[Closed] Best Ride of the Year? + Pictures

MTB. One of my favorites was actually a local loop when I was in Essex. It wasn't a hard or particularly long cycle, but it made me smile and everything clicked.
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July, Cadir Idris & Snowdon in a day, it was an amazing. Considering the soaking we got the days before and after at Llandegla and the Marin trail the weather was brilliant.

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3789/20164994876_7cd915c99b_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3789/20164994876_7cd915c99b_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wHUSrs ]Top of Snowdon[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91843706@N08/ ]Sam Dexter[/url], on Flickr

Last day in the Alps in September with The Whiteroom. 9 mile descent. 9 miles! Then picked up in the van and driven to the next descent. Another 4.5 miles. Then smashed two pints down a very happy chap. Best days riding I've done. It just kept going!

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Can't compete with that ^^^ looks awesome.

Got shown round Surrey Hills on my birthday and it has seriously expanded my riding.
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The worst. The one when my knee cap became 9 pieces.

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start of the fred looked a little ominous...

Woah, Coogan & Homer, nice photos and quality rides.

Any/all of the week in the Alps with the White Room. Just Epic.

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cokie....what was loop was that?...always looking for good rides in Essex seeing as that's where i live 🙂

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Les Arcs
Why do I not live here yet?

That's too hard. Sorry can't do pics.
Road: a nice hilly trip around some of the climbs in Mallorca.
Mountain: BC Bike race all the bits when I wasn't suffering like a dog. Had a couple of nice rides near San Remo too. My year has been ace.

I think watching the weather forecast in early September and seeing it looking well resulted in a spontaneous trip to Torridon which was ace. I really enjoyed the Tour de Ben Nevis this year too.

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i nearly forgot. spend 10 days in Iceland too.

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2 spring to mind.

Manchester to London in 16 hours, a truly horrible ride for large parts of it but looking back, I did enjoy it. Here's a pic of my Lycra clad arse leaving Carsington Water at the start of the 2nd stage:
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And the recover drink.
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The second was the first spring road ride of the year with my wife. We only did 30 or so miles, but the roads were quiet, the sun was warm and we had cake at half way. Most importantly though, she absolutely loved it.
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I have no pics 🙁 But, day one of practice at tweedlove EWS. Great day out, good weather, fantastic trails, and riding waterworld with fabien barel. Nice. The whole 5 days was brilliant but that was the day. (day 2 following wym masters and a bunch of his mates down broon troot was class too, I'll never ride that fast again)

Easy this year - the Whole Enchilada, Moab - from Burro Pass back to town
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Some inspiring photos. Sadly I'm not the "taking photos on rides" kind of guy.

Mate and I were chewing this over a week or two back, best ride of the year. Probably a shortish road ride we did in October from Lake Bala to Lake Vrynwy under clear blue skies. Glorious day in big hills.

Honourable mentions to the descent of the blue at Glentrool, and riding the blue at Kirroughtree with more my 12 year old lad showing more confidence than his lack of experience, fitness and a budget Decathlon bike should have allowed. Probably his biggest ride so far, and he wants to try more.

Most important ride was end of May, when I stopped feeling rubbish after 4-5 months of feeling shit on a bike and being spat out the back every time the incline reached 2%.

Cingles Du Mont Ventoux. Amazing conditions, 23C at the start at 8am to 37C on the second climb (Bedoin), thunderstorms just as we got to the tops for the third time although thankfully they were more around us than on us. A tiny bit of rain on the final descent before the heavens opened just as we got back to Malaucene.

Pictures were at the top of the first climb. I like how there is some bloke looking almost dead behind me.

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EDIT - Recovery ice cream.

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Verbier

It's funny. My whole year was good, but I don't have a single picture.

I'm just grateful that I was able to return to the road, ride my mountain bike more, and not miss a day of commuting due to laziness.

All in all, a very good year, capped by others' good photographs. Keep 'em coming! 8)

Alps for me too - great week, sunny every day.

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4 Passes ride in October.

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4 Passes ride in October.

Simultaneously the best and worst ride (ever) of the year 🙂

Got to be Col De Mille Verbier for me.
Van uplift then straight into a 1000M climb/hikeabike/climb/hikeabike to the caban.
Then a huge descent all the way back to the chalet. 😀

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/19125787726_a8c6111e58_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/19125787726_a8c6111e58_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/v95EmN ]IMGP0427[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/460/18964253840_0b9275dbf7_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/460/18964253840_0b9275dbf7_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/uTNKXN ]IMGP0434[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/537/19151811615_fb7130b4ac_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/537/19151811615_fb7130b4ac_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/vbo3mx ]Worth every one of the 1000 metres of the climb.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/18964789470_844811ba40_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3847/18964789470_844811ba40_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/uTRvbN ]IMGP0442[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr

3 for me.

