Really enjoyable, yet slightly stressful weekend.

This weekend as I write has been a mixture of great up's and what is now a prolonged down. The up's being able to hang with one of my newer friends Al and go out on a great ride with him on Saturday, showing him my local area. Then today, Sunday having a very enjoyable roadie adventure (only  slightly marred by the bane of my life Strava and it not mapping my data or ride)  The down and what's stressing me out is that Mr Hink's is still not himself and has worsened and I'm really concerned. I've been holding off going to the vets as last time he picked up and the swelling around his neck went down. But come tomorrow I have asked Ern to get an appointment asap as our little lad, (well he's not so little due to the steroids he's on, Mr Hink's is getting increasingly fatter) just isn't very well. His neck is very swollen and it appears like fluid around his glands, he is also so lethargic. The only thing that hasn't changed is that he is still greedy and can hear the rustle of a crisp packet at 20 paces, it just takes him longer to get to you to scrounge a crisp.

Anyhoo I try to make my blog as positive as possible but thought I'd share my worries as although it's not the same as chatting to a friend, when I write stuff down it does seem to help as I feel everyone that reads my little tales does it because in some way they want to support me and in doing so also care about poor Mr Hink's.

Whilst out with Al I thought I'd lump my big camera around and practice with it some more. I really should be grabbing more shots I don't take half as many as I used to. Generally I see something I want to shoot, but it disappears in the blink of an eye and I don't have time to capture it. I'm not a great photographer, but I do have a keen eye, well at least for what I like.

The Farmer's Trail

 

You can call me Al

 Although Al and my local loop was relatively short at 18 miles or so we were out for a good few hours. I often think it's not the actual miles you get in but where your riding. Just like Lee a few days earlier Al was very impressed with some of the trails I took him upon. And of course I had to take him on the Farmers Trail, one of the main ways out of the Shire as it were. We mainly rode around the Beamish and Hedley Hall area, taking in a bit of the Tanfield Railway and showing Al the oldest remaining single span railway bridge in the world, the Causey Arch. This was built in 1725-26 at the cost of £12,000, a vast amount of money in those days.

Al in Beamish Woods

Say Nutella Al

No Back Pack for me today, just my trusty Bike Bag Dude Frame Bag

Arctic ONE

 As Al and I rode up one particular stretch of road up a steep little hill I was in front and I pulled into a drive way of this house, just to wait for Al to catch up. I had been there a few days earlier on this same route with Lee and we had seen this goose, it never really bothered us. Well I saw this goose again today and as I waited for Al I kind of spoke to it in a nice friendly manner "aww hello there", all of a sudden this goose turns to look at me and it was like a scene from the Robert De Niro film with Travis Bickle  "You talkin' to me?  You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking to? You talkin' to me? Well. I'm the only one here." and then it decided to have a hiss and go into full on attack mode. As I was on the hill I couldn't set away quickly so had to kind of push my bike like a scooter, figuring if I turn around at least it can only have a go at ripping off my false leg lol. Just then a few people came out from the nearby back door of the Tea Rooms, which are in the Causey picnic area. One of the ladies who works there and this man saying that the goose is a nuisance and the man saying it's the worst tempered goose he has ever known. Both also said it would be better in a pot. Awww I disagree I think he was great, he was just doing his job and guarding his patch where he lives. No harm done.

Travis Bickle Goose  "You talkin' to me?

 Al and I then decided to head into the Tea Rooms for a very refreshing cup of tea and a slice of pie. Luckily Al had just enough for a couple of tea's and we shared a piece of corned beef pie. I had forgot I had brought my other bag so no stash of cash, my little pouch being left at home.

Throughout yesterdays ride we met nothing but nice friendly people, stopping to chat and pass the time of day it was very refreshing.


It was also canny breezy yesterday as we ended up at the end of Tanfield Railway near to the Industrial estate I asked Al "do you feel like riding a little further", "Yeah why not" he said. So we headed through the factories at Tanfield and boy was the wind really strong here. At one point we were both riding sideways, full tilt lol. As we approached Tanfield we cut around the back of the play area and through the council estate. I then took Al the back route on a trail up through Tantobie. This proved to be a canny hard little click and by half way we were both puffing and blowing. A short rest and we continued on to the top of White Le Head and the bowls green. 

