So pleased to see dry weather for the next week!
Been at one of my favourite haunts today, Bestwood:


Sod off, its just started raining here.
Ah sorry mate. It looks a pretty good forecast across the country from Saturday PM so hopefully you'll get some riding in 🙂
Still stuck in the office for another 4 hours yet, ya bugger.
Bit early for any pics but I'll be off round the KAW this weekend. Will see what I can get 🙂
Still stuck in the office for another 4 hours yet, ya bugger
If it's any consolation, I spent the rest of the morning cleaning bathrooms, and have to go sofa shopping this afternoon
We are up in the Lakes for a long weekend in the camper, its the PMBA Enduro this weekend so whilst Abigale practices and races it should give us some time to explore.
Set off in sunshine and tshirts.
Got here and it's raining, hopefully it's not the wet kind and will soon blow over
Pitlochry, Tummel and Kinloch Rannoch this morning. In 20*c. With few cars.
I'm enjoying this road ride malarkey.
Out with my brother in law last night... 15 miles into our 22 miles he goes OTB and chips a bone in his should and damages the rotor cuff. He goes off to A&E with his Dad and I rode the rest myself.







@ Tracey - what are those frame protectors? They look like just what Im after.
Yesterday was glorious and today a little bit overcast (and the wife’s shopping tonight) so I did tonight’s ride yesterday.
Looking forward to a ride from Osmington out and around Portland tomorrow and Wales on Monday.




The bike shrouds were made by RB Sails down on the south coast.
We first got some 5 years ago as it allows us to stack the bikes against each other in the van or in the camper garage.
They have been a god send and make transporting alot better as there is no worry of bikes rubbing.
A couple from a cracking evening yesterday..
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/SKyZK71W/KDrop.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/SKyZK71W/KDrop.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/8krx9425/LogCrush.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/8krx9425/LogCrush.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Not quite so dry in the Tweed Valley...
Suns out but the trails are far from dry.
Golfie, Inners and Glenbenna yesterday and today.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51207442949_650b3d2461_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51207442949_650b3d2461_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m22wKp ]2021-05-27_04-25-06[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51206677406_f3bd5a8a91_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51206677406_f3bd5a8a91_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m1XBbo ]2021-05-27_04-25-19[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51206678021_5129e9c680_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51206678021_5129e9c680_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m1XBmZ ]2021-05-27_04-25-32[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51209704915_8d0ba39886_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51209704915_8d0ba39886_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m2e89P ]Do you even Enduro bro.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51208642321_6a3c524102_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51208642321_6a3c524102_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m28Fhe ]Minch Moor[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51207927722_61d5a05b67_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51207927722_61d5a05b67_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m251Ry ]Feeding the pony bottom.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51209709165_55d77088ca_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51209709165_55d77088ca_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m2e9q6 ]Feeding the pony.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51208002847_5b0a31ecc2_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51208002847_5b0a31ecc2_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m25pbP ]Glenduro.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51208725546_0cb8ce5eaf_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51208725546_0cb8ce5eaf_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2m29729 ]2021-05-28_04-46-52[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
Did I say it's dry? I seem to have led us into a pool of abrasive clay paste at the bottom of an old quarry. Mate with shiny new chain/chainring not best pleased!



@jimmy748 - mate where are your top two pics from? I live in Broadmayne know the local tracks very well and I didn't recognise that trail?
Does Thursday Eve count.
Our first Thursday night ride with the lads from the choir for a while.


Thursday was the last day of my Lakes trip, 80 miles and 12,500ft of climbing over 5 days mean my legs need a rest for a few days!
Ended the trip around/above ullswater with some actual dry weather.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51211502225_786b529e2a_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51211502225_786b529e2a_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51209723882_ac76d48a85_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51209723882_ac76d48a85_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
First ride of the weekend. Got the road miles in that I'd planned. 2 days of Dartmoor trails to come ( hopefully)

@gazzab1955 it’s here Dropped pin
https://goo.gl/maps/FVPDUonaaNtqaeoq7now
Beautiful out today, lots of tourists about, including me.










