Season’s Greetings from Sunny Devon!
Went out this late morning for a quickie, primarily to test my new front Crud Catcher and generally de-turky the body. I was prepared for the cold but not for the conditions underfoot.
I only use a few hundred metres of proper lanes before getting off road – the deep lanes had huge white frost patches for considerable distances where the bright sun hadn’t touched the road surface. It just glinted whiteness at you! It felt treacherous though
The bridleways I use in the woods where I go are still suffering from wood being harvested since early August, deep trailer tracks etc. and also poached up well by horses. Everything was in permafrost despite the bright sun. If you hit mud, horse poo or granite, it all felt the same! The poaching up also made it nearly impossible to ride as there were no clear tracks. Normally the mud gives and you plough through, but not today. Where the mud was flattish, the crystals of ice glistened through making even that slippery.
All in all great to be back safely and in the warm. Yes it was bright blue beautiful skies, but we haven’t reached 0C yet, and it’s now getting colder again.

The Crud test – well….impossible. No mud cos it was all frozen! One of the very few times I’ve simply put the bike straight into the garage cos it didn’t need cleaning. The new front catcher does look good though. It’s definitely longer and covers about 3/4 of my down tube. The rubber nose allows it to sit right up tight to the fork and deforms if the crown touches it – bit like it says on the pack! Possibly a little thinner than my old one, but it seems to be fine.

Anyone else out?
( goes to lay up fire!!!!)
cheers
Q

“Anyone else out?”

yes but walking on Exmoor ! And I didnt take a single photo !

Went up to Haldon Hill near Exeter yesterday. Again, no mud about and ruddy baltic! Didn’t stop riding for fear of freezing but had a good time all the same.

yep just got back from a 35 mile local loop was a really nice ride, air was nice and fresh!!

we haven’t reached 0C yet

I’d say, if the ground is frozen, you have reached well below 0ºC!

Yes, it is a bit chilly. Went out for a little tow-path spin to meet a friend, sat and had a cup of tea and a pice of cake with a little friend, and watched the ducks. Very nice.

But when I got back on the bike, bloody hell, it was sooooo cold! Me toes and fingertips were really stinging. Had to proper peg it, back, to get warm again. Just about warmed up, by the time I got home. Remind me to take a hip-flask out with me, next time…

Went up on Dartmoor yesterday to test my new Orange 5 with my uncle who’s a bit of a bike nut – damn freeeezing! Couldn’t feel when I had my brake levers held down or not my hands had got so numb.

Only fell off once – when I turned whilst in a huge rut of frozen mud – didn’t feel anything till I got home, but it was just a graze really.

yes but walking on Exmoor ! And I didnt take a single photo !

Its not April 1st already is it???………….