twenty four little hours

Sunday was planned for a proper ride, helvellyn and skiddaw were mentioned. All the rain had us erring, thinking about maybe hitting a trail centre instead if things were bad. By friday the forecast of a weeks worth of rain in one day and high winds we aimed even lower, meet at lee quarry and do graham's stw ride taking in bits of the Mary Townley loop. Sunday dawned (eventually) lots of heavy rain, blowing a gale and weather warnings and advice not to leave the house unless necessary, hmm. Crap weather chicken began, seriously considered calling the lads to see if they wanted to cancel but waited for one of them to make the call instead. No-one chickened out so, idiots that we are, we turned up got changed (in the rain), rebuilt Johnnies bike (in the rain) and set off up the the quarry (yep in the rain). We were getting blown about all over the shop and it was freezing, proper face numbing stuff. Faff stop halfway up my hands were already numb in my winter gloves, a few more lads came past, one was gloveless, his hands were bright red, looked like a beginner so I guess gloveless due to lack of kit rather than choice. Ouchy. No way were we heading any further from the cars so we just did a couple of laps of LQ. Wind was all over the shop, behind you one minute stopping you in your tracks the next. Pedalling down hills getting blown off line, scary. Tried the new pump track but a bit too advanced for us, old pump track was beset by wind so waste of time. I had a shot at the step down jumps but just the once. Social pace taking it easy and having a laugh. Went round for a second lap then Johnnies chainset exploded at the play area so we just descended straight to the cars and tried to get warm again. Pie stop at stubbins, awesome pies but a bit pricey. Just an hour and a half riding, well 90mins away from the car anyway, character building but as Johnnie said "I've already got lots of character building rides under my belt and stories to tell, I don't really need any more" Next time maybe I'll be the crap weather chicken :-) Then next day was glorious sunshine and gentle breeze, I was sweltering riding in to work and tailwind all the way home. What a difference a day makes eh?

SSUK2012 - You're in

woohoo, I will be doing atleast one event this year!

(assuming my cousin doesn't patch things up with her fiancé)

interesting read

I like this, The real speed of cars is only 3.7mph

Also from the same site and following on from a discussion with Si last night of my biking anorak-ory
In Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventure of the Priory School, Sherlock Holmes demonstrated his ability to identify bicycle tyre treads:

“I am familiar with forty-two different impressions left by tyres.”
I reckon I know atleast 50 so bum to you sherlock :-)

Doing the business

Managed a couple of decent rides tho no the big easter night ride i had planned (rained off). Last week I rode up to rivi to meet up with Johnnie for a quick nightride. Did 2 lads and ICR, it's been a while and ICR has changed, big gully before the first berm and for some reason I was having trouble lifting the front end so not elegant but made it down OK. Met up and headed up AICR then had a play in the gardens for a change, found some interesting stuff did a drop I've done a few times again didn't the front end and bottomed out my floats for the first time ever I think. More riding in the gardens then down wildes and split I went home via barrow bridge again. Nice night, lots of riders around.
Sunday me and Si headed up to the lakes to redo the grizedale ride. Saw lots of Cube bikes on the way, set off up the start of northface trail but at mustard hill decided to try a shortcut to high parkamoor skipping low parkamoor and the hippy commune. Only missed one fast (but not that exciting) descent and some nice views (cloud permitting) but got us straight onto moor lane, first descent of the day, what a cracker! Bit wet but plenty of grip and lots of fun. Managed to clean the Breasty Haw (snigger) climb and bleaberry hill was ace shorter but almost as sweet as moor lane. Slackwood was fun and not as slippy as usual. Rode over to claiffe and lucked out with most of the gates following a bequaded farmer and then some walkers we only had to open 1 ourselves then near the top we saw some riders ahead I started to put the power down to catch them, KERCHUNG chain dropped to granny KERCHUNG chain dropped off, hmm. One mangled link was the cause, dunno what did it, our quarry escaped, Si broke out the choccy oatcakes while I fixed it. Successfully navigated the forest and did colthouse descent fun but festooned with walkers and wary of my reputation slowed right down and was courteous to each and every one, didn't stop a few having faces like slapped arses tho. Big climb out of hawkshead, some more northface trail then titties track to finish, well nearly, at the bottom of titties we saw the new black run so I quickly rode up for go of that, went off course and nearly crashed on the second corner starting too quick, after that I merely made my way down the rest, no finesse, no style, very little air. Looks good tho, berms jumps and drops, couple of runs to get into the flow of it and it'll be a right laugh. Down the last fun cheeky bit and back to the car.
Excellent, every mtber should do this ride atleast once, packs a lot of fun descents in and it's all rideable, no hiking or pushing needed and it's doable in any weather.

