A cloudy day, but an improbably, uncomfortably warm one. I downed tools early with the intention of doing 40 or so.

Because the wind was blowing from the west, I thought I'd go up over Swarkestone Bridge and along the Beloved A Road for a bit. However I breezed past the turn for Coleorton and found myself going down Alton Hill on autopilot - as if I was doing a Twycrosser. But I wasn't. I didn't fancy tracking back up Alton Hill so I decided to press on, through Ashby and Ticknall and get to Swarkestone Bridge that way.

Unfortunately at the roundabout north of Ashby, I took the wrong turn. I've navigated that roundabout many times, but nearly always in the opposite direction. Undeterred, I made my way to Melbourne via Lount. My unintentional detour had added about 4 miles, but I wasn't short of time.

Remarkably, I picked up a bit of rain. For the life of me I couldn't see a cloud likely to be the culprit, but I did get rained on lightly for a few minutes. It was rather pleasant.



I did the A road as far as Hilton then turned back, but I decided to come back via Isley Walton to extend the ride a bit.

That really was a breeze, 47.13 miles but felt more like 35. So warm out there, actually a bit surreal to be doing a ride I associate more with the cold and dark in those conditions - and still have a couple of hours of daylight to spare.

A juvenile grouse (I think) ran out in front of me not long after I set off and I nearly collided with it. But it escaped from our encounter unscathed.

Mostly listened to Tory leadership fun on 5 Live and LBC.

296 miles this month, pleased with that because I'll have less time for cycling in the latter half of July.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7458422979

Thought I'd picked up a bit of gravel stuck to my tyre with molten tar today on the last bit of my ride. Got home and noticed there was a nail sticking out of the tyre. Good job it's tubeless as it sealed, otherwise I'd have been changing an inner tube at the side of the road.

Pulled out the nail and gave the cranks a good turn to spin the wheel and the sealant didn't seal it. Got rubber in my hair and all over a nice Celeste coloured bicycle. Well, it did about seal it eventually, but when I pumped it up to pressure it popped again. Now seeing if an Anchovy Fillet will deal with it. Swings and roundabouts on tubed vs Tubeless.

Thankfully the Anchovy fillet did its job and I didn't get my arse sprayed with warm white gunk

Yesterday we did the ' Clough's Lane Coombes Rd Loop - from Youlgreabe'.
Around 20 miles on a variety of surfaces. Included a stop at Druid Inn, Birchover; The Peacock, Rowsley and The Rutland Arms, Bakewell.
So, today should have been a rest day but a chance conversation at the campsite made me plan a route to find a couple of pubs we'd not visited before.
We headed out to Gt. Longstone via Ashford In The Water. Up to Longstone Edge and a stop at The Red Lion, Litton. Then on to Cressbrook and up to the Monsal Head Hotel. Sadly this place has seen better days. The nice little bar adjacent, The Stables, is now closed. A short cycle to The Packhorse at Little Longstone made up for our disappointment. Great little pub.
Finally, we dropped into The Bull's Head at Ashford and enjoyed a bottle of Rosé and a superb steak and ale pie.
A lovely supplementary ride before our planned route up to Curbar tomorrow.

Just returned from completing 'Gate view from Baslow Edge - Froggat'
Taking in Chatsworth, Baslow (Prince Of Wales - Thornbridge Green Mountain IPA - keg)), Baslow Edge, Curbar Edge, Curbar, Calver, Calver Peak, Rowland, Hassop, Great Longstone and Ashford in the Water (Bull's Head - Robinsons Dizzy Blonde - cask)).
22.3 miles in 3h 4min, 2425ft of climbing.
That's the last of our 'proper' rides for this trip. Might have a quick trip out to Youlgreave tomorrow for a picnic and a swim in the river.

Quote from: David L on July 15, 2022, 06:19:09 PMMight have a quick trip out to Youlgreave tomorrow for a picnic and a swim in the river.

Wye? Oh no, Bradford or Lathkill.

Ah'll get me coit...

