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Showing an old mucker round some of Tweed Valleys trails again today.
2160 meters, 30 miles a small off and sunburn.
Lovely.
Show us your weekend adventures.
https://flic.kr/p/2p1HnDc
https://flic.kr/p/2p1KSmn
Quantocks yesterday, being retired every day is a weekend 👌 Herd of deer in the distance, can only make out 3 on the skyline the others were using the heather to good effect 😎
Ride finished with some juice of the apple 👍
Today was the first day of trying to regain my fitness back and shifting the belly I've gained since 2021. I've got at least the next 4 weeks free (between jobs) so it's all systems go!
Started with a Zone 2 ride to the north of Cardiff for a few hours today, legs are very sore now but was really good to get out and do more than a few miles.
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Was stupidly hot so had to stop and top up the fluids and salt levels halfway round!
Got the Wild Boar charity ride on Sunday in the FOD, signed up for the 35 miler but may just do the 24 one as it's meant to be boiling again and they've also had to do a diversion that adds 5 miles to all the routes.
I’ve been getting out every day on the local trails, mainly to hit the jumps area in the local woods where it is at least shaded. On top of any of the hills is a tad warm 🙂
Had the metal work removed from my elbow yesterday, so a little 4.5 mile trip to my storage unit to check some parts, gravel there and a little downhill single track home.
I cheated, this is from last weekend but I only got round to downloading the pics tonight. The bike is a rental. 
Last time I cycled in heat like this we were in Spain or southern France.
Today was 64km/800m climbing in 28*c on the Spey Way.
Tomorrow: Moray Coast to Findhorn and we're all deeply thankful for 4*c cooler and little climbing.
After a week of glorious weather and little riding I managed to get out for a recce of today's walk,managed to get up and down with only a few raindrops. Yesterday was a hard road/gravel ride to meet departed work "friends" for a catch up.
[url= https://i.ibb.co/zHZ3PtB/PXL-20230907-160642098-MP.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/zHZ3PtB/PXL-20230907-160642098-MP.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.ibb.co/KztZS1j/PXL-20230908-162737414-MP.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/KztZS1j/PXL-20230908-162737414-MP.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Dumont know who was chasing who, but summer was definitely there.
Friday Colsnaur with friends.
Inversion first thing but it cleared into an absolute roaster.
Stunning views, 550m of fast descent, finishing with ice-cream and a beer.
Dumyat on the ride to Jerrah
Dumyat and Lossburn from Colsnaur. Next: 550m of descent into Menstrie
High up in the Cairngorms in absolutely stunning conditions.
I headed straight to Braemar after finishing nightshift at 2.30am and managed a few hours of ‘almost’ sleep before heading out early before things got too hot.
I headed out from Invercauld up to Ben Avon, across to Beinn áBhuird via The Sneck, down to Glen Quoich and back to Invercauld.
A couple from my ride to and from work yesterday, it was hot, dry and dusty but the sun didn't make an appearance until I got home.
CDT, Monarch Pass
Friday morning, the best start to the weekend before work gets in the way for a few hours again. Early pedal on Salisbury Plain. Sunrise, many shades of mist and so lovely and cool.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53175596508_94baa45743_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53175596508_94baa45743_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2p1WQes ]IMG_1140[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/queenie2010/ ]Bindylou[/url], on Flickr
Cloudy but very hot and humid
Day 2: Mix of NCN1, Moray Coastal Way and our map following. Still officially a roaster. Annoying headwind. Superb iced milkshake powered finish.
Afternoon in the shade of the woods. Still so hot that some of the rocks were sweating!!? 🥵
Find my phone is handy sometimes. Apple pie and a cup of tea waiting when I got home
I gave my all on the Kielder Glorious Gravel event today.
killer climbs and spectacular down hills on some incredible gravel.
Sat outside a hotel in Corbridge, legs singing but a smile from ear to ear.
85km on the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire - Trail Break event, so able to top up on drink & snacks every hour or so.
Solo Jacobs Ladder route yesterday, absolutely fabulous. Hope the injured person on Jacobs is ok. Thought it was a biker, but the Buxton Mountain rescue page seems to indicate it was a walker - broken jaw in 2 places, perforated eardrum and teeth knocked out
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53175783711_99a3ebe6ea_6k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53175783711_99a3ebe6ea_6k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/u77nPhVcwr ]20230909_105736[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53176278268_e06651f0c4_4k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53176278268_e06651f0c4_4k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/304d21Y97Q ]20230909_115932[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53176278368_6531891667_4k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53176278368_6531891667_4k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/h92696J85H ]20230909_120519[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53176279078_cf68d6a1cf_4k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53176279078_cf68d6a1cf_4k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/yju50aMw74 ]20230909_125949[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr
Last Thursday in Wiltshire, every day's a weekend, this is the final descent back into Mere. Somehow the perspective makes it look like I am riding a very small bike! It was stupidly hot all day and even after consuming 2lt from the camelback, a full water bottle on the bike, 3 cups of tea, a large Mr Whippy and two cups of water at the Shearwater Cafe, I was still dehydrated!