 

Anyone for Bowls?

Playing around with my shot

My cones are slack again, got a wonky wheel

 A few pictures and then back on to the road for a short while before we cut down the back lane to Harperley. Al really enjoyed this downhill stretch. As we came to the bottom and the crossroads we turned right and I took Al along to meet my Uncle Dave over at Anfield Plain. We stayed a few minutes, then set off getting on to the C2C and our ride back into Mordor. We take a small detour and end up coming out at the Ox at the top end of Harperley this has enable Al to pick some wild heather which he says "is very lucky". 

Checking for Adders lol

Over here Al, there's a nice piece

Al says the heather is lucky, sure hope so :)

Al attached a piece of lucky heather to my bike, well I didn't crash on my way home bonus, though I did get a puncture Boo!

After this Al took his life in his own hands and drew out some money at one of our local ATM's (braver man than me Al). As we rode towards the subway to get onto Wear Road I informed Al to keep up a bit of a pace otherwise he may get his wheels nicked. Just joking I love the area I live in. It just needs much needed funding and some regeneration.The people on a whole from Stanley are all very friendly and pleasant.

As we come down Wear Road we called in to to see our mate John and his wife Kristina, cups of tea all round. I have some sandwiches left so get stuck in. I think I may have been a bit eager as I almost choked on the fruit loaf. Ewwww it's horrible when you choke then cough and something goes up your nose. In this case as I sniffed I discovered it was a raisin, it tasted ok after I got it back down...
Sunday 

On the Top Road

Bike Swanky's De Rosa Idol

 As Strava failed to log my ride I have a bit of a pet lip on. I can't be arsed to describe where I went as I'm buggered. I wouldn't exactly say I got lost, however I didn't really know the route, as well it was one of those adventures where you sort of see where it takes you, before thinking "I can't remember this many hills or having so few gears and wow I'm knackered now and I'm not sure how far home it is". Anyhoo I have awarded myself King of the Hill so screw you guys lol.



I would like to mention a lovely gentleman I met as I had rode through Satley. I caught up to him as he rode his bike and we shared a very nice conversation al the way up to the junction of the A68, where he turned Left to head towards Tow Law and I headed right in the direction of Corbridge. He asked all about me and in return I discovered that he was a retired lecturer from Durham University. John used to lecture in Civil engineering and was telling me all about his cycling adventures in France, he was a lovely fella. A big "hello" John if you do ever get to read my blog.

Ok the rest is pretty boring, well apart from the bit where I saw this geet big bull up on this hill and thought "Ooh that might make a nice picture". I'm not mountain biking so what can go wrong huh? No nettles...Wrong as I discovered when I fell over in the grass verge "aggghhh F...F.. F...Flipping heck that stings". I jumped up real quick and as I was on a relatively busy road did the old "look around to see if anyone had seen me". Result no one had and I didn't look like a complete muppet, well that was until I clocked the Bull staring at me from down the hill, you know with one of those "what a dick" stares as he chewed his cud. Omg what is it with me and animals this week, a rabid goose and a mocking Bull.

Just chewing the cud

"Ha Ha you fell over"

 A bit of a tour to get to Consett I then popped in to spend an hour with the Gooch, my cousin Guy at Consett. I love seeing wor Guy as he is a top fella, always upbeat and just good craic. Haven't seen either him or his wife Tracey in ages so it was good catching up.

From Guy and Tracey's it was home. No sooner in the house, swapped my leg out popped a pair of shorts n trainers on and I asked Ern "hey you fancy going for a ride around the route I've just done. "Yeah ok", anyhoo we worked it out at 28 miles, so that wasn't a bad effort especially as there were some canny hills. Screw you Strava I have a car and it has a proper odometer and everything, just means I have to go out twice and it could potentially be problematic when I'm out on my mountain bike going down a skinny off road trail D'oh.