Only 145 Days To Go ………

….. until Cycle Challenge 2016 (aka Kielder Kaper)!

It’s the time of year when resolutions are made but often come to nought.



Admittedly, when the wind is blowing and the rain is lashing down, motivation to get on a bike and ride can be a problem. What we can do is consider options and make plans for the (not too distant) future.

Highlights 2015

It’s traditional at this time of year to look over the preceding twelve months and pick out the best moments. 2015 has been a good year for Seaton Sluice Backpedalers but what was the high spot? A picture is worth a thousand words.

A selection of photographs from 2015 can be viewed here  and a slide show of the photographs is also available.

 

2016 promises to be another interesting year, but more of that later.

Xmas Ride 2015

Following the success of last year's event, it was decided to have another Xmas Ride up to the Drift Cafe, Cresswell (one of our favourite venues) for a celebration meal.
The weather was far from seasonal, with a temperature of 15^oC and a 21 mph wind from the south west. Cycling with a brisk following wind makes life easy but there's always the worry about the return jouney into a head wind at the back of the mind.

Kielder Kaper

Planning for the Kielder Kaper, aka Cycle Challenge 2016, is now at an advanced stage. Riders have been recruited and accommodation booked so details of the route can now be revealed.

A major change is that next year’s route will start and finish at the Delaval Arms making organisation much easier. The event will take place over the weekend of May 28-30 2016 and involve cycling approximately 155 miles in the Northumbrian countryside. 

Day 1 – Delaval Arms to Bellingham.

Starting at the Delaval Arms, the route heads south on NCN 1 towards Tynemouth before joining the Reivers Route (NCN 10) at North Shields. We will stay on the Reivers all the way to Bellingham, a distance of 55 miles and climbing 2 355 feet along the way.

Friday Ride

Some of us are in the fortunate position of being able to go out on a bike ride at a moments notice. After three days of rain the weather cleared and the sun shone. A quick exchange of text messages was all that was needed to organise an impromptu ride for three Backpedalers. The weather was glorious.

There is a GoPro video of the ride:

 

Backpedalers On Tour–The Videos

Videos from cycling weekend in North Northumberland have been uploaded to Facebook but for those who prefer a different medium, they are being made available here.

Day 1
A 45 mile circular ride to Coldstream and back.

Backpedalers On Tour

Four Backpedalers were fortunate enough to spend three days in North Northumberland to hone their cycling skills by exploring some of the local cycle routes.

Day One

The day started with a frost but the sky was clear and the sun was shining and later on the temperature reached a maximum of 22 C – perfect for a bike ride.

The chosen destination was Coldstream so the route took us across to Kimmerston and Ford before crossing the A697 and heading towards Branxton and Flodden.

From Flodden the group made their way to Cornhill then on to Coldstream. After a break for refreshments at The Hirsel, it was back to Corhill, down to Howtel and Millfield and a brief stop at The Anchor Inn, Wooler before cycling home to Doddington.

The total distance cycled was 45 miles.

Spring Into Cycling

A few days ago it was the vernal equinox, the first day of Spring, and next weekend the clocks go forward one hour to signal the beginning of British Summer Time.

 It's official – winter is over, the days are getting longer and cycling is back on the agenda. More importantly, there are less than nine weeks to go before we do our Cycle Challenge 2015. It's time to get some time in the saddle and miles into our legs.
Sunday morning had a very wintery feel to it with temperatures below zero and frost on the ground. On the plus side the sky was clear and the sun was shining as a small group of Backpedalers set off for a ride to the Cycle Hub. The temperature rose to a comfortable 12C and conditions became ideal for cycling.

Return To The Hub

A trip to the Cycle Hub and back has been a regular Sunday favourite for quite a while but, for various reasons, hasn't featured recently. That was put right on Sunday morning when the weather forecast said the temperature would be 10C (reasonable), wind from the West at 14 mph (not bad) gusting to 30 mph (not good). When the wind is westerly the toughest part of the route is the section along the river from Tynemouth to North Shields and can be compared to cycling into a wind tunnel. The rest of the route provides some shelter apart from the occasional exposed section and there is always the expectation that the return journey will be wind-assisted. The total distance is about 32 miles.

Sunday 25th January 2015

After a frustrating start to 2015, with cycling plans being affected by strong winds, snow and ice, a warm, still day arrived which enabled five Backpedalers to get on their bikes and ride. Early morning rain cleared so a trip to The Cycle Hub, via Tynemouth and North Shields, was a must.