Cut Gate in the snow back in February. Not the greatest "ride" ever, as I spent far too long carrying, but just an AWESOME day to be out in the middle of nowhere, and what riding I did was hilarious.

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I then had 2 days in the Lakes at the end of July. It was dry, it was clear, both of which are a first for me in the Lakes and I did some excellent riding. Langdale, up Rossett Gyhll, Esk Hause, Sty Head and then back over Stake Pass.
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The next day started from Wythburn, up Helvellyn, down Lower Man, Sticks, Seldom Seen, back up Keppel Cove to the top again and down Wythburn. Rode all of the descent which I was pretty chuffed about (a couple of dabs involved, but it all went second go)
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Possibly the best 2 days mountain riding I've done in the UK.

Snowdon twice in a day gets a worthy mention for epicness, but the weather was shite.

Roadent wise, not too much to report - just cracking out the miles locally!

Probably the #jennride organised in the Cotswolds http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/jennride-cotswolds-11th-october/page/3

Not the most epic, but the one that jumps out at me is from late October in that marvellous Indian summer we had - the last ever ride on my Patriot.
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Just on my favourite local trails, dusty but grippy enough to finally yield a Strava top ten spot I'd been chasing for ages.

Or maybe this one the week before also at Rivington...
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Definitely my little tour of Marin County on a hired road bike, roads, scenery, conditions and coffee stops to die for, all finished off with a beer on the ferry back into San Francisco.

Not my picture as I didn't want to stop in the middle of any of the descents, but imagine this for many many miles, all at a perfect gradient that allowed a respectable speed on the climbs and the perfect balance of barely having to pedal but barely having to brake on the descents. Bliss.

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Either Whiteless Pike

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Or the Old Man of Coniston

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AGAIN

Same as most years, San Juan trail in S. California (not hard, the only competition this year was the New Forest).
I don't really take pics on rides, so this'll have to do - first half or so of it.

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5127/5243568855_b2af999817.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5127/5243568855_b2af999817.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/8ZmEkz ]sanjuan satellite[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/23823661@N05/ ]scaredypants[/url], on Flickr

Oh, here we go, from a while ago though - dusty sandy hot

EVERY ****ING DAY !!

[url= https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2425/3870471459_63070f58e8.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2425/3870471459_63070f58e8.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/6U2bjx ]004[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/23823661@N05/ ]scaredypants[/url], on Flickr

A trip to the highest bit of Dartmoor was a highlight

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and also messing about on small bikes again:

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A trip to the highest bit of Dartmoor was a highlight

Is it worth the effort? I live down the road and have never been.

No pics of the ride but I've got a photo somewhere of me looking broken on the next part of the day...

Outlaw triathlon. I wasn't ready for it but I took it on anyway. 112 miles on the bike, learning the hard way after riding nothing but hills that flat = relentless. Biblical weather, crippling knee pain for the last 20 miles and being overtaken by a BMX when ready to pack it all in. Proper Type 2 fun, but looking back it was my ride of the year without a doubt.

Jam bo, in terms of great mountain biking probably not. But for the novelty factor yes. Plus I'd tried it earlier in the year and had to turn back because of awful weather so it was unfinished business for me. The day I went I pretty much had it entirely to myself which was cool.

got lost in the FoD and was helped out by these lovely girls on a hen do
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First bike ride with my boy . Exploded with pride 🙂

howsyourdad wins!

howsyourdad wins!

I didn't get much riding in this year due to injury but my favourite outing of the year was the LVIS Audax in biblical weather.
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howsyourdad 🙂

Rode far less this year than I would have liked. Rides of the year would be;

Chamonix Huges Way and Pipeline

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Verbier, strictly best ride was Red Enduro 7, but Chute du Bisses and Bike Park red Whoay where excellent. Enduro Black 10 / Jackass was a carry down and truley humbling 😳

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I could eat dinner with this view every day of the year

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400 miles bikepacking in 7 days, based on the Highland Trail race route.

Loads more pics and a write up [url= http://minipips.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/highland-trail-2015-overview.html ]here[/url]

Was tough to pick a fav. There's been a few good ins this year.
Usually would opt for a day out in the lakes. But the top spot for great riding with a real good bunch was a trip to glentress. A local mate marked up a map with EWS stages and we found and rode them all on a bone dry day. It was mega.

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Second up. Solo effort up Grizdale pike down Whitless. Managed to pick up the KOM then lost it an hour later. No mater it was a great ride I felt good the bike ride great.

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Third up if I can have 3. Had wanted to do a 100 mile road ride for a while. Wasn't sure I had it in me but one morning it was that now or never day. I loved it great feeling to roll back into town legs totally fried.

