Our Antur uplift day followed by a Lakes classic on Sunday was cancelled due to 50mph winds and heavy rain. So we went to the Forest instead. Remarkably dry considering the rain we’d had Friday and Saturday.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Lm4SbE]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Lp1H24]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Ks5tpL]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KrXCoS]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Ks5V7Y]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LoQBpH]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

It rained a bit, but we didn’t care we were close to the pub by then!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KsnNqM]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

And anyone who remembers the old Cafe at PAB… it’s amazing how much better the food is nowadays. Check out Alex’s pancakes!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LkYg83]FoD – MTB[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Finally I’m just leaving this link here: https://flic.kr/p/Lp3yDP Dean managed to lob himself over the bars straight into a rock. He had a couple of injuries, this being the worst of them. Quick visit to AandE and he’s fine, if a little sore! If you click on the link you’ll see why I didn’t put it up as a pic!

Did the wind blow all those trees over?

😉
Pics to follow

Out on my own so just the surroundings!

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w251/Beautopia/20160821_145805_zps59ajg5yg.jpg%5B/img%5D

Couple of mates kindly snapped some out on the trail, bring on Summer 🙂
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Lq1CmM]14046053_1128270660577641_2788803192806720490_n[/url] by Mike Smith, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LfFqP7]14034953_1128270690577638_6820375651717084876_n[/url] by Mike Smith, on Flickr
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LfFqJN]14064189_10154482116304529_7414065668528005909_n[/url] by Mike Smith, on Flickr

It doesn’t look too wet for winter 😉

the lower half was 😉 couple of puddles and some O-M-G Hero dirt 🙂

Took the fatbike (I do try to ride my other bikes, honest 🙂 ) to check out a few trails that I’d seen before but never explored. It’s amazing that after all these years there are still tracks left to explore. Of course, most of these go nowhere. This one ended up with a hike through a bog then up the side of a steep hill, through waist deep heather, with the bike on my shoulders and my own private swarm of flies for company. Still a great day out in the hills and who knew Aberdeenshire had a solar farm 🙂

)

No pics, but a mud-fest around Allan Water and Kippentrait Glen on Saurday morning.
Canoe down Teith on Saturday evening.
A couple of laps of Varron Valley on Sunday.
And I got DIY done as well.

Some nice pics!

Dust!

North Wales was rather nice.

Explored a few old favourites in the Pentlands. Sadly back down to London tomorrow so will be back to running for exercise instead of mountain biking.

Pic shows Capel Road into Glen Clova, part of an all-weekender starting from Loch Muick side on the Friday, into Clova on Sat and towards Ezell, then Tarfside and Loch Lee before taking the Fungle road back to Aboyne on Sun. Highly recommended!

*edit to try and sort pic link*

I rode a trail I haven’t ridden for close on to 30 years.

I could remember pretty much all of it, even down to the bumps and bends. Yet I cant remember if I locked the front door 30 seconds after leaving the house 🙂

My fitness and skills have improved and modern bikes make it easier. Same level of fun was had.

But its quite interesting to go back to a trail you haven’t ridden for that long. In another 30 years I may just about be able to do it on my electric powered 4 wheel bike.

Mostly trail maintenance, I would post some pictures but it all got a little homoerotic during the post dig discussions/beers.

No pics from weekend, so here are a few from midweek…

[img]https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13912747_10154347639161501_4373810292553894374_n.jpg?oh=8e5c17d97601f8779f2d110ff894f7e1&oe=58102384[/img]

Chakaping, is the top picture Great Hill? If so.. the bottom two, where are they? Looks good!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KtpQLE]Somewhere in the South Downs[/url] by SteveH2008, on Flickr

Chakaping, is the top picture Great Hill?

No, but I understand why you thought so.

Somewhere the other side of Manchester, but I better not say any more.

Weekend of riding in Fernie, BC.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KtNtdx]Stupid_Traverse_Fernie[/url]

Like that Mark. A lot 🙂

We, too, were supposed to be in the Lakes. But the wind and the rain put paid to that so we spent most of the day looking out of my mate’s living room window drinking tea, then pounced and rode for an hour round Calderdale.

We were thinking of going to the Black Mountains but the weather changed our plans so ended up at the Longmynd.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/LdwQdm]Select your donkey.[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr [/url]Snake bite by A window to yesterday, on Flickr

I did a race thing!

Little XC race in Leeds, not done it for years, on an inappropriate 140mm trail bike, got lapped, nearly burst my lungs but didn’t come last and enjoyed it in that weird pain/joy way of racing.

24Hr LeMans cyclosportive as part of a team of 6

And just to prove i rode rather than posed with the bike