July Round Up

School holidays started this month which means more time off-road. I did my hardest ride over two days out to the far end of the peaks and back and got used to riding full-rigid which I love. Ali has also been keen to get out more which is fab!

The figures:

4.74 mile running (ekk! Need to get running again)
369.39 miles moutain biking (all singlespeed)
71.18 miles cyclo-cross
591.36 mile road

20935m of ascent


Progress on targets:

1. Run at least once a week Failed in March :o(
2. Run 300miles in the year 38% complete
3. Cycle an imperial century a month Failed in March :o(
4. Cycle 8000miles in the year 63% complete

Plans for August include SITS and then transwales. After that its kielder100 followed by the three peaks in September, yes I'm in both of them. So some running, scrambling up hills and go faster training needed.

Today as I looked out the window at the rain I was glad I wasn't riding! I decided instead to make a shoulder pad for my messenger bag, I think it will improve the comfort loads!

A wet Mary Townley Loop

When Ros asked me on sunday if I fancied the mary townley loop on tuesday I couldn't say no even though this is meant to be a rest week after some really hard weeks. So she picked me up at 8am and we headed off to Waterfoot where we started the loop. This way round meant we got the bit with a thousand gates out of the way near the start! It seemed like we were at the monument to Mary Townley very quickly.

After that the heavens opened and most of the ride was just grinding into the rain! That nice noise of brake pads wearing away accompanied us and Ros even thought about changing hers! I spent a fair amount of time ploughing through deep puddles which reminded me of last years transwales!

It didn't seem that long before we were heading over Rooley Moor Road and back to the van. Even with my legs in there we are tired and don't know how to work after a day off we made good time, getting round in just under 8 hours without really pushing too much during the day.

Ali's home

I got to Liverpool airport just as ali was coming out, couldn't have timed it better! She suggested a trip to pizza express, so we came home and got the vouchers. I suggested riding so we could share some wine. So for once I got Ali on a bike in normal clothes! On the way home I clipped a rear light to her jeans, it worked suprisingly well!

A short ride

Todays planned century was cancelled so I let myself sleep till I woke up. Then since it was early I decided to meet my friends who were riding at Rivi. Took me ages to be bothered leaving so I asked them to text and let me know the route and I would bump into them somewhere, as it turns out I got to Ros's house and they hadn't left as they hadn't fancied the weather!

A short ride up to pigeon tower, down the ice-cream run and then back up and down the Belmont descent, before I peeled off to get another hour in.

On the way back I came across a dear on the track, he stood looking at me for a while before bounding off. Camera decided it needed the flash so I wasn't quick enough for the picture.

In the end I did 2hrs 45mins which took me to 30 hours for the week - wow! Don't think I was much company was in a grumpy mood! But thanks as otherwise I wouldn't have gone out!

A track session

Today was the cyclechat track session, I thought about driving but it was too nice so cycled over to the velodrome. Legs felt fine apart from right knee a little sore. But sprinting was impossible!

Putting mileage on I realised that I have done more miles this month than any month previously! I'm getting close to 1000, don't think I'll get there as going to let my legs have an easy week next week!

An evening ride

After dropping at the airport, falling asleep watching the tour and hanging my sleeping bag out to air and then it raining and soaking it. I headed out on a local ride with Odile. We headed up winter hill and at the top bumped into Ros, Kate and Gavin. Down to Belmont, where Kate had a flat and we made her fix it! The first time ever she has had to do her own although Ros did try and help! Then a quick pint in Belmont before freewheeling home for pizza.

Legs felt fine, but I need my bed now! 15miles in total and reminded me how long it is since I have been on my local trails!

A big bivvy adventure

TeaCake had come up with a crazy plan to ride the pennine bridleway, bivvy and ride back. Redbike booked the time off work but I was meant to be working the friday - trip was thurs/fri. So I came up with my own plan:

I would ride out to where they were meeting on wednesday and then ride part of the way with them on thursday before heading home via a train station. A bit of time was spent with maps and playing on bikehike and the route was planned - all 73miles of it. Redbike decided that he would ride over from leek and meet me there to save having to drive to cromford on the thursday morning. I told Ali not to worry I would be home before her on thurs to help her pack as I had to drop her off at the airport early friday morning.

So on wednesday I left at 9am and headed off, the first part towards manchester and round the outskirts was easy enough and the sun was shining. Soon I was on the killer climbs at the edge of the peaks. Around this point I realised how easy it was to get my maps on my sleeping bag so I could easily read it. Although I had my garmin I like to know where I am on a map!

I so enjoyed this setup that I will be making sure I always print out maps so they fit like this, I had the route on 5 double sided A5 maps so I was counting down as I switched maps.

The ride out was hard but fun. By the time I got to Hayfield I was wondering if I was going to make the pub in Cromford before they stopped serving food! About 7pm my phone rang with Jon asking where I was...he had said he was leaving home for the 25mile road ride from leek at 6:30pm - I know he is always early but..... My answer was miles away! As it turns out after being passed by fell runners on a hill it was downhill all the way and I got to Cromford at 8:10pm, in time for lots of food and a couple of drinks.

Jon kept getting dressed to leave but I insisted on finishing my drink, we then went the wrong way by miles and managed to eventually get to the visitors centre at Middleton Top after 8miles, most of which felt like they were uphill. Once I managed to get Jon to stop disappearing off up the pennine bridleway - he obviously wanted a head start! We pushed our bikes up the hill and found our spot for the night, it was just gone midnight!

I didn't sleep well but was quite pleased by the lack of midges in the morning. I like Jon's tent, although might have been more impressed if it had been put up a bit better ;-)

After breakfast we headed back to the visitor centre where Kate rode in, she managed not to get lost coming from Cromford!

