Bank Holiday Debrief – How did yours go?

Here’s ours: http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/monday-morning-debrief-24/

Show us yours…

Buchaille Etive Mor

2 munros.

Stunning weather.

Technical trail riding.

Happy days! 😀

shit

literally

1hr into a ride, emergency pit stop required, nearest facilities a 15min very uncomfortable ride away, that didnt entirely fix it, so i dashed home (30mins) and spend the rest of the day close to the loo.

Awesome. I only rode my bike twice (and road rides at that) but it was great. Friday night drinking, saturday night drinking, bbq on sunday and 6am-10pm drinking yesterday! I’ve even got a sun burnt face today and tan lines from my shorts/t-shirt. 😀 couldn’t have asked for better weather or a better weekend with my mates.

Saturday doing client work,
Sunday doing a princetown ride on the Meta5 out of Plymouth
– http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielsgroves/sets/72157632043465960/
– http://app.strava.com/activities/56397273
Monday having painful showers, recovering from the sun-burn.

did 175k of the snow roads audax with my old club mates on saturday.

sunday rode to banchory via hirn and back be garrol for lunch

Darkside:

Lairg to Kinlochbervie the long way, then Kinlochbervie to Tongue (via Cape Wrath), then Tongue back to Lairg.
160 miles and 10,000ft of climbing in three days.

Furthest I’ve ridden on my recently acquired road/cx bike. In fact it was only the fourth time I’ve been out for a long ride. Funnily enough I’m still hurting.

Some cracking scenery:

I’m the gimp in the high-viz vest:

And, amazingly, the weather was great despite the snow warnings. The sun shone every day 😀

Zoo visit
Spaghetti alle vongole
Chilling in the garden with my family
Beer Festival
Sleep
Hangover
Picnic
Chilling in the garden with my family
Telly
Sleep
Ride
Chilling in the garden with my family
Steak & Chips
Sleep

Pretty darn good!

helvellyn sunday, I was hungover but weather was nice, trails were dry and the company was good. A few refusals going down dollywaggon but none too shabby, quite happy with that.

we went to Chicksands and tried to make a wee edit:

http://vimeo.com/67066674

Yes that is dust…….although all long gone by now!

Didn’t get the bh off but brilliant weekend dicking about in the tweedlove enduro. Sort of daft riding that doesn’t really happen without a clock ticking and a total stranger to catch

Great weekend, a quick spin on saturday morning then attempted a road ride on sunday. Plan was 30 odd miles but with plenty of climbing, basically traversing a ridge, so no flat, etiher climbing or decending the whole time. Thanks to over indulgence the night before I got to the top of the second climb and have never been so close to being sick through exercise! 2 choices, carry on and hope I ride through it, or take the wuss route home. I wussed out, having managed 8 miles 🙁

10 of us from Jedburgh did Natural tweed @tweedlove festival
was a tad chilly on the border hills
awsome route set by Andy @ ridelines
natural tweed @tweedlove

crakin route if your daft enough to do it
http://www.strava.com/activities/56573157

Sadly I quit the Highland Trail race at Loch Ossian with a slipping seat-post and a sore knee. But if you have to quit a race where better to do it:

[/url] Loch Ossian[/url] by blackhound59[/url], on Flickr]Loch Ossian[/url]

Warden gave me and Oliver a brandy to go with our free camping, hostel was fully booked.

Stayed at Devils Bridge near Aberystwyth – rode an xc route to Nant Yr Arian, quick spin round the Summit Trail, then road and fireroad to the top of Myherin forest. Mini DH into the woods, more fireroad cruise, then found some nice singletrack (and bog!) back to Devils Bridge. Thanks to STW forum for the route suggestion.

Monday – quick lap of Coed y Rhaeadr. First time there, well worth a look, the descent is an excellent “Blue” style trail centre run that makes really good use of 200m height gain. Next time though I’ll make sure that a) the banjo bolt on my rear brake is secure, b) I have proper mtb shoes to wear and c) I’m not missing several pins from my pedals.

Rain today…..

No biking, but walking!

grahamS – jelous , the road from tongue to lairg is one of the most beautiful roads ive ridden….. and ive only ever ridden it on foggy cloudy days.

id love to do it in the sun some time !

