Festive Family Tour

With the acquisition of the Yeti back in April, I've been able to carry my bike with me on many an adventure and this year's festive family tour was no exception.

After celebrating Christmas in Milton Keynes, my sister and I decided to take a late Boxing Day spin just as the heavens opened! Sticking to the Red Way cycle paths, my sister on her mountain bike and I on my Roubaix, rode 5 miles out to Melbourne. The plan was then to cross over to Loughton and complete a circuit via a northern loop of the lakes, however, with the route unclear, darkness rapidly falling and only one of us having lights, we had little option other than to make our return along the outward path. Icy sleet and rain drove into our faces and froze my fingers numb, I've not been so cold in some time!



From Milton Keynes, we headed over to Norwich. By the Sunday, the weather had remarkably cleared following my earlier wintery ride out with my sister, such that I was able to head out on a longer ride with my brother-in-law.

It felt a little bit unfair, however, with my brother-in-law both unaccustomed to cycling and having to ride his classic Sun GT10 Tourer while I was on my tried and tested carbon Roubaix! We, however, took our time and completed a very respectable 20 miles, 2x our last ride together back in 2013 and enjoyed both fabulous weather and scenery. The Roubaix even coped well on the muddy "cycle path" following the old railway line, although it had picked up so much mud and debris that shifting between cogs became a little troublesome and a worrying grating noise from the running gear accompanied us on our return journey .. a deep clean will be required on our return to Seaton!

Day 258 - A Different View

I am away from Devon this week, taking some much needed R&R in Norfolk. Unfortunately, until my new Yeti arrives in April next year, there is no space on my travels for my bike. Unexpectedly, however, I was able to borrow a heavy old mountain bike for an hour's circuit of one of Norwich's leafy suburbs.

Before heading out, there was first a need to repair a persistent puncture to the rear and replace the tyre which was lacking any central tread pattern. Norwich has a large number of cycle shops but it was John Borwell Cycles that won the business and what an impressive small and exclusive establishment John has. Hung on the back wall was a Pinarello race frame in the colours of the Sky Cycling Team for the princely sum of £4,500! Out the back, to the left side of the counter, was a workshop and on the other, an Aladdin's cave of quality accessories and clothing. If I were a local, I feel I would have been a regular. Tube and tyre purchased the fitting took just a few minutes .. practice is making perfect!

So, out and along the leafy lanes I cycled. This gave me a different view of the country by bike and, despite the lack of hills, a good workout too as I could neither change up to the larger ring nor build up much speed because of the chunky off road tyres. The weather was cold and damp but the autumn colours and the big Norfolk sky made for a delightful ride. This is definitely a popular part of the country for cyclists as I passed quite a few out for a late morning constitutional. I'm looking forward to exploring more of our beautiful country next year, once I've a means of taking my bike(s) on the road.