So it was time to head off, I was shattered and glad I was only riding home - not sure I clicked that it was going to be 65miles at this point! The women at the visitor centre looked at us as if we were crazy when we explained the plan, she explained to us it wasn't all a nice disused railway line and the other week a couple of lads had taken 10days, they had planned 9 but it took longer!

Not long into the ride the kate's bottom bracket seized completely, some force applied and it was moving but it soon did it again. My suggestion of pedalling backwards every so now and again worked and we got to the cycle hire place at Parsley Hay. They were fantastic, took the bottom bracket out, cleaned it, put it in and it seemed fixed! It lasted the rest of the ride so what can you say. When Kate tried to pay them they told her to put a couple of quid in the charity box. Definetly buy something from the shop if you are passing!

After that it was Jon's turn for a mechanical! He had singlespeeded his bike and the chain kept coming off the tensioner. Kate helped, by hovering, knocking the bike over and making helpful comments. But that seemed to work!

My tired legs meant I was being dropped on all the hills! So it was nice to come round a corner and see the two of them walking, gave me an excuse for a rest as well!

My favorite comment of the day was Kate saying can we have a "faff stop" Jon heard "fag stop".

Descending down Roych clough was fun after pushing up it the day before. I think I made my best eveer attempt at it as well, only walking one drop - still think it is huge! Then it was into hayfield for a much deserved burger and chips!

I had two options at this point, go to New Mills or continue on to Glossop, I chose the latter ignoring the fact it was gone 3pm and I had said I would be home for 5!

That took ages, although it was lots of fun! We split company just on the outskirts of Glossop and I headed towards Ashton. Here I rang Ali to grovel, she kindly said I could ride home!

From here it was past the B of the Bang

Then home, somewhere my garmin died!

145miles over two days, I'm shattered my legs are very tired but it was so much fun!

All the rest of the pictures are here.

ready to go

New bars on bike - yes picture before strapping on sleeping bag would be good! Now just rest of stuff to pack, tour to watch and bed!

Today I "warmed up"with 72miles on the road bike, legs weren't really there! It was a ride of three parts, part one into work - bottom of dip. Part two to Jenn's - up the steady hill - part three home - three big bumps!

Good fun, even if it did pour down when I was riding with Jenn!

Ali's adventure

Ali decided she wanted her own say on the weekend so here is her account:

Hello Everybody! Welcome to my first EVER blog thing.

So, Trio invited me to join her on her latest adventure - albeit invited me to do a very feeble version. After last weeks Southport trip (a whole 72miles) I was most insulted by the thought that the whole adventure - a mere 45 miles eash way over 2 days - would be too much for me! So I insisted on doing the whole route. What I hadn't bargained for (despite having helped plot the route) was the fact that the way to Gisburn Forest was a WHOLE lot hillier than the way to Southport.

So we headed off bright and early (10.30am) on Saturday. I complained a bit (or a lot) about being tired right from the start but we were soon nearly at Blackburn after lots of bits of trails that I already knew. Around this point my legs fell off, or that's what it felt like, so lots of thanks to Trio for pushing me up some of the hills around this point. I was also concerned that despite me being on my full-sus bike, Trio was beating me down the technical downs by MILES on her fully rigid SS. I sense I need to improve in this....

By the time we reached Waddington (definitely not Warrington - this was a constant source of amusement to Trio) which was my last chance to go home for the night, I seemed to have found some extra energy - thanks to Mr Kipling's angel slices - so we kept on going. Through West Bradford and a few more places too, and then across a crazy river/valley/cliff type thing that Trio & Jon had been to before. I managed to navigate that, and we stopped for another little cake stop in a farmer's field before heading on to the pub stop.

To say I was glad to reach the pub would be an understatement! A couple of pints later, and plenty of food too, we were ready to head off to the bivvy spot. We cycled into Gisburn forest and tried out some of the new trails. The swoopy berms were a bit much for me after the miles so I was a bit of a wimp and will have to try them again, but we'd soon got our little spot for the night, just as it was getting dark. I slept pretty well, but woke to discover that our bivvy trip had again been gate-crashed by not one, not two, but THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of horrible little midges. I curled up further into my bag, while Trio for some inexplicable reason, decided to get up and confront them!!! Needless to say, the midges won that battle!!

I gave up the battle of staying asleep at about 5ish, and didn't hang around to have breakfast (unusual for me) before heading off onto the trails. It took longer than I had thought to get to the car park in Gisburn Forest, and I was glad to stop there for my cereal which perked me up loads! Some more climbing and then decision time - was I going to cycle all the way home or get the train?

I decided I'd like to try to get up this hill I'd heard everyone talking about - Nick O' Pendle - and there was a possible cut-back to the station after it. Well, I was expecting this to be a REAL NASTY challenge, particularly with how I'd been feeling the day before, but I found it ok and was suprised when I was at the top - I thought there'd be another bit to go! I thought some of the other climbs on the adventure were a lot tougher, particularly the nasty climb out of Accrington-ish (although as Trio points out that wasn't actually a road..hmmm..).

So after making it up there, I was all for the trip home (as I had decided there were no more hills to confront). I was a little bit wrong on this front, as further studying on the map revealed a worrying number of "arrowed" roads. My worries weren't helped when, during our next food stop, the heavens opened. We still had over 20 miles to do and my enthusiasm was waning!

Not to worry though - as once I got going again I was fine (and the rain eased off). A few more climbs and a bit of an adventure in discovering where the bridleway crossed the motorway - thank goodness I didn't have to carry my bike up the vertical banking (as suggested by Trio) - and we were descending down towards Haslingden. A lovely bit of trail, and I would love to give it another go.

Then just home along the road and a nice bubble bath to:
a) Remove the midges, and
b) Soak my aching limbs!

THE END!