afan quiets

Relaxed and happy weekend with a select band of warriors.

Saturday - 99km in the sunshine, baggies and ballons for the birthday honorary girl (any race kit in evidence penalised with additional decoration, white socks exempt), full Skyline, tea and Cake#1, down to Penhydd and the Wall (but no birthday pie), back up the railway trail towing injured member ("what do you mean it's all uphill"), beer supper banter (and blatant flirting) at the rammed and rowdy cafe, a slice of Cake#2 and a deep and cosy sleep warmed by recovering legs.


pic Nigella Foskett

Sunday - Whites Level, misty and atmospheric and more like the M25 but then again it's pretty nice to bimble up the climbs having a good old chat every now and again rather than breathing out of your arse and seeing only stars at the top before rocking the downhills and showing the boys how it's done. Bwwwaaaaaarpppp.

Top weekend, funny tan lines, plenty of cake and giggling. Highly recommended.

Duathlon training, now with added aliens!

I'm racing a duathlon on May 24th, it's 5km run, 22km bike, 5km run. My plan for today was to do run, bike, run to cover those distances, not necessarily at race pace, but just to make sure I can get round on the day. Due to husband having to work, my much needed trip to the hairdresser and a 3000 word essay that doesn't seem to be writing itself my plans went completely off track. By 5pm I realised I was never going to do my mock duathlon and I managed instead a strange triathlon of a 7km run followed by 0km on the couch to watch Doctor Who battle some aliens and then 15km on the bike. Possibly not the most comprehensive training plan ever, but it was fun!

Vikki

Mud

Slick tyres off, cyclocross tyres on, commute home transformed from A-road caution to muddy trail fun!

Vikki

Wind and wine.

Friends are visiting. A couple of days of too much food and drink and not enough sleep meant there was a danger of them driving home again with their bikes having seen nothing but the inside of their car. The Lancashire weather lived up to it's current form and this morning gave us gave us howling Easterlies mixed in with intermittent drizzle. Despite the elements, fatigue and fat we forced ourselves out to ride just long enough to justify a big roast dinner and the opening of another bottle of wine! A good time was had by all.

Vikki

honc if you're hungry

Yesterday was our annual Cotswolds excursion for HoNC. Since I started doing this event the number of 'cross bikes present has dwindled to a handful and is swamped by mountain bikes of all sorts. Which is odd, really, because why would you take a 6" travel bike on a 100km ride which has an absolute minimum of technical trails, a fair amount of tarmac and not one mountain? Hmm.



We'll stick with the (pictured, dishing out sweeties) niche, I think. There's always a fair amount of satisfaction in picking off mtb'ers one by one on the descents. And the climbs. And the long flat drags into the wind, heckling as we go. Yup, cross bikes rule. And it's got to be a unique event where you see a Daimler pull into the car park with a Whyte Preston on the back...

As for the legs - happy. Climbing well, easy spinning along the tops, descending not too mince-ily and the hollow bell of an empty tummy only made itself present at the top of the very last descent from Cleeve. Rah.

nearly there...

of the north, more later. for now - this evening. rode with an old friend. favourite trails, warm sun. much chat.
lovely.

j.

Competetive moment

I wouldn't describe myself as a naturally competetive person, but on my commute home last night I had a definite moment. Downhill from a set of traffic lights I was having to apply a bit of brake as my fixed gear legs were in danger of whirring into a situation of no return when another bike passed me. I can't quite put my finger on what it was about being passed, a situation that never usually bothers me, but something just caused me to make a ridiculously determined effort to catch up with this other rider on the following uphill. Out of my saddle stomping away I just managed to be a wheezing, near puking wreck of a girl right on his back wheel at the next red light. Fortunately I came to my senses and let it go, the rest of the ride home was without incident.

Vikki

North of The Border.

Me and a few friends just had a long weekend away North of The Border in Scotland, first time I've ridden the trails up there and it was ace. Did a Cycleactive skills day on Friday at Ae Forest, a bit of a refresher on some of the basics plus learning a few new techniques, much grinning when mastering the wheelie! Then over to Peebles for riding at Glentress. This bit of the trip was absolutely tip-top. Superb riding, rooms booked at The Hydro meant haggis as an option for breakfast and post ride jacuzzi and steam room. The best cakes ever and a bike shop full of shiney niceness at The Hub and the snow seemed to keep the midges down. Hibernian cycling heaven.

Vikki