A Visit To Daft As A Brush

Three Backpedalers called in at the Gosforth Headquarters of Daft As A Brush Cancer Patient Care to discuss our decision to support the charity as part of our Cycle Challenge 2015.

Brian Burnie, the founder of the charity, was present and was keen to explain the importance of the work they do. We didn't need much convincing but it made us realise that we'd made the right choice when selecting them as the charity we'd raise funds for.

We Went To Blaydon Races .........

We didn't plan to go and the date was wrong but one of the joys of cycling can be stumbling on the unexpected.

One of our regular routes is to cycle along NCN 72 (Hadrian's Cycleway) to Wylam. By way of variety we often cross the bridge at Wylam and cycle along the south bank of the River Tyne as far as Newburn bridge before crossing the river and rejoining Hadrian's Cycleway for the journey home. In the past two of us have, on separate occasions, stayed on the south side and continued to Gateshead and the Millennium Bridge. It's fair to say that neither of us enjoyed negotiating the streets of downtown Dunston and weren't keen to repeat the experience. A chance encounter with another cyclist changed that. He said a new path west of Newburn bridge was open and that the route was much improved. It seemed worth a look.

Our outward journey included the obligatory stops for a puncture repair at Segedunum and a bacon sandwich at the Cycle Hub and upon reaching the bridge at Newburn we crossed over and began the journey to Gateshead.

Who Let The Dogs Out?

Cycling can present many challenges, steep hills, strong head winds, hard saddles and inconsiderate motorists being amongst them, but an added hazard can be Man's Best Friend, the dog. More accurately, it is not just the Best Friend but also the Man (or Woman) accompanying them who is part of the problem. Most of my rides take place along waggonways, cycle paths and bridleways which are very popular with cyclists but also very popular with dog walkers. On a recent trip to the Cycle Hub and back, a distance of about thirty miles, I counted the dogs along the route. On the way there I passed fifteen dogs, five of which were on the lead, and two cats (neither of which were on the lead) and on the way back there were thirteen dogs (seven on the lead) and no cats. This is fairly typical in my experience. So what? Why should this be a problem to a cyclist?

Those of you who use Strava, the mobile app, for logging cycle activities will be familiar with segments. They are a specific section of a route created by users for the purpose of comparing performance over time. One segment on NCN 72 is called Dog Dirt Dash. The reason is obvious. Not all owners clean up after their dog. As well as having a spare tube and a puncture repair kit in my bag, I also carry latex gloves - just in case I have to remove a tyre which has passed through something nasty.
Of course some dog owners do clean up - but get the final step wrong.

Hedgerows are festooned with discarded dogs' colostomy bags.

Cycle Challenge 2015

The weekend of 23rd - 25th May 2015 will see Seaton Sluice Backpedalers undertake their third long distance cycle ride. The chosen route is from Edinburgh to Seaton Sluice along the Coast & Castles cycle path following National Route 1, a total distance of 186 miles.

The breakdown is as follows:
Day 1 - Edinburgh to Melrose, 55 miles.
Day 2 - Melrose to Purdy Lodge, 69 miles.
Day 3 - Purdy Lodge to Seaton Sluice, 62 miles.

According to the Coast & Castles Guide, this is the wrong way round. Most people start in Newcastle and finish in Edinburgh. The reasoning is:

1. The prevailing wind is likely to be south to north, and
2. Edinburgh is a nicer place to finish than Seaton Sluice!

The first point is highly debatable. As regular cyclists in the north-east of England we are aware of trends in wind direction and are prepared to take our chance. If we're cycling into a head wind we'll get our heads down and get on with it. As regards the second point, what could be better than arriving home to a welcome from friends, families and supporters? Judging from our previous experience, the Delaval Arms is a pretty good place to finish.

A Step Into The Unknown

Sometimes Backpedalers become a little adventurous and venture away from the familiar waggonways and bridlepaths. This adds a little spice to what could become another routine cycle ride.
The start of the route was straightforward - along the old railway line to Monkseaton Drive and on to Earsdon, Backworth and Killingworth. Instead of following Reiver's, a deviation towards Camperdown was taken. The roundabout at Annitsford had to be negotiated before cycling down the footpath into Seghill. From here, the Backpedalers went off piste. The track round Seghill Hall was the first challenge when it became obvious that long trousers would have been a better option than shorts given the abundance of brambles and stinging nettles. 

