The First Weekend Rides And Pics Thread Of 2024

Very muddy last night

It’s finally stopped raining! Yay!

A chance for a leisurely bridleway bimble this morning on the pub bike, in rare sunshine. 😃

Beautiful skys, less beautiful sodding cold wind and sodden ground, still nice to be out.

Frozen trails and blue skies this morning.

https://flic.kr/p/2pqM351

https://flic.kr/p/2pqStLc

Flooded South West

Only got the one pic. HT ride from home with a mate on his ti Soda Max.

Decent little ride, but cut short by his pedal falling off

https://flic.kr/p/2pqUQDH

-4 camp in Glen Mark. Frozen rain on the bikes to start...

Lovely and icy pedal in, trusting it was going to melt later in the sun.

We then dumped the bikes. But took all the snacks.

Excellent day out. A tad chilly.

A dash over to Bolton Abbey at first light.

In an attempt to take more pictures when out riding

First opportunity for a pedal this year…

fairly sloppy and flood diverting ride on the single speed

https://ibb.co/dfTNT5k

https://ibb.co/V9NYKCd

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I spaffed all over the gravel yesterday

Just caught the sunset. Photo doesn't do it justice.

Shakedown ride through the mist and murk of the Llandegla blue trail on Friday

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Bit of a train-bike-train exploring parts of the Dales-Bowland boundary. Cracking day out, albeit a bit slow round the ice. Double coffee shop ride. <br /><br />

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53446160772_58ce3c6597_4k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53446160772_58ce3c6597_4k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pqRxyy ]IMG_20240106_100906[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/152318156@N08/ ]Steve Weeks[/url], on Flickr

10 inches of rain meant we had to drive north to get a good track on Friday.

Cicada flew into a vent in my helmet but I didn’t realise for over half an hour… was still alive when we got it out! Drove home and then reversed into a tree smashing the rear wheels of two bikes and my saddle.

Saturday bought new wheelset for son and got a new rim laced up for me. Sunday went for the 10 year old’s belated birthday ride… 12 year old broke a dropper cable.

Out at first light this morning for a lovely but cold bimble.

After feeling properly down about the incessant rain it was joyous to get out on the gravel bike for a bit of sunshine.

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Making the most of my Windhill Winter Membership

Friday - gravel tracks in the clag

(Menstrie from the Dumyat hill farm track)

Saturday - a local bimble looking for beavers

Stirling - is now riddled with these cute critters. It's fun to see how they are spreading around the Forth catchment.

Video -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/9f1hLyKcBTvN7bKC6

Sunday - Dumyat in the sun

Went to finish the ride that got cut short yesterday by my mates pedal falling off. Took the ebike this time though. Managed to do most of the second half that we missed, a bit of exploration en route 

And then my pedal fell off....

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448569793_9a2a1fc2d5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448569793_9a2a1fc2d5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/f137d6j1ew ]GOPR0278_1704632781701~2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

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[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53447520827_1678d0ac3c_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53447520827_1678d0ac3c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/793e5P5H55 ]GOPR0285_1704632781701~2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Drysuit was brilliant today in muddy, cold conditions

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[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448444801_a5d5687f7f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448444801_a5d5687f7f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/6N9aXF2Tw7 ]GOPR0292_1704632781701~2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448760549_f8777bb788_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448760549_f8777bb788_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/V828043j46 ]received_1045042056707979[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Had a bit of a push through the woods, then fortunately, most of the couple of miles home was downhill. Getting the ebike in the right gear and I did manage to one pedal most of the flat bits

Got cleaned up, could barely feel my fingers and toes, so a (very) spicy chicken casserole was most welcome when I got in

[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448928285_a8199f9eb4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53448928285_a8199f9eb4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://www.flickr.com/gp/85252658@N05/94606Dq952 ]20240107_141837~2[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/85252658@N05/ ]davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

Drumtochty forest on Friday and today. I was like a drowned rat on Friday and it was glorious today. 🤷‍♂️

I've been running Continental Argotal on the front and a Kryptotal front on the back for a few rides and it feels like cheating, so much grip.

Cracking ride out this morning 😃

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2 very similar local rides for me Sat and Sun up the side of the valley that drains the best. Very nice 😎

The Man says NO!

https://flic.kr/p/2pr3zWS

Luckily a guy walking his dog pointed me in the direction of an alternative route, so pretended it was Scotland and "roamed" my way along the other side of the canal with only one bit of hike-a-bike, to avoid the closure and rejoin the towpath.

Cracking ride in the fod.

Cracking ride in the fod

@kayak23 how wet is it?

Fairly mushy but only in places here and there. This was Pillowell.

Some terrible flooding seen on the way. Really feel for the people affected 😔

Frosty Dales just after first light. Perfect conditions.

Out yesterday to check the damage and see if Stickman has be out. No stickman, but the fricking MXers have tried to ride up Snake 1. Tossers:

A new trail pop upped over the new year. Top tip: If you're going to build then at least attempt to disguise the entrance:

The 'Lonely post':

So called because the sign is in the middle of nowhere. Now has a fallen tree for me to deal with. See the tread on saws and riding out of the door. All less than 1K from the front door.

@simon love the ruins, where abouts is this please?

Lovely and frosty in eskdale. Picked up a passenger at the start

Stainburn session with a bit of a crew today.

Wet, but it rides surprisingly well.

New bike absolutely rips

@stayhigh it's St David's Folly near Bingley, West Yorks.

@el_boufador how muddy was Stainburn? I've not been for months.

Below the road all fine obviously.
Trail crew out clearing back the overgrown trails down that way so it's a lot better than it was in the summer.

Above the road is muddy for sure, but all rideable and plenty of grip (on Magic Mary F&R)

Slightly muddy round the local this morning.

https://flic.kr/p/2pr8sMu

https://flic.kr/p/2pr6QFq

Nice light (and freezing conditions) at Glentress on Saturday with the a11y clan:

Just been out for another ride with somewhat different conditions to Saturdays lovely blue skies.

Semi frozen/ semi muddy and foggy.
Back to reality of normal UK winter riding.

https://flic.kr/p/2prixQ5

https://flic.kr/p/2prhwCr

https://flic.kr/p/2priwGD

Beaut day at Cademuir on Sunday, good and fresh with no wind (!)

Trails riding great, only guilt made me clean the bike after 🙂