Salida - "town" trails done really well
'Scattered showers' in the forecast. Biblical rain the reality. Started off really humid as well. Luckily we were able to hide in the cafe until the worst had passed. Then a quick refresher on how to ride wet roots!
Did the Wild Boar charity event in the FOD today, sadly solo as my usual riding buddy for the event is injured!
So spent the day getting overtaken by all the XC whippets and gravel bikes on the fire roads before the heavens opened and made everything slippy and sloppy. That was my cue for being a hooligan on all the descents and having to dodge other riders with lightly threaded tyres while they tried to walk down muddy slopes in clipless pedals!
Absolutely knackered now as my fitness is still crap but at least I earned the cup cake at the finishing line (on the headtube, obligatory end photo for me and my regular riding buddy).
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/rp00DrvD/PXL-20230910-122452871.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/rp00DrvD/PXL-20230910-122452871.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Saw a few bikes with plates still
on as I was riding home. They all
looked muddy!
Day 3 of 3 - Findhorn to Grantown on the Dava Way.
Started damp, rapidly improved, finished dry.
Biblical rain on the way home.
If anyone is looking for a really good 3 day tour on mainly quiet roads and gravel, this is great.
Pit stop at Benromach Distillery
Yes that is a skinsuit 50+ race missed the break but finished in the bunch with a sprint 
We spent the weekend at the Inter Regional (Triathlon) championships this weekend. Jnr 14yo, in his first formal year of Tri made a proud parent moment - qualifying through regional competition - even more proud by making the A final, despite only finishing second to last make him the 25th fastest age group triathlete in the UK. His time would have won the B final. A genuine dusty weekend for his first regional event.
He goes on now to train for a British Academy qualification, tough and interesting times ahead!
Leam bike park, while not officially open was full of people on bikes having a great time, from full on DH/Enduro rigs to balance bikes. Great to see it being used as intended despite the NIMBYs
https://flic.kr/p/2p2aXBU
Local woods were just brilliant today.
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. Loved the dava way, we stayed half way along it in October 2020 and must have cycled the length of it at least twice
Pic heavy...
I had fortuitously booked Thursday / Friday off work so went on a 2 day adventure across the lakes.
Started at home then rode to Leeds station for the train up, but changed in Carnforth. Here's the rig in all it's glory.
Started properly at Ulverston, Here's the first off road coming over Gawthwaite Land
Sweltering hot despite the cloud (which in the end I was glad of)
I had thought of maybe heading up to Walna Scar from Torver then down church beck, however time was a bit tight so I took the shore track for lunch beside Coniston Water
Proper Lakes style tech rocky off road starting near Elterwater. Had some crazy temperature gradients (baking/freezing/baking/freezing) just before this coming through Tilberthwaite quarries.
Langdale
On the way to Rossett Ghyll. The carry up it was horrendous in the heat
....but worth it. At the top at sprinkling tarn. Ready for arguably the best descent in the Lake District.
Halfway down, above Stockley Bridge
Went for a good long swim in Galeney Force (not me under the waterfall, but I did do that!)
Stayed in the Borrowdale YHA (which is ace - recommend!)
I needed a big tea
Early start the next morning. I'd thought about doing sections of the bash up to Keswick however I was too tight on time to be confident of making my train home. Also I'd had 1 or 2 too many beers in the YHA so had a bit of a fuzzy head. Road it is then for some easy miles. This is Borrowdale. Fantastic morning but already getting warm.
Push up from St Johns in the Vale quarries to Clough Head. This is a really good way up the Helvellyn range - even gradient grassy slope for most of it. No carrying needed.
Thankfully on the North West side so in the shade but I was already sweating buckets.
Along the ridge to Stybarrow Dodd, then down Sticks Pass and Seldom Seen
I thought I might have time to go down to Glenridding then do Ullswater Bridleway but it was too hot and I was too short on time, so I decided to take the Road to Pooley Bridge (where I ate 3 sandwiches).
Up out of Pooley Bridge towards Askham with the sun beating down. Felt a bit wobbly at this point!
Last view of the high fells
Then down the Grass to Askham
Askham is a really really lovely place if you've never visited.
Through the Lowther Estate - again really surprisingly lovely. Nice and shaded, all downhill on easy tracks and tarmac- just what I needed at this point!
After that various roads to Langwathby. Was a bit early for the train so sat in the River Eden for a bit to cool off.
Waiting for the train home on the very hot platform.
Also had a really nice chat to a roadie waiting for the same train who lives in Swaledale. Husband is in the MRT so we got chatting about Ard Rock and various other bike related stuff.
So that was Tursday and Friday. Yesterday I was faced with 8 hrs driving el_boufador v2.1 all the way down to Bath and back for Uni open day due to train strikes.
the sit down in the car did me good I felt surprisingly un-broken and managed a walk and a swim in the Avon (nr. Dundas Acquedut) while he was being shown around.