It was cool – first family bike ride with both kids on Saturday – one on the child seat on my bike, one towed by Mrs Clubber via trailgator

The a day at the Avon Valley Country Park on Sunday with great weather and my Sis/Bro in law and their son

Then first Father/son bike ride with my son and I (again via trailgator) yesterday where we went rather further than planned – 9 miles. He slept well last night 🙂

Friday night: local rid up Sron a Clachain with eldest. Ace fun, nothing but us and a waterbottle.
Ssturday: Schiehallion 8)
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schiehallion[/url] by matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
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Schiehallion[/url] by matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
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Schiehallion[/url] by matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
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Schiehallion[/url] by matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr
Sunday: lots of faffing and lawnmowing and a local walk round the forest.
Monday: Shoosh, us Scottish residents were back to work 🙁

for balance, i took leave on friday and got over to Swinley for the first time since ‘the change’

Swinley is now a trail centre, you can recommend it to someone and they dont need insider knowledge or a local to show them round, trails are pretty good, braking bumps starting to appear, some sections are the wrong way round.

blue, red, jump gulley x3, red, blue and a lap of the green for completion and it was quiet..
including packing up and stripping in the carpark and £1.50 for a very average piece of homemade flapjack……..2hrs 15mins.

my poor drivetrain didnt sound so clean and new by the end tho.

apologies to the sneaky 29r rider who was behind my “trying not to pedal” pootling for what was probably an age, till i got to the fireroad and happened to look behind me.

Training for the LEL:

Sunday – 360km, 1067m ascent, on road from the in-laws near Maldon, to my folks in Wakefield.

Monday – 240km, 1736m ascent, from Wakefield back home to Hexham via Alston.

Today, legs are a bit stiff, but I reckon I could keep going…

Friday evening ride.
Saturday walk with Mrs Cat
Sat pm bivvied on Stanage with eldest boy
Sun walked home
Sun pm rebuilt eldests bike and cleared space in garage.
Sun eve – Star Trek movie
Mon started building Corratec Team Bow SS
Mon pm chilled at home
Brilliant weekend even without a decent ride, trails would be full of visitors so will go out now they have gone home.

Had a good weekend and rode all three days…

Saturday I demo’d a Covert and a Banshee Rune at Long Mynd. It was my first time riding there and I really enjoyed it; although the second time round on the Covert was hard work! The views were awesome at the top (I’ve got a few pics but am at work so can’t access Photobucket).

Sunday was just mucking about on jumps and short DH runs in the local woods (although since I was last there, plenty of digging has taken place, some of which is huge). Trains down the DH runs were hard work because of all the dust geting kicked up in your face.

Monday was a road bike; I wanted to get to 60 miles but wussed out because of the wind so only did 40 miles (but was still happy that I averaged 16 miles an hour despite feeling like I was riding through treacle). Topped up the roadie tan lines too; the other other half says they look ridiculous. I thinks she’s right.

grahamS – jelous , the road from tongue to lairg is one of the most beautiful roads ive ridden..

Aye, some of the scenery was just stunning. They’ve harvested a lot of the forestry land on the Tongue/Lairg section, so that was actually a little desolate in places – I’d say the first two days were prettier overall.

Good wildlife too: seals, roe, stag, buzzards, a polecat and some rather delicious langoustines 😀

Friday morning: last minute invite to a 30th in a cottage in Cumbria.
Friday evening: pick up car from Ford, declining £2,170 worth of “advisory” work. Fixed alarm problem at home with tape and a piece of wire. Pack, leave for Cumbria at 9:30

Saturday Morning: arrive Cumbria 1:30am, commence drinking. 2:30am, wife commences vomiting, caught stomach bug from upstairs neighbours. 6:30am wife stops vomiting, crows begin 1 hour of cawing loudly and throwing themselves at reflections in glass doors on 3 sides of the barn.
Saturday day: lovely walk up on the tops, extended game of “throw the stone at the stone” after the lines broke on the kites. Amazing carpet of blue bells in the woods, acres and acres of them. Dunking in the stream (too shallow for swimming)
Saturday evening – bike ride to the pub. 2 sips of beer for me, ride back from the pub trying not to be sick.

Sat night/Sunday morning: night on my tod, vomiting. eventual sleep, crows.
Cooked breakfast, walk with the others, I turn back after half a mile and spend the rest of the day snoozing in the sun.
Sunday evening: walk to the pub, great evening meal, back to the barn, port, cheese, fire.
Monday: crows, breakfast, walk in the rain, tidying, bananagrams and fire, drive home.

66% lovely.

Aviemore on Saturday. Weather was absolutely perfect, riding and company was great, then it all went tits up coming back from Loch Einiach… Broken rib, cut face, leg and elbow.

mainly well, Friday – Thai and beers, Saturday – payment in full…, Sun got mugged at a Country Show – extensive rural products on display – crocs, designer clothing, Costco, water softeners….., short but sweet bike ride, Monday – awesome loop in rural Wilts, sun, wildlife, next to no people (*except at Avebury), flask, sarnies, swayig crops, dry trails, happy farmers – best ride of year by miles..

Superb.

3 x MTB rides, 1x yacht sail. Bivvy. Campfire with the kids. BBQ. Running round Dorset streams/woodland playing hide and seek with the kids.

We decided not to go camping in Cornwall at the last minute which was a good call. The roads were apparently horrendous and it was less windy here in Wilts for camping.