How was it for you?

Well that's summer gone, hope you made the most of it. As mentioned I haven't maximised my riding but it's been ok. Back on the road last week, incident of note, coming home I briefly join the Manchester ring road, bit of dual carriageway, I could see on the other side a posh audi pulled up in lane 2 (of 2) cars behind him queueing up, honking and when they got the chance speeding around him with much revving of engines and grinding of teeth. On closer inspection he was looking out for a guy lying down, his head on central reservation, his feet in the road, dunno if he'd been hit or what but no-one else seemed to care except audi man. "what a load of uncaring gits" I though closely followed by "hmm wonder what's for tea" then followed by "that makes me and uncaring git too doesn't it" U-turn go back and help. Guy is OK just a bit befuddled having trouble walking, probably booze but don't like to assume. Me and audi man help him across the road out of harms way, one passer-by also asks if he can help but we've got it, another says "hur hur big pisshead" (well done!) car drivers don't make it easy for us even tho we are quite obviously helping a struggling man across a busy but slow moving road. Guy thanks us, we get going feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Good deed done. Posh bloke in big expensive car turns out to be a nice bloke....

...unlike Jag driver this morning who starts off to my left at the lights, he's in lane 2 me in 3, we set off he gets just slightly ahead then cuts in front of me I slow, move to his right between 3 and 4, he slows so I start to overtake then he cut's infront of me again to join lane 4, when I make comment on this he gets irate and as I pass (I've slowed behind him and moved back into lane 3 now) starts to rev and steer towards me. Dick. Fortunately he's stuck in traffic so I ride off. Will have to keep an eye out for that nutter in the next few days in case he carries a grudge.

Self indulgent

My current favourite picture
"What chocolate? We don't know what you're talking about"

Egos writing cheques...

Another big plan to do a big ride let down by my feeble body. Monday was a little tough after Sundays exertions, ride to work, 5 aside, ride home I was pooped. Rest Tuesday, no-one out for weds night ride so howabout ride to work then ride straight to rivi, up winter hill over to darwen, big miles? Nope. I had to call home for my camelbak for one thing, doh. Commute was hard going, I've temporarily got heavier tyres on my etsx, well over a pound extra I reckon, suspension seemed too soft again but worst of all gears. First time I've ridden in to work xc with gears since July*, what a load of old faff they are (specially gears that need some TLC) up down up down all the bloody time, SS rocks for this route. On the way home I realised I had problems, legs were fried, I'm having trouble getting back into the routine of 4 commutes a week, football and weekend ride. Got home and nearly didn't leave but I just couldn't waste a perfect evening so ate half a pound of pick n mix** rehydrated and set off, slooooowly. Up to burnt edge met these long haired hippies

Get a haircut! Spotted various burnt moorland evidence of "numpties out in the sun" crawled up to 2 lads, ripped down there then halfway down wildes across to montcliffe back up to georges lane and home via barrow bridge. Short and sweet, best I could manage. Yesterdays commute was a slog, this morning felt a little easier but only coz I went so slow, building up fitness/endurance is slow going.

Nice couple of weeks but weather seems to be waning for easter :-(

*these are the kind of facts you can pluck out of the ether when you have a ride diary
**Mates wedding reception had a big pick n mix counter, still loads left at closing so I got myself a big bag of goodies for mid ride replenishment.