Weelton / Blackburn Roundtrip

8 Weeks to go!!!!!!

I went out this morn in the glorious sunshine, its still deceptively chilly!
South down A6, then across to Weelton, then off towards Blackburn, didnt have a route planned just made it up as i went along. Added plenty off hills too.

http://www.bikemap.net/route/910594

26 miles, out for 3hours, country lanes, max elevation 731 feet. total ascent 1785 feet.

 Also Ive scratched the lense of my camera with caving grit, not a happy bunny :(

a park near Blackburn

 

steep! near Mellor

 

view across Ribble Valley

Cheers
DB

Project Bike build.

Away from LEJOG for a min I've just finished my first project bike its for my son he wanted a fixed speed, so i searched high and low for a donor bike it had to be steel and Reynolds is the best eventually found a old Ribble with a 531 competition frame at the right price. I striped it all down resprayed it sold parts i didn't need, the only original parts are frame, forks ,saddle, stem, modolo brake caliper and one lever and bars which i turned over and chopped. total build time from start to finish 3 weeks and I'm really chuffed with it and rides like a dream, don't know whether i fancy doing LEJOG on it but it would be a challenge Mmmm!!.
Hope you like pics cheers Steve.

Latest Route images and wind maps

10 weeks to go!

bikemap full route image

Steve added the latest full route to bike map

http://www.bikemap.net/route/884701

route in mapsource

average wind direction june

average wind direction july

cropped route and elevation plan

 

Cheers

DB

The full route bottom to top!

Well here it is our full route, only ten weeks then where off started to get butterflies and thinking is everything sorted and booked. Just the train tickets to get on Saturday and get the bikes on the train but I'm sure it will be fine, Still got loads of time for training and sorting out what kit to take.


http://www.bikemap.net/route/884701

short and sweet

Happy Mothers Day!

Heres a link for my Caving pictures from yesterdays trip to the Yorkshire Dales -

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=284741&id=521651923&l=6c57a29b6b

 

 

 Just a quick ride today and a brief post, mostly cos I am going to the pub with the family!

 

Set off eight thirty, a quick 27 miles, I was creaking from yesterday, but after a warm up and about half an hour I was well into the ride! Couple of hours, by-passes and country lanes. Weve noticed we do seem to perform a u-turn on every ride? but i suppose noticing a wrong turn early is ok, cos your constantly on the move. 

 

10 weeks to go! yeah!

Cheers

DB

Parbold Hill, Rivington then Winter Hill!

11 weeks to go!

Steve and myself went out early doors today, we were on the road for 7am.
Here is the bikemap route - http://www.bikemap.net/route/871290 
Its a combination of a parbold hill ride i did the other week with the addition of Rivington and Winter Hill just to push ourselves training-wise.

We rode for a couple of hours and did 30miles straight off, Ulnes Walton, Mawdesley, Hilldale, over to Rivington. We got a sausage and egg butty with a pot of tea (£9.60), maybe this was a bad idea as straight from there we went up winter hill which is over 1000ft.

Stats: 50 miles, out for 5hours, max speed 38.6mph, total ascent 3300ft, max elev 1098ft. back home for lunch!

we stop in all the best places!

view towards Horwich, theres traffic lights at the bottom so you have to behave

view from halfway up winter hill

lovely

 

farnan matches

The descent of winter hill should have been quicker but it was straight into the wind which slowed us down a lot. Part of the hillside had been on fire overnight, it was still smouldering as we went past.

Good hard ride, hilly and windy up top (easterly).
Overall a really good ride (if you like that sort of thing!)

Cheers
DB
:)

new bike mods, and running a red light near Warrington (naughty)

 

 I have added front rack and panniers to my bike, 20litres, to spread the load between front and back. Previously when we did test weekend rides carrying full gear, the rear panniers were full with no extra room.
We had a slight bit of faffing fixing the rack onto the bike, because it wanted to use the same holes that the front mudguards use, but with a bit of Macgyver invention we got there in the end, (cheers Steve!)

Top Features of the LifeLine Alloy Front Rack

• Laser etched logo
• 10.2mm tubing
• Max weight: 10KG
• Powder Coating Matt Black

Constructed from 10.2mm hollow tubes

 http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-alloy-front-rack/

Top Features of the Carradice CarraDry Universal / Front Panniers (pair)

• Carradice C-system pannier fittings for quick and secure fitting
• Welded seams for 100% waterproof protection against rain and road spray
• Made from 600 denier polyester and PVC nylon
• Easily sponged clean
• Can be used on the rear when the larger capacity rear pannier is not needed
• Hi-viz reflectives front and rear

Fantastic Value Waterproof front or rear panniers.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/carradice-carradry-universal-front-panniers-pair/


Time is ticking down, we are now only 12 weeks away from departure, whats all that about?!

I went for a ride saturday morning, hadnt planned a route, just set off down one of the A-roads nearby, we are gradually crossing off all the roads in every direction from home! Took the A49 south from Bamber Bridge heading towards Wigan, plenty of traffic. I ran out of food, mostly because I only took two choc bars. This was linked to the fact I only set out to ride further down the A49 than I had before. This changed when I saw roadsigns for Warrington, turned into a partial dare, I turned around about 8 miles from Warrington because I had had enough of the cars/fumes. I could have easily got there, gone much further too, could have stopped and bought food. But we are actually staying over in Warrington on the main LEJOG ride, we will do the town riding early in the day, not saturday morning shopping traffic. Also I spoke to another group of Lejog riders a while back and one of them got runover in Warrington so that put me off slightly...

I didnt take many pics, cos I was trying not to get run over. Actually took only 3 in total - See below! (not my best efforts....)

just noticed the tins of special brew doh! (theyre not mine)

a view

living dangerously?

I got through Wigan unscathed, pretty luckily cos I rode a red light at one point, (this is very bad i know) there are too many lights all in quick succession. Add in buses, impatient drivers, its not a route I am itching to do again! Its the first time I have noticed the car exhaust fumes getting to me. I turned around in Bryn, had done 20miles, so there was only the minor detail of riding 20 miles back home. The sun came out, makes such a difference having the sun on your back after the weather weve had recently. 08:30 till 12:30 home for lunch 40miles, nice.

Cheers
DB
:)