Bike Week cometh

Yes, next week is Bike Week in the UK. Across the nation there are cycling events aplenty to feast on. Locally these are the ones I know about. There may be others.

Friday 12th June
Cycling Roadshow
Market Sq, Lancaster 12 - 4pm
Visit the pre Bike Week Cycling Roadshow to pick up lots of advice & information and get your bike checked out by Dr Bike.

Saturday June 13
Family bike ride
Witton Country Park, Blackburn 1 – 2pm
Meet at the Stables Courtyard for a leisurely afternoon bike ride to the beautiful village of Pleasington.
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Sunday 14th
Bike ‘n’ Brunch
Millennium Bridge (Lancaster) 11am
An easy family friendly ride along one of the district’s prettiest cycle paths to the Crook o’Lune (and back).
Enjoy a tasty egg bun from Woody’s whilst enjoying the view or bring your own picnic. Free hot/cold drink courtesy of Celebrating Cycling Team
http://www.celebratingcycling.org

Sunday June 14
Ride organised by Blackburn and District CTC.
Whalley Abbey, Westgate at 9am.
Going via Fountains Fell Top including a track in the afternoon. Lunch at Horton in Ribblesdale, Afternoon Tea at Airton.
Contact details: Anne and Tony Stott, 01254-232537
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Monday 15th June
Short Ride
Stables Courtyard, Witton Country Park, Blackburn 1:30 - 2:30pm.
Develop your skills and fitness with a short ride along the cycle ways from Witton Country Park to Pleasington. (Trikes are available).
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Monday 15th June
Getting started
Stables Courtyard, Witton Country Park, Blackburn 2:30 - 3:30pm
A session ideal for beginners. Great if you want to learn to ride a bike or build up confidence on two or three wheels (Trikes are available).
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Tuesday June 16
Family Bike Ride
Witton Country Park , Blackburn 6 – 7pm
Meet at the Stables Courtyard for a leisurely evening bike ride to the beautiful village of Pleasington
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Tuesday 16th June
A Family cycle ride from Solaris to Fairhaven Lake. 6-9pm
Solaris Centre, Harrowside, New South Promenade, Blackpool FY4 1RW
Family /Children's short ride
cycling@blackpool.gov.uk
01253 476261

Wednesday June 17
Towpath Trails
Stables Courtyard, Witton Country Park, Blackburn 9:30 – 11:30am
A longer cycle ride leaving Witton country Park and exploring the countryside around the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the River Darwen Valley. Recommended for confident cyclists as the ride includes towpaths, quiet roads and hills.
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Wednesday June 17
Around and About
Stables Courtyard, Witton Country Park, Blackburn 12 – 1pm
A cycle ride along the cycle ways from Witton Country Park to Pleasington to develop your skills and fitness (Trikes are available)
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Wednesday June 17
Getting started
Stables Courtyard, Witton Country Park, Blackburn 2:30 - 3:30pm
Do you want to learn to ride a bike or build up confidence? If so, this session is ideal for beginners wanting to try out cycling on two or three wheels. (Trikes are available)
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Wednesday June 17th
Bike 2 Work Day
A Lancaster district wide event encouraging all employees to cycle to work. Today is definitely the day to try cycling to work. Why not try riding in with a family member or colleague to get you started? Breakfast on the Bridge Come and pick up some free breakfast at the Millennium Bridge in Lancaster from 7am-9am, available to all cycle commuters. Whilst you eat your breakfast why not talk to us about the range of information and advice available to cycle commuters in the district.
http://www.celebratingcycling.org


Thursday June 18
Cycling into Railway History
Stables Courtyard, Witton Country Park 9:30am – approx 3pm
All aboard for a steady paced ride into railway history. Cycle from Witton Country Park to Whalley with our guard…sorry guide – Brian Haworth, keen cyclist and Community Rail Development Officer. Leaving Witton Country Park the route will take in the Leeds & Liverpool canal before veering off onto the trackbed of the former Harwood Loop just before Cunliffe. We will then follow the trackbed into Great Harwood and onto Martholme Viaduct. From here we cycle on to Whalley and view the spectacular Whalley Arches from close quarters. This cycle ride can be extended to Clitheroe and riders will be offered the opportunity to return to Blackburn by train.
www.blackburn.gov.uk/cycling

Friday June 19th
After Work Bike Ride
Millennium bridge, Lancaster 6pm
Join up for a fun evening bike ride to try out the local cycle network and perhaps one or two local hostelries.
http://www.celebratingcycling.org

All week 15-19th June
Cycle fair
Royal Preston Hospital, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston 8am-5pm
A display of the cycle facilities available will be on display at both of the Trust's hospital sites.
More info: carole.mckay@lthtr.nhs.uk 1772 522700

