Road loop, through Neasham, Girsby, Eryholme and Dalton

Went on a road ride tonight with Andrew U. We met in the town, then went on a road loop, through Neasham, Girsby, Eryholme and Dalton; about 25 miles in around 3 hours. We took it pretty easy, as Andrew's not ridden much recently and I've a chesty cough as a result of all the hayfever recently. I was probably having a bit of an asthma attack too, which slows me down somewhat...

The weather wasn't bad; pleasantly cool, with constant drizzle.



The road from Neasham round to Girsby is gorgous, dead straight (it's a Roman road) and with trees planed along the edge, like a French boulevard. We were just saying what a fantastic place it must be to live, when a jet plane flew really low overhead, on its way to land at Durham Tees Valley Airport, which is just over the river. We could actually see the plane touch down and hear its engine pitch change.

The diversion we took off the A167 through Eryeholme was well worth it. A fantastic undulating road, with grass growing down the middle.

This could become a regular route; possibility of cutting short (via bridleway over Tees to Sockburn) or extending. Doable in two hours when not ill?

• Distance: 30 miles (including home-start and end-home)


• Surface: Road


• Weather: Cool but damp


• Time: Early evening, around 3 hours


• Bike: Inbred, with 2.25" tyres


• Comments: Felt good.

[Update] I've just used the cool gMaps Pedometer to map the route and calculate the distance. Seems like AndrewU needs to recalibrate his bike computer....

Internet gems

You have got to go and see Sweet Smelling Sweater Salad @ gemsweater.com. Make sure you click through for the full effect. Love the bored expression on her face.

Wise words

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Congratulations

Congratulations to my ikkle sister, who just found out she got a first class Honours degree. Way to go sis!

Here be pollen

I just had to cut short a mountain bike ride because of an extreme hayfever attack. My legs and arms and now both bright red and blotchy; the back of my throat is burning; my nose alternates between blocked and gushing; and my eyes are red and swollen. Note to self: don't ride offroad in pollen season...

I genuinely think I might have to sell my MTB and become a roadie! I don't drive, which means that I can only ride locally. My local trails are overgrown with nettles in summer, plus have the aforementioned polen, and are virtually impassable for a bit chunk of the winter. There's a very small window of decent riding available.

I see a road bike in my future.

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A blogging course

If I were to be running a blogging course, what could I include? The course is 12 hours on one weekend, six hours on Saturday and six on Sunday (i.e. four 3 hour sessions, with lunch breaks).