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@richpips. Read that when you posted last, respect to you and minipips.

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In a similar vein to howsyourdad this was my ride of the year when my lad finally got the hang of his balance bike.

In the space of a week he went from this.
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To this when he nicked Harrythespider's lads bike
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And he's now the proud owner of his own [img] [/img]

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/that-was-awesome

Setting off on the traditional local May 1st ride (can't remember who took the photo, sorry). Right before the weather turned monumentally shite, but it was great fun all the way and introduced me to what have now become some of my favourite local trails.
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5790/23778829026_4734a2b0d4_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5790/23778829026_4734a2b0d4_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CefHqN ]20150501_111429[/url]
Also, less of a ride, but an evening in June spent racing dual-slalom and getting my arse kicked by Martin Söderström (not a bad way to be knocked out).
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This thread has also reminded me that I desperately need to find some riding buddies that will do a foreign trip.

Anyway, I'm going to put a joint first place ride in actually, my first ever competitive (I wasn't competitive mind!) event, the Ard' Rock. You'll have to excuse the tongue 😀

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/672/20130309063_9950e5e7a6_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/672/20130309063_9950e5e7a6_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/wER6yc ]'Ard Rocking[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/91843706@N08/ ]Sam Dexter[/url], on Flickr

La Thuile for me. Great riding and some the best riding I've ever seen from Tasha. There wasn't many pics though

[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5776/20390615413_f594b898ae_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5776/20390615413_f594b898ae_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/x4ReyH ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

The whole Alps trip was brilliant. I can't think of a better holiday

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/646/20707559509_49ec4219bc_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/646/20707559509_49ec4219bc_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/xxRE16 ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr

Despite exploding with pride about my son and his bike i am very jealous of some of these Alps trips! perhaps i will take the family in a few years

It's a close call between rOcKeTdOg, howsyourdad1 and Bregante for me 🙂

Really must have more fun on the bike next year (and take some photos.) It all seems to have been a bit serious this year. Looking back though there were a few firsts. First go at some crits, first proper XC race, first 25 TT, first go at some open 10's, first time round a velodrome, and first time on a proper BMX track (which was awesome!)

Anyway, here's one of the few photos I have of a ride, and about as much fun/pain as can be had riding up and down the A4. Turned out to be one of the more satisfying rides of the year too...

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Hopefully next year will see some rides with blobby jr 🙂

Best rides for me was Exmoor in May and a quantocks night ride

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[url= ?oh=ac4e1cad6218601752e020417ba6ba98&oe=5714EF57]Quantocks[/url]

Those 4 passes photos are brilliant. I think 2016 will be the year I do more (some) big mountain riding, so thanks for these.

Forgot to post mine. Which was probably the day I rode all the trails at Coed y Brenin, in a day. It was tough, but was pretty cool, and completing The Beast before 9am was good. Took me 9 hours 42 minutes all together.

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after a knackered leg and months on trainer only i managed out for a wee thirty mile loop with lots of stops for local nature surveying. beautiful day and just a joy to be on the bike. a couple of weeks later i tore a tendon in my arm and have been off the bike for the rest of the year.

enjoy the little things!

Loving these pictures!

Really must get around to buying an MTB next year..
These Pics have got me reminiscing of great times.

@Bregante - that first pic is the one of the year for me on here...

Rides

As a family - one of our Super Besse days.

Uplift most of the way, walk to top of the Puy de Sancy, pick up bikes and rattle down. Repeat. 8)

[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/471/19329375360_7a2bda4543_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/471/19329375360_7a2bda4543_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/vs56Sq ]IMG_3105[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

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[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/370/18898727833_fc44e58119_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/370/18898727833_fc44e58119_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/uN1Vn4 ]Ben at Super Besse VTT[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

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I personally also enjoyed the daft hot pedal back up the Allier river when shuttling a couple of days later - a really beautiful gorge, steep, tiny villages with fountains to cool down in, then a paddle back down the (amazing) river.
[url= https://farm1.staticflickr.com/268/19332379679_28ec95224b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm1.staticflickr.com/268/19332379679_28ec95224b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/vskuX2 ]IMGP9636[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/ ]Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

I would also say that our Wallace Warriors bike club has had *the* best year - here is a summers night at the local park as an idea...
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I had many a fantastic, and a couple of extremely frustrating, mtb rides throughout the year. Happily, I can't think of a single time when I would rather have been doing anything else!! 🙂 The highlight has to be my Highland coast to coast back in June though. Although the weather had briefly turned and I can't remember exactly where it was, this day will stay with me for a while.

