Old friend, new rider.

One of my oldest and very best friends Meriel came up from London to visit for the weekend. I've had a few adventures with her in the past, we've hiked mountains, dived the seas and drunk more than one town dry, but until this weekend never ridden bike together. She's been a road rider for as long as I've known her but is a very new mountain biker. I'm hardly an old hand but it was down to me to lead the way and show off my local trails, a dirt paradise compared to what she has easy access to from the big city. The weather did its best to confirm that it is indeed grim up North but we're not the sort of girls who scare easily so we pedalled our way through the wind and ignored the rain that thought about falling. We climbed a few bumpy miles and whizzed back down an even bumpier few, some bits brought smiles and laughter and some frowns with handlebars gripped too tight with fear. Home to tea and snacks and the knowledge that the mountain biking bug had well and truly bitten my friend, new bikes and future rides discussed.

Vikki