bridleway hunting around Stafford/gnosall mostly ending up in axel deep mud

65 km of super crispy gravel tonight in temps down to minus 6. Absolutely bloody loved it

John Climber and myself had the pleasure of sampling Kielder Forests' finest fire roads at the weekend. Despite the fine gloop killing my rear pads and Johns gears it was a belting weekend with some fine weather.
The video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgdjLqSl2Z0

summittoppler wrote:John Climber and myself had the pleasure of sampling Kielder Forests' finest fire roads at the weekend. Despite the fine gloop killing my rear pads and Johns gears it was a belting weekend with some fine weather.
The video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgdjLqSl2Z0

And some photos from the trip

On Global Fat Bike Day we headed up to Nidderdale and a nice loop around the head of the Dale. Cath only picked up her Surly Wednesday from Rich and Shona at Keep Pedalling yesterday so this was its maiden voyage.

We parked up at Lofthouse and had the hardest climb of the ride getting up to Middlemoor (this also dealt with most of the tarmac encountered on the ride) then over to Scar House reservoir before following the YD300 route in reverse as far as Ramsgill and finished off with the BW on the west side of the valley back to the car. Here's the route: https://www.strava.com/activities/792475578/

Above Middlemoor



Climbing up from Scar House reservoir

Yesterdays Global Fat Bike Ride at Newborough on Anglesey were I led 9 others around a cracking loop.

Also on Summittopplers GFBD ride (above)

P1010372 by Johnclimber, on Flickr

P1010428 by Johnclimber, on Flickr

P1010503 by Johnclimber, on Flickr

P1010441 by Johnclimber, on Flickr

My video from Saturday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaTmaTzpVrE

Went to the Chapel-on-le frith trailquest set up by Dark&White. Been doing the trailquests set up by these guys on and off for the last few years and basically always look if I've gotten any further away from the bottom (was 8th from last place today with 85 points!).

If anyone doesn't know what trailquesting is. You get goven a map, stick it on your mapboard, go find the control points set out on the map. The harder they are to reach, then the more points. At each control point you dib in with your dibber and make sure you get back in the given time limit.

So, we set out, along with my siblings (I lost again )... As its been a while since I last used my OS mapping without a gos device it was a tough start and getting my bearings was a little slow. Rode around the peak district with sections of lovely Pennine Bridleway. Did around 15 miles with strava recording the ride in my pocket on phone. A bloody pain that it didn't record right (problem with gps which was most probably due to the power saving being on).

All in all, a lovely day out on the mtb and it tests your navigational skills as well as your endurance. Thoroughly recommended... 3 trailquests left for the winter series which take place each month (if anyone might be interested that doesn't already entertain them)...

I rode 7.4 miles with 62 feet of ascent this morning on my commute.... this would not normally be noteworthy but as I have the next two weeks off work this is the last ride to work of the year The riding is fine it's the fact that I end up at work which is less fun. As it's the last one of the year I have added Christmas lights on the top tube, with battery pack in the frame bag.



It looked better in the dark when I left home but it doesn't come out that well on the picture so this one was taken after the sun came up. It will be dark again by the time I leave work this afternoon so another chance to cheer up all those stuck in their cars in the traffic as I cruise past them

A nice little 17 mile pootle about the Bridgewater Canal and part of the N55 cycle route...quite muddy in places but the big kid in me loves the mud.......

I'm thinking Worsley village and Astley pit there Gazaddy ?

You're spot on there

Not so successful,
My rear derailler had lost a spring somewhere, meaning it had no tension, swung into the rear tyre bending a spoke.
This lead to a catastrophic failure of the hanger bending it out 90 degrees to the wheel!
Only solution was to break the chain and walk back to the car park!

Im allowed to buy myself new parts this close to christmas right?

On the Carneddau in Snowdonia today seeing as we had a nice bit of high pressure on us

3.30 hours on the bike today, was quite impressed with only ten minute stop time until I worked out that was about 3km worth in distance

An unexpected Christmas treat on the last C2W of the year, today!

Just a wee ride out for mince pies

Festive fatbiking by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

Top effort with the sleigh there SR!

Just nipped up the woods to blow the cobwebs away, stopped for a sit down on this chair and found out that my "small" size bike frame is considerably more bijou than I thought.

R

RIP wrote:Just nipped up the woods to blow the cobwebs away, stopped for a sit down on this chair and found out that my "small" size bike frame is considerably more bijou than I thought.
R

I recognise that chair! Did you stop for a caramel latte, too?

Thought u might :). Nah no latte this time. World's most expensive cafe (no I tell a lie, that's Monsal Head Cafe). Actually I don't begrudge the price at all cos it goes to charideee but the lady in charge is a female Basil Fawlty. I think the coffee price includes the ticket price for the show - she's hilarious!

RIP wrote:Thought u might :). Nah no latte this time. World's most expensive cafe (no I tell a lie, that's Monsal Head Cafe). Actually I don't begrudge the price at all cos it goes to charideee but the lady in charge is a female Basil Fawlty. I think the coffee price includes the ticket price for the show - she's hilarious!

I'm glad it's not just me who thinks the customer service is a disaster zone . The most patronising matter is the health & safety policy banning anyone from taking crockery teacups outside, in case they get broken .

PM sent, BTW.