12.5 miles on the HT. Starting to feel like a decent bit of bike fitness is coming back.
After the horrendous conditions on Thursday nights ride, everywhere was surprisingly good. Still some slop, but not bad
Forced out on the race bikes as a post winter shakedown, it was anything but good locally with the forest basically one big flood plain. Just carnage to ride in, ending with 15 minutes of freezing rain to numb the hands and face. Anyway, here we are traversing a log while it was still fun:
Rained off the original 9am start, it finally cleared up around lunchtime, and I started in grey damp skies at 13.00, other than a short drizzly shower 30 minutes in, it stayed dry (in the sky at least)
Not what we had planned today due to a tyre explosion before the ride even started but a good ride anyway.
1300 metres.
Sloppy as **** but fun.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53548170122_608338ae42_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53548170122_608338ae42_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pzSnos ]2024-02-24_02-50-16[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53549694883_4788cd58e9_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53549694883_4788cd58e9_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pA1bDr ]IMG-20240224-WA0003[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
45km round East Devon on the Stooge.
Sun was out, but my god it was wet!
Nice ride though 😎
BPW yesterday. First time in about 5 years. Was loads of fun even after being rained, hailed and then snowed on!
Trail clearing today. On our local trails, there's always stuff being done to the downhills, but the climbs seem to be left to me and a mate! Re-instated a singletrack climb that had been lost to forestry work. Was a good mornings session to move many, many bits of tree and rake out the old trail. Very satisfying tho.
Fun with MaxTook Friday off and explored the nether reaches of Hamsterley and surrounding moors whilst my eldest was on an MTB course. Saw hardly anyone all morning...
Fun local ride yesterday with a few mates, only 27km but 700m of up and down, knackered this morning!
@ajantom my wife showed me that pic on Ridgeway and Ancient Tracks of Britain and Ireland. Was it yours?
No riding this weekend, but did get out for a mega bivvy (walking) with el_boufador v2.1 and a couple of my oldest friends 👍
Just a local daunder on the road for us - Stirling out to Flanders Moss. Cold, but lovely to be out and daring to suggest spring is arriving despite fresh hill snow all around us.
First lambs of the season spotted too.
Lovely morning for it again, once I got above the inversion. Cold when I set off, warm in the morning sun
.
33 lumpy miles yesterday with a slight detour (see below) followed by 15 lumpy miles today.
A wee cruise above Aboyne on various Landy tracks.
It was absolutely glorious, blue skies, sub-zero and not a breath of wind, so I didn't fancy doing the winch and plummet thing in the woods.
When you turn up to the ride with your new niche bars but immediately get out niched by some carbon "corner" bars
https://flic.kr/p/2pA9AEP
Some back roads and tracks this morning with Mrsstu as I really couldn't face another epic cleanup operation.
50KM and 1000 meters. It's so much flatter when we head away from the valley.
Made a bit of a change from steep tech every ride.
We also found a whole new woods rammed with really good looking trails that need to be explored on proper bikes.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53551624795_20f16de3be_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53551624795_20f16de3be_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pAb5kM ]IMG_20240225_114012642_HDR[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53551521489_f6bc6d2bf6_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53551521489_f6bc6d2bf6_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pAaxCD ]IMG_20240225_130445525_HDR[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53551188566_9b97be71fb_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53551188566_9b97be71fb_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2pA8QEA ]IMG_20240225_135748666_HDR[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]StuartBrettle[/url], on Flickr
Lakes Gravel for me, turned out quite nice after all
Felt almost spring-like once the sun started burning though the fog!
[img] 
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[url= https://i.postimg.cc/tJBDdhRC/PXL-20240225-074122403.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/tJBDdhRC/PXL-20240225-074122403.jp g"/> [/img][/url]Southern Pentlands bivvy. Up early this morning.
having to pick a line down a rocky outcrop in the Dales
Hopton red, first time in a while. Proper good fun trail, I need to come back more often.
Shakedown ride on new bike 👍😁👌
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Mud still being muddy round here, thankfully only in small doses today.
First trip to Ballo today. Seems like we missed the ebike memo.
Beautiful day Saturday if a bit chilly, but good to get out for an 18miler in the local forest, followed by watching my youngest score on his debut for his new club. Taught him everything he knows... 🙂
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Little pootle yesterday to adjust a new saddle I got. Boyo's have been busy up my local hill cutting all the felled trees
Some view from the top of the hill now, wrecked a few trails getting into it
Eaking out the last of my weekend by squeezing in a quick XC ride this morning.
Only 750 meters so not a full ride but it's Monday and my legs need a rest.
Sun was out though which was nice.
Smashing little race at Cannock, very much enjoyed it and very much happy with my 'didnt do half bad really' performance.
Love the little carbon hardtail more each ride too.
They don't call it 'Fun' category for nothing - remember to smile for the camera even when breathing through ones ears!
Day off today so I trundled out to the egg machine at Aireyholme Farm under Roseberry topping. 47k is possibly a bit far just for eggs but avoided most of the showers and mainly on paths and tracks.
35 mile local grind. From Corlic hill over to Loch Long / Roseneath peninsula
Might even have been warm in places slowed to help a gravelista.
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Didn't take any photos but did grab some very poor quality GoPro footage. It was minging out there yesterday in the Blacks but still had a blast on our local DH tracks (despite almost complete lack of grip!).