Ken and Kathleen Cycling Diary

Sunday 7th September 2025. 10.87 miles. Boldon Colliery - Nissan - Follingsby (Amazon) - Jarrow - Boldon Colliery.     Two vintage 1947 Pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent tandem. Dull but mild (17c), brisk wind from the South, and, just enough drops of rain to cause concern, but, it came to nothing. Monday 8th September 2025. 18.84 miles. Boldon - Whitburn - South Shields - Jarrow - Boldon. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent tandem. Sunny autumn day, warm 17c, but, with a cloud burst just before South Shields Ferry Landing. Fortunately, overhanging trees provided some shelter. Not without its drama, another "off", I think we need to negotiate some of these pinch points on foot from now on! 😊

  Monday 1st September 2025 6.60 miles. Boldon - West Meadows - Nissan. Sunny, and 19c, but very windy, 29mph from the South. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbant tandem. No video, SD card malfunction. Thursday, 4th September 2025 13.48 miles . Boldon - Whitburn - Marsden - Boldon. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding  Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbant tandem. Mild 19c, but, always the threat of rain, which became actual rain when we were almost home. Coffee and Cake stop, at Whitburn Cafe. This is not a route we have done before, on the tandem, and, we managed to have our first "off", at the point where we turned off coast road, to head inland, a combination of a very tight left turn, and a hill, too much for my tandem skills. No injuries, just our dignity damaged 😂

Monday, 25th August 2025 18.03 miles.  Boldon - Sunderland - Seaburn - Whitburn - Boldon. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps semi-recumbent tandem. Warm and sunny day. Route disrupted because the cycle route along the River Wear is still partly closed, due to the building of the Keel Bridge, I think that is two years now it has been closed, to build a FOOT bridge! At least we got to sample the very good cycle lane in Dame Dorothy Avenue and along the coast at Seaburn, very nice! Video incomplete, because I forgot to press "record"!  Note, map does not quite match distance, for some reason, Garmin will not download activity, but, it shows as 18.03 miles. Wednesday, 27th August 2025 12.37 miles. Boldon - Washington - Jarrow - Boldon.  Sunny and warm 20c. The last day like this, for a while, according to the weather forecast, Remenants of Hurricane Erin coming across the Atlantic, to give us some rain. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi...

  Wednesday, 20th August 2025 10.46 miles. Boldon - Tyne Dock. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent Tandem. Overcast, and chilly 15c. Ni video, forgot camera.

  Monday, 11th August 2025 16 miles. The Garmin only shows 13.43 miles, that is because I forgot to switch it on initially! But, the Steps Controller shows 16 miles. Cycling along the Marriott Way cycle route. Beginning at Cawston, riding toward Norwich, we go as far as Themelthorpe, and return.  We are staying at a CAMC CL, The Siding, there's is access to Marriot Way, but, it is via steps, too difficult for us to manoeuvre the tandem down them. So, we ride into Cawston, and along to Chapel Lane, to join the route at a level, if somewhat narrow access point. Two vintage 1947 Pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps, semi-recumbent tandem. Beautiful sunny day, if, perhaps a little hot, at 25c. Wednesday, 13th August 2025 11.68 miles. Cawston - Aylsham (via Marriotts Way) and return. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps semi-recumbent tandem. Very hot, 30c. Cool drinks in The Black Boys pub in Aylesham, and a picnic sandwich lunch near Marriotts way. F...

  Wednesday, 6th August 2025 8.49 miles. Boldon Colliery - Dipe Lane - Downhill Lane.  Two vintage 1947 Pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps, Semi-recumbent tandem. Sunny and mild 19c, but, still very windy. 

  Tuesday, 29th July 2025 19.88 miles. Boldon Colliery - Whitburn - South Shields Coast.  Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding case Pino Steps Semi Recumbent Tandem. OBEST Mini Action Camera. Pleasant July day, blue sky, 20c, not too windy. Coffee and Sausage sandwich stop at Little Haven.

Monday 21st July 2025 3.68 miles. Boldon Colliery . Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent tandem. First attempt at using OBEST Mini Action Camera. An evening outing, to water my brother's garden. A pleasant evening 19c, calm and bright. Tuesday 22nd July 2025 6.76 miles. Boldon - Nissan - West Meadows . Only one vintage 1947 pensioner, riding Specialised Vado 4 e-bike. AKASO EK7000 Camera. Beautiful July morning, 17c, sunny, calm. Saturday 26th July 2025 14.07 miles . Boldon. - Nissan - Washington Village.    Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent tandem. Using OBEST Mini Action Camera. A cloudy day, 20c, brisk wind from the West. Drizzly rain by the time we reached our planned coffee and cake stop, so, no stopping. The bright spot was that most of the points at which we had to cross roads, the traffic was in our favour. Not our most pleasant outing, getting rained on is not part of the plan.

  Sunday, 13th July 2025 10.73 miles. Boldon - Jarrow - Follingsby - Nissan. Two vintage 1947 Pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent tandem. Cloudy with a little sun, but, a bit clammy at 18c. Still have not figured out where I can attached forward facing camera, so, we only have the view from the rear. Wednesday, 16th July 2025 10.27 miles. The Boldons and West Meadows.  Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent Tandem. Warm 20c, with sun and cloud, but, a stiff breeze from the North.    Still have not figured out where I can attached forward facing camera, so, we only have the view from the rear. Thursday, 17th July 2025 2.91 miles. Boldon - Fellgate - Boldon. Two vintage 1947 pensioners,    riding Hase Pino Steps Semi-recumbent Tandem. Warm 22c, with sun and cloud, but, a stiff breeze from the South East. A small ride, to hand deliver a 50th Wedding Anniversary card, and, to visit a friend, who is a bit "down", surel...

