Cold Sunday morning ride up to Hownsgill viaduct & Neccl Rd6 Gypsies Green Velodrome

Me and Angus decided to have a steady spin up to Hownsgill viaduct where there was a Baltic cold wind blowing so headed for Hownsgill café for a cuppa. Angus was starving so decided on a massive bacon butty! The return leg was the same as the outward leg, cold, cloudy and overcast. It was a rather dull ride and not that many people out n aboot. I took the Cannondale Slate Apex and Angus took the Cannondale Super x Hi mod. All in 31 miles but the lines were dry and easy going, no sprayed mud so less cleaning up when we got back in. Below are a few pics from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon.

Yesterday was Neccl Rd7 Round @ Gypsies Green Velodrome, South Shields. It was cracking weather, cracking conditions, cracking venue and cracking racing. We have uploaded a gallery on the Neccl Facebook page.

*TODAY* NECCL Super Saturday Winter Series Rd 7 - South Shields 3rd Dec

UPDATE - forecast is looking good, probably the driest race of the season, enjoy the sand followed by fish n chips. 
Round 7 of the NECCL takes place at Gypsies Green Velodrome - hosted by Gosforth Road Club. Weather permitting we'll use the banked velodrome track, have some stairs for you to run up and a spiral of doom!

If you are relying on satnav then you might be better to use NE33 3NG as it gets you closer.

Parking will be in the carpark by the Sand Dancer pub. Please DO NOT TRY AND PARK IN THE STADIUM GROUNDS as there is limited space and I want to separate traffic and people.

Usual timings and prices

12:00 under 12s @ £1.00

12:30 under 16s @ £3.00

13:30 Senior/Vets/Junior/Ladies
@ £7 for TLI Members or £13 for Non TLI Members.

Local winter walk in the sun around Low Shincliffe area

The winter sun is still blazing away so time for a winter walk this time. We did a nearly 4 mile loop around Low Shincliffe area taking in plenty of footpaths and bridleways. The path through the woods and some edges of the fields and getting ankle deep in clarts but cannot complain. We ended up in the coffee shop in the garden centre when we were finished for a cuppa and scone. Below are a couple of pics, enjoy and hopefully more soon.

I went flat on my arse / side after I took this pic, what a laugh

Cuppa time

1st of Dec and the sun is blazing away on the Slate Apex

What a complete opposite today compared to Tuesday morning, the Garmin was reading nearly 12 degrees, that is 17 degrees warmer than two days ago. The winter sun was also shinning away so time to make the most of it and get some steady fitness miles in. I took the Slate semi monster cross out and what a difference the bigger tyre on the front makes on the off road sections. I had put just less than 50psi in but that can be dropped down as it felt too hard. I did not notice that much more drag on the tarmac linking sections either.
I also must have found the most muddiest section of bridleway in Durham area, it was real sticky and clogged the tyres up a treat and it was up hill and in to a head wind, good one to test the lungs / chest out! Below are a few sunny and shady pics, enjoy and hopefully more soon -