A longer 40 mile mainly gravel local ride in all weathers

 

I did not manage to get out on the bike yesterday so I checked the forecast for this morning and it was a mixed bag but made the effort and got my bike and kit ready last night. I was up and out by 6.30am and it was cool, overcast, cloudy, windy and damp. I was only just over a mile into the ride and there was some heavy rain drops but the wind kept the shower away. On the way over to Baxters farm the sun was trying to get out so things were looking up and so was the temperature. The lines were damp and with silty mud from the flash flooding / storms from yesterday and last night. No more dust this morning! It was lovely and quiet along the old railway to Bishop Auckland. At Willington the heavens tried to open again so I had 5 minutes under the shelter of the library canopy. My new Attacus gilet is shower proof as the rain was beading on the top of the material and so is my new Assos arm warmers, the rain drops were running off them as well. Once at Bishop the sun was out again and I had a tailwind. Through the town and out to pick up the old railway line to Spenny. No rain along this stretch and it was still quiet. It was a quick blast through Spenny and onto Tudhoe Village, Croxdale, Croxdale Estate, Bowburn, around Maiden Castle, The Trod then around the river banks of Durham. The last leg was my normal uphill all the way to Frankland, The Sands and back home through Newton Hall. All in it was 40 miles on the nose with 1900ft of climbing in 3hours 5minutes. It was a lovely steady away ride enjoying the fresh air. Below are a few pics from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

New Assos arm warmers keeping my arm lovely and warm

New sign gone up

Not the warmest of starts

New Attacus gilet performing well in the mixed weather

Sun came out whilst I was crossing the viaduct

Puddle of doom next to the A1M, not as deep today thank god

Students all going home very soon! 

On the way to Frankland and it was warm

so time to take my arm warmers off