Very hot midday ride in the sun

I was at work all day to day so Angus had a ride over and met up for a quick lunchtime ride. I had my Carbon Beargrease and he turned up with his Scott Addict cx! Yet again the cloud had burnt off and a blazing day of sun shine & high temperatures. The first climb was a killer as there was no shade, no breeze and facing straight into the sun. The second climb was mainly through the woods so plenty of shade but again sheltered from the breeze. Once we turned at the top to head back down we then got the breeze staright into our faces - lovely. I cooked myself on the climbs with Angus ripping my legs off on his cx bike on the inter linking road sections. Got my own back on the offroad downhill though. The ground conditions are bone dry & dusty at the mo with no sign of any rain either. Time for another day off work i think!  

Today meeting point

Here he comes on time

Top of the second climb

Not a good sight - red head, covered in dead fly things as well

Found this at the side of the road on the way back down, not sure what its about

SALSA 2015 FAT BIKES - Launch info

Salsa has just released their 2015 range of bikes inc all things fat. Loads of new models within the range inc their own versions of Surlys Moonlander. One Mukluk has Blutos, they have redone the alu version of the Beargrease. Full info and specs here but no UK £'s rrp yet. Below are a few pics of the 2015 fat range - enjoy !  

 

FArgo is not fat but this ti frame & carbon forks looks lovely

Local off road ride with the Kids - summer hol time

Lovely and overcast but still warm going to work this morning but come dinnertime back to normal - blazing sunshine and red hot. This afternoons ride was with the kids for a local muck around on some offroad tracks. On the way down to Durham we went Foresters Way direction and havent been in that wood & hillside for many years. The last time i went down it was overgrown and the stream had washed away alot of the tracks. Well the remains of the dual slalom course are still there and scamblers have been ripping in new singletrack and clearing old ones. The pond is still down at the bottom full of old car tyres etc! For you local old school mtbers you will remember this area as Cycleforce 2000 did a couple of MTB XC races there many years ago.  

 

Defo be detouring back in there again to test out the singletrack before autumn sets in. We ended up a Frankland water side for the rest of the short ride into Durham City Centre. The Market Place was busy so had a ride out to Houghall / Maiden Castle area then back in to Durham for ice creams then a cruise home via Crook Hall  / Frankland Farm / Low Newton then back through teh estate.
BLOG COMING SOON - SALSA 2015 FAT BIKE RELEASE

Coastal ride Pier to Pier - South Shields to Roker & back

Both me & Jane took a day off as the forecast was looking good and decided to head to the coast. We were @ South Shields for 8.30am and unloaded the bikes. We rode from South Shields Pier to Roker Pier & back. There was not a cloud in the sky and 19 degrees @ 9am with just a gentle breeze. We had a rest stop of the Bungalow cafe at Roker before the return leg back to the beach where we spent the rest of the day along with thousands of other people! the beach was packed and nice to see the local compaines making the most of the trade as its a long winter through there. Below are some photos from the ride enjoy -