A brief stop to reinflate a softening tyre was needed before the rest of the route could be attempted.

The track towards Mares Close was next but instead of crossing the railway line, the group turned left to visit one of the areas less well known examples of public art.

Hadrian's Cyleway Photographs

Lots of photographs were taken over the three days of the Hadrian's Cycleway Challenge and these can be viewed on Seaton Sluice Backpedalers Facebook page. Visitors to this blog who do not have access to Facebook can now view the photographs on Photobucket by clicking on the following links:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

In addition, videos are available on YouTube

Day 1
 
Day 2

Day 3

 
 

Presentation Evening

The Backpedalers got together in the Delaval Arms on Tuesday 17th June 2014 to hand over the sponsorship money raised by their Hadrian's Cycleway Challenge. 
Amanda Simmister was present to represent the Great North Air Ambulance Service and received a cheque for £5732.00.

This amount represents what has been collected so far. When Gift Aid has been claimed for some of the donations it is hoped that the grand total will be in excess of £6000.00. 

Backpedalers would like to thank all their friends and supporters for making it possible for them to raise this tremendous sum for a very deserving cause.

Cycle Challenge 2015
We're on a roll. Just when you thought it was safe to put the bike back in the shed, planning is underway for next year's event. The proposed route is the Coast and Castles Cycleway (travelling North to South - 187 miles) and the dates are 23rd - 25th May.

The Domino Effect

Another Sunday morning, another Sunday ride.

Six Backpedalers assembled outside The Delaval Arms on a warm June morning with the intention of heading north on the Coast to Castles cycle route. The weather forecast was for a fine morning with the risk of a shower in the afternoon.
The route, by now very familiar to the Backpedalers, took the group up to Blyth, Bedlington, Cambois and on to Woodhorn.

The journey through Lynemouth was uneventful and in stark contrast to the group's last visit. (See Wet and Windy). Likewise the journey from Lynemouth to Cresswell passed easily and the decision was made to end the outward journey at the Drift Cafe.

This turned out to be a good choice as no sooner had the Backpedalers been served their coffees and bacon sandwiches when a group of about twenty cyclists arrived and filled the remaining seats in the cafe. It turned out that they were a group based in Newcastle who called themselves the Old Gits Cycling Club. They were on the second day of, in their words, a bastardised version of the Coast and Castles cycle route and had called in to the Drift Cafe before heading home.
The Backpedalers finished their refreshments .....

...... then paused for a group photograph before heading home.

The return journey took place at a good pace and was uneventful apart from one remarkable event.

A Sunday Morning Bimble

Sunday mornings are still the time set aside for a bike ride - 9.30 am meet at The Delaval Arms - and seven Backpedalers set off on what looked to be a promising day.

The aim was to have a pleasant, gentle ride in convivial company (known as a bimble) so the group started by heading south towards St Mary's Island and on to the promenade at Whitley Bay. A right turn at the Rendezvous Cafe led up Monkseaton Drive then on to the old railway line through Holywell Dene. Once The Avenue was reached, the group turned west, passed through Seaton Delaval then up to Mare's Close and round the north side of Seghill. The track past Jolley's led on to Fisher Road, Backworth Lane and a short stretch of the Reivers Route. From here, the group followed the waggonway through to Killingworth Village. 

The track down past Holystone School led on to a short on-road section until the turn into Rising Sun Country Park was reached.

The Sunday Sun

It seemed like a good idea to plan a 60 mile round trip taking in some of the more demanding sections of the Reivers Route on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far - and to some people's surprise, that's exactly how it turned out.
Thirteen Backpedalers turned up for the twelfth training ride and set off towards Backworth and Killingworth to join the Reivers Route heading towards Ponteland. The now obligatory visit to the summit in Weetslade Country Park was included in the itinerary.

The route to Ponteland was familiar to most of the riders but beyond that was unknown territory. It passes through Darras Hall along the line of an old railway which ran to Belsay Colliery and then emerges on the west side of Ponteland. A short (but interesting) section then leads to a country lane which heads towards Stamfordham. 
It was here that the group arrived at what turned out to be the highlight of the day - a new coffee stop.

Raggy Heirlooms is right next to the Reivers Route and caters for cyclists in need of a coffee and bacon sandwich.