MTB in Wales, Saturday Fast-banter and #crossishere

I'm not really sure what's going on but I've gone from weekly blogs to almost monthly catch ups! This week I cover the great MTB trails in Wales that were literally at the front door of our lovely holiday cottage, a quick mention of a nice club ride and then what I'd call the main event #CROSSISHERE !!!

So we had a week away at Trallwm forest cottages, if like me, you're wondering how that's pronounced I will swiftly steer you away from the name of the cottage which was 'Trawsgyrch.' Yep...no idea! I can highly recommend this place. There's no wifi or mobile signal which was like gnawing an arm off for the kids but just what us adults needed. That hot tub out the front is wood fired and although it took a lot of logs to get going, it really was lovely to relax in. The best bit though...it's in the middle of a little trails centre!

It was a two family holiday and therefore I couldn't expect to go out all day on the bike. I headed out early most days and this prevented Sam and his teenage tendencies from joining me. The pictures tell you all you need to know!

That's the road to the cottage

The black trail was the toughest route but I wouldn't call it 'black,' in the Cannock Chase sense of the word. A nice challenge though. It was spoilt a little by loggers working on the track meaning I had to double back and do the trail in reverse to get to the best bit!

The white building in the distance is our cottage

Just for good measure on the day I did the Black trail we decided on a hike up Pen Y Fan. By mistake we only did Corn Du but it actually was only about another five minutes to the Pen Y Fan summit so nothing lost really. It was however a first mountain for Sam and a very keen Bruce. My goodness the dog slept well that night!!!

Stunning view

Sam at summit of Corn Du

Enjoy that hair whilst you can young Sam...

One of my favourite ever pictures

Map thing!

A well earned pint!

Bruce and Fergus, our friend's dog

Near the end of the week I did an afternoon ride and Sam decided he needed to come too! The Red trail was similar to the Black one but up a different hill. It was hard work getting up, especially as we'd already walked it earlier with the dogs. On the walk down I was very excited about the downhill thinking it would take about 15 minutes...sadly it was only 5 but I wasn't wrong...it was great on a bike!

Have a look at the gap in the trees at the top of the hill. Picture is from the cottage.

Sam is now standing in that gap...if you superzoom in you'll see the cottage

This was one of only 3 sunny days...how did we plan that this summer!!!

The trails were great and I found a group of MTB riders had based themselves in our cottage in the visitors book but...I wish I'd took my road bike too! The hills here are stunning. In a shop in Builth Wells, a lady told us about the Devil's Staircase. Having no internet meant I didn't do any research until I got home. Really it should've been obvious that there was something special near us because about 100 motorbikes passed us on our way to the red trail. Anyway what I discovered when I got home was that the road that led to our cottage also led to the Devil's Staircase which is on of the 100 greatest climbs. Had I known, I would have just done it on the MTB because it's there!

Missed opportunity 100 Climbs #93 Devil's Staircase

Once back from holiday I had four days of return to work sulking before the C&D Cycles CC Saturday morning shop ride came to my rescue! I joined the group in Rothwell and was told it was the 'fast banter,' group. That oxymoron was actually a bit of a relief because it was also Fondo week with many of the club opting for a 100km ride. I've blogged what went wrong with that last time. This group was less mixed and therefore we had no such problems. It also helps to have Andy F with us to keep control of things. It certainly was fast in places and we had a couple of good blasts into Brixworth, over the causeway and heading from Sywell into Harrowden.

The saddle was safely removed from my right buttock...thanks Andy for the pic!

Thanks to Richard Howes photography for this pic of Sam

It's cross time! For anyone who doesn't know, I mean the terrific and horrific sport that is cyclocross (also known as cross or CX.) We have two leagues locally (or not so locally as it bizarrely turns out.) The most local is the Leicestershire Cyclocross League (LCXL,) in only it's second year. We also have the Central league which runs from Leicestershire all the way down the middle of the country past London. Our own KCC event forms one round of the CCXL and this year is on 30/9/18 at Prologis Park.

SuperSam and I on a practise lap

This week Sam was using the force via his Chewbacca socks!

Due to race timings and because I wanted to race with Sam just once I opted for the novice race. This takes place at the same time as the under 14 and under 16 races. For the rest of the year I'm going to ride in the 40-49 category...largely so I can overtake Ian Bird...who today sledged me on the ride with "come on Granddad!" Apologies to anyone who overheard my reply. (update, I've checked the lap timings...unless Ian gets a mechanical I will not be catching him!)

Mick Brown also got some pics of Sam and me

Sam, who clips in really well when he's not in a race, did his usual poor start and was last off the line. As he raced into the distance I saw him overtaking riders and I swelled with fatherly pride. Then we were off! Oh my god...I'm right at the front. As we approached the finish line for the first time I saw Sam to the side struggling to get his chain back on. What I didn't know as that he was trying so hard he'd overcooked a corner and come off on gravel. To his credit he got back on and then lost his chain and got back on again until a marshall advised him to retire injured. Sam, I'm sure would have kept going!

