Well I’m done for the weekend. As said earlier I rattled off 126k in the end, Hampshires looking spectacular as ever. I spotted 4 Roe Deer running along a field alongside me, just beautiful.
Also ran into a batch of roadies at Lovedean, we all turned up North Lane (good long hill) and bragging rights to the top ensued, I’m not too sure they liked me riding on ahead too much.. *shrugs*

No more riding now until my tour of the Netherlands late next week. I’m really looking forward to seeing my old windsurfing beaches/sailing locations, some lovely flat countryside and some pretty girls. 8)

Dog walked, bacon in the pan before we put the bikes on and head into the Peak for a fathers day ride. Even the sun is shining. 😀

Well I did get out local on Friday night and found some new singletrack, had a great time. Our father’s day was yesterday as it was more convenient for my BIL, but suited me as I was able to leave my family at his house and head to Cannock for a short 2hrs and then back to his for a slap up buffet lunch.

Yesterday I did a 120km road ride, out to Leith Hill and back. Today I’ll probably be doing boring, house stuff.

Up early yesterday, 100 mile drive to Keswick and over Braithwaite up Whiteless and looped back round, that’s one off the list, today bike wash, car wash and meal in 3 hours cuffing starvin!!

Managed a couple of loops of Hicks Lodge with LittleMissMC yesterday. Took a while to get the bikes clean after, but it’s “not a proper ride if you don’t get muddy” according to her.

I was going to go on the club run for the first time in a year this morning. It sets off at 8.30. I woke up at 8.35. Did pop out for a gentle pootle later in the morning. The club run came thundering past me at one point. I hope they were the fast group….

3 laps of the Marin yesterday and 2 laps (and there and back) of Llandegla today on the SS…legs are a little shot now.
Need to get some 100k+ days in before september 😐

Considering that I didn’t think I’d get any ride in this weekend I’m feeling quite pleased with myself. 15 on the fat bike yesterday and a hilly 35 today on the road.

Bikes are ace.

Nice, fairly easy-feeling 38 miles in the Dales. Passed a lot of folk on the Sue Ryder 3 Dales Challenge doing Stockdale Lane in the less fun direction. So much pain and suffering…

Just got back from out in the Peak, not may out on bikes considering the good weather

An hour on the road bike Friday night, as a cover for going to the offy. Couple of hours in the forest this morning, could have been more but luxuriated in the fathers day lie in and fry up instead. 8)

No riding for me this weekend, just cleaning/checking/prep-ing bike ready for the end of next week when we drive over to The White Room for a rip around Les Arcs 😉

Amazingly, it didn’t even need a wash, just the dust blowing off after Friday at BPW, which considering the recent weather is pretty unusual.

Passed a lot of folk on the Sue Ryder 3 Dales Challenge doing Stockdale Lane in the less fun direction. So much pain and suffering…

You were well after I headed up Stockdale Lane – didn’t meet anyone heading in the opposite direction – checked your Strava Fly-bys and you were at the top about half an hour after I’d got there though you probably passed my wife. Not the best way to do it I agree but then climbing out of Settle the other way isn’t easy either.

I had a base target of five hours and an optimistic target of four hours if I was going really well, ended up finishing in 4hrs12 so pretty pleased with that given that I did the 2015 YD200 route last Saturday and am still sleeping rather well after that. Fastest time (it’s not a race remember 🙄 ) was 3hrs18.

That’s a good effort. Are you doing the 300 this year?

I do prefer the other climb out of Settle though (and going down Stockdale rather than the Langcliffe way, which is dull.)

There was a lot of weaving and stem staring on the road. Had to shout several warnings to a few of them as they didn’t look up at all. Then again, I got warned about a car I was about to steam into, so it’s even.

Yes, I’m doing the YD300 again. slightly different route this year because of the access problems above Grassington. Have got the Monday booked off so that I can slob out 😆

Hopefully I’m better organised than last year, I had nearly ten hours of stopping time. Now there’s no way I could ride through but I’m certain I can cut a lot of that out. I’m also being much more ruthless with kit: 3Kg rather than 10Kg (not including water). Aiming to get under 30hrs.

3Kg rather than 10Kg (not including water)

Yes, that’s pretty ruthless :-). Are you just going to doss in a ditch with a binbag over you?

I’ve long since dismissed any fantasy about being to keep going that long.

Not far off – but the bivy kit is under 1Kg vs. 2Kg last year. This year: bivy bag @240g; sleeping mat @ 260g; down vest @ 80g; thermal top @ 200g. Last year I’d a 400g sleeping bag plus a 300g tarp amongst other stuff. There was a lot of stuff I took that, yes I used, but could have done without. Having done a few more ITTs now (and failed on some) I’ve a much better idea of what works for me, last year’s YD300 was the first one I’d done.

A lot depends on the weather of course, if it’s going to be crap then I could easily add another 1Kg of kit to cope with it.

Dragon Duathlon for me yesterday, so a day off today-my knee’s still feel like they’re about to explode!
290km from Beaumaris to Cardiff Bay, running the Welsh 3 Peaks & riding in between.

Stank Glen with eldest_oab. Hot weather, amazing views and a set of dead brakes, boiled on the technical steep descent (and midges, so no pics…)
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Hoc3Fy]Stank Glen ride[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/HofFgv]Stank Glen ride[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/JcFgWa]Stank Glen ride[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

I also finished this thing – now with working brakes and front wheel – which is much more suited to eldest_oab’s riding style… 😯
[url=https://flic.kr/p/JcEWUc]Stank Glen ride[/url] by Matt Robinson, on Flickr

Nice, fairly easy-feeling 38 miles in the Dales. Passed a lot of folk on the Sue Ryder 3 Dales Challenge doing Stockdale Lane in the less fun direction. So much pain and suffering…

It was a good do, weather was spot on. I’ll certainly be doing it again next year and hopefully it’ll be one of those events that grows like the other challenges/race.

Pretty pleased with my time, certainly better than expected. Was running on empty for the last 5-6 miles of the 39.

Bump for Monday morning.

Went for a couple of hours round Gower yesterday, think at most I had 100ft visibility, regularly a third of that. In retrospect, riding over the top of the most exposed hills in howing wind, rain and fog wasnt my finest route planning.
No pictures for obvious reasons!
The hill fort on top of Llanmadoc hill was pretty spooky in thick fog!