Finally, after 2 winters with zero snow, we get a big dump in Leeds last night.
Only out for a short ride, but it felt twice as long! Thick fresh snow, slushy/mud in the woods, unpredictable grip, lots of trees/branches down, or with heavily-laden low branches.
Just so not fair. Not much near Manchester at all.
I'll have to repost mine from yesterday.
On the Leamington spa Arctic tundra
Got out today before the thaw set in....
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/Jh1zpcFz/IMG-8565.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/Jh1zpcFz/IMG-8565.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/FHbKbnD6/IMG-8569.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/FHbKbnD6/IMG-8569.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://postimages.org/ ]images upload[/url]
Walked from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge over the tops and via several splendid hostelries. Thigh deep snow in places, didn't even consider the bike.
Attempted a ride. It was, umm, interesting in places. Quite pretty once the sun came out though
Local woods
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738834271_9f60ccfcc4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738834271_9f60ccfcc4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Houndkirk Road. If you squint, you can just see a little blob which was a stuck 4x4 and the end of my riding, and the beginning of my pushing through some very deep heavy snow (like mid thigh at times)
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738834306_6133a62b26_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738834306_6133a62b26_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Sun started to come out
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738314837_62f947ab8c_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738314837_62f947ab8c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738314862_b1a45fb851_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738314862_b1a45fb851_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Quite pretty heading back into town
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738834391_27c52efb88_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52738834391_27c52efb88_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Shit ride. Good adventure. Wished I had skis rather than a bike.
Similar experience to Jon. Was going to head up to Curbar but the slog up there was a bit of a mare and I had to get back to work so headed back. Was nice with the sun out though.
Jealous of the snow pics, we just had a bit of rain, still fairly dry out there tonight.
Managed to pop up the Moelyyd after work. Was too deep riding up, much better coming down
Bit of a XC rip round this morning.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52740339239_173417eb95_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52740339239_173417eb95_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2omu2pM ]2023-03-11_01-26-36[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52740575513_f02c0141b2_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52740575513_f02c0141b2_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2omveDt ]2023-03-11_01-27-41[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
Another Leeds wintry ride with a couple of mates. Overnight frost meant that woodsy trails were mostly pretty good going, minor roads to be avoided. But some really sketchy moments too!
https://ibb.co/sbq2W3p
This is how close I came to wiping out against a stout wooden post!
Driving from Aberdeen to Manchester this morning I noticed that there was no snow around Dundee and Perth. An impromptu stop at Pitmedden for a couple of hours on dusty, frozen and sandpaper grippy trails was a welcome relief from the snow of the last week.
I arrived in Manchester a few hours ago, along with the rain 🙁
Local xc.
I think it's safe to say that today I encountered the worst type and veracity of mud that I have EVER encountered.
Had to cross a field and midway I couldn't move. Couldn't push the bike, too heavy to lift. Had to cut my fender off to gain a bit of clearance.
Absolutely awful.
Might sell my bike. 😐
Move over Pontycynctymintybinty
Murder weapon
This mud was bad, but this was actually just before the apocalypse mud.
A Windy, drizzly, slippery 20 miles with 2850ft of elevation, grounds still hard-packed under a layer of slime.
Weekend in Aviemore and rode into Loch Einich.
Stunning!
Got out in Wharncliffe yesterday with young ColP.
Around 1ft of snow roughly. Good fun.
Langdales lowlands
From posting this I've realised I have hairy wrists
CyB and Nant-y for a friends birthday weekend. Didn't think we were going to get there at one point
Ridden the beast many time. First time on a HT, was fun (even with a massive hangover) but not sure I'd rush back to do it again. FS for sure.
Stayed in this amazing Farmhouse - huge, really well restored and a great location just outside Dolgellau.
Even got round NyA before the rain. Just.
Some great photos above and a real mix of conditions.
I got out today after hiding indoors (well, avoiding riding at least) since Thursday. Minging sleet, then loads of snow here in Leeds. I really could not be bothered with it. Maybe I should have gone out in the snow. It always seems like it is going to be more fun to ride in than it actually is though.
So anyway, I went out gravelling in all the mud after the thaw today instead. It was warm!
Sun came out at Lindley wood resr
Old packhorse bridge
Wild Garlic coming up & starting to smell. Seems early?
Remnants of snow on Otley Chevin
This was dry on Monday 😥
Tuesday and Wednesday look OK weather-wise ut later in the week going to be shocking. Might even stick to the road / run instead.
No snow here, but was my first ride of any kind since early December so that's probably just as well.
Only 20km, but foot and ankle seem to have survived intact so onwards and upwards. Got a whole two months to try and recover some fitness and skill before Boltby...
Hebden trails were muddy rivers today with all the melt water, still good fun though!
Surrey and Kent mudfest, no snow in sight...
Tried to complete the loop on which I snapped my CX bike mech hangar off three weeks ago, ran out of daylight this time...
Bit claggy for a 40mm tyred CX bike, but a hoot on the XC bike although the last 16 miles of tarmac in the fading light and rain was less fun...
Spring is in the air..
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
A long weekend braving the weather in South Wales and the Forest of Dean, for a mates 50th Birthday.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/mgrhp1zm/Smilog-Climb.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/mgrhp1zm/Smilog-Climb.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/YSY7dt3X/Smilog.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/YSY7dt3X/Smilog.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/YCFTHbW0/Afan.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/YCFTHbW0/Afan.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/65Wdw34v/Steeps.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/65Wdw34v/Steeps.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/zXbBYYXr/Doors.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/zXbBYYXr/Doors.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
...and it was all going so well...
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744431891_713b675def_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744431891_713b675def_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Yesterday's road ride. This is the top of the climb up from Bamford to Stanage
After multiple failed attempts over the past couple years we finally found a lonely rock on a remote hillside that we had been searching for. Apparently, a forest contractor had inadvertently buried it during planting without realising.
The remote hillside has never been easy to get to but a 10km forest track is being cut that helped this time.
Love that last picture 👌
Indeed. So atmospheric.
Ogden on Sunday, was more hiker bike than riding but I love it there when it snows. So glad I was wearing my Scott heater gortex boots
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/85vGRYXp/20230312-111437.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/85vGRYXp/20230312-111437.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Not great pics but it was a great night ride in the snow!
A good 6 inches deep in the second pic but remarkable traction, I didn't have to get off and push anywhere - I was glad of the new 12 speed cassette with 50t bail out gear 🙂
No crashes either but plenty of sideways drifting. The woods were interesting with very saggy trees over the trail and the sound of branches snapping and falling down around me. Kept my pace up that did!!!
[url= https://i.ibb.co/ZWZmXMt/20230309-195807.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/ZWZmXMt/20230309-195807.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.ibb.co/tXWHz1k/20230309-201545.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/tXWHz1k/20230309-201545.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
