Breakfast ride

Well a while ago me and Vikki read another locals blog about how he had been up Rivington Pike for a breakfast ride. Great idea we both thought, we'll have to do that sometime. So today was the ideal opportunity. I packed all my stuff the night before, stove, matches, big coat. Vikki took care of the essentials - bacon, ketchup, rolls. We arrived at practically the same time just as the sky was turning red and the clouds were starting to surround us in the mist. We found the least windy side of the Pike and started cooking. The bacon seemed to be taking ages when we realised that covering it might help. In the end we both had two lovely bacon barms, fed the fat to some passing dogs and had a nice morning ride.

27.3km Av. Speed 12.7km/h 675m climbed

Learn to tell the time.

Well headed off to meet Vikki for a night ride thinking I'd left late and would have to sprint, half way there I realised I was an hour early! I really am having a dumb couple of days! Anyway a quick text and Vikki said she'd get there as soon as possible and I slowed down. We decided it was time to take the singlespeeds down the Belmont Descent, there was a little pushing but mainly riding to get up Winter Hill. We set off slowly but by the end there was a bit of speed, it was nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be on a hard-tail with big wheels. Then it was time for a pint, well we were singlespeeding. I was a little worried when a guy passed us heading up the Belmont Descent and instead of noticing him or his bike I just noticed he had gears! Then it was back up the Belmont road and we both headed home. A great way to spend the evening.

40km Av. Speed 12.6km/h 967m climbing

Head Wind all the way.

Usual tuesday ride came round but due to the plumber coming round in the morning and a Dr's apppointment in the late afternoon I was time limited. Couldn't fit in an 11hour ride. Since Vikki has a new road bike that only arrived on monday. So I headed over to Vikki's at about half ten, it seemed to take ages to get there as it was so windy. After a bit of checking over the new bike we headed out. Straight over the first hill, well the best roads are over hills here. After a bit of zig-zagging between Bolton and Blackburn we stopped at the Strawbury Duck for lunch, very disapointing as there were no chips and the baguettes didn't seem as nice as usual. Might be time to find a new pub. We then headed back towards Blackburn on the Roman Road before climbing up to Pickup Bank. A nice hill and one I'm always glad to get to the top of. All in all a great ride, would have been brilliant if we weren't constantly battlling with the wind.


92.5km Av. Speed 18.6km/h 1724m climbing

New CycleChat top

Well I thought it was about time I tried out my new CycleChat top after it arrived on friday. Lovely top, but not getting shown off to the full as it was underneath a windproof jacket most of the time. really nice weather today on the West Pennine Moors till I turned to head home on the Abbey Village to Belmont Road, that road is like a wind tunnel. All good training though and I hardly needed to stand up today to get up the climbs.

41.61km Av. Speed 19.3km/h 748m climbed

Rain, Rain and more Rain

Well only a short ride today to meet Ali at lower barn for bacon butties after she had been running. Halfway over it started raining and I could barely see going downhill, couldn't decide if it was better with or without glasses on.

16.65km Av. Speed 13.8km/h 472m climbed

Solo Nightriding

Is it Fun and Fast or Slow and Scary?
Well I've done a little bit of solo night riding back from rides with others but this was the first time I just chose to go out and do a ride on my own. At times it was fun at times it was scary and I definitely felt fast!

23km Av. Speed 14.4km/h (think that might be my fastest ever average) 561m climbed


Also went for a run this morning which felt really hard.

6.6km Av. Speed 8.1km/h 209m climbed

Frosty mornings

Went to see my friend from work today so I decided to cycle there. It was a lovely frosty ride, I had a nice three metre stretch of ice to negociate at one point, some cows to chase back to a farm and a nice lunch waiting for me at the end. Had a nice day and then another nice ride home.

53.9km Av. Speed 19.9km/h 1100m climbed

Carbon goodness

First ride on the new road bike, it would be rude not to since it was so sunny. Bike is lovely and responsive I think we will get on well together.

Road Cycling 67.5km Average Speed 19.2km/h 1122m climbed

Running 6.6km Av. Speed 8.4km/h

Silent singlespeeding

Nice ride this evening, met up with my friend Ros who I haven't rode with for ages, it was still light so we headed round the woods having fun on the drop-offs. Then I rode home, riding at night on a singlespeed is amazing, it is so quiet. I loved it.

