!. Loop through Alladale on my 70 year old rod braked roadster. Initially set out to do the 200km Ledmore loop (Dingwall/Ullapool/Ledmore/ Tain/Dingwall), but it was getting a bit boring riding on the road doing a loop I do a few times a year, so I turned right before Loch Glascarnoch and rode about 30km on the gravel track via Alladale (part of HT550 route). On a rod brake bike that became a lot more interesting. All up 150km.

2. Loop Dingwall, Erchless – Orrin Dam (20 km gravel), DIngwall. The gravel section is also part of the HT550 route. All up 80km  On my 3 speed Pompino. Again, an unplanned diversion because I was getting fed up of the road.

3. Unplanned 200km audax on my 3 speed Pompino from Dingwall to Dunnet Head via Altnaharra. Was only intending to accompany a friend on his first DIY audax for the first 20 miles, but it was a nice day only spoiled by horrendous headwinds at times.

All the rides were through stunning scenery, but the one I’ll remember for a long time is punting the rod brake bike along the tracks to Alladale. It’s the last bike I’d pick for the job if I had planned that ride and it turned out to be the most fun.

Looking at those rides what stands out is they were done on my cheapest bikes and none were what you’d pick to do those rides.

The disappointing ride of the year was just a week ago, the WEMO 24 Hour Solo. It’s unlikely I’ll be capable of doing it again when it comes back to Scotland in 4 years, so I was determined to get a decent effort in. I even put gears on the bike – first time I have ever raced with them. Maybe a rigid bike on that course was a bit ambitious, but it’s what I’m used to. I was enjoying the race, loving the climbs – so much easier with gears, immune to the weather in my boil in the bag waterproofs, and riding bang on schedule when an injury (lots of blood) stopped me after only 6 hours, and it wasn’t even because of a crash. Pissed off, but at least I wasn’t DFL. 🙂

In 30+ years of Mtbing it probably been my best year of riding. I’ve managed to ride in some great places and could list quite a few more.

In no particular order

Cutgate

This is my local trail that we probably ride once a month and have done since we started riding in 1987. It was the first ride we did when we bought bikes.

The conditions were the best I’ve ever seen them and it coupled with the first ride on my Turbo Levo. It was one of those rides where everything gelled.

La Thuile

Managed to ride with both of my girls again. Logistics ment that I had to ride Abigales spare bike so I was in at the deep end on a 29er.

Managed to throw it down some amaizing trails

Ainsa

What can I say except I need to go back for some more

The 29er is now my choice of ride.

1. To the pub.

2. To the chipshop.

3. Home, following visit to either the pub or the chipshop.

Torridon in February

Local rides on gravel bike thing

Annapurna Circuit

For me:

– Torino- Nice rally this year, had everything, tough riding on and off road, beautiful scenery and brilliant people.

– A week fat biking and bivvying down all the coastline of the Outer Hebrides a few years ago followed by riding in Torridon.

– The 310 miles from Newcastle to London in 19 1/2 hours, hated the ride, but loved the sense of achievement and it is a constant reminder to me of what i can do if i put my mind to it

Apart from one trip to Dalby with the youngest (so that’s up there for sure) it’s all been local stuff for me.

I could detail some routes, but it wouldn’t be meaningful to all but maybe one or two on here, no “famous” stuff round here.

In case anyone local is browsing, the other two of my top three rides would include Birkby woods, then probably round the back of Ikea, up Warrens Lane then something in the Springfield / Keeper / Bankhouse / Black Carr environs. One of the two would be the longish version that then meanders over to Calverley and back.

Don’t bother looking any of that up – it’s all rubbish, don’t come here!

This year has been the least amount of riding Ive done in a while & family stuff meant that Ive not had many big rides even through the lovely summer (great ride on new trails on my new bike in Pontypool in January) , but memorable summer ones were…

UKGE rd1 at innerleithen was great earlier this year,good weather with my racing mates, trailz & bantz !

Southern enduro champs in Minehead were just glorious, perfect camping weather,- scorching!  race itself didnt go that well , possibly related to the beer tent the night b4, but top weekend

Best ride by far was Cornish coast to coast, wife, kids (5 & 7) did 40km (biggest ride any of them have done) with a couple of picnic stops a despite few road sections

the 2year old twins towed in the trailer were stars as they were stuck on their arses ! Proud of everyone that day

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1CQ5z37qiZ8cEXAY8

Feb – Rotorua, cant pick any particular ride during the week there as they were all good (piste and off-piste) but the helibike bit was cool

January to April – a great time for knocking out mile on HK, there was a few 50km epics that were just so good with quality beer earn’t time after. This period may get replaced by the upcoming Chiang Mai Enduro race at the end of this month.

Oct – Chance to do some riding around the YouYangs in Oz while on vacation, short but good fun

Note: I know most of these are not summer, but summer out in the tropics is definitely not riding season

The day spent shuttling Black Canyon and Lithium trails in the Tetons with the GF

Riding Ambleside, Iron Keld, Loughrigg loop with mates in the best of the summer weather

Recent bunkoffmonday (with my boss) uplift day at Inners

flyingmonkeycorps

Member

Just one for me, and that’s the coast to coast. It was also the worst.

Was my snoring that bad ? 🙂

My favorites so far-

Devon coast to coast off road in blazing June, especially the Exmoor bits.