Hopton
Lovely day, prime conditionsish.



A tootle up the Pennine Bridleway to Garsdale. As usual, the Bank Holiday train-spotters were out in force.

Quiet country lanes. Not blowing a gale. Lovely.

Not far away from last pics came of the canal at Wotton Rivers was the warmest day so far this year I have ridden in Wilts very quiet old railway line to Marlborough and through the Savernake forest really good and pretty dry cant be bad.
I wouldn't normally but
Recovering for some kind of viral infection so riding unlikely for me.
Built my sons new bike with him today though.


Right said Clyde, get your Boner down before you ride me. Go pick up a Spanner to loosen a Big Baw so you can Feed the Pony.
25*c at the Knock of Crieff. Met a local who a) had the spangliest purple Kona and b) gave us a couple of great trail tips, not on trailforks. 👌
Time to get our tech on. 😎😱


Instagram influencer pose:
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2oyueAXEAEkCQx?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
26 ain't dead
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2oyud_WYAYCq17?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
Broken promises
[img] https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E2o0gknXEAUOAsj?format=jpg&name=large [/img]
One more from Thursday
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51213175473_22ee9102c4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51213175473_22ee9102c4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Morning motorcycle in the Cotswolds.
Hidcote


Afternoon.....the other motorcycle in the Cotswolds.
Hailes Abbey




Been wanting to visit this remote spot for a while. A beautiful yet lonely place to end the young life of this Spitfire pilot...


5 Counties - Singlespeed - lovely day for it.
Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, South Yorkshire
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/RFgD7V11/IMG-20210530-194429.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/RFgD7V11/IMG-20210530-194429.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://postimages.org/ ]image uploading[/url]
The Dorset Gravel Dash planned for this weekend was cancelled so a couple of us went out and did it anyway as we are local. Extended it a bit to actually make it 100 moles rather than the 95 miles from previous years.


We also found a new born deer on the trail. Proper cute it was.

Went for a circuit round the Buck yesterday. Started hot and sunny, but then clouded over, which gave me a good excuse to try an alternative (shorter) route back to the car 🙂
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/FHycL4zN/23-BA7138-C35-B-4-B1-C-8281-1-E424-E3-C1-DD8.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/FHycL4zN/23-BA7138-C35-B-4-B1-C-8281-1-E424-E3-C1-DD8.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/6pJnq39M/6-DEDE096-E95-D-4-EE3-BA57-A0-E373-BE1614.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/6pJnq39M/6-DEDE096-E95-D-4-EE3-BA57-A0-E373-BE1614.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/bN21qbjG/CE749010-5-B60-44-EA-90-A8-DD66-E2-D63-CC5.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/bN21qbjG/CE749010-5-B60-44-EA-90-A8-DD66-E2-D63-CC5.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Getting back into the proper swing of things after an enforced three months off the bike. Fitness down the pan but not sure whether it's unable to move weight gain or Covid hangover. Taking a while to get some strength and endurance back either way - today was the first time I've managed more than 20km since getting back on the bike a month ago.
Friday.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51210314035/in/datetaken-public/
Today.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51214231259/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51214234179/in/datetaken-public/
And a few from the last few weeks as I dragged myself out for the first time since January.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51197499647/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51182579002/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51153413886/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51152743317/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51163465157/in/datetaken-public/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robpaul/51167607702/in/datetaken-public/
My first 100k took me from Rossendale to the theatre of dreams and the noisy neighbours with a nice breakfast stop in the middle.







Welcome back @colournoise. Weirdly I just realised I hadn't seen any of your pictures for ages and then you appeared! Good luck with your recovery.
Showing a mate some new routes on Saturday...