Sunday, 6th July 2025 7.10 miles. Boldon - West Meadows - Nissan. No video, because I have not got camera mounts on the tandem yet.   Mild and still morning 16c, but, cloudy. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding our new to us Hase Pino Steps, semi-recumbent tandem. All very good fun on our first home area outing. Gave a laugh. to a couple of passers-by. Tuesday, 8th July 2025 15.49 Miles. Boldon - Jarrow - Washington Village - Boldon.   No video, because I have not got camera mounts on the tandem yet.   Mild and calm morning 18c, and sunny. Two vintage 1947 pensioners, riding Hase Pino semi-recumbent tandem. Coffee stop at Washington Village. A couple of problematic barriers with tandem, one of which was impossible, and, alternative route very overgrown and neglected. We will have to find a better alternative route, Thursday, 10th July 2025 11.29 miles. Boldon - Whitburn - Boldon.     No video, because I have not got camera mounts on the tandem yet. ...

  Wednesday, 2nd July 2025 9.50 miles. Gargrave - Airton - Gargrave. No video, because we are riding the demo Hase Pino Steps semi-recumbent tandem from JD Tandems, Gargrave.  Two vintage 1947 pensioners. The route is suggested to us, by Jamie, of JD Tandems. It is, perhaps, a bit more challenging than we would have chosen for ourselves. Very undulating, and, generally uphill on the way there. Coffee and cake is consumed at our destination ( Airton Town End Farm Shop ). The return journey is much easier, still undulating, but, generally downhill, and, we are becoming a bit more practiced and relaxed at riding the Hase Pino.  Kathleen is won over, so, we will be purchasing one! (subject only to it fitting into the garage of our motorhome, which we subsequently confirm, it does.)

  Monday, 23rd June 2025 6.75 mikes. Boldon Colliery - West Pastures - Nissan - Boldon Colliery.  Mild and dry, but, stiff breeze from the West. One vintage 1947 pensioner. Friday, 27th June 2025 2.26 miles. Boldon Colliery.  One vintage 1947 Pensioner. Mild and dry, but, a stiff breeze from the south. Best of intentions for 10-12 miles this morning, but, cut short by a call of nature 😊

  Tuesday 17th June 2025 6.74 Miles. Boldon - West Pasture - Downhill Lane.  One vintage 1947 pensioner, riding Specialised Vado 4SL e-bike. A dry and mild morning, but, with a brisk wind blowing from the South. Saw a surprising number of cyclists, maybe as many as 10-12, mostly en-route to work, or, going home after the night-shift, I would guess. Wednesday 18th June 2025 8.06 miles. Boldon - Jarrow - White Mare Pool - Boldon.   One vintage 1947 pensioner, riding Specialised Vado 4SL e-bike. Pleasant morning, very mild 17c, calm.

  Tuesday 10th June 2025 5.88 miles. Boldon Colliery - Dipe Lane. One vintage 1947 Pensioner, riding Specialised Vado 4 e-bike. Difficult to get motivated to do more, on a damp, grey, windy morning.

Sunday, 1st June 2025 8.25 miles. Boldon - Nissan - Colliery Wood . One vintage 1947 pensioner. Speciaiised Vado 4. A beautiful morning, for the first day of meteorological summer, calm, sunny, and mild 18c. Thursday, 5th June 2025 4.05 miles. Boldon Colliery Loop. One vintage 1947 pensioner cycling, the other walking. two rather boring loops of Cotswolds Lane/Abbingdon Way for the cyclist, one for the walker. Carrera Cross City folding e-bike. Mild 18c, but cloudy, and, with a torrential rain burst to soak the walker. Friday, 6th June 2025 11.16 miles. Boldon Colliery - Tyne Dock - Jarrow - Boldon Colliery.  One Vintage 1947 pensioner, riding Specialised Vado 4 e-bike. Dry, and calm morning, quite pleasant, if a little cool. Any urban ride, but, mostly off road, and, surprisingly quiet.          

  Monday, 12th May 2025 10.49 miles. Boldon - Whitburn. Mild, 15c, calm and dry, but, despite the weather forecast, a few stray drops of rain on the return leg. Only one vintage 1947 Pensioner.

Sunday, 4th May 2025 8.91 Miles.   Boldon - Whiteleas. An early morning ride. Cloudy, chilly 10c, even a rain. shower. Only one vintage 1947 Pensioner. Not a very "scenic route, but, a bit of variety. Friday, 9th May 2025 6.75 miles. Boldon - Nissan (Washington). An early morning ride. Sunny, cool start at 8c, but, promising to be a warm day, blue sky. Only one vintage 1947 Pensioner.

Monday, 28th April 2025 7.25 miles. Around the Boldons.    Only one vintage 1947 pensioner today. An early morning ride (about 06:30), mild 15c, calm. Pleasantly quiet, traffic wise. 

  Friday 28th March 2025 6.72 miles. Boldon Colliery - Nissan. Bright sunshine, but, strong breeze, and, despite the wind, a brief shower. Only one vintage 1947 pensioner. There is video, but, it is the view from the rear, operator error, failed to switch on front camera. 

  Tuesday 25th February 2025 6.71 Miles. Boldon - Nissan - West Pastures. Only one vintage 1947 pensioner, which I suspect may be the situation in the future. Dry and reasonably bright February morning, a cold wind from the South East. My first cycling outing since October, I was rather surprised that I managed to maintain a 10mph average speed. No video. Thursday 27th February 2025 9.57 Miles. Boldon Colliery - East Boldon - Nissan - West Pastures . One vintage 1947 pensioner. Dry and bright February day, 8C.