Lathkill Dale Peak District

I didn't do any cycling this weekend as we were up in the Peak District, and stayed overnight on Sat at Youlgrave. We did a 10 mile walk starting at Youlgrave over the fields to the top of Lathkill Dale and back. I also cycled to work 3 times last week.

Ride on the Hybrids

Nicky and I went for a ride yesterday via Long Marston, Cheddington, Slapton, Billington, Eaton Bray and Dagnall (fairly flat) then up and over Ashridge and home. We stopped for coffee in the sun at a conveniently placed bench near Slapton. I'm not sure of the mileage as I found I had a puncture or valve problem before we set off, so changed my inner tube, then put my front wheel round the wrong way - which meant that the magnet on the spokes was on the wrong side! At least I didn't have to cycle backwards. According to MapMyRide it was 23 miles though.

Nyctophobic Audax

I did my first ever 100 km audax yesterday from Chalfont St Peter to a cafe on the banks of the Thames at Benson (pictured) , and back via some quite tough hills and narrow country lanes in the Chilterns. It was a good day, and I found the pace about right (13.2 mph average). Some riders went quite a bit faster than me downhill, but my brakes aren't brilliant so I take it steady (I've since adjusted them to make them sharper). The weather stayed dry but was cool. There was quite a range of ages from 20s to 70s and a mixture of bikes from steel to carbon, some with luggage and mudguards - others carrying hardly anything. We spent around 5 hrs cycling - 6hrs in total, and I was glad I didn't do the 200km Anfractuous - which probably meant finishing after dark. Hence the name of the one I did I assume - nyctophobia being fear of the dark.

Map here http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Nyctophobic-2011

A Ride in the Sun

I did a 36 mile round trip to Chinnor and Towersey on Saturday in about 29 deg C heat. Had lunch on a park bench in Towersey - site of folk festival. It was a bit hot for cycling much further. I'd pumped my tyres up to 120 psi and found my hands seemed to suffer from tingling on the way back. I also had my mudguards on in preparation for next week's audax, and kept getting leaves and bits of grit between the guards and tyres. Maybe I should have bought clip-ons. I think I'll remove them after the audax.