Mainly playing on some XC ski trails (sans snow). They don’t really work on a bike (surprise surprise) but I enjoy trying. Also included a loop up to the wind farm.
Is that at the top of the hill above the old railway line?
You’re very local to me! I keep meaning to ride up the John Bunyan trail and take a photo from the top near Haynes to get a photo of the Airlander from a different angle.
Not quite, its from where you were thinking of taking a picture. Its off the Greensands ridge between the tunnel and the Cople bridleway.
Turned downstream today. Lovely rolling ride out past St Jean d’Aulps heading for Seytroux. Unfortunately my gloating about the state of my bike bit me hard in the arse when my Superstar Components freehub exploded. Second time (although this is a different wheelset). Fool me once: Shame on you. Fool me twice: I’m a div. 🙄
Will have to bring a new wheelset out with me in the summer.
Fortunately Zeb from Chalet Montana kindly came to collect me and the bike, otherwise would have been a few hour stumble back home with a seized rear wheel and spds.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/SHdcYn]Penyard MTB – last before Spain trip[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr
Loads more bluebells than in the same woods only two days ago.
Included a jaunt up to the recently saved Penyard castle which has had two years of work to stop it falling down.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TKrcPg]Penyard MTB – last before Spain trip[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr
And then inevitably, there was beer 🙂
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TWVMNk]Penyard MTB – last before Spain trip[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr
That’s it now until we head out to Ciclo Montana next weekend. I’d love to keep riding with the conditions as good as they are, but we are deep into ‘must not mong myself before hols’ territory!
All I’ve managed is Saturday’s commute, a couple of quick rides around the local estate yesterday either side of the F1 race (with a headache/hangover) and a quick trip just now to Lidl and back!
Between feeling a little anxious about the roads being busier because of the long weekend bank hol; feeling a little out of sorts; waking up later than I hoped to make an early morning ride feasible before civilisation wakes up… I’ve done less riding than I thought I would and what I’ve done has been rather dull compared to the photos earlier in this thread. 😥
On and on that looks sweet.
Is it much road work or is there a lakeside path most of the way?
Might take the brats in summer. Can pop up to the lake with their and my bikes on the rack.
I must find some of your trails over that way Al. We still need to a catch up soon.
I live just outside of the city in Bernex so plenty of fields and mountains in this part. Once you get to the city itself it’s all cycle path to Nyon and beyond. I’d say probably 50 miles of cycle path on that side of the lake.
The French side isn’t so good for cycle but the drivers are much more respectful of cyclists here.
There are also masses of rural roads to explore and the gravel bike is perfect for the job.
This is pretty typical of the cycle paths areound here. They’re usually double lane and separate from the main road traffic.
They are also regularly cleaned so no glass and junk to worry about.
Eldest son insisted on a road-bike ride today, couldn’t really refuse. Cake and coffee in the posh bike cafe in Saffron Walden, then bluebells in the woods above Littlebury.
No pics, but we rode up to OH’s mam and dad’s for Sunday dinner and put the extra loop in (cos it was dry for the first time in about 6 months) which took it up to around 12 miles, then home the short way (about 7 miles) in the pissing rain for a hot shower and a cuppa 😀
Had a wedding to go to that took up Friday to Sunday, but took the chance yesterday to get out on the road bike with my brother so that he could show me some of the hills in Surrey that he hasn’t beaten me to the top of yet.
The bluebells were out in force on Barhatch Lane. Not pictured here is the 20% climb to get out of there!
By some miracle we both had all of the long weekend off so 4 nights in the Lakes. Weather was a bit meh so did a couple of low level walks and ride round Grizedale and Claife, even managing some PBs and a QoM which is a surprise for how little time I’ve spent on the bike. Yesterday was a half day doing Garburn and Kentmere…finally done it clockwise! It’s actually ridable the whole way that way round. Not massive miles, but great smiles and good to see various slightly broken bits of me were working and I can still ride a bike.
And for some random reason…my work is still closed today! Where to go…?
Had a bit of adventure myself last Saturday, finally got the time for a proper ride so planned a 5 hour XC tour with my god son. Weather was always going to be pants, ~3degree and rain, but thought it’s only rain and we headed out.
After 30 mins the rain started to turn to snow:
After an hour it started snowing more and temps were dropping, god son’s gloves were already wet through and hands cold, but he was still smiling.
Pressed on for another 20mins and his hands weren’t better, decision time as the sensible adult, decided to turn back, by now the weather was getting worst and the snow was settling:
Another 10 mins and the god son stops, he can’t feel his hands or arms! We’re in the middle of the nowhere with no escape routes! Take the tough decision to leave him at a known point with some cover from the snow, I bomb it back to the car, by now the snow’s really bad and snow/ice is freezing on me and I start to lose feeling in hands/arms. Takes me about 40mins to get back to the car but I just make it, 15mins to take clothes off and no feeling in hands, warm up enough to text him to let him know and then 15 mins drive back to his location. By now roads are covered in snow/ice, thank goodness I still have my winter ice tires on but still nearly slide off the road on every corner. Snow’s so heavy the signs are covered so nearly miss the turns to his location.
Finally get to him and he’s ok, very cold but ok, luckily he found a forest toilet near where I left him and he sheltered in there, he’s a good scout as well and that helped.
So all in all, what started out to be a fun ride turned into a near nightmare, even now I’ve not got the feeling back on the back of my hands, think the ice lay there too long and it’s damaged the nerves but this should come right with a little time.
The weather wasn’t as good as hoped, but the trails were in pretty good shape up in Wensleydale. I had a couple of great, short rides in and around family stuff. I wish I had as many bridleways on my doorstep as up there.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TYPYdD]MTB Above Askrigg[/url] by stilltortoise, on Flickr
I spent yesterday doing a 45 miler from the Peak to home. I got the train there with a mate and enjoyed the views and fresh air but got lost, wet and knackered (see other thread). Didn’t like all the rocks either!