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Still can't do much riding so decided to change my attitude. A cursory (read 'study intently') look at the OS map showed up some trails I had never ridden.
Rode through some gorgeous villages with appealing pubs and then hit a bridleway. What a gem it turned out to be ... eventually! Turned into a singletrack descent with largish loose stones, bit of a gully, then a fallen branch that had to be moved. Was getting a bit carried away then realised that if (when) I wiped out, nobody would ever find me. 😯
Checked out a few more trails, enjoyed the sunshine together with a Winter picnic.
Exploring rocks. 🙂
How was your day?
shit.......
went for a walk with mrs ton, my daughter and molly the labby.
i had to stop 3 times up the 1st hill, by the time we got to the top i was covered in a cold clammy sweat, and then froze for the next 45 mins of the walk.
still at least i got some fresh air........... 😐
Sounds nice.
I'm heading for a while off the bike.
Road ride today very icy, 2 friends turned back after 10 mins but I carried on.
2 hrs later was going along about 16mph and some ice took me down.
Hit my head and cracked helmet in 2 places, grazed shoulder and knees. Worst part is hand which was squashed between bars and road. Is now twice the size and hurts like hell. Was frog marched down to walk in centre to check head which ok. If hand gets worse or goes numb got to go for x-ray as there could be broken bones in there.
Looking forward to a day like yours in future.
P.S. took ages to type this!
edit: just checked Garmin and was going 19mph!
Mine was cool!
35 miles of energy sapping mud in a southern national park, with a bunch of mates who like inapproipriate banter. Chuck in a pub stop and cheese, mulled wine and cider in a garage..... and...... I am smiling 😀
Rode to the pub, had lunch with me mum, rode home, watched footy, came on here.
Very productive! 🙂
Jase you doughnut. Was icy and flipping windy though
I went out on a tourist pootle today as I'm still poorly.
Cycled along the Grand Union and chatted to loads of people. Turned off and took it easy going up Ivinghoe Beacon and stopped for coffee at the top. Then picked a long downhill route back to the Grand Union, for a sunny pootle back.
It's made my cough worst again 😳
Edit; some of my cough was productive.
A lap of Glentress red today - a few inches of snow with a flattened line on most of it. Surprisingly grippy and very progressive grip
Grand day out
Not done that much off road ridding of late, instead I’ve been on the road bike either out on club rides or sweating my bits off on the turbo and rollers – decide as it was hideously windy this morning to sack off the club ride and take the Yeti for a run out – decide to to a longer and slightly different route then my regular route ( as I’m rather board of it) – glad I did – cracking 20 mile ride with plenty of mud and particularly slippy ice – surprised at how much better my balance and reaction are from the roller sessions – determined now to fit in a longer ride each week off road and in different place for a bit more varity
Ton - I'm sorry to hear you are still unwell. 🙁 Any further developments/diagnosis?
Jase - that sounds nasty. Healing vibes to you. 🙂
I think the point of my post was to demonstrate that by changing your way of thinking, ie if I do any familiar routes, it just makes me feel downright miserable cos I struggle. So by doing something different, in a different area, you never know what you will find around the corner.
A brilliant ride down to Outwood and back. 56k of mud, mud and more mud, along with getting lost on a footpath and having to escape over a barbed wire fence. It was a fantastic sunny day, crisp and bright. I saw some amazing countryside and some amazing houses and had a good workout. I have just raided the local M&S for Nachos and dips and the offy for Holsten Pils... in bottles, yum! Oh yes, and I saw a few of these:
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what is it for?
Glad to hear you got out CG! Your ride sounds great, as does the decision to change your approach.
Today I tried out my fab new Merrells in the chalky mud of Wilts - got out on my bike yesterday, was very happy to be out and feeling well again, but sad over my lack of fitness, felt like I was labouring just cycling on the flat. Can only get better!
sounds great CG, discovering new trails is awesome, gonna have a few picnic rides myself this year
Good and bad. Good because I bought a new bike, bad because previous commitment means I couldn't go off for a ride on it. It's been taunting me but I shall have my revenge when I take it for a thrash in the morning. 😈
Karinofnine, do you have an airfield nearby? I believe that those markers indicate a fuel pipeline runs underground there. We have the same in our local woods running to Farnborough airport.
I wasn't far from Gatwick, a fuel line eh? How interesting, I wonder how big it is and how far down. Thanks for posting.
Karin
They mark a very long underground pipe that runs all the way from the refinery near Southampton , to Gatwick airport .
Free fuel forever if you dig down and tap into it with a bit and brace....................
Singletrackmind - I would drill down, but my car's diesel...
Karin - 56km? Blimey, respect! But doesn't it make a ride interesting to discover these little things and wonder what they are/how they got there? But that is one very long pipe. 😯
Anna - yes, chalk is Wiltshire's downfall. 😉 But how good is it to be out in the countryside when the sun is shining?
Hi Elaine, I'm really glad you got out. I love discovering new things, for example there's a completely amazing house to the north of Tilburstow Common, it must be hundreds of years old. We live in a wonderful country (yes, I know about the economic stuff, but look on the bright side) and you can mission off on a bike ride safe in the knowledge that nothing nasty will eat you or sting you or ... you get the idea. Wonderful.
Love the different reactions of people too, some are really friendly, interested and engaged while others are hostile and grumpy.
Grrr... I should of got my arse in gear and enjoyed the beautiful weather today. Instead I sweated in the gym, went for a swim and spent the rest of the day grouting bathroom tiles... booo 🙁
Grouting can be very satisfying.
As can [i]grotting[/i], but be careful not to get the two confuddled. 😯
It'll be satisfying when I can finally have showers instead of baths again!
The urban dictionary gives me two definitions... one I'm sadly not flexible enough for 😯
Edit - Elfin - what are we doing on the bike forum... this is doing the chat stats not good what so ever!