50.3km Av. Speed 13.5 km/h 1322m climbed

Transwales

Well I got an email from my partner for transwales, Helen, saying she was pulling out. I really didn't want to do it solo so straight away I asked Vikki, we've been riding together loads recently and having loads of fun. After some thinking time she has agreed. It's great as since we live so close we can train together. The only question is will she be able to cope with spending so much time with me.

Over the bars

Easy ride today as we decided to take Ali's sister for her first bike ride since she was a kid. Off we headed to the Stawbury Duck for tea. For some reason on an easy slope I managed to fly over the handlebars and land on my head. Somehow both Ali and Wendy missed it. Ahh well after a nice feed I cycled home and they got the train, taking the keys, only I beat the train so had to wait to be let in.

About 20km in all, nice evening for a first mtb ride.

Singlespeed adventures

Today was the first singlespeed ride for me and Vikki, she came round to mine and we expected to do a bit of riding and maybe some walking up the hills. Instead we ended up doing a reasonable length ride, not walking and eating burger and chips.

42.6 km Av. Speed 12.8km/h

New Roadie

So this was what was inside the box. My new carbon roadie.

I know two bikes in a week I am lucky, that'll be it for the next few years.

For Sale 2001 Rockhopper

Well due to the fact I have more bikes than space I am selling my first mountain bike.

It is a 2001 Specialized Rockhopper (this is the Reduced Top Tube model) 17"

Any sensible offers will be accepted.

I couldn't resist.

Yes it's a single speed and yes it had big wheels but it seems to fit a shorty like me!!!!

Route planning

What's in the box?

Since Ali has said I have to wait till she gets home tomorrow till I open it. You'll have to wait.

Riding, running and more riding.

Vikki enjoying the woods.

Well for a chance this tuesday me and and Vikki decided to go for a run so I cycled over to hers on my roadie, did a 4 mile run then after lunch cycled back. Then this evening I cycled over to Rivi to meet Vikki and Carolyn, sprinted over after a text asking if I could get there earlier (managed an average of 14.6km/h) then we pootled over to the woods, where Carolyn headed home, it was a little spooky. Then back to Rivi where we split, it was a little scary cycling back on my own but still fun.

Road bike: 17.5 km Av. Speed 26.1 km/h
Running: 6.7 km Av. Speed km/h
Road bike: 17.4 km Av. Speed 24.1 km/h
Mtb: 42.5 km Av. Speed 13.6 km/h

Another sunny day

Since the sun was out again I thought it would be rude not to go out. Legs didn't seem to agree and felt tired on the way back. But on the plus side I tried a carbon road bike out for size and now I really want it.

48.7 km Av. Speed 22.7km/h 646m climbed

Jon's Birthday

Today was my friend Jon's birthday and he decided to spend it riding with me round his local path in leek. I looked at the weather foracst and decided to wear 3/4, on arrival I thought I'd made a mistake, it seemed very cold. But I put my new jacket on and headed out. Legs were cold at first but after the first hour the sun was out and I was feeling quite warm, Jon was boiling by this point in all his winter gear. Jon decided to celebrate his birthday by falling off his bike and getting his arm stuck in a cattle grid, unfortunately I missed the incident so didn't get a picture. We had some nice chocolate cake by a river and climbed lots of hard climb. I have lots of work to do on my hill climbing.

85km Av. Speed 17.8km/h 1973m of climbing

Running in the Sunshine

Hard to believe it is the beginning of February today, the sun was shining when I went out for a run. I even wore a t-shirt. I was glad I got out, means that my aim of running once a week is still on course.

6.55km Av. Speed 8.4km/h

Rocky Descents

Good ride in Grizedale today with Vikki, Carolyn and Jill. After I tried to get myself and Vikki lost on the way up by ignoring my sat nave, we still managed to get there first and I quickly changed my rear tyre as I had noticed the inner tube poking out when I put the bike on the car. We climbed up using the North Face trail and headed down Lawsons Park, I had only done this as a climb before but enjoyed flying down it. Then it was back up into the forest with a bit of pushing and a lot of determination to ride up things. Another great downhill took us back to the visitors centre. A short ride but high on technical climbs and descents.

15.8 km Av Speed 9.9km/h 440m of climbing

Riding through clouds.

Nice road ride today felt like i was in the clouds most of the time. New jacket seems good though. I'll write a review after a few more rides. I really am lucky with some of the roads near me. Although didn't like the wind that was trying to blow me back to Abbey Village on the way home.

