Was it closed roads Paul? Wonderful effort in what i imagine were horrible conditions. My experience at Ride London last year was somewhat similar although nothing like the climbing you did. 84 miles in the back end of a hurricane, but still hugely satisfying passing thousands all along the route. I've just checked on Strava and I think my biggest ride for climbing is c5,500'.

My guess would be Paul as I know he has been round there. I've been back a week from two weeks in Mallorca - 500km and 5,000 metres of climbing, including my fourth time up Sa Calobra. Wonderful riding as usual and every time we go we find more fantastic food and drink.

It's not road tax though, it doesn't exist. It's vehicle excise duty and that's calculated on the CO2 emissions from your car. Yours costs you £200, my car costs nowt and neither do my bikes.

It doesn't really matter whether you drive or not. Road tax, a tax on road users to pay for the upkeep of roads, was abolished in the 1930s. Since then roads have been paid for out of general taxation, so every taxpayer contributes whether they use the roads with a car, bus, bike or just walk.

It sounds like a considerably more enticing prospect than Leeds away Paul!

The second stage of the Tour of Britain on 7th September will be a circle from Clitheroe to Colne.

Excuse me for obeying the law. Maybe the law makers have looked at the law and decided it's working perfectly fine? If there's enough pedestrians in the road though it works, as can be seen after every home game on Livesey Branch Road. Also if I walk in the road and you come along and knock me down, whilst it won't be good for me, it won't be great for you either.

What do you mean by getting under the feet Al? It sounds like you just want to do what you want, no matter whether it's legal or not. Is that how you act in other circumstances as well? As far as I'm aware anyone has a right to be on a public highway unless specifically excluded (e.g. motorways). Further to that pedestrians have priority, followed by horses, then cyclists and then motorised vehicles.

I get the impression that you believe that anything that gets in the way of you driving your car should not be on the road. Cyclists have just as much right to be on the road as car drivers and are considerably less of a hazard.

I can see the attraction of a few days riding out by yourself too. Most of the riding I do at home is by myself rather than on club rides. But it is nice to be out and about in the Tramantuna mountains with lots of other cyclists and very few cars, even if most of them are passing me.

I don't think going midweek makes a huge difference at this time of year in Mallorca Paul. I'm told there are 30-40,000 cyclists arriving every week about now, so they're coming all through the week. Don't go if you like to ride by yourself!

That may well be true - my experience is only really in Mallorca. I was at Toulouse airport a few years ago the day before the etape du tour. We had flown KLM via Amsterdam and they had left our bags there (I didn't have a bike). Whilst in the office reporting the loss a stream of cyclists came in looking for their bikes including a group from Canada. Their bikes would not be there for 24 hours which rather defeated the object of bringing them for the etape - imagine how they felt. Certainly there is no advantage at Palma airport in having a bike box, especially at this time of year as there are so many coming in. The last time I was with Alex waiting for his bike we waited for ages at the point where they usually come out, only to find it later by itself by a completely different belt

I always hire. It usually costs £50 to take a bike on the plane plus the cost of whatever you put it in, plus the hassle of taking it apart and putting it back together twice, plus the risk of it missing the plane, plus having to only take hand luggage or pay for another bag as well. Against that i can hire a decent quality road bike for 70-100 euros a week. Having said that my son usually takes his, although he has a good box to transport it in - Christmas present from his parents!

It's been a gorgeous day for a ride today. Had a little pedal up to Garstang to have a look at how our new boat boat is coming along. Off to Mallorca a week on Friday for 2 weeks with plenty of cycling included.

Just back from a wonderful week's cycling in Mallorca. 350km and 5,500 metres of climbing, trying to keep up with my son and his mates. Mind you they have trouble keeping up with me on the descents.

They also have the Fenwick Arms at Claughton near Lancaster and now the Farmers Arms in Great Eccleston.

I've ridden quite a few times in London now and the numbers of cyclists just keeps growing and growing at the moment. Like motorists, the vast majority ride perfectly sensibly but there will always be the odd one who does stupid things like habitually jumping lights. They're the cycling equivalent of the Audi/BMW drivers. It's not really every Audi or BMW who does stupid things it just seems like that at times.

I've had double sided pedals ever since I got the Hewitt and had mountain bike shoes on which I can use clipless but I have still not got round to trying them out in three years. I don't think I ride fast enough for the extra benefit to be worth the pain of learning to use them (and for me of putting the necessary on my shoes!).

He's on at the Lowry the night after. I was going to go there but maybe I'll get to Chorley instead. edit: Just realised I'm in London on 15th as my birthday present was tickets to the reopening event at the Olympic Velodrome on the Friday night.

I thought you had been to somewhere called Anson in Bolton at first!

And in fairness whilst we had good wine we didn't have a lot of it.

Well I'd be interested in your recommendations for something as good for what we paid - about £40 a head for three courses with good wine and coffee.

Went to the Freemasons Arms at Wiswell last night for my birthday and for the first time. We had a quite outstanding three course meal. Everything was good but the pick was a duck egg custard tart for pudding which reminded me hw good a custard tart can be when done with care. Not cheap (£220 for 6) but worth every penny.

Duk and Pond is just Pond now, on Cross Street. Heathcotes is the best, but at this time of the year not cheap and not the place for a night out with the lads. The Olive Press downstairs at Heathcotes could be good. The Continental in Avenham is excellent but for food and beer and also live music if you get the right night, but it;s a bit out of the centre. For chinese Tang on Fylde Road is the best but again a bit out of town.

If being reduced to tears by a performance is odd then count me as well - I was by Kate Tempest at Glastonbury this year. Or is it OK if you're 60?