Early Sunday morning local road ride loop - Cannondale Synapse Neo 1

Saturday night I checked the forecast for this morning and it was looking ok. I pumped the tyres up, checked the lights and the bike was ready to roll. Sunday I was up and out by 7am and it was dark, windy but not too cold. The Garmin hovered around 4 to 5 degrees for the whole ride. I was planning on doing my normal local villages loop but took a detour on the outward leg from the Cock of the North to Coxhoe. The roads were quiet with only a few cars out and about early on. There was quite a few fellow cyclists out by the time I was heading back through Carville / Belmont way. The wind also picked up and the temperature felt colder. I had plenty layers on and my winter tights, winter boots, everything winter really. All in 35 miles, just under 2000ft of climbing and 2hrs 15mins in the saddle.
Once back home me and Jane had a spin up to Gilesgate to Tesco's for some shopping / look around, then over to the new Range and called in past Screwfix on the way back. Once back home it was on with outside jobs including washing and lubing the bike up. Picked up my mums car and washed / hoovered, cleaned and serviced it ready for its MOT next Saturday. After that it is going up for sale- Chevrolet Matiz SE 1.0, registered 29.1.2010, 9850 miles, full service history, one owner from new. Make me an offer if you are interested.
Below are a few snaps from the ride and a short video clip, enjoy and hopefully more soon -

 

A very muddy hike around Low / High Shincliffe area

Well I am totally sick of having a cold / man flue and had to get out and about this morning. My runny nose is starting to dry up, the sneezing has nearly stopped but still feel awful. We parked up at Low Shincliffe and me, Jane and Angus headed off on one of our normal loops. We knew it was going to be muddy and by god it was. Strawberry lane was ankle deep thick slop and hard going. The woods back to Low Shincliffe was also ankle deep and all along the riverside back to the Rose Tree pub was also slippy / sticky mud. The weather was mixed and sun even tried to come out once! All in 5.10 miles in 1hr 46 mins and only 300ft of climbing.
Below are a few snaps but looks like the camera was playing up. There is also a short video clip at the bottom of the blog. Enjoy and hopefully more soon -

 

 

Festive Period Catch Up inc new fresh goodies

Both the boys last days at works was last Friday, Jane finished Monday and I finished on Christmas Eve. Jane has everything Christmas related organised at our house! My mum had pre ordered the turkey from M&S so that was to collect and we all went around my sisters on Christmas day for dinner. I cooked the meats and she did the veg etc. What a day it was, I was shattered by mid afternoon and ready for a kip gone teatime! We all had a right old jolly time and was stuffed solid with food and drink by the time we left.
The next day I was bad a dog with man flue and had planned on going out on the bike for a Boxing Day spin but that did not happen so went to the toon instead. Bought a couple of things in the sale and abought of couple of things full price. It was no that busy really. Managed nothing all afternoon.
Today I don't feel that much better tbh and I am back to work but working from home and having an early finish. Below are a few festive snaps and some fresh goods below, enjoy and hopefully more soon -

 

Me and Angus also called in past Start Cycles at the toon - we had a look at the new Cannondale Supersix E bike. Not keen on the colours / lay out of paint / pattern. I also hate the aero head set spacers and normal stem at the top. Plenty tyre clearance though. Charging point is flat and near the bb = possible water ingress? The bike is also very unbalanced with the motor in the rear hub, I have not ridden a rear motor hub bike so cannot comment on how it performs. The Supersix is lighter than the Synapse Neo. Start Cycles also had some lovely looking and very expensive Scott road bikes in with no visible cables / hoses, very slick to say the least.

Cycle Surgery has also gone from Cotswold Outdoors upstairs, it is now Snow & Rock which have probably moved from the Metro Centre.

And to finish off a few new Fresh Goodies have landed -