Black Forest Germany
Bluebells are coming to an end in the Fod.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/QBygmmk1/20210530-115426.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/QBygmmk1/20210530-115426.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
In before the hordes. Home for breakfast.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPeD6LrraqA/
Road miles all weekend really, big day in Northumberland on Saturday and then a run down the coast today, no pics from the coastal run suffice to say everyone had gone to the beach and the roads were horrendous, virtually nose to tail from Sunderland to South Shields.
Comrie with the kids
Samuel's first proper ride on his new bike




He didn't need knee pads at the start of the ride. All the way down the red and he washes out on the gravel on the berms.

Glorious in the burn...



After the rain we had on Friday we got up Saturday morning to blue sky's and shorts and t shirt weather. In excess of 600 riders were expected for the PMBA at Graithwaite, practice on Saturday and the main event on Sunday.
Abigale managed to have an argument with a slippy rock and lost. It had sliced through her knee pad and gashed her knee. The impact also left her with a badly swollen knee.
Sunday was another sunny hot day and against advice decided to strap the knee up and give it ago.
Whist she was out on the course it gave us time to explore some of the hidden gems that the Graythwaite estate has to offer.
Found some nice jumps near Wallowbarrow gorge.
After he landed there was a lonnnnggg buzzing noise like a back tyre skidding endlessly on grass, followed by a high pitch squeal.
Unfortunately I failed both dad points ( by taking a photo first) and photographer points ( by not taking the photo at the point that he was hanging over the barbed wire fence suspended by his stomach. Alas I was too late for the perfect picture.
Thank god his mum was looking the other way..
More South Wales off piste today, Risca, Wyllie bike parking and Mynyddylan Black. OTB due to pedal strike and it’s a long way over the front of a Geometron on a 40% gradient, only damage bent saddle and broken sunglasses.




https://strava.app.link/Pi7IWASoIgb
As promised, rode King Afred’s Way this weekend.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPjUMoMHZBh/
Edit: didn’t Instagram links used to auto-embed?
Did the Gap route in try Brecon Beacons today, but with a twist: I started from Cardiff! 82 miles in total and it was HOT all day so got through over 9 litres of water! Oh and two ice creams from the cafe in Talybont.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/8PBRvWLJ/20210531-123354.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/8PBRvWLJ/20210531-123354.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/VkfjW6F7/20210531-160553.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/VkfjW6F7/20210531-160553.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/d1ydVTq0/20210531-125756.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/d1ydVTq0/20210531-125756.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://postimg.cc/F1W1Z99q ]
It may look cool under the trees but it was still toasty!
The local Merthyr graffiti artists think it's all good fun though.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/hvnJ4yyC/20210531-110847.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/hvnJ4yyC/20210531-110847.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Even did a good deed for the day, helping a lady get her chain back together after it snapped and the chain tool she'd borrowed from another rider had made a mess of it further. Got her on her way with a limited set of gears but that was 10x better than a mixture of scooting, rolling and walking for her to get home!
Downside though was a lot of the new E-bike warriors seem to have found the riding outside of the trail centres and have no idea of courtousy around other users, including other riders. I'm sure they'll be made to see the error of their ways soon enough but it was a bit if a dampener to see it so much.

davros
Welcome back @colournoise. Weirdly I just realised I hadn’t seen any of your pictures for ages and then you appeared! Good luck with your recovery.
Cheers!
Great to be back on two wheels (however slowly).
But...
Just seem to be getting over whatever the weird swelly, painful foot thing is and my knee on the same leg goes all stiff, puffy and weak today. My body hates me and my doctor doesn't seem to be that bothered...
A couple of gentle rides as shoulder still sore from a few weeks back.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/gcS5fby9/Bay.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/gcS5fby9/Bay.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/cHD9yfn7/Swan-1.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/cHD9yfn7/Swan-1.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/0jFVrxZb/Martello.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/0jFVrxZb/Martello.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/J0fQMx4X/Kview.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/J0fQMx4X/Kview.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Monty - nice to see my old office in your St Peter's Square pic.
Here's one from Borrowdale on Saturday...

