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Tuesday morning and we'd lasted a couple of days without any rain so went for a look see. And also wanted to try out my Reeksy1 's new rig.
Started in the dark and headed over to get a look at a pirate line I'd spotted on a mate's Strava.
Holy crap someone had done a lot of work. Rock to rock gaps, rock benching and all sorts of sketchy steep shuts and linking up to another established pirate track.
I now have to decide whether or not to give it a stupid segment name as the builders don't bother. Last one I called Mr Potato head and Schnell Schnell Kartofflekopf. Maybe Buckaroo or Rocky Horror this time?
Mate did a root slip stall and broke her lever 🤦♂️
Just another steady 15.5 mile loop while I'm working away for a pint and a ride back along the canal at Leamington Spa
18 mile loop around the local forest after work yesterday.
I readjusted the forks and they feel much better now... that is to say I wasn't thinking about them when riding which I'll take as a good thing. They were a bit divey before.
Some more local ebike****ers joined us today to ride with the visiting ebike****ers.
Took a half day off to head to the Lakes and make the most of the good weather.
Got rained on and pretty cold up the top of Yoke, but it was hot and sunny again by the time I got down the bottom of Nan Bield.
(hope Insta link works)
give it a stupid segment name as the builders don't bother. Last one I called Mr Potato head and Schnell Schnell Kartofflekopf. Maybe Buckaroo or Rocky Horror this time?
No - I firmly believe that trail names should suggest the opposite of what the trail is like. Steep, sketchy, gaps, rocks etc? Go for "Fluffy Kittens" or "Pink Unicorns" or something. Double track with great views and birds singing in the trees? That'll be "Armageddon" or "Zombie Attack"
I like that.
Or maybe it would be fun to use song titles...especially ear worm types so people can't ride without humming them.
"...every now and then I fall apart"
The trails above Pietra Ligure are named after the gelato in the town. Or it could be the other way round 😂
At the end of the day you can have a scoop of what you've ridden. More than four trails and you have to have seconds.
I had to go to inspect a bridge
Colins Howff - just about still standing.
The bridge in question
The River Feshie fords. As low as I've seen them, only ankle deep.
Another steady 18 mile pootle round some Warwickshire lanes and bridleways, courtesy of some routes sent to me by @kayak23 (thanks) - a pleasant evening was had
I stole a trip to the lakes this week
Was brutal and brilliant
Is it me, or are there far fewer riders in the lakes fells nowadays? I rode what used to be revered classic descents but surprisingly few segment attempts this year despite the incredible weather.
Is everyone in the bike parks?
Some excellent / epic photos as ever 🙂
Wednesday is our normal ride night. As we'd been away for four days over the last weekend, not a lot of enthusiasm. Still rode to the pub and back the long way, just didn't do the MTB ride in between.
Pretty much like riding into a Turner or Constable painting 🙂
the forecast rain never arrived so the local woods are more dust than dirt
Dust, mud and s****s for me this morning. Dark start and into deserted forestry for a flat 42km before breakfast.
Rode the gauntlet through an active forestry zone...****ing cyclists.
S****s are forestry equipment that have an unfortunate ending to their name apparently
Ignore, STW formatting screwed up my post...
Was meant to be heading out for a post-work XC-duro ride across the Chevin and Ilkley Moor last night with a mate, and then get the train back to Leeds, but he had to pull out ... Dithered and umm'd and ahh'd for a bit, and then set out on more of a solo XC loop with no real clear plan. 55km and 3.5 hours later, I got home. Another stunning evening ...
I'm trying to get out as much as I can before the start of the rainy season. My legs feel like lead, but I still headed out on my new bike for a spin around my local trail having fitted the Hope V4's from my old bike to it, and a new set of rather bling floating rotors. I can confirm that the blue rotors have increased the already fantastic braking efficiency of the Hope's by at least 120%
Okeford hill bike park uplift last night, it rained and got quite muddy, was impressed with the new High Roller on the front though.
I'm still entertaining the visiting ebike****ers.
Just me and them today as everyone else has gone back to work. 
Trying out a possible new trail bike today.
Answered some of my questions about it but opened up another question which I just can't decide on.🤔
Back to playing the “how deep is that puddle” game! The bonus is though that the bird life is even more active.
Are we continuing with this thread or starting a new one every week? It seems a shame to lose it (in my view), and it makes searching back in later years easier, when you’re sat trying to remember the times and dates of memorable(!) rides..
@singlespeedstu sorry, I’ve got very confused what time of the week it is, it happens when retired!
Trails were still surprisingly dry yesterday, despite the recent rain: in fact, it was downright lovely!
And a bit damper today, although still lovely:
A round of Golf with Mrsstu this morning.
Trails nicely damped down by the recent rain.
Great conditions with the occasional greased root to make you feel alive.
Great conditions with the occasional greased root to make you feel alive.
Sums up the Stirling trails last night too! Definitely livelier than they were riding on Sunday evening, more than a few roots to keep things interesting on familiar trails. Pics overlooking Stirling Uni campus from a viewpoint on Dumyat above Witches Craig route.
And a rarely spotted a11y on the other side of the camera (thanks to mates for their photos):
Parked up for refreshments at my usual. Cheers to the Amazon delivery van driver who ignored that I had the right of way over the narrow humpback bridge as I was coming the other way. Good test of the brakes 😬
Weather is picking up again
Half-term in The Peak was cut dramatically short due to a leaking van on Monday, so was able to join the Wednesday evening club ride instead (good fun, but the molehills of The Shire are not really a substitute for Hope Valley and Edale TBH).
Just commuting for me yesterday - brief reappearance of Summer ... Although it's grey and chucking it down now this morning ...
Purbecks on the hardtail, a route I first did around 35 years ago on a GT Timberline
(Why has embedded photo links from Imgur stopped working?)
Adding by “My Media” seems to have bought a blank post.
testing?
https://imgur.com/gallery/eNVFEgb#0nEo4P4
https://imgur.com/gallery/eNVFEgb#2XRppSK
https://imgur.com/gallery/eNVFEgb#0nEo4P4
Try again
Try again
It's a touch convoluted, but does work well enough ...
Click 'My Media's
Select the images from your phone/laptop gallery
Wait for them to upload (you should get a green notification box for each photo when successfully uploaded)
Click your cursor back into the post where you want the photos to insert.
Tick the check-box beside each photo you want to upload, then select 'insert into post'.
Click 'reply'
And it should all magically appear.
Day 2 on Coll and days 2 and 3 on Tiree
Bikes as a means of getting around for Mrs Ampthill and my niece