46km Av. speed 19.7km/h 630m climbed

Doctors and Bike Washing

A rest day for me today, I've done something everyday since last wednesday which is good going for me so I think my legs deserved a day off. First thing this morning was a trip to the Dr's which was relatively easy, he told me I was doing well and to keep biking - just what I wanted to hear. Then I spent two hours this afternoon washing my bike, it still doesn't look clean but I think that is because it is so battered. Needs a new rear gear cable but I didn't have one in my box of bits so it'll have to wait a while. Tomorrows road ride has been cancelled so now I'm trying to decide where I should ride since I have the choice.

Peel Tower

It was a hard climb but worth it for the views. This is my first attempt at bloggin from my phone.

The first tower on todays ride

Tuesday 5th February 2008

Well tuesday rolls round so it's time for my weekly ride with Vikki. We'd decided to meet a little earlier and then do a route we'd done before Christmas in reverse, but this time actually cycling up to Peel Tower. I'm up and out of the house by 8:15am, impressive as I always forget I need to leave this early if we meet a 9:30am. Head over to Rivington, coming down the commonwealth downhill my light decides to fly off the handlebars, but it looked fine. maybe I didn't tighten it enough this morning. Get there just in time and have a quick snack, well I have done an hour of so of riding. So off we head up the Chinese gardens to our first tower of the day, Pigeon Tower, where Vikki tried to work out how to use her posh waterproof camera. Then off up the Pike for the next tower, then it was over winter hill. Vikki decided to use the facilities up there, not the one that was on it's side though. It was nice of someone to leave a toilet up there. I really do like the descent into Belmont. Over we went heading for Ramsbottom, where we headed up to Peel Tower, that is one climb from Ramsbottom, was glad to reach the top for a sandwich stop. From there we headed across the Army camp towards Entwistle, we even saw a bunch doing some form of training, no idea what looked like a nice hill walk to me! Then we took a cheeky trail up to the Strawbury Duck, on the way a nice man informed us we shouldn't be riding there, think he was ready for a rant but my polite apologising put him off. We got to the pub a little muddy to find out they were no longer serving food. Might mean a change to our route in future since they're no longer doing all day food. After a quick drink stop we carried on with Chocolate as our fuel, well you can never hve enough chocolate! Saying we might stop in Belmont. Getting there at 5pm meant we wanted to get home for pancakes though. So it was one last hill up the Belmont road, onto the Belmont old road, with a quick stop for more layers food and comfort. Then along to pigeon tower again (can we count it twice and say we've done 4 towers?). We split there and I headed back along Georges Lane and then Matchmore lane. Back over to my side of Bolton. At one point on the bridleway I was overtaken by a quad bike, I didn't ask. Just as I got to Asda I punctured, only a mile to go though so I cycled home with a flat.

Great ride. 80.2km At an average of 10.9km/h

Monday 4th February 2008

Well seeing as I've decided this year is the year I take my cycling seriously (well as seriously as can). I thought it was time for me to keep a log of what I was actually doing. Now since my main aim for this year is transwales I know I need to ensure I'm able to cope with lots of long days in the saddle.

Anyway January has gone and my totals for the month are:

Road Biking 550km (74%)
Mountain Biking 196km (26%)
Total Cycling 746km

Running 16.5km

So onto February.

On the friday the 1st I decided to get out for a road ride and investigate some of the lovely roads near me with arrows on, covered 45.8km, was out for 2hrs 17mins, found some lovely roads and broke two spokes just as I got home.

Saturday came and I remembered that I was meant to be trying to run once a week, it gets me really fit! So went out late afternoon for a qucik (okay slow) 4.6km.


Sunday came and the rain stayed away, I headed over to Rivington to meet two other girlies. Winter Hill seemed to be covered with runners and somehow I was nearly an hour early and even after an extra loop I ended up in the cold for 20minutes. I was frozen by the time the others arrived, but my fault. We headed over to lead mines clough, hoping it would be quieter - it was. Then back over to the fishing cafe for cake. Our bikes had a nice rest. Before heading our seperate ways home. Rode 50.88km in total with an average speed of 12.4km/h.



Now onto today, a road ride with a friend who I'm trying to bully to ride up hills. Today was a flat ride by agreement as I'm planning a long ride off-road tomorrow. Felt slow and not in the mood managed 89km in total at a poor average of 21.1km/h.