We have a new baby and its another fussy middle of the night feeding that leaves me wide awake. Now it’s five am and I don’t need to do anything until late morning. I’ve been taking this opportunity to get to the mountains for sunrise, or sunset on the other shift. Today I’m taking a camera and tripod to take some (very amateur photos), its a special time Iof the day that I’ve always been too drunk to appreciate before. I’ve been sticking local but the goal this morning is to get above 1000m before the sun comes up.

Any other new dads, or shift workers do the same thing?

Yep I used to work nights and never really could switch back at the weekend so used to go out and be somewhere for sunrise, magical time of day

Definitely is. I’ve been surprised at how different the light is each day. Some days it is bright yellow and other days everything is almost red. Today we should have a bit of an inversion so interested to see what that’s like! One more cup of coffee first…

I’m on my way to work so get to watch the sunrise from my desk 🙄

Quite often get up early on the weekend to get out before the kids are up works out the easiest time to get out usually.

I love dawn rides – best thing ever on a clear crisp morning

I am usually awake at 5 anyway and most mornings including weekends I can’t stay lying in bed beyond about 5:30 or 6. I get up and have breakfast and enjoy a couple of hours of peace and quiet before Mrs Gti gets up and starts moaning about things.

Phwooaaaarrr.. I’m well jealous

I’ve never been a morning person, and my young kids night time habits aren’t doing anything to change that, my two year old is by far the earliest riser in our household..

Ontor – I really wanted to see a few Dartmoor dawns whilst I was living up there, the views east must be beautiful

I do. Or at least I do when the kids are sleeping ok. It’s a great way to get some riding in without just dumping the kids on Mrs clubber all the time. Up at 5,back by 7 then into the normal weekday routine to get everyone ready.

[img]http://images.everytrail.com/pics/fullsize/3424672-pic_88.jpg?nocache=5888[/img]

I don’t do this in winter as I ride to/from work in the dark mid week so I’ve had enough by the weekend. But in summer I’m usually out the door for fiveish either Saturday or Sunday and get at least a 4 hour ride in. I don’t need to but I love those early morning rides.

Does the clock really go as low as 5?!

It goes much earlier than that in the longest / shortest days of the year for solstice rides 🙂

I used to get up super early to go and ride, I loved seeing the woods come to life.
Unfortunately after 16 months of our baby’s random sleep patterns, I’m now too knackered! 🙁
Or, I have to let my missus get a well earned rest.
Best of luck with the new baba, congratulations.

Nice pic of Clifton (?) bridge Clubber.

Doug, are you thinking of including 5am starts in next season’s holidays? 😉

Spot on sandwich 😉

I do early shifts at work so wake up early on days off, like to ride as the sun comes up too. “Best time of the day” cliche and all that. I like to experience the changing of the seasons over the year at the same time of the day. Weather is often clearer and calmer first thing, especially in the summer.

Onzadog, fancy a bit of this?
(Not sure if I can link from Instagram, if not the pic is Here
That was about 8am at 1100m. I waited out the sunrise and rode down. Thanks senior j, you too. it’s a roller coaster isn’t it!

Nice pics clubber.

@Doug, you know I do. When did I ever say no to a chance of being on the bike. Not sure I’d convince the rest of the group to join us for that though.

senor j – Member
I used to get up super early to go and ride, I loved seeing the woods come to life

Early adopter of 650b ?

I don’t have the self-discipline for really early starts (I’d have to be home for 6.30) so haven’t done one for years 🙁

Nice photo DOug, must’ve been bloody cold waiting for the sun to come up (I was a couple of valleys away from you this morning and it was not much above freezing at 9am)

Pre-sunrise rides are exactly the kind of thing I used to do before the baby – nowadays I’m far too tired at 5am to get out of bed! Far more likely to be racing home trying not to run out of daylight…

It was really windy Bob. It was tricky riding down the ridge. Once I dropped off the ridgeline it was good though. I had a flask and an extra jacket so I survived. Strong viento del sur, if it was north I would have struggled. Stunning though. We will have to get a ride out sometime. Or I have serious ganas for a proper pint in that bar in San Sebastian’.

I had heard that there were two 3 o clocks, two 4 o clocks, two 5 o clocks etc, but thought it was a wind up.

my shifts run midday-midnight or 2pm-2am and i often find myself riding or gym at these hours. tend to just ride around the streets and tow paths by me appreciating the silence….almost another world and makes me feel as though im in a zombie movie or something as noone around. should post some pics really as moonlight/streetlights offer some good pics

yunki – it’s exactly as nice as you imagine. Especially now I’ve worked out a nice route from N.A. all the way out to the moor.

I you want to experience the most sublime early morning, go walking or ski touring in the Alps and stay in a mountain chalet for a dawn start. Unforgettable.

It was really windy Bob. It was tricky riding down the ridge. Once I dropped off the ridgeline it was good though. I had a flask and an extra jacket so I survived. Strong viento del sur, if it was north I would have struggled. Stunning though. We will have to get a ride out sometime. Or I have serious ganas for a proper pint in that bar in San Sebastian’.

Yep, south wind here can be pretty brutal, even though it’s warmer it’s relentless whereas the north usually blows in gusts.

Up for a ride whenever you can, I’m off work from San Tomas to Los Reyes.. hard to commit with a wee’an but we can make it work! Or see you for a pint of Aberdeenshire’s finest barley soup? Can you still get decent beer in that bar in Bera?

There is a wee bar that does a mean line in Voll Damm, tucked behind the fronton. Maybe we could push a pram to a bar one day, I’m sure Gary would find that hilarious!

I have a 4-year-old and an 18-month-old.

The sleep / waking will get better; our little ones go to bed around 7pm and won’t be awake until 7am. It’s all about exercise and limiting telly! 😉

That said, I used to be an early riser and – although it’s easier in the summer – I find less and less energy to do the 5/6am ride thing nowadays!

Holy thread resurrection! I meant to post a couple of sunrise and sunset photos from the last couple of weeks and my baby enforced adventures. Hope you enjoy them, there are more here, I was even inspired to cobble together some clumsy words to try and explain how cool it was. We are getting more sleep now and the adventures are less frequent… in a way I’m missing 5am rides!

Yep – call it the reverse night over here Doug!

Just like that banks, starting in the dark is a lot harder though!

awesome first pic, doug…..

saved to folder:bike.

Thanks Alpin. The light was something else, one of those moments where it would be really hard to take a bad picture. Just set the self-timer and repeat! I even got one photo where the timing made it look like the sun was shining out my bottom… got to love the self timer 🙂

Gorgeous shots, good job.

Awesome pics Doug!

Thanks guys. Like I say, with the light like that it is hard not to take a nice photo!

doug_basqueMTB.com – Member

Thanks guys. Like I say, with the light like that it is hard not to take a nice photo!

I think a good eye for a shot is a lot to do with it too! Great pics 8)

I got saome great sunrise photos in the first 4 months of my sons life.

Enjoy!

I’ve not done it to ride since i started riding long after my daughter was sleeping through. Regularly used to (and sometimes still do) get up to surf before the wind gets up. seeing the sun rise from the sea is equally special!

Nice pics ceepers! I´ve done a few sunset surfs in Scotland, it´s pretty special.

Edit: Cheers Bob!