Today's Bike Ride

[Llani Boy]

Back on the Arkose on a cold day but with a beautiful blue sky and sunshine. Down into Bakewell then on to Stoney Middleton and Eyam before the climb up to todays TP at Sir William Hill. The last half mile on the bridleway was fun on fresh overnight snow which gave the cyclokings a good grip which could not have been said about the grip on my cycling boots for the last 100 yds on foot.

Along Eyam Edge to the Barrel and down to Great Hucklow, Foolow over the scratter to Monsal Head, Great Longstone, Ashford and up Crow Lane home. A total of 25 miles and 2,533feet in 2hrs 5 min.

No other cyclist seen and I wondered, again, as to whether I should be out. However I saw dozens of cars at "beauty spots" obviously people who deemed the drive an essential journey to be able to take exercise. At least I was doing it under my own steam, I thought, which made any guilt disappear.

And anyway, why would the Government allow cycle shops to stay open for sales and service if they did not want us to cycle!

[Graham Breeze]

No other cyclist seen and I wondered, again, as to whether I should be out. However I saw dozens of cars at "beauty spots" obviously people who deemed the drive an essential journey to be able to take exercise. At least I was doing it under my own steam, I thought, which made any guilt disappear.

And anyway, why would the Government allow cycle shops to stay open for sales and service if they did not want us to cycle!

I collected a reserved book from my local library today (one doesn't enter the library but collects the book in a named bag at the entry door). As the librarian said to me (from several metres away and behind a wall of perspex): people are being told to stay at home but yet libraries are open for people to collect books?

[molehill]

Our library is shut but they deliver all our books, it's great, we phone up and say can we have 20 crime books and a guy leaves them at the door in carrier bags and we give the old ones back.

We don't get to browse the shelves but they are doing ok so far, keeping us going through lockdowns 👍.

[Llani Boy]

Our library is shut but they deliver all our books, it's great, we phone up and say can we have 20 crime books .

Planning a heist Moley?

[Graham Breeze]

In view of the inclement weather I decided to eschew the Yorkshire high mountain passes for salted tarmac notwithstanding that the Cow & Calf looked almost delightfully Dolomite-ish in the sparkling, shimmering snow. The minus 2 degrees also suggested today was the day to break open the wrapper on my new dhb Extreme Winter Gloves which would serve one well in the Antarctic (with or without a bike) although perhaps less well in finding the right gear lever (not a problem with Campagnolo of course, just equipment from the Japanese fishing reel company). Still 34 miles were achieved following Mr brightside's formula that anything with a LS postcode counts as local area which includes Harewood and its House.

It is interesting that in Lockdown Mark 1 Leeds City Council closed all car parks serving leisure parks - resulting in visitors parking their cars on grass verges or the roads, thereby creating hazards. For Lockdown Mark 3 car parks have remained open and the good burghers of Leeds have responded by filling them.

An illustration that if one learns from experience one will be rewarded.

[Travs]

Harewood House being the venue for the National Cross Country a couple of years ago...

[MattPo]

In view of the inclement weather I decided to eschew the Yorkshire high mountain passes for salted tarmac notwithstanding that the Cow & Calf looked almost delightfully Dolomite-ish in the sparkling, shimmering snow. The minus 2 degrees also suggested today was the day to break open the wrapper on my new dhb Extreme Winter Gloves which would serve one well in the Antarctic (with or without a bike) although perhaps less well in finding the right gear lever (not a problem with Campagnolo of course, just equipment from the Japanese fishing reel company). Still 34 miles were achieved following Mr brightside's formula that anything with a LS postcode counts as local area which includes Harewood and its House.

It is interesting that in Lockdown Mark 1 Leeds City Council closed all car parks serving leisure parks - resulting in visitors parking their cars on grass verges or the roads, thereby creating hazards. For Lockdown Mark 3 car parks have remained open and the good burghers of Leeds have responded by filling them.

An illustration that if one learns from experience one will be rewarded.

Carparks may be open, but there were so many of then not travelling locally that East Chevin Road (Cote De Chevin) was blocked by people parking on the side of the road. Exercise from home people.

[Llani Boy]

A cold but bright day for todays bike ride on the Arkose which was an out and back to todays TP, situate the roadside on Grindon Moor over the border in Staffordshire. A total of 35 miles, 2,907 feet in 2hrs 38 min.

Cycloking tyres made for hard work on the tarmac but were handy for the copious amounts of cow shit on the roads. The farmers are muckspreading hell for leather at the moment around here as they can get on their frozen fields without wrecking them.

The roads very quiet and only one other cyclist seen, or rather two, on a tandem. Car parks at the beauty spots were open but very few cars in them, I suppose because they are a decent drive from major towns and cities.

The highlight of the day was seeing six Buzzards, five of which were perched on roadside trees, looking magnificent with their feathers fluffed up against the cold.

[Llani Boy]

A thoroughly wet, windy and cold day for todays ride on the Arkose. Tarmac for 5 miles up to Friden where I joined the High Peak Trail, which was like riding through porridge as the recent frost had broken up the surface, and followed it SE to just beyond Longcliffe. A left over a stile into OA land where half a mile of tough, uphill, cyclocross over rutted fields got me within 20 yards of todays TP at Harborough Rocks.

Back down to the trail and then I picked up a, new to me, bridleway which took me muddily to Grangemill. Back on tarmac, which was milky white from all the quarry lorries as was I from the spray, and up to Elton before a descent to Youlgreave via Gratton and past the farm that until recently operated a brothel! Along to Conksbury and up the hill home.

A total of 26 miles and 2,425 feet in a very sluggish 2hrs 31 mins.

[Graham Breeze]

First ride outside of the year, on the first day of the year when we've exceeded 4 degrees. Eight degrees C, with a stiff 15-20mph wind...

Shorts, and short sleeve top and high vis arm warmers. No gloves or shoe covers. Spotted eight other cyclists, but none of them were wearing shorts.

Ooh but you're 'ard.

I lived in Cannock when I was a child (son of a miner) but I must have got soft since I moved up north.