12th September the 'Macride' Stratford-upon-Avon

Got up early on a beautiful mild sunny day & headed to Stratford.
Met up with Tim & Toby & we set off on the 60+mile ride at 0845.
Toby's furthest distance before today was 35 miles & Tim's 50 miles. These landmark distances were celebrated along the way.
Lots of undulations & quite alot of climbing overall but some great fast flattish sections. Some terrific views of beautiful Warwickshire, and a couple of incursions onto Worcestershire!
An excellent pint was had in Long Marsden in the final run in.
A very enjoyable ride & well done to Tim & Toby for pushing out your records
67.94m 4h43m @ 14.4mph 3021ft climb
2010 total 1090m

5/9/10 1000miles target hit!!!

Spent day at warwick Castle watching jousting & falconry. Dopey & falling asleep on the way back so I thought the best idea would be to jump on 'Belle'
Strong Easterly so I headed.....east! To Islip then up the A road to Brigstock & back via Grafton Underwood (very pretty village - see pic above)
Knocked off the 2.8 miles to hit the 1000 miles target. Hopefully next year it'll be months earlier with the L2P & training.
23.02m 1h21m9s @ 17mph! 922ft climb
Tim 'voices' Tom Taylor has been making terrific progress on his independant LEJOG trip & should've made it to Dunnet Head & JOG today - WELL DONE MATE - just had txt confirming they've made it!!
And he conquered the Lizard on day one (wish I'd done that last year) on his incredible 150 mile day one (see his blog - link to the R)
The LEJOG 2010 group will tonight be in Carlisle!. I remember the crappy Hotel & filling up on starch big time in the pub over the road - Chips & tacos galore!!.
The forecast is for a stiff SE wind so their trip up to Kilmarnock should be, in Tim's words, Z-O-O-M-Y!!! At this stage the fitness has built up & the stunning scenery ahead is a massive boost - I wish I was with them.
Link to see where they are - http://www.instamapper.com/ext?key=126996172522981532
Michiel has got his cannondale & pencilled in LEJOG Sep 2012 (after he is 50y!) - I'm already looking forward to exploring the countryside up in his neck of the woods - Leicestershire!

30/8/10 quck spin

Bank Hol Mon am - had hoped to do a cycle to Nottingham, or Rugby & back!
But time was short so did Rothwell/Loddington circuit - windy & legs bit heavy so poor time.
Plan to do Macride with Toby & TimT 12th Sep
16.49m 1h2m8s @ 15.9mph 607ft climb
vert envious of the 32 riders who will today be heading to start LEJOG tomorrow...can it really be one whole year ago?
Michiel's on the verge of getting a bike...a cannondale I believe!
Total mileage 2010 => 997.2m nearly there

London to Paris July 2011

In recent months I have decided to do L2P again next year - originally with my third son, Luke. However he is not showing much enthusiasm for cycling (ie ZERO!) so I may be on my own - hopefully with the company of one or two friends.
The plan is to go with ActionMedicalResearch rather than DA as they offer 4 different routes, including one via Portsmouth/StMalo/Chartres which looks appealing.
Also they get all the 5 route groups to Paris For Sat 23rd July. That means we can all be in Paris to see the finale of the Tour de France the next day before shooting home on the Eurostar!
So I'm booking the leave & will see if any of my 'novice' cyclists friends want to join me, along with maybe 'non-novice' DooGood, who is now very experienced & just off on LEJOG again soon, this time with minimal support (see his blog)
Anyway it'll all increase my motivation to keep pedalling each week, especially as the temperature drops & daylight shortens...YUK!
Woke early on Sunday morning - beautiful blue sky & little wind after a blustery shitty saturday. I'm cross with myself that I couldn't be bothered to go out on a ride. My annual total stands at 981 miles & I could have polished off the 19 needed to hit 1000....Next time I WILL get up & out....

LEJOG 2010 - the lucky 32 set off on 31/8/10
Martin is one of them:-

http://martinsunshineride.blogspot.com/

15th & 11th August - Up round Corby...twice!

Still hoping to get under 2 hours round this undulating 34miles
Ride 1 had North wind & 1h3m to Deene - then hit 2 hrs as I entered Kettering just N of the Footy ground. Met bloke from Orlingbury - recognised he was the fella who 'helped' me with a slow puncture a few years back. One more pump he said...BANG!! Tyre blew! He's just done L2P with DA & is hoping to do the LEJOG - I told him he MUST... Talking og BANG just N of Pipwell my attention was taken off the road by 2 cyclists in the distance..siddenly I was in...and... out of a nasty pot hole (sharp stones at front end & VERY deep - see pic) - POPPPPFFFTTTT!!!! back tyre blown. Whel off tube out tube in wheel on...no how does this bleeding CO2 pump work then?? Sorted - back on the road & home in time for shower & straight to work!
Ride 2 Tim came over & we set off at 0800. Being a weekday morning the traffic slowed us down & even with a slight tail wind made Deene by 1h5m. Round the arse end of Corby it was busy until we got off onto the Pipwell Road. - Then a lovely run home - both of us feeling strong & perhaps wanting a few more miles
34.2m 2h6m
34.2m 2h15m

8/8/10 The Suffolk Coast

Did this ride in 2009 - stayed at the same 'Forest camping' site in the centre of Rendlesham Forest!
Knocked off the 8 miles to the start before the starters had started! So I carried on like the hare in a Greyhound Race before some slick 'Specialized' riders took me down. It felt great to be back on Belle but the saddle felt very hard!
I battled against a strong NW wind but was soon at Southwold Peir enjoying coffee & chips at 10am! Chatted to a fella who's off on a 1000k Barcelona to Monte carlo ride soon - would need smart gear for the casino!
71m @16mph

25/7-1/8/10 gran canaria fun

ever decreasing beach circles, Maspalonas lighthouse in background

Whilst out on holiday I hired a crappy squeaky wobbly mountain bike thing for some early morning rides.
These were mainly out & along the beach before it got too hot
Lots of sweat produced and about 70 miles done (which is the equivalent of 150m+ on lovely 'belle')
70 miles @ probably 9mph!