Went for a ride in the south Dales. Basically: into Skipton, along the canal to Gargrave, over to Bell Busk, up to Airton then Calton and up to Weets Top, onto Mastiles Lane to head west to Stret Gate then the BW over to Arncliffe Cote (trying in vain to tick off two Veloviewer squares a little way off the BW), Kilnsey, over the top to Hetton, Gargrave again then back home. Everything is incredibly dry, if you've ever ridden across Boss Moor (it's on the YD300 route) then you'll know that there's a boggy bit http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=39 ... &ay=462220 even that was bone dry, not seen that in the 15 years we've been here.

All very civilised here in the 'dining car' on Milton Keynes - Penrith. Well, gotta get match fit for Penrith - Durham via Waskerley Way. £40 return, yet another bargain.

Hmm. Well that was slightly hillier than expected to Weardale. Not helped by the severely mis-sold hire bike at Alston...

Surprisingly remote near Waskerley but the bonus of possibly the longest freewheeling I've ever done I think..

Looks nice & dry up there Reg; it's gopping down here.
Have you made any more "special friends"?

Hi Pete, yep it was dry which was lucky since I was in superlight mode. Special friends? Funny you should mention that, the looker in the photo above (the one in the middle obviously) invited me back to her place but I had to crack on as it was a long day. Lot of handy barns round there though I must say....

Nothing interesting about this mornings ride into work, other than at 16 miles in, I reached my magic number of 1,000 miles in May which I had in the back of my mind. Quite pleased I managed to fit squeeze that in amongst other life bits and pieces.

That stretch from Waskerley down to Lanchester is superb, as long as it isn't snowing sideways, which it was the last time I did it...

We don't seem to have had a "Today's Ride" for a while (since my last one in fact (oh sorry Zip, and yours of course)) so may as well chip something in. Nowt out of the ordinary or particularly interesting or memorable but a ride nonetheless. Leighton Buzzard to Dunstable to deliver some Bikeability at a school. Part of the route up NCN 6 and the Sewell Greenway, the old railway between LB and Dunstable. I believe the Sewell Incline was one of the steepest on the network until closure. 1 in 40 rings a slight bell. Anyway it's couple of miles long and dead straight so you're more or less at warp speed by the bottom of it. A slight hump half way down adds to the frisson of fear and an option for "air time" as STW would have it.

86 miles Bristol to Goring. Made up of NCN 4, some off road to get from Devizes to Overton Hill and then approx. half the Ridgeway. My longest ride this year by a large margin!

The Ridgeway is currently dry and dusty!

A very different ride today. A leisurely and sociable 200km audax with Jo and Ange (who is off to race the TCR soon)

Never ridden one before but enjoyed it. Well planned route on mainly back roads. Had a fair bit of climbing in - 4500m recorded! Which is far more than the official stats claim.

Masses of soup, sarnies, cake and tea in a village hall afterwards.

It was this one - http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/17-208/

While not the easiest intro is recommend it if you are tempted to sample the dark side.

Talking of Dark Side, one has just partaken of an emergency day out round Cannock trailcentre. I know, I know, but I figured it was best just to fess up and take my medicine as it gets justifiably dished out. It's the honourable thing to do. £20 return from Leighton Buzzard if you get the 07.09. If you're going to forsake your principles and do something like that, best to go midweek - it's like having your own personal facility. Three spins down Lower Cliff, over to the empty caff for a toastie and a kale smoothie (now THAT's hairshirted for you), couple of goes down from Tackeroo for cappucino (of course!), then three more Lower Cliffs and 17.05 home. If I was of a religious bent I'd now say 30 Hail Marys and possibly flail myself with twigs too. My excuse is it was a bivi reccying trip anyway .

Food! by Colin Cadden - Flickr2BBcode LITE





Food! by Colin Cadden - Flickr2BBcode LITE



Some will find it easy to work.out where I am based on those two photos

Riverside Fort A?

Mr Happy Pizza in Fort A

Mmmm 12" meat feast.... I had one of them on visit number 2. The vege ones are good too.

A very civilised 20-mile pootle to Dunstable & back, courtesy of Reg's Rural Rambles plc.

View from Totternhoe Knolls.


Good choice of cafe: I had the healthy-option cake (only half-dipped in chocolate ). Then found this "bubblegum"-themed car outside the cafe. It's a Metropolitan, apparently.


Of course being Dunstable, someone's nicked the spare wheel. Although a turquoise wheel with a whitewall tyre would probably be easy to spot.


Down Sewell cutting...


...then back past the farms. Proper rustic!


Now; if only I can get my bikes to look that authentic...

Thanks for the ride out Pete, very pleasant. Being Dunstable, someone's nicked your images as well! Or is it just my browser? (EDIT: blast, yes it was my browser, sorry for half-cockedness)

R

Wettest, filthiest ride in ages on Thursday. Leading a school group of 31 y7&y8 kids and 6 staff at Sherwood Pines.

Puddles up to the bb at times, think I used most of a set of pads in 12miles! Kids a bit grumpy at times, but yesterday were finding me in school and raving about own great it was! Type 2 fun is a thing at their age too...

Inspired by Stus post on n-1, I took my Ragley for a wee spin round the woods for the first time in ages. My reckoning is that it's no longer required now I have my Orbea Occam



But it was lovely!!! Feels really snappy and direct, masses of grip from the XR4s. I think I might have to keep it after all

A quick trip up the Col du Forclaz from Talloire, lake Annecy. Dip in the lake afterwards.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

I think it's winter in the peak. The trails are soaked.

Grim.

Need to assemble a winterproof bike anf fit some mudgaurds

First ride in 2 weeks after dealing with a weird neck problem. Note to self: don't try riding 44Kms on empty stomach and expect to come home feeling spritely when you've been a lazy bastard.

Greetz

S.

Spent the weekend at Glentress with junior recce'ing the Peebles stage race course and generally riding about. Great wee trip.

FLV wrote:I think it's winter in the peak. The trails are soaked.

Grim.

Need to assemble a winterproof bike anf fit some mudgaurds

Did a loop round Hayfield on Friday night on summer XC tyres. Hammered it down all the time we were out. No grip. Fell off LOTS of times.