Blue Tier NW Tassie
Off for a 40th birthday with loads of people so managed some shuttling of a few tracks. Muddy fun on the RC, knee deep river crossings on the main descent, got 2 go’s of the 11km descent track in thanks to some kind shuttle driving.
Saturday afternoon solo local ride, Shipley Glen/Baildon Moor.
Sunday morning trail maintenance and messing around in the woods in Brighouse and Elland.
20 dry and dusty miles in Calderdale.
Techi fast fun.
Some of the old faves around Hebden Bridge and a few new ones up around Walshaw .
The best place to ride bar none.
Saturday – W2 at Afan for the first time. I even got a few Strava top 10s on the descents which was a nice surprise. And very sore fingers!
Sunday – 4 hour XC enduro race at Cannock on the exact same bike (didn’t even touch the tyre or shock pressure). Finished 9th in top cat, happy with that for my first ‘serious(ish)’ attempt at xc racing.
*whispers* Roadie ride.. on my new Rose CX bike around the Killearn-Pipe Road-Callander-Aberfoyle-Kippen-Fintry-Killearn loop.
(79km with 1135m of ascent according to Endo)
Would have been a cracking day for a ride if it wasn’t for the headwind, which was a bit brutal at some points.
Still really nice though and great to see so many other bikes out.
Led a group of 13 people around the delights of Halifax’s trails in the sunshine. Absolutely brilliant. Day early for Simon’s trail maintenance though.
Simon (and Jason) – I’ll go up later this week and try and clear the bottom section as theres a few nice looking little trails that look worthy of an explore which seem to have appeared!
rode round the peninsula backwards watching the race pass me at kilcreggan and the top of the coulport climb
Sunday
Turiff sprint tri. lovely sun – then torrential downpour as i came out the pool into T1 and on the climb then loads of standing water on the downs. Ran like a turtle and finished up 18/70
Saturday – long morning walk with the dog in the sun, then off to training with him to do some agility. Follwed by a bit of pottering in the garden finally planting veggies, and the first BBQ of the year
Sunday – Thetford with Mrs H, the dog and my brand spanking new GoPro to take videos of riding flat (dusty!) trails slowly. Giggling like a kid as I raced back and forth to get the camera.
went to the Peak District on Saturday – parked at ladybower, Hagg farm, Roman road (which was dry, but as wide as a motorway) over to Hollins cross, back down via the back of mam tor, then back over potato alley, with Lockerbrook to finish. was ace and warm in the sun!
Excellent ride in Macc Forest area, including Charity Lane, Cumberland Brook (twice), 3 Shires head, Gradbach and the Roaches. 37 miles, 1900m. Fair bit of road, but mostly climbs, and some really great technical singletrack.
Couldn’t believe that such good riding was so deserted – if this was in the Eastern Peak it would be mobbed. Only saw about 6 other riders.
Well worth the drive from Sheffield, and the Peak View Cafe has the finest cake selection I’ve ever seen!
A sunny sunday exploring the Stubai valley here in Tirol. Still lots of snow about though, so I was limited to playing around in the valley bottom, with a couple ventures up onto the quicker drying south facing stuff. Proper lovely.
Stupidly, we chose to ride Gwydyr in the sun on Saturday, before attempting Snowdon on Sunday. Idiots. We had to turn back just past Clogwyn station due to the 55mph gusts of wind and driving rain.
Why we didn’t change our plans and ride Snowdon on Saturday I will never know.
Friday night went to tidy the garage after reading the bikepacking thread again.
Found an old frame and some bits and this happened:
Saturday was a mad garden fettling with a quick local loop. Occasionally interrupted by adding bits to the bikepacker. Took parents out for tea with youngest son and watched Dr Who which my 86 yr old Mum failed to grasp at all.
Sunday was bonfire day, clearing all the chopped bushes and more bike fiddling. Stripped camper wheels off and prepped for respraying, failed to get the Syncro running – dead battery and alternator, washed the Beetle. Went for Thai mean with Mrs Cat for our 18th anniversary and then went to see Andy Parsons at Buxton Opera House.
Brilliant ride up Gorple Road, left onto that superb bit of that Pennine Bridleway over to Wycoller.
Lunch at that excellent little caff at Coldwell Reservoir and back home via a bit of cheek.
Solo on Friday felt good and destroyed it all.
Went again on Saturday with Mate A felt suspiciously good and re-destroyed everything even mate A commented on the high levels of trail destruction.
Again With Mate B on Sunday on an allegedly ‘recreational’ ride which of course turned into a Ride Of Mass Destruction
Saturday:
Dismantled the Nukeproof Mega.
Bolted a 2 stroke engine on an old Hercules bike.
Rode 20m round trip to the fish mongers on the old faithful Diamondback.
Lovely out and back along the West Highland Way with a couple of mates along the shore of Loch Lomond. I decided to try the low route before Rowchoish Bothy. It was more walk than ride so we cut up the hill and rejoined the main path. It took the best part of an hour to travel one mile! Ha! Ha! The ride was great. All seasons in one day with some cracking trail to be ridden in both directions.
Had my first proper off in months on Saturday, going over the bars after getting my front wheel jammed in an eroded rut on a rooty, rocky descent. A few scuffs and bruises and a hole in my Goretex jacket. 😥
On the upside, the first properly sunny and warm ride of the year. Cream tea on Ventnor seafront mid-ride, followed by ballbreaking lung bursting singlespeed climb from sea level to the tops of the downs.
Hole in jacket didn’t matter so much cos it spent most of the ride crammed in my rucksack. Shirtsleeved riding, where you been all my life? 🙂