Quote from: Nickslikk2112 on July 15, 2022, 06:24:26 PM

Quote from: David L on July 15, 2022, 06:19:09 PMMight have a quick trip out to Youlgreave tomorrow for a picnic and a swim in the river.

Wye? Oh no, Bradford or Lathkill.

Ah'll get me coit...

Bradford

https://peakdistrictkids.co.uk/youlgreave-swimming/

Quote from: David L on July 15, 2022, 06:30:49 PM

Quote from: Nickslikk2112 on July 15, 2022, 06:24:26 PM

Quote from: David L on July 15, 2022, 06:19:09 PMMight have a quick trip out to Youlgreave tomorrow for a picnic and a swim in the river.

Wye? Oh no, Bradford or Lathkill.

Ah'll get me coit...

Bradford

https://peakdistrictkids.co.uk/youlgreave-swimming/

But will there be watter in it? It's bin waarm an' Lathkill at least allers dries up, check before diving in

Quote from: Nickslikk2112 on July 15, 2022, 09:10:23 PM

Quote from: David L on July 15, 2022, 06:30:49 PM

Quote from: Nickslikk2112 on July 15, 2022, 06:24:26 PM

Quote from: David L on July 15, 2022, 06:19:09 PMMight have a quick trip out to Youlgreave tomorrow for a picnic and a swim in the river.

Wye? Oh no, Bradford or Lathkill.

Ah'll get me coit...

Bradford

https://peakdistrictkids.co.uk/youlgreave-swimming/

But will there be watter in it? It's bin waarm an' Lathkill at least allers dries up, check before diving in

Bombshell...every time

Rode out the short 3.5 miles to the wild swimming spot at Youlgreave.
(Luckily plenty of water in the river Bradford. Great few hours on the packed riverbank soaking up the sun)
That's our Peak Disrict cycling done...until we return to Hope for August bank holiday weekend (The Old Hall Hotel beerfest)
What a great trip!

I really must ride out further into the Peak, there's plenty of roads out there I haven't done and it would be nice to ride out to Macclesfield and back to do the Cat and Fiddle again, but COVID seems to have limited my horizons, although in today's warmth I didn't want to get to far from home in case I got heat stroke, but it wasn't that warm. Warm enough though.

Warm enough that I was limited to 50 miles as that's how long two bidons lasted me. Like the Queen I don't carry money with me so can't stop to buy anything, not that I actually go by anywhere I could have purchased anything anyway. Chesterfield may be a town of 100,000 people but you can soon get away from it all - a good thing most would say.

I did think I was the only cyclist out there this afternoon, but up on the tops there were one or two about, nice to have it a couple of degrees cooler and a bit of breeze.

Up to 491 miles for July now. Mrs S thinks I should stay indoors now for a few days, but you've got to make hay whilst the sun shines, be remiss of me to not do 21 miles tomorrow to get to 200 for the week.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7479621901

We love the mtb trails around these parts. Scenery is stunning, as are most of the pubs.
The climbs are challenging but nothing too scary or long - unless the surface makes it impossible to get any purchase. We have discussed changing cassettes to add a tooth or two. I had mine replaced last year and lost a tooth as the shop did not have a direct replacement.I think the wife would find life much easier too with a cassette more suited to the terrain in the peaks. Having said that, she's becoming something of a grimpeur!

I must be some sort of grimpeur - although I don't feel like one -as most of my best hill times are done on a bike with 52/36 chainrings and an 11-28 cassette. I'm not as quick on the Bianchi which has 50/34 chainrings and an 11-30 cassette, must be down to the Bianchi being a tad heavier than the Giant TCR.

Another warm one today. Think I'll stay in on Tuesday. 30C is manageable, but much above that is too much. After two hours what water was left in my bidons was just too warm to drink, I'd had them - half full - in the freezer before I went out, but they were soon ice free. Don't know how they cope in the TdF at 40C doing over 100 miles at 25 mph, even with sticking ice packs down their backs.

At least I've got to over 500 miles for July.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7485144072