Sunday morning local offroad ride on the Mason

I was late in getting out this morning but not to worry as I had a mainly chilled out off road local loop planned. I took the Mason with the 650c off road wheels fitted for some off road action. The first part was around the back way to Whitesmocks then around another back way to Baxters farm to join onto the old railway line. From there it was a straight forward run through Meadowfield, Brandon, Brancepth, Willington then Bishop Auckland. I then took the road out of Bishop and joined onto the next railway to Speenymoor. At the road crossing I turned left and did the loop through Spenny woods, over the little bridge and back out through the woods to come out at the other side of Tudhoe village. It was a quiet country lane to the back of Croxdale then rode the next set of woods to come out at Croxdale bridge / estate. Through the estate and out at Bowburn, then the back way to Low Shincliffe taking in more woods, Around Maiden Castle, into and out of Durham and the back way to Frankland then through the Sands and over the railway bridge and into Newton Hall then home. All in 36 miles in 3hrs and just under 2000ft of climbing. The weather was a mixed bag of cloud, overcast and sunny. There was no wind to start with but it picked up on the return leg for approx the last 10ish miles. The railways lines are mainly all bone dry but once onto the single track sections through the woods they are starting to dry up but still very muddy in places. The Mason did well but the tyres clogged a couple of times in the deeper / stickier mud sections. Once back home time to wash the bike and bleed / top up the brakes, the front lever was stating to come back to the bars. Enjoy a few photos below from the ride and hopefully more soon -

 

This weeks goodies that have landed on the door mat -