Hasn’t finished; just got back from a slippy and exciting singletrack ride 🙂

Pretty good all told,

Sat morning Daddydaycare duties / playing with the kids
Afternoon spent swapping my Blue pig frame for a Brodie Holeshot Ti, brought from the STW classifieds 😀

Sunday a 66KM ride on Peddars way up to the coast and back with Icecream and chips included

Monday, a family day out at the Zoo which was great fun for all concerned

I rode my first ever fixed gear bike.

My legs nearly fell off

Lots of chuckles, thanks everyone. Matt_outandabout wins my ultra-dad award this week.

Last minute romantic weekend in Snowdonia courtesy of ma-in-law’s babysitting pass – ten year anniversary with my wonderful wifey B-) Walks by sea, in forests, by streams, to pub (which had my fave ale on tap), by lakes. Granted a ride pass to Penmachno on Monday which was extra fun with no glasses (no point thanks to rain and mist) and failing brakes!

Brilliant! Saturday morning spent hooning around Hebden Bridge. Did Blue Pig a couple of times and various other great steep, technical downhill sections around Hardcastle Crags and Pecket Well. Monday morning rode the loop from Mam Tor along Rushup Edge, nearly to Hayfield and then down (fast) and back up before descending Jacob’s Ladder into Edale. Superb and all done on a Turner Flux which shows the capabilities of that (sadly discontinued) machine 🙂

Proper sun on my face for what felt like the first time for months, lying in the grass at Nant yr Arian watching the red kites circling and jostling each other.

Only downsides of an otherwise top weekend were an annoying squeak most of the way round Nant (saddle bolt) and a disintegrated rear mech at Coed y Brenin, but even that happened on the final section so I could just coast down to the car park.

Lots of friendly bikers, walkers and horse riders encountered too.

Chums all went to the peaks this weekend and I stayed home coz the mrs is in pieces due to work/kids/finishing uni stress 🙁 …. however,
Also demmoed a Liteville 301 from mud dock in Bristol 🙂 (
friday eve’ Quick razz, fettle and set up.

Saturday; long loop north of city inclusive of first proper puncture in years!!! (stans on chris king with a luddite innertube in there!) followed by gardening and bbq + ales

sunday; Ride with the kids in the blazing sun, due to the absence of mrs rt76 this included no sunblock and the kids to playing about on the downhill stuff whilst a swift strava run was snuck in.
sunday evening; sent mrs rt76 out on the 301. If christianity could convert people that fast there wouldn’t be enough churches… full suss has her.

Monday; she went to work, me and the kids….. went riding!! and for some aerobie in the park. Watching them all practice track standing warmed the cockles of my cynical old heart. As the lady returned I made her a cuppa then popped in a 3 hour loop to the south and as I climbed the hill for home the rain came. Perfect timing.
And how’s this for a spousley greeting?!! ” Hi hon, nice ride? how does that liteville comare to an Ibis mojo? Only… the mojo looks really pretty!

Camping in Exmoor. First visit, amazed at how scenic it is there. Ride out on Saturday cut short by squishy brake on gf’s bike. Syringes but no mineral oil in toolkit. Damn. So compensated by lying in the sun drinking cider.

Passed the Tour of Wessex lot heading towards Porlock on the way home yesterday. Made our effort look quite inadequate.

Saturday rode 30 miles round Macc forest and three shires head.

Sunday rode 30 miles round Monsal head and Buxton.

Monday quick 20 miles round local loop

Tuesday rest at work 🙂

Took Mrs & the dogs down to FoD on Saturday, got to do a loop on the Verderers trail, did enjoy it going flat out all the way round.

Yesterday did loop on the Malverns for a couple of hours before the tourists turned up. 😈

Sat – help paint my church for an upcoming conference – great fun
Sun – church then shopping. This is where it went wrong.
Was going to ride Sun afternoon and Monday, but I lost my house/bike lock keys at Sainsburys. There was a decent chance they were stolen so I couldn’t leave the house on Sunday when it was really sunny
8am Monday morning I was at screwfix buying new locks then fitting them until 1pm.
Then I went into a sulk as I had lost all that time for the rest of the day. 🙁
Sat and ate crisps on the sofa until nightfall. 🙁

Great.
Locked the bikes away Friday morning, went away and enjoyed a relaxing weekend in the sun.
Came home Monday and unlocked the bikes and put them back in the garage. Never rode a bike all weekend 😯

Saturday – stopped off in K’ford to see family on way back from a week in the Lakes.
Sunday – walked to pub, missed ferry shortcut so walked extra 4 miles in the sunshine home.
Monday – ride on Dartmoor, taking in a few trails I’d not ridden in a while (Easdon tor is full of bluebells if anyone is interested).

All in all not a bad long weekend.