Less travel than the redshift, but I find it effective, and it's well priced and much lighter. I just did the South Downs Way there and back with one and I had no hand or wrist pain.
Ascended the col Port de Balés in the Pyrenees and then scooted along the river plains in the Comminges area before going home (to the pool). Lovely day out with suitably leaden legs by the end of it.
Ascended the col Port de Balés in the Pyrenees and then scooted along the river plains in the Comminges area before going home (to the pool). Lovely day out with suitably leaden legs by the end of it.
After watching a Youtube video in which the presenter visited and explained the origins of Dead Man's Lane a bridleway near Beaminster Dorset I looked it up and decided it deserved a visit, even if it was several inches deep in mud at the time but that was filmed a few months ago and surely it would have dried up by now?
I planned a route taking in several small lanes I had not ridden before and a section of the Wessex Ridgeway across Lewesdon Hill along with a ride through the very picturesque village of Stoke Abbott the descent into which was through a very deep holloway, there is the site a Roman fort there but it was along a footpath and I did not fancy the walk, another day.
A rest stop at the entrance to Pilsdon Penn an ancient hill fort along the way, great views of the Marshwood Vale.
There were a couple of trees down along the Lewesdon Hill bridleway which required some portaging of the bike, I am not sure how the horse riders get on but a nice fairly gentle trail if you are in the area.
I was intrigued as to how a lane in West Dorset that is a holloway so presumably several hundred if not thousands of years old came to be named after a fruit that I would of thought almost unknown in this part of the world until recently, answers on a postcard please.
I never did get to ride Dean Man's Lane as it was still several inches deep in water and mud and I did not fancy a 20 odd mile ride home with wet feet but it was still a great day out with nearly 50 miles covered.
Very wet this morning which was most refreshing, I hate hot weather so the rain kept me cool.
Tried a route I had not done since I was a kid, took a BMX back then and remember we mostly just pushed them up the climbs. Quite steep and our bikes probably weighed more than us back then.
First half of the ride was alright even though it is all a long slow climb and I often do it but trying the new route I just didn't enjoy it (first time this has happened) just rough ground and boring with gates along the way (it is a bridleway). Then I decided to climb the mountain road as far as you can and I felt like turning round I was so bored with it all but stuck with it. The ride down was nice but it was so misty and there was traffic coming up so had to go slow. Glad I got out and the rain was nice but will choose one of my usual routes next time, still you need to try these things or not.
Nice but brief ride out on the Aylesbury arm of the Grand Union - only had a hour, next time I'll start earlier so I can get to Marsworth and have a pint. Towpath a mix of wide and flat near Aylesbury and significantly rougher bits as you get further out. Rare for the purple gravel machine to get a proper ride out and it coped very well, love riding on those wide comfy bars.
Nice but brief ride out on the Aylesbury arm of the Grand Union - only had a hour, next time I'll start earlier so I can get to Marsworth and have a pint. Towpath a mix of wide and flat near Aylesbury and significantly rougher bits as you get further out. Rare for the purple gravel machine to get a proper ride out and it coped very well, love riding on those wide comfy bars.View attachment 975362 View attachment 975363
