Another outing in the morning before the day's heat reached its peak. Still around 28 deg though. Ventured inland today away from the coast. Almost 1,900ft of climbing.

Worked out between 25-40mph have a nice cooling breeze, but sadly that pace could not be maintained unless Gravity was assisting!!

Pleased with today's ride though, 35miles / 57kms

Adios Amigos

After the disappointing outing last week in France, the long-awaited French Revolution sportive (struggled to get round the "standard" course of just 59 miles rather than the intended "epic", due to food-poisoning), I'm now enjoying a change of scenery and climate from the usual windy North-East, replacing Cullercoats with Cala Millor, Mallorca.

Hired road-bike for a few days, for early morning sorties, to keep the miles and the legs ticking-over - London to Paris III will SOON be here, and being earlier than the previous year's, I'm considerably down on mileage vs '13 & '14.

Temperatures in low 30's, so hoping it'll get me acclimatised for Death Valley too later in the year.

Last few outings have been taxing with strong winds - Saturday we thought better of it, after 16 miles 40-50mph gusts were too much.

Today a little better, although still blustery westerlies - i.e. headwind for us. At least we'll have a good tailwind on the way home we thought. No such luck! Wind had eased as we headed east & home from Belsay, but with a few blustery squalls to sting the legs in the last 10 miles till home.

Good outing though, great weather apart from the wind, and Adam's first 50+ miler of the year. All set now for the "French Revilution" sportive in Calais next week.

After the first dozen rides to go easy on a recovering knee over the last month or so involving mainly flat coastal routes, I finally got out west back into Northumberland for the first time with my trusty riding partner.

A 42 mile sortie around Northumberland, one of our regular routes. Good to be back into the hills, and happy to report the knee was fine, although the hills confirm there is much work to be done (fitness!).

That beard isn't half going to create some drag!

An ambitious day, 52 miles - first 50+ of the year. Lovely day though. Up along the coast and then inland west to Belsay, down to Ponteland and back out to coast.

getting some more rides in to take it slow and steady on the knee. New routes at the coast may well be flat, but the bloody wind is making up for it!

Back on the bike and commencing training for this year's challenges.

Small rides to take it easy on the knee following the dislocation earlier in the year (not bike-related). Good to be back on it.