Cheeky chap watching me as I was getting togged up at FoD this morning.

Full warm kit for the commute, but worth it for the lovely sunset 

Snuck a quick spin after work

First Italian ride of the year, finish work at 5, out by 5.30, a 4 miles along the sea front, a 1500ft 4 mile climb, then a 2.26 mile, 1500ft rocky decent back to the sea front and the 4 mile cruise back to my apartment then out for dinner.

Doing it right as always Jim

I really should have taken a pic last night. Clear skies, full moon, no light pollution – it was fab to just stand at top of the hill and take it in for a minute or so.

Couldn’t be arsed to get my phone out tho 😉

@jimmy748 – not jealous at all!

Managed to escape our house guests this morning.
Rainy/windy/sunny repeat.

Mix of xc trail and hand cut stuff.

New entrance cleared into Broon Troot as it was blocked. All the brash the last storm left cleared off Ponduro.

Another 1000 meters bagged.

Another 1000 meters in the legs this morning.
Felt a lot colder than the 3 degrees it was showing.

Had yesterday off to ride.

Lots of greasy ruts, very wet – really enjoyed it.

Shakedown ride on the new Stooge Speedbomb. Ludicrous bike but good fun.

No plans today, mostly just following my nose around the local woods, bridleways and disused train lines, some dry, some not so much

fell foul of some rather over enthusiastic brambles which has left my legs in tatters but hey ho, onwards and upwards

After a fair bit of rain the creeks were up on my commute this morning. This one is normally dry… had to carry the bike over my head.

Quick 2000 ft single run lap after work, spent 15 minutes looking for my multi tool after a quick adjust and leaving it on the floor, then got to the bottom and found my TraceR was flat, so strapped my Fenix to the seat tube for an emergency rear light to get home.

Couple of video clips on Strava if anyone’s interested.

https://strava.app.link/mijg0TeFOGb

Quick evening lap last night, there is a trail there honest

A few hours out with Mrsstu this morning.
Got attacked by the vicious beastie just before we set off.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pvLPxs]Rockin Robin[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pvLQtW]FYP.[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pvS94b]FYP Bottom.[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

Had a rock flick up and hit me in the shin.
Stung like a bastard.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pvTPNr]Rock Strike[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

A short loop round the blue at the FOD, my first outdoor ride this year thanks to anxiety attacks. Even though I took it really easy my heart rate averaged at 144bpm, waaay above what it should be!

Even then I think I overdid it as my chest is hurting and refusing to calm down a few hours later.  Back to gentle pootling for a while I fear.

A solo 1500 meters of descent this morning.
Still proper windy up on the open hill top.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pwKxfk]IMG_20240206_114523531[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pwL8Rk]IMG_20240206_114747244[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

Keeping things rolling with a spin round with Mrsstu this morning.
A bit snowy/icy in places with the sun attempting to come out at the end of the ride.

Keeping the legs spinning before the forecast shit weather hits tonight/tomorrow.

**** freezing and a savage headwind for most of the ride on the open bits.

Thanks to the Yair chainsaw fairy. You’re doing a great job pal.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2px6bmf]The Chainsaw Fairy Has Been.[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2px5kuk]Saw.[/url] by StuartBrettle, on Flickr

Some mid ride faffery on the Wednesday night group ride, Gonna try for an afternoon snowy ride tomorrow but suspect it’ll all be gone then!

Managed to sneak a few decent little rides in this week despite the weather being a bit up and down.

Monday – local SS ride. Muddy out in the fields, but prime around the woods. This was the state of the bike on getting back

Great commute yesterday morning! Weather was lovely really and the trails in the woods hadn’t been too knackered (yet) by the rain

Then another nice commute back in the dark, overlooking the city here

As per @el_boufador up there, some decent rides …

Monday night SS HT. Slop in the open, dry tack in the woods.

Commutes in, and out, yesterday.

And then, today. Forecast was heavy snow from around 7am, falling onto fairly dry trails, and temps around 0°c … so much promise. In the end, we had some sleet, then quite a lot of wet snow. I got out around 3ish for an hour. Looked pretty. Rode shitty. In hindsight, wished I’d just gone out first thing this morning whilst the trails were still in reasonable shape …

It was blowing an absolute hooley up on the tops, with the heavy snow coming in horizontally. Couldn’t see where the trail was most of the time. We had a right old laugh! I only came off once too! Result! 😃

Some Galloway gravel.

Neither me or the wife buy into that valentines soppy-arse stuff so the usual for me tonight

Getting used to the FF helmet I bought for BPW with a quick run round Sherwood Pines. So far so good – once I started pedalling properly I didn’t really think about it at all.

Couple of hours at Leamington today, first time riding there and first “proper” ride on the Sentier. Had a good time, it’s about the same distance from me as Northampton bike park and this is where I’ll be going more in the future. Feels like it makes better use of the hill and there’s a better variety of trails, with a nicer ride to the top. Getting the hang of jumping again and nice not to be overbiked for a change, I actually enjoyed the climb 🙂

Also finally diagnosed the annoying clicking I’ve been hearing, once again another crappy Acros headset. Will be replacing with something decent asap. Mostly glad it’s not the fork csu though.

Crap photo from last night – a deer had got tangled in a fence, but I managed to open the tangled bit enough so it could free itself.

First time in a while out on the hardtail tonight.

Had a fun ShockWiz session this morning with an orange theme.

Found a small bridge that had washed down a creek about 50m in recent heavy weather.

Coffee & cake run to Oxford.

Half term time with the rugrats always makes getting out a little challenging, found a window this afternoon so grabbed the SS,

weather was pants before I left and still pants when I returned, despite the CONSTANT gale force headwind, good to be out getting filthy

Found myself a new pet. I call him Tiny. He’s my newt.

A cracker of a hack out last night on home trails. 

I keep forgetting to take any pictures on my midweek rides.
So in the spirit of that here’s one I took after I’d finish today’s ride.

1000 meters, one lie down and a savage hail storm just as I’d finished pointing some water at the bike.