Trampa Board
Posted on June 1st, 2009 by Dingbat
Pooley Bridge - Glenriding - High Street
Posted on May 28th, 2009 by Dingbat
This is the 3rd time that I’ve ridden this route and each time I’ve started from a different place. This time I started from Pooley Bridge after dropping my daughter off to say with some friends in their camper van.
The sun was shinning and it was a lovely day, bit of a breeze blowing so decided to keep the jacket on until I got warmed up. First 8 miles or so were all on road from Pooley Bridge through Glenriding and Patterdale then up to Hartsop and the climp to High Street.
Bank Holiday weekend had brought out the walkers and the hill was awash with people of all ages heading up to the summit.
As usual the view from the top was great but because of all the rain the ground was a bit boggy and marshy in places which stopped me getting any great speed up on the first part of the decent but once at the top of Loadpot Hill the run was fantastic all the back down to the car.
During the speedy decent I noticed that my front forks weren’t compressing as much as they should, only getting about 2 inches of travel on a 5 inch fork. A service needed I suspected, which I have now arranged with Steels Cycles in Newcastle. Getting the bike serviced as well but the forks need to be sent back the Fox, the manufacturer at a cost of £70, with the bike service costing around £40.
I really want to get on my bike more this year after a bit of a disappointing summer last year and only managing a couple of trips out.
Bansko Ski Area
Posted on April 14th, 2009 by Dingbat
I mentioned before that I was fairly impressed with the ski area at Bansko bearing in mind the state of the actual town itself. Anyway, here is some video that I took on the last day. I only managed 2 1/2 days on the snow.
Bansko - Bulgaria
Posted on April 10th, 2009 by Dingbat
Bansko… What can I say… I bought an apartment there about 2 years ago, off plan. Never actually been there but thought it was a good idea at the time. Here I am on my first trip out to see the finished thing.
Have to say my first impressions of the town are not good. Building site really, loads of apartment blocks been put up, some almost complete, some not.
One thing that really does stick in my mind at the moment is the roads, they are terrible, pot wholes all over the place. The motor ways are fine no problem but when you get into the towns (Sofia is no better) they are crap.
Arrived at the apartment about 3 pm, trip from Sofia to Bansko was no problem at all, actually only took 2 hours, loads of snow although it had been raining so the snow was wet and melting in the heat.
Got to see the apartment and raised a couple of issues with the developer but all in all I was quite impressed with the development generally, lot of pictures (see below).
Once I had seen the apartment it was off to sample the slopes and again was quiet happy with what I saw, lifts were all new and pistes well maintained.
Overall, happier now that I’ve been out there and seen the place. Picture of the apartment and Bansko for your viewing pleasure.
