I'm still here..

It's been quiet online.. work has been manic and I'm once again in the middle of study ahead of exams in January.

Stuff has been happening though, I've been riding (not as much as I wanted), I've run a bit (pleased with how I coped to be honest) but have seemingly been unable to get myself to the gym of late.

I also went to the premiere of the awesome From The Inside Out.. a biking film so amazing on the big screen that I got home and immediately downloaded it..

Seeing this sort of thing both motivates and disappoints.. I want to get out and crank the pedals down singletrack, but have had the back of my mind that I'll never be able to make a bike I own do the stuff these lads can.. ah well.. if it was easy, no one would bother paying 7 quid to go watch it would they?

There is something though, something sitting in mind that I've pushed out to just one person.. until things become certain.. that's the way it'll stay ;o)

Beware the Hun in the Sun

Probably the best line to have come out of this weeks ride*

A ride from work this week with Mad Shaun.. a great lad who, despite being old enough to know better still likes to throw himself off waterfalls in a small boat in the wildest areas of the world**

His suggestion for a ride was due to our constant talking about bikes and all things trail for the last few months and also his surgeon phoning him up at the start of the week to say he was going in for a shoulder rebuild that would see him lifting nothing heavier than a espresso cup for 12 weeks.

Riding through town we played in the traffic, racing red lights and buses through Sheffield city centre before heading into the parks and then up slowly towards the Peaks.

Reaching the bottom of what can only be called a wall, Shaun changed down to granny and told me knock myself out and he'd see me at the top.  What he could of added was that this was going to be the baby climb of the night...

When we finally made it up to the top of the Peaks the wind was absolutely howling.. so much so that conversation was impossible.

We turned off the lights and stood appreciating the amazing view of the cityscape.  This is something that I've not yet gotten used to.  Being able to stand at height and overlook hundreds of lights far below is completely removed from FOD riding where you see trees and an occasional view of more trees only if you can get to a high level.

From the windswept peak the only way was down and although not massively technical, the skittery stones kept my concentration levels high.

Back onto the road for a short time we headed into another piece of woodland for a few more swoopy little sections before dropping yet again onto road for the final blast to our finish point.

Again, we made like spitfire pilots from The Battle of Britain, swooping through traffic, ducking in an out of slow moving traffic.

5 miles of exhillirating fun, as much fun as could be had on a moutain bike whilst on the road anyway

The ride wasn't the quickest, nor the most focussed.. but hell, it was fun.  It's made me question just why I've not been riding much at present and given me one hell of a desire to get out and rectify that..

* Apart from "Oi ya c*** you nearly had me off then"!
** The last time he did it was in the middle of Iceland and ended up dislocating his shoulder - something he's due to have pinned(!?)

What else is there to say....

Along with a huge amount of bikers all over the UK, I have a certain fondness for Mint Sauce.. the mtb riding sheep that sprung from the creative mind of Jo Burt.

Mint Sauce has an iconic status, with deep messages hidden in beautifully drawn whole page cartoons.

I found this the other day.. it's since taken up residence as my wallpaper.. but I just had to share;

How can I say any more?

Coed Y Brenin

I remember saying a while ago that I couldn't understand why people would sit in a car for several hours in order to drag their bikes out at the end of the journey to ride.

That's the same sort of attitude that got us all believing that the world is flat I guess.

When Rex mentioned that the Wednesday night boys were planning their annual trip to North Wales to take in the finest trail centres the area has to offer, I admit to scepticism.  Weekends are precious, with time taken for 'non family activities' gauged in percentages.  A whole Saturday.. that's 45% of my whole weekend time available if I go from the moment I pull up on Friday afternoon to going to bed on Sunday.

As is usually the case, Kate talked me round and so, after not enough sleep I was loading my bike into the boot of the car way before the sun started to show its head. 

Needless to say, the day was awesome, the sun shone with an unusual warmness for early November and I had to take off my baselayer after a few miles - why the hell can't that happen in July?!?

Coed is a cracking circuit, we rode 'The Beast, 40km of endless singletrack that exhausts and enthuses in one endless run of rocky trails.

I've been left with a 'good ride hangover' replaying parts of trail.. False Teeth.. Slated.. fantastic.

The lads I rode with helped, easy banter and support to make the day one I'll keep with me right through Winter.

It wasn't just me though, Nic got home and started you-tubing videos of Brechfa for our now planned January trip...


I can't wait