All week 15-19th June
Blackpool and The Fylde College Bike Week
Bispham, Central and Ansdell campus, Ashfield Road FY2 0HB 10:30am-4pm
Breakfast challenge, bike training, bike safety, work place challenge, bike stands and information.
www.blackpool.ac.uk
prey@blackpool.ac.uk
01253 504288

The Tour - hits Southport

For anyone following 'The Tour' cycle race series, the next round is in Southport today. It's kind of crept up on me after seeing the one in Milton Keynes on ITV4 the next one I watched was last night when it covered the event in Blackpool. That was run on Tuesday. Tonight it is Southport's turn. Events kick off at 3pm with cycling demonstrations and exhibits. It's televised on ITV4 on Friday evening.

http://www.tourseries.co.uk

Great day for a ride

The UK had its hottest day of the year today with temperatures reaching 27C in places. Here in Lancashire clear skies and a moderate easterly wind produced excellent cycling weather. We followed yesterday's 24 mile run with a 28 mile circuit of Longridge Fell calling in at Chipping for a cuppa at the cafe in the centre of the village. The aim was to build up a bit of mileage in preparation for our tour next month. We would have gone out for longer but there were other jobs to be done as well.

The cafe in Chipping is one of those well known watering holes that cyclists call in at the weekend. Today we bumped into Ribble Valley Cycling and Racing Club (A & B rides), some Lune CC riders, a couple of chaps doing the 100Km Audax from Lancaster and numerous others. It was great to see so many cyclists in one place. It seemed like all the country lanes around East Lancashire contained riders, some racing, some out for recreation and some touring - all happy with the warm sunny weather. It was so nice, I didn't carry anything other than drink, so no pics today.

Events

With the warm weather this weekend, there's no excuse for not getting out and enjoying some cycling. I know I have. We had a jaunt round the Ribble Valley before it got too hot this morning. If you don't do your own ride, there seems to be plenty of organised events in the next few weeks. Kendal is currently having its cyclefest. I can't be there but would have liked to have gone to some of the events. Lancaster is also organising plenty of events and come Bike Week in the middle of June, most local towns (or most countrywide for that matter) are organising races, family rides and other cycling activities. It's never been a better time to get encouragement to get on two wheels.

May 30th - 7th June
Kendal CycleFest offers a wide range of rides, talks, film showings and workshops across the whole of South Lakeland in Cumbria.
http://www.cyclefest.org.uk/calendar.php

Sunday 31st May 09:00
The North Lancs Way & Bowland Forest Populaire
Bull Beck Car Park
Audax Events (long distance rides) (108 km / 67 miles)

Sunday 31st May
Rough Stuff Federation - South Lakes Group
A ride along the Old Shap Road: Meet at 10.00am at Ashes Lane car park on A591 between Kendal and Staveley.
Monday 1st: A ride down the Winster Valley: Meet at 10.00am at Ashes Lane carpark on A591 between Kendal and Staveley.
http://www.southlakesgroup.org.uk/forthcomingevents.html


June 7th
Brief Encounters in Carnforth.
Women on Wheels, a programme of women only cycle rides on the first Sunday of every month (from March to October). The rides aim to encourage all women - whatever their ability - to get out and about with other like-minded women and explore our area by bike.
For more information call 01524 582392 - email celebratingcycling@lancaster.gov.uk or visit www.celebratingcycling.org

Sunday June 7th
‘Le Terrier’
07:00 - 8:30am Entry Fee £20
Lancaster Cycling Club are pleased to present the Le Terrier Cycle Sportive with 2 challenging routes on quiet roads in the Forest of Bowland. The 45 mile route is a challenging ride taking in Jubilee Tower with over 1,500m of ascent. The 80 mile route, with over 2,600m of ascent, is bound to be a classic finishing through Wray, Roeburndale, Scout Camp and Stock-a-Bank - it has no junk miles! Proceeds and extra donations this year will go to Lancaster’s Homeless and St John’s Hospice. More information at www.le-terrier.co.uk

Upcoming
13th to 21st June
- Bike Week 2009 -
Loads of events nationwide. Check local council for information on criterium races, family rides, training and lots more.
http://www.bikeweek.org.uk/

Transition

Down on the commuting route, the retail malaise shows some signs of optimism.


Probably swimming against the tide, but Brittney's butty shop is becoming Marshall's Munchies,


whilst the Eastern Delight (formerly Blue Diamond)


has become Shahee Dastarkhan

Over the road from Marshall's, the car dealer has packed up, which is a benefit to cyclists since it opens up a large car park for access to Tesco, Domino's and the off-licence meaning less cars parked in the road. Hey ho.