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Not taken as many photos this year but the highlight has got to be Verbier on our Alps trip. It just gets better and better

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Did get a bit of dust in my eye at the time

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What a great thread!!

nothing as exotic as many, but an early Cairngorm with sanny and rob was a belter

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4 passes gets my vote too, one I've been talking myself out of for some time but finally went for it on a perfect day back in Sept..

Buttermere
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Hikey bikey no 1
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Pinch flat on Scarth
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No pics of Black Sail to Wasdale which was my favourite descent of the day - running on empty by the time I'd reached Styhead so just plopped down to the van 🙂

nice pics twang, you got a good day for it

Like Richpips, May's HT550.
Highlights included dropping in towards Shenaval - the promised land, followed by a luxurious night in the Carnmore cowshed, then brekkie at the Whistlestop.

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Iain & Twang, what great photos!

Nice pic Boxelder, was that taken from the shoulder of An Teallach?

My ride the other way from Poolewe to Dundonnell was a contender for this thread, 2nd or 3rd place probably.

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How was the riding from Fionn Loch to Kinlochewe?

How was the riding from Fionn Loch to Kinlochewe?

Can't pick just one...

Most epic (but it's all relative) was a 65km day in The Peak - combined Ladybower and Edale (clockwise) loops and finished with a tired leg wobble down Cavedale.

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Most satisfying was another Edale loop - this time with club members, a few of whom had only ever ridden our local (flat and wooded) trails and introducing them to rocks and proper hills was cool. Descending Jacob's Ladder was a bit of an eye opener for them!

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Most fun in a perverse way was probably a solo ride taking in Borrowdale and Lonscale Fell in February. Barely saw another soul on the hills all day and the descents were ace.

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A weekends camping at Achmelvich beach in August for me. Stopped at Balblair on the way and did an epic on the Saturday.

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This years route went across the causeway and west to Kernsary and Poolewe (reverse of your route?) - some really nice singletrack, followed by big cow shit bog in the woods.

Yes same route we did in reverse then. It was good to get the muddy bit in the woods out of the way first. That would probably have been even more annoying going downhill though.

Is your pic the start of the descent to Shenaval? You climbed a really nice descent.....but then I'm guessing we did too.

Yes that's the spot, the descent from there was excellent. Do you mean the descent to Fionn Loch or from An Teallach to Shenaval?

The latter looked like it'd be great at the top but perhaps a bit awkward and boggy toward the bottom?

Has to be Torridon in April so warm and midge free
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/17265740751_5fc868afcd_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8689/17265740751_5fc868afcd_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/siHrcn ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr
Best bike packing ride was a local loop in the Lakes
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8836/18573109725_3515785f33_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8836/18573109725_3515785f33_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/uif3rK ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

Unfortunately no pics but day 1 of Tweedlove EWS was a great day, not just for the superb riding but the whole atmosphere and excitement on the day, Torridon would have been another highlight, cant wait to get back up there.

For the first time since 2007 I got back to the Alps this summer,Les Arcs.I've never been so beaten up after a holiday I won't be leaving such a gap before returning again.Excellent weeks holiday.
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We also did the Tweedlove weekend,Glentress 7 race on the Saturday & natural Tweed on the Monday.A great weekend in excellent weather.
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One other event that was different was Ton's Scottish weekend with a few people from here,great weather & good company.We did a 50 miler under cloudless skies on the Saturday.
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Am I too late to leave this here?

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Trip to Scotland this year, Torridon, was one of the best of the year for me:

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Had a few ace rides this year. MTBing it was probably a tour of Skiddaw I did back in April (despite the gloom and strong winds up top...

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Best cross bike ride was a lovely jaunt around the countryside surrounding Milton Keynes...

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And then there was a lovely little tour on Anglesey...

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I'm going to put todays ride in with my best rides of the year. Katie has not ridden in the last two years as she felt uncomfortable on her bike after she had her back operation, the metal rods in her back had extended her torso by 50mm. A couple of weeks ago she hinted that she would like to get back out so after an evening in the garage with a tape measure and some spanners we decided she might be better on a bigger frame. My Stumpjumper was set up for her weight and height and today we had a blast from Langsett, up onto Cut Gate and back down via North America. The weather wasn't the best it was wet, windy and in places very boggy but she grinned always round. will be keeping my fingers crossed

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I don't think it was the best ride, but it's the only picture I have. Boring road cycling aswell. A tail wind all the way on a ride the other night though, that one was pretty good.

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My first time in the Lake District, riding the Borrowdale Bash solo following a breadcrumb trail on my Garmin 510 in early March, warm and sunny. Some of those trails were definitely among the most challenging & demanding I have ridden. No pics, but a video showing my lack of skills - please forgive the choice of music...

maybe this one, certainly not the 2nd

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Arrrggghh this thread was awesome until that last eye bleach photo

And I'm very much reminded of how little I've ridden this year. sigh...