Go to Lidl today...

Lidl have cycling stuff in shops today.

I highly recommend going down to your local shop & grabbing a bargain. 

I have been down & bought a foot pump (which is amazing for £4.99) - I'm finally getting my tyres up to 100 PSI. 

I also bought a jacket - quite nice & a good fit - for £11.99 

Finally I bought a phone holder - it was £5.99 - I've seen them in cycling shops for at least double the Lidl price. It's a perfect fit for my iPhone 6. I use my RunKeeper and Strava & usually put the phone in the saddle bag but that makes me nervous that it'll fall out etc. 

It was very busy around the bike section this morning so go quickly!

Kimberley 

Is it always windy in Weardale?

I have become obsessed with the Met Office website. I can't stop thinking about/checking the wind speed forecast. I'm seeing wind direction diagrams in my sleep.

 

 

On Sunday I went out for a ride but turned back after Frosterley as I felt there was a genuine possibility that I was going to be blown into a field.

I monitored the weather and Tuesday didn't look too bad wind wise. It turned out to be a lovely sunny (and quite mild) day so my lovely boss allowed me to take a rare last minute afternoon off to get some cycling done! :)

Even though the wind speed & gusts were less than half that of Sunday it was STILL windy out there. I battled through anyway inspired by this quote from the Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett:

"She made herself stronger by fighting with the wind"

Fight I did and I made it back up to Saint John's Chapel :)

Another 27 miles in the bag, 113 miles this year so far. I am thinking I should invest in some proper clippy shoes since my foot slipped a few times on the up and down hills so I'm just going to get some and see what all the fuss is about.

Need to improve my game, was speaking to a cyclist in the pub on Friday night, he cycles every day, usually up into Bollihope/Hill End (!!) with his wife. They are both in their 70s and go on cycling holidays to Lanzarote every year. Inspiring stuff.

Kimberley

Germany get's it.

Just back from Frankfurt - hence the lack of posts.

I was out in the beautiful Rhein Valley wine growing area for work and had some time to kill in Frankfurt towards the end of the trip.

The first thing I noticed about cycling in Germany is that it seems to be more commonplace than here in the UK - I think that is the case in many European countries but I can't remember ever seeing staff inside airports getting around by bike! That's the first thing I saw on entering Frankfurt airport - a security guard going by on a bike (papped below).

Out in the Rhein there is plenty of opportunity for cycling. Wide paths running parallel to the Rhein, quiet (and beautifully surfaced unlike County Durham) country roads and little villages were calling my name as I rode by in a taxi.

Frankfurt was great though. First things first - the cycle paths were nice and wide and I did not see a single car or van parked or driving over them!

You may not be able to tell from these pictures but these paths were huge! Very jealous of Frankfurt's cyclists.

(I think this means go slowly as this was found in a busy city centre square) 

I would like to go back to Germany with my bike. I like that every thing is a bike rack too:

I would say that Antwerp is my favourite European cycling city - closely followed by Frankfurt however I'll need another trip and actually get on the bike to test it out to be sure! One thing's for sure, from what I've seen, Germany get's it.

Because of my trip I haven't been out on the bike for two weeks! I would go out today but am listening to the weather forecast (and the wind battering the house right now!) and there's no way I can go out in this weather (50mph gusts - not good!). Tomorrow is looking good though weather wise - wonder how far I can get :)