Had my best ride in ages yesterday. Sun? Check. Tricky climbs? Check. Fast and swoopy descents? Check. Technical bits? Check. Cruisy bits? Check. Post-ride beer? Check. [b]Trails I've never ridden before?[/b] Check.
I'd forgotten quite how important doing something new and different is. Much as I love - and I do love - revisiting my regular trails in a bid to go faster/better, there's something very satisfying about riding a new bit of trail and riding it well.
Still grinning this morning 😀
[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/14916882358_eb17c64285_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/14916882358_eb17c64285_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oJ9VqS ]Big skies near Youlgreave[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/30104653@N07/ ]stilltortoise[/url], on Flickr[/img]
*feels a little sad no one has joined this thread to share enthusiasm* 🙁
Well I know what you mean. Had a break from mtb'ing for quite a while, just hitting the odd trail centre now and again. Did a bridleway last week and was buzzing for days. That's all I used to ride (5 days a week) and forgot just how much I enjoyed picking your own line, being out of the woods, up on the hills, and not returning to an overpriced car park!
And that was on a very wet and windy day 😈
So much so, i've bought a CX bike so I can stop using the mtb for commuting and it's "ready to go". Or I can pick a bridleway on the CX bike for a cheeky bit of fun before work 8)
I even had to stop and look at a map from time to time 😀
I didn't see another mountain biker. Such a beautiful day in the Peak District and it was just me on the trails.
Had a great day too yesterday!
Whinlatter Red run. Had it practically to myself, just saw one other rider - having said to my wife, I'll be fine on my own, it's a trail centre on a sunny Sunday, it'll be packed! Great fun as I minced my way around, stunning views, just a great day to be outside. Even overtook a guy on a road bike on the way up Whinlatter Pass. Bit of a hollow victory though, as they were half way through the Fred Whitton. Still the roadie got some flack from his mates for being beaten by a fat bike.
Cracking day here as well at the Marin Trail.
Explored some of the FP's in the area and found an excellent path that cuts out one of the fire road descents. Steep, slippy rooty tooty. Found a couple of stunning viewpoints, eat pork pies, no mechanicals and had post ride beers. All in the sunshine. Mint!
I did two days on the WC track at Fort William. Today my body looks and feels as though I tried to split up a fight between Wolverine and Freddy Kruger. Awesome fun though.
Sounds like a good day OP. Love great rides like that.
Hey Stilltortoise, was it a DIY loop in the Peak you did or one of the more publicised ones. I fancy a trip over there myself
It was a shorter version of the 5 Dales route in the VG White Peak guide, bypassing the Chatsworth section that I've done a few times. I can highly recommend it, but get in there quick because some of the trails will be slippy and muddy soon. I can imagine it being quite a grim ride when it gets boggy.
I did the Manchester 100mile (Road) yesterday. A nice day of riding. My hints of "MTB chic" equipment did me proud though.
Back onto the mountain bike now though ready for a Spain trip next month.
I rode the Mendips yesterday which while technically aren't new as I have ridden them before are basically so because I couldn't remember the trails and I was riding them for the first time as a local 🙂
Left home at 5:30am so caught the sunrise and had a fantastic time on my CX bike working out my way round in great weather. Back home at 8:30 in time for breakfast with the family
Clouds sitting over the Somerset Levels
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Had one of the best rides of my year yesterday: just 45 miles on the CX bike along some very little-used lanes in West Sussex and Hampshire, up and down off the South Downs. But it was the golden late afternoon light and the harvested fields I loved. Must have been passed by only one or two cars and saw hares, a pair of roe deer, partridges, pheasants, a heron and more. Kept half an eye on hedgerows and the forest floor for fungi and fruit. When it's dry, this is perhaps my favourite time of year.
Ahh, ok well I'll say Yay! to you for having a great ride, and corroded for hacking the CX'er in Hants.. My county 😀
I too had an excellent weekend, put 223 miles on the CX'er hacking the Downs too.. Home to SDW (via bridleways) SDW to QECP, 2 laps of Red, SDW back and then a different set of bridleways home..
Then same route upto SDW, turned left instead of right and hacked to Winny, then Itchen Valley canal path to Sotty, turned left and seafront all the way home..
Bloomin excellent.
Lovely day in Swaledale North Yorkshire. We did the classic Fremington Edge route.
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3903/14909936737_b3fd2e02b8.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3903/14909936737_b3fd2e02b8.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oHxjJM ]Swaledale[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/30930594@N04/ ]Pennine[/url],on Flickr
We had a great ride on the Peak District Edges round Eyam and Baslow. No new trails but a good day out on the bike
Hi Stilltortoise!
We were out on similar trails on Saturday - did the "five dales loop" but started from Matlock. There seems to be a bit of everything on that ride - always good for a day out.
Slightly murky start but brightened up beatifully in the afternoon - liking the mint sauce skies in your photo 🙂
Very few people out too - didn't see any other bikes all day although there were a few fresh tyre tracks.
The more I explore this area the more gems I find. I drive past this area regularly. I think I will be taking my bike with me in future and stopping off for a cheeky blast on my way home from work.
I also had an ace day yesterday! Revolution never lets us down. especially when the weather was as good as it was. could have done with something a little gnarlier than Minions but lesson learnt.
New bike was performing really nicely, springs are mad! so plush. spent a lot of time fiddling with the setup but next to no rebound (about 3 clicks)was perfect. a touch more reound on the back. could do with better fork damping though.... any way I started waffling.
[img][url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3879/14918182978_f7045db39e.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3879/14918182978_f7045db39e.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oJgA4m ]Revolution bike park llangynog[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/126294398@N07/ ]andyshreds1[/url], on Flickr[/img]
[img][url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3915/15101734441_aff5ece812.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3915/15101734441_aff5ece812.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/p1ukvK ]Revolution bike park llangynog[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/126294398@N07/ ]andyshreds1[/url], on Flickr[/img]
The beer was not carling!
The more I explore this area the more gems I find. I drive past this area regularly. I think I will be taking my bike with me in future and stopping off for a cheeky blast on my way home from work.
Your route popped up on my Strava feed this morn. It goes tantalisingly close to so much good cheeky stuff...
Another cracking day yesterday with some more natural riding:
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Fancy some local guiding Ben? 😉
I've been shown some cracking cheeky stuff around there, but on night rides. Whether I'd be able to find them again in daylight is another matter.