Quick local very chilled spin on the gravel bike this morning to make the most of the last drops of warm and sunny weather.
Legs felt OK really.
A bit cooler (but still a lovely temperature) in Leeds now. Clouded over but not really rained much yet at all.
Pic heavy...
I had fortuitously booked Thursday / Friday off work so went on a 2 day adventure across the lakes.
Started at home then rode to Leeds station for the train up, but changed in Carnforth. Here's the rig in all it's glory.
Started properly at Ulverston, Here's the first off road coming over Gawthwaite Land
Sweltering hot despite the cloud (which in the end I was glad of)
I had thought of maybe heading up to Walna Scar from Torver then down church beck, however time was a bit tight so I took the shore track for lunch beside Coniston Water
Proper Lakes style tech rocky off road starting near Elterwater. Had some crazy temperature gradients (baking/freezing/baking/freezing) just before this coming through Tilberthwaite quarries.
Langdale
On the way to Rossett Ghyll. The carry up it was horrendous in the heat
....but worth it. At the top at sprinkling tarn. Ready for arguably the best descent in the Lake District.
Halfway down, above Stockley Bridge
Went for a good long swim in Galeney Force (not me under the waterfall, but I did do that!)
Stayed in the Borrowdale YHA (which is ace - recommend!)
I needed a big tea
Early start the next morning. I'd thought about doing sections of the bash up to Keswick however I was too tight on time to be confident of making my train home. Also I'd had 1 or 2 too many beers in the YHA so had a bit of a fuzzy head. Road it is then for some easy miles. This is Borrowdale. Fantastic morning but already getting warm.
Push up from St Johns in the Vale quarries to Clough Head. This is a really good way up the Helvellyn range - even gradient grassy slope for most of it. No carrying needed.
Thankfully on the North West side so in the shade but I was already sweating buckets.
Along the ridge to Stybarrow Dodd, then down Sticks Pass and Seldom Seen
I thought I might have time to go down to Glenridding then do Ullswater Bridleway but it was too hot and I was too short on time, so I decided to take the Road to Pooley Bridge (where I ate 3 sandwiches).
Up out of Pooley Bridge towards Askham with the sun beating down. Felt a bit wobbly at this point!
Last view of the high fells
Then down the Grass to Askham
Askham is a really really lovely place if you've never visited.
Through the Lowther Estate - again really surprisingly lovely. Nice and shaded, all downhill on easy tracks and tarmac- just what I needed at this point!
After that various roads to Langwathby. Was a bit early for the train so sat in the River Eden for a bit to cool off.
Waiting for the train home on the very hot platform.
Also had a really nice chat to a roadie waiting for the same train who lives in Swaledale. Husband is in the MRT so we got chatting about Ard Rock and various other bike related stuff.
So that was Tursday and Friday. Yesterday I was faced with 8 hrs driving el_boufador v2.1 all the way down to Bath and back for Uni open day due to train strikes.
the sit down in the car did me good I felt surprisingly un-broken and managed a walk and a swim in the Avon (nr. Dundas Acqueduct) while he was being shown around.
Quick local very chilled spin on the gravel bike this morning to make the most of the last drops of warm and sunny weather.
Legs felt OK really.
A bit cooler (but still a lovely temperature) in Leeds now. Clouded over but not really rained much yet at all.
Solo Jacobs Ladder route yesterday, absolutely fabulous. Hope the injured person on Jacobs is ok. Thought it was a biker, but the Buxton Mountain rescue page seems to indicate it was a walker – broken jaw in 2 places, perforated eardrum and teeth knocked out
we went down jacobs on saturday morning (probably around 11-11:30am) , shortly after a bloke on a hardtail came off towards the top and bust his collarbone, possibly the same person you saw ? anyway the various onlookers had called mountain rescue by the time we got there. He was fast going up the hill from the hayfield side.
looks like 2 people had issues on saturday according to the BMR facebook page
it was call out 81 we saw
Had a long overdue return to the FoD. Managed to finally hit the "Staunton Slab" (if you know, you know) which has been in the back of my head for a long time.
Super hot weekend with great friends and pure feelgood vibes all around. Superb!
we went down jacobs on saturday morning (probably around 11-11:30am) , shortly after a bloke on a hardtail came off towards the top and bust his collarbone, possibly the same person you saw ? anyway the various onlookers had called mountain rescue by the time we got there. He was fast going up the hill from the hayfield side.
Yeah, will have been the same one.
Secret location in Spain,new bike day shakedown ride.
@rOcKeTdOg what's it like at Leamington? Been meaning to give it a go as a change from Northampton Bike Park, I live about halfway between the two. It looks like it might be more my level than Northampton at the minute, which has mostly bigger stuff that I would have happily ridden a few years ago but currently lacking the confidence!
Late entry (was off Monday so still counting as my weekend). Up to glentress to see if there's been much progress on the building work.
Desperately looking for one bit of that photo that's in focus - is it your gear cable? 😉