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Eroica Britannia 2017 16-18 June

This was a fantastic event- the sun shone and the ground was dry.

Both the Saturday and Sunday rides were in hot weather.

This year the event moved to Friden Grange, not far from Bakewell. This was a good call- the site was much bigger than Bakewell and better organised than last year. The site had direct access to the High Peak trail.

On Friday evening we cycled up the High Peak trail with my wife Cathy on her Raleigh Caprice “Doris” to the Royal Oak pub at Hurdlow and then back.

I got a puncture on the way back and found out I had a spare inner tube with the wrong valve! This required a push back but was only about 2 miles.

VCC ride- Saturday (35 miles)

On Saturday we had a ride with the Midland group of the VCC- up the High Peak trail, leaving it at Parsley Hay. I was on the RRA, Cathy on Doris, her Raleigh Caprice. It was very hot!

We came back via Hartington, Hulme End (along the Manifold trail) and Ilam where we had lunch.

Another puncture in the RRA (rear this time) indicated that the tyres were pumped up too high. With the hot weather and hills too much heat was been put into the rims (Conloys) causing the inner tubes to be pinched under the tyre bead. I dropped the pressure in both tyres to around 55 p.s.i.- no problems after this!

The group had 2 more bikes with punctures caused by the same issue.

A really good ride through beautiful countryside!

Eroica Tourist Ride- Sunday (25 miles)

We set off at about 9:15am and covered the 25 mile tourist ride.

This started with a run right up to the end of the High Peak trail, past Parsley Hay and the along Upperblindlow Lane, Netherblindlow lane, Flat Lane and Moor Lane. These are beautiful white gravel lanes- real Eroica roads!. Eventually we arrived in Monyash where we had lunch, accompanied by a brass band- quintessentially British!

This was after about 14 miles.

The run back started with a climb from Monyash to the Tissington trail, with a link back to the High Peak trail via another white gravel track back to the High Peak trail and the Eroica show ground.

Altogether a fantastic weekend!