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After what was 6+ weeks of ice and snow, to have two rides without* has been lovely.
Local road totter with mrs_oab on Saturday early before the rain.
Carron Valley with the masses (car park overflowing) today, and although icy in places, nearly 10*c and sun felt lovely.
Local Barden Moor loop, still feeling rough, but, on the upside, have finally tracked down and sorted the annoying click that has been plaguing my bike for the last three months.
Well I went out today on the nice road bike- its first outing since just before Christmas- and there was only a stiff breeze in my face on the 8 km climb as opposed to a howling gale. So yes, maybe there is some hope!
Caton moor windmills then down to Glasson for some cheesy chips. Lovely.
Felt very spring-like on my ride today. Shorts and short-sleeved top and wasn't chilly at all. In fact it was really rather pleasant. Bit of a nagging headwind in the wrong places of course but can't complain
Fettled three bikes and cleaned the van before heading out local. Trails are still firm, flowing and surprisingly empty.
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What a difference a week makes
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First time out for me this year (road bike), done a lot on the exercise bike so wasn't too bad. Definitely warmer, I would normally have had few rides by now but between the ice and the wind it's been a no go so far. Felt positively spring like cleaning it this afternoon, even a bit of weak sunshine. Started to rain now which is forecast until Thursday.
manage a quick hour out (while the winds subsides) on the road bike, fingerless gloves and very white knees on display, just a base and jersy lovely 🙂
Couple of local 20 mile rides on the "summer" road bike that is sounding like a mucky winter may have killed the bottom bracket. Gave me my biggest mileage week of the year so far. 10°c and 3/4 bibs for the first time this year. Feeling fat and unfit but content.
"Winter" road bike ordered back in June potentially being built ready for collection later this week. We had better not have another freak dry March like last year 😂
First ride since injury in July.
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[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50966471527_d8d1a06750_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50966471527_d8d1a06750_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2kDJukH ]Bridge[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
managed a wee trip out to cathkin I struggled to get a parking space. People have no clue about social distancing.
More like trench foot!
Apparently 42mm tyres aren't considered wide
Had a great ride Saturday, but the night before, the dog pictured knocked my phone into the bath so no pictures.
Took him a nice paddle up the river today.
Then as payback for drowning my phone, I pushed him out on his own for a few hours so he could have a long hard think about what he'd done*
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*I didn't
All the snow is gone. There was less mud than I thought.
And post-covid max heart rate is slowly coming down.
I love local rides, especially in short sleeves.
Another hack around Rossendale on the Camino with a blast around the trails up by crown point then over to Bacup via the Deerplay.
I’m loving the bike and loving what felt like spring today.
As reflected by others, what a difference from last weekend.
Out on the summer road bike in shorts on Saturday! Was a nice change to freezing feet and hands on the winter bike...
Yep, short sleeves. Saw snowdrops and a waterfall which I didn't see any of all winter so yes it's spring.
Not riding, walking today, but despite being very overcast it was still and very mild. Lots of flowers coming out, there seem to be more snowdrops around every spring, there are lots of primroses out, and crocuses coming out. Saw something moving on a clump of snowdrops, and realised it was a bumblebee! Couldn’t get my phone out and close enough before it flew off to get a photo, sadly, but that, and the skylarks singing their heads off coming back across the fields, just put a more positive spin on things.
No riding no pictures but saw primroses out!
Have to challenge the Carron Valley trip there Matt. That's Falkirk council, isn't it? Not Stirling council. Hmmm.
Still, lovely ride with the Mrs on her new ebike yesterday and then a good wee Dunblane/BofA ride today with a friend who is recovering from a broken ankle from the snow and ice.
So nice to wear shorts and "not winter" boots. So much energy just from warmth and no ice. Here's hoping that the wee nippy allows us to travel to bike. I'm missing the rest of Scotland.
Have to challenge the Carron Valley trip there Matt. That’s Falkirk council, isn’t it? Not Stirling council. Hmmm
is it within 5 miles though? I can go to the kilpatricks as they are within 5 miles of the Glasgow boundary
Nice to see Stu riding again - fully mended?
Went out for a few hours xc mtb with Mrs. Surprisingly not too muddy and perfect temperature (especially thinking how cold it was just a week ago).
Bike route to trails goes past Blackburn crematorium - very sobering how many new graves were in the Muslim burial ground.
Nope. Not within 5 miles.
Nice to see Stu riding again – fully mended?
Not really sure Mick
Got another xray in a couple of weeks and still have some pain but I've just had enough of not riding so gave it a gentle shot.
Fingers crossed the xray will be good and riding will help get things going again.
Have to challenge the Carron Valley trip there Matt. That’s Falkirk council, isn’t it? Not Stirling council. Hmmm
You can split hairs if you like.
The roads to and car park fall within Stirling council area.
The trails are in North Lanarkshire.
The boundary then runs up the middle of the reservoir.
Having chosen to go there to get a depressed teenager, who hasn't seen friends or been on his bike since before Christmas, I couldn't care what you think about me riding a few hundred metres into a neighbouring authority at this point.
Edit:map here: https://mapit.mysociety.org/area/2610.html
@singlespeedstu thats a nice bike. What is it?
Still very much midwinter here, i always get a little jealous when people start mentioning spring in warmer places!
Its a custom Marino frame.
First ride on the gravel bike where it's not been bitterly cold and a complete mud bath. Also finally managed to shake off a vicious cold so all in all had a great time out. Probably best bike ride this side of Christmas, hopefully just the start of better things...