Work, Eroica, Work

26th June

Since the last Blog I seem to have been working! all the time the exception being the last weekend trip to the Eroica Brittania cycle festival in Bakewell in the Peak District. The link below gives a great flavour of the event with photos.

http://eroicabritannia.co.uk/

We headed up the motorway on Friday morning, calling in to see granddaughter on the way, then it was an hour queuing to get into the campsite with the campervan!! the camping field and the motorhome fields were very full.

My eldest Rich was working for the National Trust on their stand and as compensation was given a free entry to the event, the 100 mile  and 9000 ft of climbing ride on Sunday!!
The stand was very busy with lots of interest in riding the demo penny farthing bikes, fortunately no one fell off.
There were lots of interesting stand with a 'vintage theme' through out, many pre 1987 cycles and parts for sale, sometimes at ridiculous prices. Rich was riding his 1984 Claud Butler Brevet,but! one of his team was riding a 1948 Maclean with a 71 inch single speed freewheel, AND! he did it, resect to him.
I followed the ride in the van on Sunday, criss crossing the route to cheer them on all 3500 of them. The weather on Sunday was poor, particularly round the Edale and Mam Nick area, As I waited on Axe edge later it wasn't much better. Fortunately by the time the ride was circling the 'white peak' round the Ashbourne/Cromford end it was dryer, but windy.

It was a great ride, Rich did well with the gears he had, it was a tough route, but one that looks worth doing, perhaps next year [if I can convince my wife I need another bike!!]
We did manage a ride on Saturday up the Monsal Trail, a lovely ride especially through the tunnels, views were spectacular only 16 miles but good.

The rest of my time seems to have been spent on Bikeability around the schools in the county, at least the weather was good so managed to get a good tan!!
only a 26mile mile evening ride but managed to do it with an average speed of 16.2 mph, which was a good speed. Spinning only once this week.
Should have more time to get out now as I don't have any more work until October, but! we have the twins arriving in July.............. !