A lovely warm & sunny spin upto Parkhead / Waskerley Way n back

 

The sun was out again and the temperature has gone up so time for a quick blast out on the Creo 2 again. It was simple out n back on the old railway line from Delves Lane to Parkhead cafe n back. There was a few others enjoying the lovely weather but not too busy. The line was bone dry the full length and could have took off my rear mud guard. I was over dressed as well with the Garmin over 13 degrees for most of the ride coming back down. There was a steady head wind on the last section going up but not too bad. Below are a few snaps from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon-  

Fresh Goods Sunday - Specialized Men's Packable Down Jacket (Black)

 

I noticed this jacket on the Specialized website in the sale and I thought that would come in handy for a jacket off the bike at that price. I took a couple of days to arrive at Infinity Cycles at Meadowfield. I have never worn this type of jacket for cycling so I did try it twice but on both occasions it was too warm for me. I have not worn it again on a bike ride but is on and off my back all the time for going out in. It is a thin "puffer" coat as I call it and keeps the cold off you when its a little nippy and windy outside. It has two front hand zipped pockets and a lovely big hood to keep your head warm. It also has two large pockets on the inside which have no zips on, I don't use them. There is a draw cord on the waist as well. There is only one logo on the outside which is the "S" but is the same colour as the jacket so you cannot see it. It also comes with a handy stuff sack. There was no way it was ever worth £195 full rrp that is why they probably ended up in the sale. At £90 inc delivery you can not go wrong and Angus even ordered one. 

RRP £195.00 and I paid £90.00 from Specialized UK Direct

Manufactures Blurb - 

Whether you’re waiting at the meetup spot or suiting up for the descent, our Men’s Packable Down Jacket is built for the coldest parts of the ride. ALLIED Feather + Down Fill and PrimaLoft® Bio™ combine to create lightweight insulation that keeps you warm when you need it to but packs small when it’s time to stow the cycling jacket in a jersey pocket. To help block the chill when temperatures drop, a roomy hood fits over your helmet to lock in the heat. The semi-form fit makes it easy to layer over your other cold weather gear.

• ALLIED Feather + Down Fill is blended with PrimaLoft® Bio™ to create a sustainable synthetic insulation that’s packable, lightweight, and warm.
• An over-the-helmet hood keeps your head protected from the elements.
• Fabric Content: SHELL A: 100% Nylon - FILL/INSULATION A: 90% Down, 10% White Goose Feather, 800 Fill Power - FILL/INSULATION B: 100% Polyester PCR with Bio Staple Cut Fibers, 100% Reycycled Content

Spin up the coast to South Shields from Sunderland - early morning sun and waves

 

What a week it has been, we have been dog sitting for Angus, it was fun but also very hard work when you are not used to looking after a dog all day every day! It has been busy at work and had a quite a few jobs to catch up on around the house as well. We had a run up to Middleton In Teesdale yesterday which was very pleasant. He was home this morning so no dog today = a bike a bike ride. I did not have anything planned so when I got up and looked out the window at the very wet roads from last nights rain I decided to have a drive through to Roker and have a ride up the coast for a change. I dropped onto the cycle route around Sunderland marina and went all the way up the coast north bound until I reached South Shields. It was cloudy, overcast and cold when I set off but the sun burnt through when I reached South Shields. This made the ride a lot more pleasant and on the plus side there was very little wind. There was loads of people out n about early doors along the full coastal section. Once I was at the top of Shields I dropped onto the road all the way back down to the Wearmouth bridge then back onto the cycle track past the glass centre and back to the marina. All in just under 20 enjoyable miles in 1hr 30mins with 500ft of climbing. Below are a few snaps the spin out, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

Back out in the dark and cold again with more frost and mist down in Durham City Centre

 

Another early morning ride and it was before sunrise. As I dropped down into Durham you feel the freezing mist in the air. Again the Garmin was hovering just above 0 degrees but there was no wind so did not feel as cold. It was lovely and quiet with hardly a sole kicking around early doors on the tracks n trails. It was one of my regular loops I done on my Trek Marlin+ e mtb hardtail. It has been a while since I have ridden the bike and felt like really hard work for some reason. All in just over 14 miles in 1hr 12mins with 700ft of climbing. Below are a few snaps from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

Lovely sunrise at 6.50am