Northern coast to coast with Mr Monkeycorps- drizzle, diversions and all

Lustleigh cleave. Always. Born and bred Devonian, it’s in my bones

Some pics as I was looking at my Insta anyway…

Betws…

View this post on Instagram

Why do I always look like a bored hamster when I'm riding gnarly stuff on my #mtb? Answers on a postcard please… #mega290 #29er #soenduro #walesneverfails #mountainbiking #woods #boredhamster #gwydir #cyclingshots #ukmtb #mtbwales

A post shared by unduro (@unduro) on May 14, 2018 at 9:20am PDT

Secret…

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Glorious day riding some amazing Welsh #woodlands. #loamlife #mtblife #walesneverfails #enduromtb #mondrakerdune #cyclingshots #trees #woods #rockroll

A post shared by unduro (@unduro) on May 13, 2018 at 2:34pm PDT

Glentress…

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A rare snap of me riding my bike, dropping into the last trail of the day at #glentress earlier today. #tweedvalley #mtblife #singletrack #scotland #mackerelandlaphroaig #drytrails #springhassprung #cyclingshots #ukmtb #cyclingphotos #loamlife

A post shared by unduro (@unduro) on Mar 26, 2018 at 2:38pm PDT

Best ride : 204 miles taking in some of the hardest climbs in NW England. Birker fell, Hardknott, Wrynose, Kirkstone (via the struggle) and Great Dunn fell (highest paved road in the uk) done the ride before but liked it so much I thought I’d do it again. Must need my head checking 🙄

https://flic.kr/p/28sNirR

2nd best : Another 200 miler but this time up to Scotland and back (from just south of Lancaster) a charity ride to raise funds and awareness to an incurable disease that a little girl from our town has. Did it with a great set of lads with great camaraderie

https://flic.kr/p/28sNirR

3rd best : This one was “only” a 40 miler but it was a glorious autumnal evening going round my favourite loop around the Trough of Bowland. Never tire of riding those relatively quiet roads with stunning scenery to look at.

Ups, apologies I’ve had a drink 😬 first pics should’ve been these

https://flic.kr/p/MGZ5Qq

https://flic.kr/p/29QAHA2

I give up. I is phished…😂

For a change, trying to list my top three rides of the year is pretty difficult. Although I had a slow start to year I’ve had a bit of a resurgance in my riding.

It kicked off with my FROTY a trip from Findhorn to Burghead and back on B+/fat bike on the frozen dunes with Scotroutes early January

[url=https://flic.kr/p/22ceziU]On the trail[/url]

There was a bit of a dearth until the BAM kickstart in March with a bivvy by the bridge down Glen Feshie. I recall the mornings start along the single track being particularly enjoyable.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/22M98xs]Morning view[/url]

I did that run again a couple of weeks later in April as Scotroutes had been full of the cold and missed it.

May ushered in my rebirth proper. My mate was away riding in the south of France for 5 weeks and I agreed to keep an eye on his house when they were away so I was in Aviemore every weekend cycling or walking. Rode the Drakies and Glen Einaich singletrack sections a fair bit.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/JWfNiG]Gleann Einach[/url]

I also slotted in a Moray Coast Trail revisit with my oldest mate, juggling email ping pong with Cy at Cotic ordering a LS SolarisMAX and deciding what colour from photos on the phone…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/27iCMve]Shonky lines…[/url]

With the arrival of the LS SolarisMAX I headed out at every opportunity, mostly in the Cairngorms with the Goat Track, Drakies and Einach single track with a very illuminating ride down the Lairig Ghru trail (yes, we even high 5’d at the end of it…). I also had a return trip to Glen Tannar taking in the Firmounth & Fungle for the first time in years

[url=https://flic.kr/p/KG1RNv]Top of the Fungle descent.[/url]

The BAM was still in force with trips in superb weather taking in Glen Garry, Loch Rannoch/Ossian/Ericht and the cracking descent down the from Bealach Dubh/Ben Alder, a roasting trip down Glen Tromie and busy fortnight in August that saw me cycling solo across the country (Strath Connon/Glenuiag) to meet Scotroutes in Strath Carron and a return via the Affric Kintail Way/Great Glen followed by a Moray Way rematch.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/27mHzvd]Bivvy spot #1[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2a3khTW]Go on, point again for the camera… 🙂

[url=https://flic.kr/p/27DZKHU]Bivvy[/url]

Even finally managed to do the Burma Road (we tagged on the Goat Track again because, well, it’d be too short otherwise…) Rivers/water was waaaaay low.

Also managed a bivvy trip back to Ericht/Ossian/Corrour St/road to the isles with another descent of the Bealach Dubh/Ben Alder single track which just gets better every time I ride it, even fully loaded (must try it unencumbered).

[url=https://flic.kr/p/29Xwwvg]Loch Ericht early am.[/url]

And I’ve been riding the ‘Puffer route a lot (it’s kind of on my back door). Great for comparing bikes (and the difference LS Geo has made to my riding). Plus back to Einach and Lairig Ghru…

How the hell do you pick 3 from that?

1. Finale Ligure – It’s all great but Little Champery was a highlight.

2. Samoens – Too many good trails to mention.

3. Golfie – Enough said?

Top 2 at least..both with White Room mtb. Veni Vidi Vici and Mont Jovet descent singletrack along the top then down the forest trail. Simply wow. Rides like NOTHING else.

I guess number 3 would be the huge descent from the top of Mulhacen in the Alpujarras with Freeride Spain many many moons ago.

Does anyone have any experience of La Tramun? Wondering if I need epic levels of fitness to finish it, looks a great venue and experience. Appreciate any comments cheers