Monday 23 April 2012

The rides in between the showers

April in the Pennines has been very cold and very damp. But there have been a couple of moments worth getting the camera out on the bike.

Had a glorious time zooming round the mountain bike trails in Gisburn Forest with my better half. Nice picnic by Stocks Res too and some fun watching the more hardcore riders on the big jumps showing off for everyone.

Stocks Reservoir
The Yorkshire Dales

Afew cycle commutes and some very changeable weather. But at the weekend despite the wet forecast, a cycling mate & I got some fantastic rays on a beautiful ride from Carnforth to Preston via Lancaster and some of the Lancashire Coastal Way.
There was a scary moment when I heard barking and of the corner of my eye saw a hound racing for me. A nano second later and I realised it was a big fat labrador, phew... it wasnt going to catch me and also wasnt all that scary.

The ride was a good mixture of on & off road with a challenging section between Glasson & Cockeram where there was a path about 4 inches wide to try to stay upright on... few feet of drop to the right and an incline to bash the peddles on to the left for a good few hundred yards. That took some concentrating! Definitely memorable tho.

looking towards Lakeland Fells from the Lancaster Canal
Lancaster from the Lune Aquaduct

Sunderland Point

Sunday 8 April 2012

30 days of biking week #1 down

Short rides and medium rides this week - mainly due to the bobbins weather - biting winds, wintery showers and usual northern grimness of skies... except for Friday when I took advantage of the sunshine (albeit freezing morning) to commute & my fav route on saturday for some zooming fun!

Following work on Friday, I peddled a new way to S's house along a part of the canal I'd not been on before. Started off delighfully well with beautiful views of the hills, swans sailing along and the first ducklings of the year. Oh and also more midges than you can shake your arms at as you try not to swallow the blighters. My hair was an unwitting midge trap - ahh that time of year again!


 Alas as I neared Blackburn the route became quite isolated & being followed by a teen lad on his bike who just would not seem to overtake me whenever I slowed down freaked me out just a bit too much. By the time I reached a dog walker, I stopped and he passed - probably harmless enough & if so he possibly didnt realise he was unnerving me, but boy did I need to catch my breath after those couple of miles.


Saturday was grey, but S & I headed out to the woods to have some fun whizzing down past the reservoirs & to work our legs out on the return trip uphill. My favourite bike route put a smile on my face and worked up my appetite for a chilli tea. Perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon.


Week #2 commences in the morn... in the rain.

Sunday 1 April 2012

30 days of biking begins

April 1st - the third year of 30 days of biking starts today.  I'm determined to make it this time, no matter what the weather... and we have snow & sub-zero temperatures forecast, bobbins!

Already had a good week of cycling to & from work since the crazy fuel situation in england this week. Peddling past queues of cars waiting to top up is alright if you're riding about in the sunshine & only have a work commute ahead. If it had happened in winter I'm not so sure I'd have felt quite the same way.  Hopefully that and this month filled with riding every day, plus the soon to be ready cycling facilities at work will mean my bike will be commuting much more this year.

So my first ride for April was an easy one in the sunshine at the park with my better half too.  Here's to 29 more days smiling as I ride!!