An hour...

I did the Warmington-camp lane-Edgehill-Wroxton-North Newington loop this morning & it's the 1st time out in over a week. Felt it a bit as I pushed myself but looking forward to getting out again soon.

16.5 miles

Try again...

As the coffee shop was closed for Easter the last time we rode out to it, Iain & I decided to do the route again. We had better weather this time & made good progress to Wyatts & back & even managed to get some photos in too.

Great time of year with summer to look forward to & a good Sunday morning ride all round.

36 miles completed.

Biking for the bank holiday...

I managed to get out on my BMX for a change on Saturday. Decided to hit up Spiceball park for an hour & hooked up with Greg & Chas, both of whom I hadn't seen in a while. Greg has become a father so congrats to him & welcome to the stress club dude ;-) He has dumped his free-coaster which is a bit disappointing as it's always good to see him doing his own thing going backwards. Chas has been sunning himself in Austin Tx for a few weeks & was still on a high from that. He went to the T1 ramps & met Joe Rich & lots of other (in)famous riders & by all accounts, had a RAD time there. His riding was looking good too with some nice X-up airs on the quarters & good style & flow indeed... As for myself, my bike felt alien as I hadn't ridden it for months & I didn't really make anything that got me stoked up but it was a nice hour in the saddle notheless.

So Sunday AM comes around & I'm hitting the Tarmac with my riding bud Iain D. He had a nice route planned for us but the weather deteriorated as we went along & soon we were all waterproofed up (cheers for the loan of the jacket dude). Got to Wyatts garden centre out near Rollright Stones but it was sadly closed for Easter! A bunch of other riders turned up (along with moter-bikers & lots of cars) so looks like Wyatt missed out on a stack of cash to scoff up his Easter eggs? fool...

The other riders were a good bunch & it's always nice to chat to like minded folk. Turns out one of them was Mick B, a friend of my dads whom I'd known all my life so it was real good to catch up with him again. After a good discussion about all manner of cycling, we went our separate ways & stopped for a choccy bar on the way back through Milcombe. I was still feeling good and climbed the last few hills well so I was more than pleased with our performance for the morning.

Got back in time for a Sunday roast too - yummy.

Cheers Iain, lets do it again soon dude ;-)

31 miles done.

Way ahead...

Odyssey have just released these fashionable coloured gyro cables!


& here's my ride from 2006


Keep up you fcukwits. Ha!

Afternoon in the Sun...

As the forecast for Thursday was rain, I figured I'd make the most of the dry spell & get a ride in. Wednesday afternoon was nice if a bit windy but I needed to stick some miles in as the week was slipping by. I've picked up a new mini pump which fits on the bottle bosses of the frame & so I got that fitted along with the new seat pack so I'm all puncture proof now.

Usual route through N Newington & on to Epwell & Sugarswell Lane to the top of Sunrising. There were lots of cyclists making the most of the nice weather & there was hardly a cloud in the sky as I got to Edge Hill Castle. I stopped to take in the views on Camp Lane & then made steady progress back up the Warwick Road. Saw Nick & some Banbury Stars riders doing a ride & I managed to fight through the rush hour traffic back home. Pleased with the new parts (pics to follow) & the bike is now pretty much how I want it. some creaking emanating from the cranks or possibly freewheel, so I will need to check that out & rectify soon.

18.5 miles done.

Family ride...

Went out with my wife & Daughter for a little loop around Hanwell fields but I left them for a trip of my own on the way back. I decided to push it as best I could & do the usual Horley, Hornton route TonyB & I do. Conditions were good & I made good progress but adain I was very tired post ride.

Still need to sort a pump out to compliment the seat pack & tubes I have!

15 miles completed.

1st ride from last week...

Bit slow on the uptake with updates here but I did some rides last week & the 1st one went as follows.

Decided to go through Hornton but the other way this time as I knew there was still no way I would be able to make the climb I failed last time. I went out my usual route through N-Newington & 5 ways & past Alkerton tip & on towards Sunrising on the Stratford Road. I turned off right on the Horley/Hornton Road & then sailed down the hill into Hornton village. There are 2 uphills one after the other coming out of Hornton towards Wroxton & I made it up both of them but felt quite tired by the time I got home with a strong dose of shoulder ache!

16 miles done.

+30...

I've been doing regular 20 mile rides without issue so I thought I'd try a longer ride today. Had a bit of an idea where I was heading but figured I'd see how I felt as I went & make desisions on destinations on the fly. On the Broughton Road I went out through Taddy & Swalcliffe & around the back of Epwell. Down that lovely big hill into Tysoe the views in the Sunshine were glorious & I almost forgot the oncoming BMW as I flew around the sweeping left hander going much too fast! I love Tysoe village, it has a great vibe & is full of history. You kind of feel like you have gone through a time warp riding through the village with all the old buildings & family butchers (with dogs waiting patiently outside) & other shops you don't really see anymore. Deciding against attempting Sunrising again, I carried on through Radway with nothing more than birdsong & fresh air to accompany my peddling rhythm. Following the perimeter of Temple Hardwyk's MOD base I made it onto the Warwick road & the joys of the national speed limit, regularly broken by motorists flying past me far to close for comfort. As soon as I could, I turned off to Avon Dassett & was glad to be away from the A road madness. I carried on towards Farnborough but I realised I hadn't been through Mollington for a long while so I headed back over the M40 & followed it's ceaseless drone until I got away up the hill into the village. Back onto the Southam Road it was a steady ride back to town & I went up Hanwell Fields estate to see if Ray was about. Once home I had a real feeling of accomplishment & couldn't wait to work out my mileage on gmaps!

31 miles done.

Short & sharp...

Had other things on this morning but wanted to do a quick ride so I really pushed it today! Went out past Tesco's & up the Southam Road to the Hanwell turn. Left, blitzing down the hill into & up through Hanwell then straight across the Warwick road & winding up to Wroxton & home again.

9 miles.