Another dog/intervals double header round the woods for me tonight. Two weeks running. does that make it a routine? Dog ride again tomorrow after a meeting with Forestry England then a proper ride Sunday hopefully.
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Couldn't face the trails on the MTB today, nor the roads on the gravel bike (road wheels). Oddly, therefore, my least-loved bike (Saracen Hack, SS conversion, mudguards & rack, usually confined to commuter duties) found favour instead. 42km & 2 hours mixed urban/rural filthy trails and back lanes. Great fun, and stayed dry & warm!
It's my birthday tomorrow, might get a chance for a quick spin, if not, hopefully pre-dawn on Sunday.
I shall be riding Sunday. LUBP for a few laps, nothing spectacular. I shall get some pics and if they're not potato, I shall post.
I have to say, local riding at the moment here in Warwickshire, though I suspect it's the same in much of the country, is very nearly, entirely a chore! The effin mud and the mud, then there's the mud, not to mention the mud.
Still at least I got out for a bit.
Busy today in the shed. Needs a bit of tidying.Riding tomorrow but just checked the bikes over. No too certain which to take.
New bike vibe is strong but the SS is simple awesome.
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Like I say, needs a bit of a sort out...
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While I was catching up on lost sleep, having randomly woke at 0300ish and finally giving into tiredness to return to bed at 0730 until gone 1100, there's been plenty of reports of black ice and wipeouts around Southampton in all directions today. Lovely and sunny now, but still a wintery chill in the air, similar conditions over the next few days at least... Doubt I'll be doing much outdoors and if I do it will be very local, really hasn't been a great weather week while on annual leave, but at least the turbo got plenty of use! 😆
What a difference the sun makes. It's another world out there. Enjoy it while it lasts!
still off the bike with a broken finger.
broke it before christmas and it's still not great. I've a new to me bike sat in the shed waiting to be ridden!
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Slicks on black ice is fun...
Got up to ladyb with some friends. Was a bit soggy but perfectly rideable. Lovely day out, and now enjoying a beer as reward.
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Some Dales miles with a bit of the white stuff and ice here and there. Only just had enough layers!
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Super icy this morning. Whelspinning up the road climbs, but lots of smashing through long deep icy puddles.
Beautiful day.
What a great day to be out and about!
Bouyed up by the meeting with FE going better than expected, spun the dog happily round the woods this evening. Apart from nearly colliding with a family riding in the dark with no lights it was beautifully empty as usual.
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Ladybower for me to Saturday morning was glorious
Still no rain and 17 degree weather means riding season is still on so a pleasant 30km spin around South Lantau today was just what was needed to get me ready for work tomorrow.
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Got out this mornign for an hour before work. Perfect morning for a ride.
no riding but I did build
What were the skies like when you were young?
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They went on forever, all the way to Burnley.
Frozen mud and lovely sun! More please...
More trail building at Balqhidder trails.
Lots of drains and a few sections of mud armoured a bit more. A new couple of lines starting - one big drop off, a waterfall (!) and a another 'not for mere mortals' drop.
With last nights forecast for clear sky's and a sharp frost we decided to head off up over Cutgate and back from Langsett. Like everyone else we decided on an early start and only just managed to get parked. Loads out on the trails, walking, running, biking and a team of 12 on MX bikes
Quite a bit of work going on down North America repairing the badly worn bits, hope it doesn't sanitize it too much or it will become a straight blast which is no good for anyone.
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Quick local spin for me...
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Hmmm
Muddy local. Including lost dog and an injured boar
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Today a short jaunt around Norfolk for work (I got paid to do this, don't hate). Bit icy on the shady roads, forest tracks running well though.
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Lovely bivvy in Glen Feshie. about -5 or -6C overnight,
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Continuing to explore bits of forest that are too small (and too tame) to be worth driving to with the MTB, but which are perfect for exploring from home on the tourer/cx/adventure/gravel/whatever bike.
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Couple of hours round bedgebury, was expecting it to be far wetter than it was.
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They've been doing some work to the trails and have redone some berms, but why do they use the loosest material possible? Cue me hitting one of the new berms at a decent speed, front washed and ejected me out the front. Knocked both knees, landed on my pinky and got a little cut to my eyebrow.
I need to get some better kneepads tbh, mine are the thin foam fox ones.
Starting in darkness, crunching through snow and ice to get high for the sunrise.
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My brunch stop seemed...strangely familiar.
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OI! get off my wall!
Cotic CC beat the winter blues ride yesterday - pic by Darren Ellis
A surprisingly non-deadly strop round Wharncliffe on a borrowed big bike today.
Saturday Afternoon pootle - poor route choice meant shitty trails
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Sunday morning Ride - crisp frost meant the trails were riding a lot better
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It all went a bit wrong
more detail https://ukgravelco.com/2020/01/19/some-times-its-just-best-to-write-it-off-and-move-on/
Great sunny ride this morning. Bright skies, icy puddles, and even the mud was firm and (mostly) rideable.
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A very chilly 108km ride this morning. Type 2 fun for two hours till it thawed out a bit, not quite sure how I remained uprights at some points. Coasting along what looked like a flat bit of road and having the rear repeatedly snap away on the ice, wasn't much fun. Almost wished I'd still had the 40mm nobblies on the gravel bike, as I'm assuming the local slop would've been frozen solid(ish), and a lot less slippy.
Plus off camber back roads with ice down each side and crap down the middle. They were fun too...
God I am jealous, I have spent 4 hrs on my turbo trainer since Friday. All of these pics look amazing.
Borrow dale Bash Yesterday Skiddaw today great weekend to be out!
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Started both of this weekend's rides in sub zero temperatures, but the sun was worth it. Long time since I have seen sunny blue skies and it really raised the spirits.
I haven't ridden off road for months since the non stop rain turned the trails round here into permamud. Nearest I have come is the gravel bike on the crappiest roads that Surrey has to offer.
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Dunkeld on saturday
Glen Finlet/Glen Prosen/Glen Uig on sunday
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I'm taking a run at the bivvy a month thing, lets see how I do.
We had an ace couple of days with an old group of mates at Coed-y-Brenin. 29km Saturday - Basically the Beast but with some of the longer drags cut out and replaced with more fun stuff - then 23km Sunday - Loop 1 of Minortaur to warm up then Tarw Du. Cracking weather both days, clear and sunny but cold.
Frosty Sunday morning
Start of Tarw Du
Mate on one of the Slabs
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Bright, Crisp & Beautiful spin in the local woods with MrsReady.
