A great way to end a good day

We had a good day yesterday. The morning was relaxed (still on leave) and in the afternoon we went to Chester and had a posh afternoon tea at the Grosvenor Hotel as a treat for C. (she got an excellent school report).

When we got home I went out as it was such a nice evening. The route was a slight variation on one I have done before (here). Enough of a challenge to let me know I have had a good ride and short enough to get round in less that an hour. The views are great, especially just up from Bodfari where you can see over the Vale and all the way to the Great Orme.




JoD

Great discovery.

What a great day it was today. Wall to wall sunshine so we got as much as possible done in the morning which left me time to go out for a ride this afternoon. I took off to Llandyrnog and the Rhewl -  a ride I have done before and is mapped here. When I got to Rhewl I looked at the footpath sign for Bontuchel and thought "I wonder where this goes?".





The path was a scenic route to Bontuchel called Lady Bagot's Drive. It follows the Afon Clwydog for a few km along a wooded valley and a gentle climb to Bontuchel. It rejoins made roads just outside the village and then there is a climb out again before heading down hill to Ruthin. The final section is a slog back to Denbigh on the A525 - not really a climb, just undulations. Altogether a good outing and surprisingly easy after a week without the bike in Devon.

I'm going to start taking a camera to snap some of the scenery.

JoD

Back from holiday...

We have been away to Devon for a week. It was mostly wet but we made the best of it and managed to get a couple of afternoons on the beach in the sun. There is a lot to see and do in the county but not when a fair proportion of the Atlantic Ocean is coming out of the sky. We did see a chap with some wood, a hammer and nails looking for a hill to build a boat on.


I did not take the bike so I am suffering from withdrawal symptoms from riding and not having the chance to watch Le Tour. Oh well I can catch up as I have recorded all the highlights for the last week.

JoD

Wind and rain!

After a day at work during which I was sorely challenged by the trials and tribulations of the human condition I needed to get out on the bike and take it all out on local roads.

I have found that cycling is a great stress reliever. If things with work were different (not having to cover half of Wales, the distance - almost 30km, no facilities for a shower or wash) I would commute on the bike every day.

Anyway I took off into the Vale of Clwyd and did this circuit: -





It was fine when I set out. By the time I got to Llandyrnog it had begun to rain. By Llanynys it was chucking it down. As I turned back toward home the wind had picked up and I was now riding into rain and a stiff breeze! By the time I got home the rain had stopped (or I had ridden out of it) and the wind had pretty much dried me out!

I make no claims to badass status as I break so many of the Rules despite my efforts.

I got round the circuit in 50 minutes which I am pleased with. Stress very much busted!

JoD

Windy Saturday

Yesterday was windy and there was a constant but unfulfilled threat of rain (Friday evening was very wet). After the usual weekend chores I took off on the crock on the Nantglyn route (see below) and extended it. I felt great after doing it even though I didn't manage it without stopping (Oxygen debt ya know! Definitely a rule 20 issue).

Here is the map:

Mapping routes

I have made a useful discovery in the website MapMyRide which is easier to use than Google Maps and also gives me data on climb and elevation as well as many other things.

I managed to get out yesterday after work and do what has become my fitness reference cycle at the moment - the climb up to Prion then back down to Ruthin Road at Pentre Llanrhaeadr and home. If I make it to Prion without stopping I am on form. It also spurs me on to train more to take on ambitious routes.





JoD

Saturday morning!

What a day.

We were awake at the crack of dawn (5am for K. and 5.40 for me) as, for some unknown reason the heating had come on and it took a while to sort out. Tried to go back to sleep and failed so after some tea I decided that it was a nice morning for a ride.

By 7.05 I was cycling up Vale Street to town and then heading out towards Nantglyn with the sun on my back. This is a quiet road so I was on my own pretty much the whole way.

The road to Nantglyn is not too challenging but once there I turned right to head up to Groes and back down. Aarrrgh! what a climb and a perfect demonstration of how much more work I need to do to get properly fit (Rules 5, 10 and 20 apply here). The bike doesn't help as it is heavy and not a road bike.

The map makes it look deceptively easy. It wasn't!

The Cat (JoD)