Still no Insta embedding, I notice.
Did the Staveley three passes route yesterday.
The hike-a-bike up Nan Bield pass was fun in the heat 🥵

Took the eldest to Pines for a ride on the Saturday. The trails were about perfect, not too dry or wet.
Local on the Sunday morning and they we were similar. (No pics for that)



[url= https://i.postimg.cc/nC46z1fB/IMG-20210530-154609.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/nC46z1fB/IMG-20210530-154609.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/N5q3BzSQ/IMG-20210601-211850.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/N5q3BzSQ/IMG-20210601-211850.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
some amazing photos on here. Unfortunately I can't add to it. I just fancied an XC pootle on sunday so thought I'd do a 30 mile loop round barden moor, Dales. I've never done a 5 hour loop before, over hilly terrain, with hardly any decent descending (welcome to the southern dales). The best bit was going east on barden moor and I missed the foresty descent into bolton abbey, ended up at the campsite.
then an absolute tonne of admittedly lovely road riding around appletreewick but not great MTB. The photo is taken at the top of Weets Top and I'd never done the Hetton BW before but that was good for a bit then managed to go more up hill.
It was like I was stuck in an Escher drawing, with tonnes of ascending to get to the foot of another ascent and then so on, then back to the start
PMBA Enduro at Graythwaite this weekend. Had a cracking time, my first enduro and definitely threw myself in at the deep-end!
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/BnP1nCnv/4-CEB6895-6969-4012-AF90-2-B5-ABD47-A6-F0.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/BnP1nCnv/4-CEB6895-6969-4012-AF90-2-B5-ABD47-A6-F0.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/vTm4FrKb/80-F165-D4-4-DF2-47-F9-AFF3-5-C51-D917-BEBD.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/vTm4FrKb/80-F165-D4-4-DF2-47-F9-AFF3-5-C51-D917-BEBD.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/DwRLrMMs/A8-B04978-A3-C8-4203-869-F-8-B991-F0-F3-F8-F.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/DwRLrMMs/A8-B04978-A3-C8-4203-869-F-8-B991-F0-F3-F8-F.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/fbxtxTXn/D5620561-A542-4028-B172-E868-ED09-E7-CC.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/fbxtxTXn/D5620561-A542-4028-B172-E868-ED09-E7-CC.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/DyZXthVL/F0361-D21-A466-4414-A9-D5-668-B581-CEFF7.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/DyZXthVL/F0361-D21-A466-4414-A9-D5-668-B581-CEFF7.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/4dPYSLBW/F185-C1-E7-EE6-F-43-C0-BB25-8115-C5-CFE649.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/4dPYSLBW/F185-C1-E7-EE6-F-43-C0-BB25-8115-C5-CFE649.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

Mellow rambling round Surrey near Farnham (and some fun stuff last Thursday too).
Yes, don't know if its a smile because she's on her bike or a grimace from the pain of the knee injury 🤔
Cracking shot though
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/R0rwkQKS/20210531-130828.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/R0rwkQKS/20210531-130828.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Fine bank holiday run around some local woods.
@ready Coffee stop at Orford?
Tower W in your last photo is £2500 a week or more to hire. It's very nice inside and the patio area at the top is well engineered to keep the draft out.
Another beautiful day here in Aberdeen yesterday so after work I did 30 miles along the old Deeside railway line to Drumoak and back. Also discovered a forest I'd never been to before so did a quick loop.






@sandwich - didn't quite make it up that far, spent too long looking around the pillboxes and old radar buildings 🙂
That Martello tower is lovely, and pretty much fully booked for the next 2 years - at nearly £5k a week!! 😲
EDIT - £5k for Xmas week, only £3295 for other times....
£5k a week! Prices have risen somewhat since last year.
Don’t recall seeing you out there but we were on a very similar schedule to you. That weather on the Ridgeway came out of nowhere! Feel ok yesterday and even got a gentle recovery ride in but feel like I’ve been hit by a train this morning. Am thinking about doing it again on my SS later in the summer.















