I was lucky to be let out on my own for a ride yesterday. Lake District, beautiful weather, clear, sunny, not too hot, trails dry, etc. So, I set off from Braithwaite, through Keswick, along the Old Coach Road, up onto Great Dodd, down Sticks Pass to Glenridding. Grabbed a sandwich then along to Patterdale, up to Grisedale Tarn and down to Grasmere. Along Far Easedale Gill, over Greenup Edge and down into Borrowdale, back to Braithwaite. Fantastic day!

Now I know that was quite a route and not to everyone's taste. I know there's a lot of effort involved and the steep downhill stuff is super-techy but I am amazed that on a Bank Holiday Monday I saw not a single other mountainbiker – all day! Where were you all?

Working as usual, bank holidays are busy in pubs.

I'm off today instead and it's p**sing down

I was out in Brechfa on the weekend and started riding at 8. Saw the first rider at 11 and then a few more down at the Drop Off bus.

Had a family day out and then had a evening spin on my new CX through the back roads, was ace. Don't tell anyone I'm enjoying riding on roads though.

I went out over the Askham fells later on yesterday and didn't see anyone, let alone fellow mountain bikers. It seemed pretty quiet again for a bank holiday, I wonder where they were all hiding?

On the very busy Bristol to Bath Cycletrack.

Twas good to see so many portly types making an effort. 😉

Pub lunch, little 'un played in Victoria Park then pootle home which quite a good workout with a toddler on the back – made the DH bike seem easy to pedal. Very pleasant.

I have to say that was the best weekend ever. Had my 8 & 9 year old kids the weekend while Mum went away. Saturday mountain biking in Bissoe and Sunday and Monday dinghy sailing, all boys together . Roll on next weekend with Mud and Sweat.

also in lakes was very quiet
Seathwaite – Harter fell – met so eMTB doing coast to coast only ones we saw – down to boot pub – too late to do tongue moor due to a variety of reasons. Returned with a different descent back to Seathwaite. Still spongy bog at top so one for a very dry day. Quite technical rocky stuff and a few comedy offs were had by all.

Probably all at Whinlatter and Grizedale. I wasn't feeling up to riding this weekend sadly.

About 3 miles towing the 4 year old on his tag a long, felt like the last mile of a double century. Snuck some bumpy stuff in to see how he'd react, generally positive so he'll be getting a bit more of that assuming the lazy sod starts to pedal a bit and do his turn on the front 🙂

Surfing at Rhosilli. I did overtake Shaun O'Boyle on a road ride though.

Gardening 😐

Home now, with some pics to prove it. I think that's right – everyone was at Whinlatter or Grisedale. I've just finished my second week at Braithwaite and still haven't been round the loops at Whinlatter – just never had time!

5 rides this week 8)

Last Sunday 20 miles up on the fun stuff at Haldon on the new bike; Wednesday night evening group ride up on Haldon; Thursday 30 miles on Dartmoor, looping between Postbridge, Manaton, North Bovey and back; yesterday and today a mate came down from Leeds and I took him up to Haldon and showed him all the marked and unmarked stuff, including a pint of Otter and cheesey chips at the Ley Arms in Kenn.

Now that's a good weeks riding 😀

was going to do walna scar yesterday, but i FORGOT MY HELMET! GRRRRR 👿
EDIT: all the way up from the peaks aswell.

sambob – controversial but I would have just done it without, or…. you probably could have hired one from biketreks/grizedale bikes

I was in Brazil, but I will be back in Dumfries in August, for a couple of months or so, doing not much else other than riding, day in day out so I am sure to be bothering the locals in that neck of the woods for more than one day. After saying that, my last solo ride there was much more of a walk to be honest, down as well as up.

Isle of Wight, north-to-south extended make-it-up-as-you-go-along all-day mega loop.

Cowes, Parkhurst Forest, Blacksmith's Arms, Tennyson Trail, Bowcombe Down, St Catherine's Down, the Pepperpot, Niton, Whitwell, Stenbury Down, Godshill, Rookley, Gatcombe, Shepherd's Trail, Carisbrooke, Newport, Medina cycleway, home.

Pure magic.

Think I might do a time trial tomorrow 😉

i rode the quantocks for the 1st time

Good aren't they? 😀