I usually write a short account of any cycling trip that I take, but not usually for day-rides. However, my friend, Jim Solan, who accompanied me on this ride up Britain’s highest paved road. So below, is Jim’s account of that ride on 13th August 2019. (Jim’s a better writer than me, so I hope […]
Monday 5th August 2019 This trip was hatched after reading a book which described the development of the Experimental Aircraft Programme (the EAP) which was built in Lancashire in the early 80s. The aircraft first flew on 8th August 1986, the same day that I was interviewed for a job at British Aerospace where the […]
Monday 8th July 2019 Jim picked me up at 5.50 this morning to drive to Newark where Des and Phil were arriving by train. We took a few minutes to find our way out of town but once underway, we had three very good cycling days, with only an hour of heavy rain (and about […]
Monday 1st July 2019 Any day when it doesn’t rain is a good cycling day. Except, perhaps, when you need to head in a specific direction into a fierce headwind. Today, for instance. I was aiming for Liverpool via Southport and then down the coast, but a 25mph Westerly was doing all it could to […]
Monday 3rd June 2019 Lucky or what? Here I am again on my way back to Scotland for another cycling trip. For the past decade or so, I’ve taken part in a 3-day charity bike ride in Scotland which this year starts in Prestwick on Thursday and heads to Skye. Usually, I’d drive to Prestwick, […]
A cycling trip through the Outer Hebrides – May 2019 Day 1 – Saturday 11th May 2019 It’s a long way to Scotland, at least the bit we’re going to. Five hours in a car, then an (almost) 5 hour ferry crossing just to get to the start of the ride. But I’m sure it’ll be […]
Day 1 Monday 25th March 2019 – Brindle to Malaga My first attempt at international cycle touring has had a slow, but satisfying start. A total of three hours riding, 6 hours in an airport waiting for a delayed flight and 2.5 hours in the air. My biggest concern (that the bike would get trashed […]
This was my top year for cycling. I covered more miles than any other year, helped by a very long tour of the length of the River Rhine, plus several other shorter trips. Retirement’s great! Infographic recording my highest annual mileage Showing the routes I’ve cycled in 2019. This year’s local routes showing the Veloviewer […]
I used to become irritated by people who, once retired, rolled out the old cliché “I don’t know how I ever found time to work”. I am now trying my best not to be that person, although I can better understand why people say it. Yes, after 43 years in full time work, I retired […]
Tackling Tan Hill October 2018 Tuesday 23rd October 2018. I knew today would be a windy ride, but I seriously underestimated the strength of the gale (correct word) while climbing Tan Hill. Starting from Kirkby Stephen, I enjoyed the initial climb of Lamps Moss out of Nateby with a 20 mph tail wind and the ride […]