedral, prior to heading West towards more "Dales" country, rather than post industrial coal mining areas, would some obvious to me. Why anyone would want to cycle through 1960 new towns and post industrial, decrepit coal mining areas ?

[Paulatic]

Why anyone would want to cycle through 1960 new towns and post industrial, decrepit coal mining areas ?

I think because they are young, daft, and want to make popular videos for YouTube.
I agree, I doubt it’s a route anyone here would want to replicate.

[PH]

Why anyone would want to cycle through 1960 new towns and post industrial, decrepit coal mining areas ?

To see what you might see. Touring isn't all about spectacular scenery and magnificent architecture, although both are worthwhile including. But the passing through landscape, rural or urban, might also throw up the unexpected. Some of my nicest rides have been unexpected, getting from A to B without much thought for what was in between and then being blown away by something round the corner. The BCQ is good for this, gives a purpose for the destination and a lesson that that isn't always what's important.
A geographical challenge will take you to some places you won't otherwise go, some of those will be worthwhile, plus the added satisfaction of completing the plan. Doesn't really matter what it i: E2E, East to West, every bridge over river X, every town called xxx, there's endless possibilities. This one reminds me of a Nicholas Crane book, Two Degrees West, where he walks the Meridian Line, from Northumbria to Dorset, never deviating outside the OS square, wading rivers in sight of a bridge, dashing over motorways... over moors and through cities, it's both ludicrous and absolutely brilliant.

[PH]

I’ve been watching these guys and found them entertaining. Mad idea, crazy guys, full of determination. Released weekly we've reached London this week.

Thanks for the heads up. Watched the first ten minutes and saved it for when I have more time. It a refreshing antidote to spending too much time with serious tourers! A reminder that what's needed is a spirit of adventure rather than the the perfect set-up, there's nothing wrong with having both, though the perspective is sometimes lacking.

[mattheus]

Why anyone would want to cycle through 1960 new towns and post industrial, decrepit coal mining areas ?

To see what you might see. Touring isn't all about spectacular scenery and magnificent architecture, although both are worthwhile including.
<snip>This one reminds me of a Nicholas Crane book, Two Degrees West, where he walks the Meridian Line, from Northumbria to Dorset, never deviating outside the OS square, wading rivers in sight of a bridge, dashing over motorways... over moors and through cities, it's both ludicrous and absolutely brilliant.

Hmmm. I know what you're saying .. but I would wager that Mr Crane cycled many hundreds of miles thru spectacular scenery and magnificent architecture before he came up with that trip idea!

For me these ideas are more like fun thought experiments. Looking at the maps, imagining lines across them ... cabin-fever projects. Actually riding these routes would rarely be as fun!

[plancashire]

Even the Romans never managed it. Their roads have bends at towns and sometimes between.

[Fasgadh]

The fun with these videos is the fact that they used second hand BSOs acquired just before departure. This makes them a "delight" for lovers of horrible bike sounds.

The idea is derived from a running challenge, popular on Youtube where distances are covered in a 50m corridor of straightness and understandably irate farmers (they cross hedges and fences in a manner I would not tolerate) dodged. The one where the Fieldhouses race Geowizard, the originator of this genre, across the Isle of Man is great fun to watch - two series one from each team.

[deeferdonk]

The idea is derived from a running challenge, popular on Youtube where distances are covered in a 50m corridor of straightness and understandably irate farmers (they cross hedges and fences in a manner I would not tolerate) dodged. The one where the Fieldhouses race Geowizard, the originator of this genre, across the Isle of Man is great fun to watch - two series one from each team.

If you enjoyed that and are not already aware of them, Geowizard has set a couple of smaller straightline challenges for Storror (the parkour team) that you can find on the Storror Youtube channel, that are good fun to watch also. (apologies if you fall down the rabbithole of watching Parkour videos!)

[pwa]

I find watching that lad fail to fix his rack, time after time, a bit frustrating. Still, it's a useful warning to others about how an ill-prepared bike will let you down.

[Manc33]

Even the Romans never managed it. Their roads have bends at towns and sometimes between.

What have GeoExploring Cyclists ever done for us?

This reminds me of recently trying to make a GPX file repeat a course, but the end point went straight to the start point where it repeats.

I have seen them walking in a straight line but never on a bike, they have to swim across rivers and so on, just silly.