Holme Valley 2013

A grinning idiot, somewhere in Yorkshire.
 

A third outing, in the sunny lands of Holmfirth. Last years attempt was marred by a puncture, caused by an ill-judged banzai overtake manoeuvre, straight through the middle of a rock garden! This year, I was on a mission, this time, a sub 3 hour time would be mine.



   
Technical climbs were cleaned, fast descents were bombed, my sorry arse was dragged up the climbs by my trusty Domestique, tyres didn't explode, Yay!
.... the post ride bacon butty never tasted so good! but I'm going to have a hell of a time trying to improve on my performance for next year.

Ride - Cake

                                  

"would you like cream, or ice-cream with that sir?" errmmm actually...

 

 

In an effort to get some miles, and climbing under my belt, yesterdays ride also included this impressive strawberry pavlova , oh yes! Serious training for the Holme and Hope valley indeed.

 

 

Tues roadride 14 aug 12 by GaB344 at Garmin Connect - Details

Out with the Cycopaths they're all harmless, mostly.

Monday, sod it I'm off for a ride!

Well what to do when given that unexpected Monday off?  <g>  Not too hard a choice really.

Getting away from it all, a beautiful day on the Wolds.

My destination? The butty van on the Westwood, cup of tea, and a bacon sarnie,  yum.

Did a fairly long, and hilly road ride at the weekend, so I'm just pottering today.

Downhill all the way home.

Pennine X 2012

I've been looking forward to taking part in the Pennine X for a year or so now. A couple of guys in my local club had done it in previous years, and recommended it. Coming from the East Riding it's always good (if something of a shock!) to do an event where there are some "proper" hills, and in this respect the Pennine X route does not disappoint. Unfortunately this year's event was very wet, so the moorland leg of the loop running down to Marsden, was a mass of sodden, rutted peat. Pretty much everyone agreed this section was just unrideable for someone of average ability this year. All the guys I was with at the time (midfield) just got off and walked :)


I broke the golden rule of NOT using anything new for an event. I fitted a Maxis Ikon on the front, rather than the usual Maxis Aspen front and rear. I got away with it, the new rubber worked really well, even in peat. I just might keep this setup for the rest of the summer (or what-ever we are calling this current weather...). Poor front mech cable adjustment, caused the chain to fall off the granny at least half a dozen times on the down shifts (always at the start of a big tricky climb!), lesson learnt I hope. Apart from the gear trouble, the bike worked great, with no flats, or other major mechanical disasters.

                                                         Must be early on, I'm still clean.

The only issue I did have was a huge off, just before the water crossing, at the appropriately named "stack end" I was totally laid out :( and found myself properly winded for the rest of the ride, good job I saved doing this till near the end. I was in bits! just managed to wobble round the last 5 mile or so, and made it to the finish :) 

                        

                     

                                                               

Great event in all. Very well organised, hope to be doing it again next year. Thanks to Gethin, Eddy and Steve for the heads up on the event. Massive thanks to Simon for the lift!

Unrealistic expectations

Well this years social ride at Keldy Cabins was amazing, the average maximum temperature for March is 10 degrees Celsius. We experienced around 20 deg C for the whole weekend! I'm now going to have totaly unrealistic expectations for the weather next Keldy trip in 2013!

For some reason or another I took no photo's at all, so if anyone has any please share.

However I did remember to to log both days on the gps here:-

                            

                   Day 1 - Saturday (Click on the above map for more)

                            

                               

                   Day 2:- Sunday (Click on the above map for more) 

Please let me know if this works for you or not. Try playing the trips though in 3d view if you can (the right hand icon). 

Lastly a big thanks to Mark B, and all the other Cycopaths who organise this trip!

Coming out of the closet:- Road biking.



A bicycle, earlier on today......

I had ago at road biking today. I was invited on a quick 80k spin by a friendly bunch of Triathletes  http://www.3xtri.com cheers Chris et al! who popped my road biking cherry. I suppose technically I did a social ride to Lincoln and back last year, but that was on a slicked up mountain bike, and is another story altogether.....see here.  Any road up, today was fantastic sunny mornings ride, a little cold, but a good climb up Numburnholme warmed every one of us up :)  A cracking start to the years riding!