Checkout ride to the col de l’Espigoulier (723 m.) just out of Marseille. An afternoon in preparation for a couple of days’ riding in Provence and maybe the Alps. A reminder of the fun and rush of the high revs riding style. Rider and bike largely OK but a scare with the battery: I had to bump start after my photo stop at the top of the hill. Rode home OK, a session on the optimiser and the battery seems good, this one was new only last year. New boots wearing in nicely.

Shap Summit (426 m.)

Ride round the Dales and North Pennines in the fabulous spring weather. Firstly Shap Summit (426 m.), for that top of the world feeling; the A6 is also one of the great biking roads in Cumbria, big rides up and down and round.
Turning off to the pretty little roads around the River Mint between Kendal and Sedburgh, the Ninja Z250SL is good on these as well as holding its own on the big sweeping old-style A roads. Through Sedbergh to Garsdale and Garsdale Head (324 m.) then down Wensleydale, more and more bikers on the A684, another wonderful biking road that keeps on throwing thrills at the rider.

More photos: Shap - Garsdale - Hawes (Yorkshire Dales National Park)

Happy as I got a ride when I could in the sunshine, just the little Z250SL but it’s a nippy as ever. Had to put the battery back in it after winter, which is fiddly but at least the battery still works, which it didn't last year, even with the bike being in the garage attached to the house. Riding out from Keswick along the lakeside road up to Borrowdale Gates and back round the other side of Derwent Water with a fine view of Blencathra and Skiddaw. After everywhere I’ve been this winter, Cumbria still looks lovely when the sun is out like this. Though a lot of damage around from the winter storms and of course potholes. Glad I did it when I could as the clouds have been back all weekend.

More photos: First ride of 2025 on my Ninja Z250SL - Lake District National Park

Col de la Gineste (326 m.)

Route des Crêtes, Cap Canaille, Parc National des Calanques

My new season biker workout ride, practising skills on lots of different curves and straights, running each section a couple of times to enjoy the variety of camber, gradient and tightening. Got outclassed only once but it was big time: he looked to be at 45 degrees lean angle... the GP track at Le Castellet is not far away and there are club riders (at least) in the area.

Read more: Biker workout ride