The Alternative

Weekend I'd planned a biggy, rested on friday booked use of the car as I wanted to head to the lakes, duff weather and yet another morning bereft of mojo meant that plan got cut. Eventually headed out at lunchtime on the blinglespeed, forks felt a bit wooden but figured I just wasn't used to sus. Headed up barrow bridge wasn't gasping for breath like I thought I might, still not SS fit but getting there, up onto winter hill and I met some of the guys I met at switchbacks, had a chat, they told me there were a couple of places left on their riding holiday in spain later in the year, interesting.... Couldn't be arsed with rivi so went on up the hill to do san marino, mountain rescue and loads of cars up there, dunno if they were doing training exercises, expected someone to tell me off but everyone was packing up and heading off. San marino was a bit pants, proper muddy with boggy bits, pitiful run down, rolled the drop off for the first time in ages the run in and out were both a mess. Got to the bottom caked in mud, headed over to witton weavers, an easy roll along to the car park at slipper lowe and a decent ride down the wet trail into tockholes plantation, climbed to the cafe where i ran into Lowey, long time no see, another chat stop and he told me about a summer solstice ride that was planned, sounds fun. The climb up the lions den got me, a step a third of the way up, slightly disappointed but was suffering a bit anyway. SKipped riding to the tower did the descent down sunnyside and dropped into darwen, usual trail round whitehall and along the birdleway through cadshaw. Got to The Duck checked the time, could I be arsed going up to peel tower? Hmmm, see that right turn you've just gone passed, that was easy street, now for 30mins of climbing to the body farm. As it turned out it was only 15minutes but it was hard work, stood up cranking the pedals for 95% of it, but not as bad as I expected. View was looking moody and ominous.



The ride around was fun, not too muddy, got to the bottom of the climb to the tower, wow forgot how steep this was I've only ridden it SS once right at the start of a ride, I started cranking away. I dunno what came over me but my body just decided "I'm having this!" Not a technical climb a fair bit of grip just silly steep, my thighs started burning pretty quick then my lungs, then my arms, I was a bit of a wreck by the time I hit the top but kept going a looped back around to do the steppy descent, fun, got to the bottom of the steep climb again no way was I going back up to do other descent, rolled down to the moor track and back to the bodyfarm, tucked in for the long descent down to entwistle, honking up the road climb I realised my forks were barely moving, hmmm, could get them moving if I properly bounced on the bars but otherwise pretty solid, looks like they need some fettling, oh dear. Pretty soon I was back at The Duck, climbed up to green arms rd and descended via turton tower. Usual mix of road and trails got me home pretty feeling pretty hammered, lots of pizza tea and cake to recover. Actually woke up sunday with sore legs, while only a little running can ruin my legs I can't remember the last time cycling did 'em in, like I said still not SS fit. Not a bad afternoon and a couple of invites for more riding, nice.