No, not 50 miles (it was only 33), but I'm now a half-centenarian!!

Not as many outings with Stretch this year, weather, kids, work and everything else getting in the way, but good to get out for a lunch-time blast and some escapism from work, with my cycling buddy.

Another cracking day weather-wise. Not out as early as I'd have liked, but 60 miles in Northumberland (97km). good pace (for me!). As usual, down to Tynemouth, up the coast to Blyth then inland through Cramlington and out the other side, past Northumberlandia, hook right at Berwick Hill and again at Kirkley Hall, through Ogle and Whalton (i'm not making these places up, you can check!), Bolam Lakes and before heading through Belsay, a little detour to some hamlet with a familiar name.....
Home is through Belsay and the long drag back down to Ponteland, left before the airport through Prestwick and Dinnington, then through Newcastle Great Park (i.e. what once was Green Belt), Gosforth Park, Killingworth, Backworth and the home leg. 
And that concludes today's geography bit.

Bradford's Law of Wind:
1. It will blow in all directions at once
2. A tailwind is a mythical thing, not experienced by anyone living
3. Battling into a headwind, knowing you're returning to base in a loop will NOT see you benefit from the Mythical tailwind mentioned in rule no. 2. The wind will either drop, or more likely, will have changed direction and you'll be into a headwind all the way back to base.
4. Introducing cunning by actually daring to plot your route so as to take account of wind direction, will ENRAGE the wind-gods and they shall strike-down upon you a headwind like you've never seen - you'd better learn how to cycle horizontally!

Right, now we've clarified the rules, I'm going to go to Yachting-School and learn how to tack. 

Despite it all, good to be out on the bike knowing it's more miles (42 actually), more training and a step (pedal-crank) closer to the Grand Canyon challenge, all for Brain Tumour Research.
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Absolutely ecstatic that Adam's consultant has given him the green-light to head out and take part in the challenge we both signed-up for way back in Dec 2015. As much as we knew it ought to be a case of her seeing it as a good thing, we didn't want to take it for granted. But, now it's game-on. 
I know Adam is delighted to have the support of Dr Lethbridge to go out and do the challenge, it's been a big goal in his recovery. 
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