This kind of distracted me a bit and I slipped off the lead...the truth was that I wasn't going to keep up anyway. On the way round it was nice to be amongst the kids from cyclones and to see their impressive riding. It took me ages to overtake Amelia, one of our under 12 girls and then she wasn't having any of it and overtook me back! Once I was finally ahead of that impressive young lady I tried to hunt down Dom from our under 14's. I didn't quite catch him. The skills and fitness of our young riders was there to see and it was clear that the hours of coaching at Cyclones are paying off.

It was fun honest...I'm smiling on the inside!!!

Sam tried hard to get back into it

Massive kudos to Dean Barnett and his team from Welland Valley CC for a well organised event and possibly the best cross course I've ridden. It was especially clever of them to organise a Red Arrows fly by (oh okay, they flew over us on their way to the Great North Run.) I'd also like to thank everyone in my race for their course etiquette and pre-race banter. Lung busting, leg wrecking, heart exploding aside...that was a very enjoyable ride!

skinnier CX riders are available

Sam and I hope our next race should be Corby in two weeks time. As ever a few pounds off my belly and a lot of fitness work will help me greatly! #crossishere ...I can't wait for more!

In the world of professional road riding...I don't want to jinx it...we're so close to something incredibly special. If Simon Yates hangs onto his lead in the Vuelta we might have all three grand tours won by different British riders. Fingers crossed, touchwood etc! A few years ago it felt like we would never have a grand tour winner. Then we had Wiggins, then Froome, then Froome holding all three Grand Tour GC titles, then G...oh what a popular win and now Yates, who had his heart broken by the brilliance that is Froome in the Giro...please Simon, bring it home.

Whilst all that Grand Tour stuff has been going on we've also had the Tour of Britain. This along with the ladies version and the Tour de Yorkshire means we have some serious professional racing right here in the UK. Too right too! We may not have the Alps or the Pyrenees but the Peak District, Lake District, Snowdonia, The Brecons, North York Moors and all of the other National Parks provide spectacular racing. My highlight for the Tour of Britain was Ian Stannard's win on stage 7. Team Sky's Tour de France stage winner showed some illustrious team members how it's done as Froome and Thomas became the super domestiques for a week.

Away from road racing one world champion went relatively unnoticed. In a year where millionaire soccer players got rave reviews but didn't win anything, Rachel Atherton brought home yet another MTB downhill world championship. The video is worth a watch!

Happy Pedalling

Bit of a catch up culminating in a massive mountain bike ride!

I haven't written a cycling blog since July the 21st, so it's about time for a big old catch up as plenty has gone on! Most notably Gerraint Thomas won the Tour de France. This has to be about the most popular victory ever in the history of British cycling and quite frankly I find it all a bit inspiring. So if that doesn't get more people out on bikes then I really don't know what will! However this blog is about me and the people I ride with so let's get on with it!

Joe has phone in pocket panic, Supersam also in shot!

Well that intro has become ironic! I haven't got on with it at all having started this blog 6 days ago. We've been busier than the busiest of busy bees! Our oldest son had his 21st birthday yesterday and we spent the two days before that at Alton Towers, with a night in the Splash Landings Hotel. On Monday we head to Wales for a week. In between there's been that pest that is work and for good measure we've been dogsitting. Branston the chocolate lab stayed with us for 2 weeks and as soon as he left Henry (also a chocolate Lab,) and Winston the Labradoodle came to stay. Time for cycling has become limited but who cares, we're having a blast!

21? How did that happen???

There's nothing remarkable about this ride. It's my standard MTB spin around the trails in Desborough. It featured more camera shy Red Kites, startled dog walkers and feeble attempts to catch a bit of air!

Summer is nearly over Blackberries are here!

Another glorious morning on my Forme Ripley

Love those trails

On the way back to Rothwell

If you're wondering why I keep doing this same ride the answers are very simple. The trails are easy to get to and they provide enough technical challenge for me to practise my off road skills.

What's this more fishing? Yes...Sam and I now fish regularly on Friday nights and he catches way more than me!!!

On Saturday 4th of August we had a club ride which can only be described as a comedy of errors. As it was the first Saturday of the month, some of the club wanted to do the 60mile/100km Strava Gran Fondo. I didn't feel like it that day and therefore joined a much smaller group made up of a mix of people who normally do either the faster ride or the banter bunch. It didn't work!

The first error involved the route...Andy P had described the route to Justin as up Duck End and therefore he was convinced we were finishing by going into Cranford and back to K town that way but...hang on...Neil was waiting for us at Barton garage...so how was that right. At the top of Deeble road most of us went left when we should have gone right and we didn't notice the people further back going the right way. After waiting for ages we decided to go back the other way (ridiculous in hindsight as we only needed to go a mile down the road to pick the route back up...probably my idea and I will be taking a lot of blame for this shambles of a ride!) Anyway a fast and furious chase saw a couple of riders drop out and we caught up with Neil, Tony and Clive between Titchmarsh and Clopton.

At that point we should have possibly all calmed down and had a good social group ride but no...we carried on blasting off, dropping people and waiting for them (again I'm one of the people to blame here.) We managed to forget to wait at one turn down a road we don't normally go down and then lost three riders. Two of which found their way back to us! Tony made some good points about it not being a very good group ride and he was right. I felt quite guilty. Like I'd betrayed my roots. It was a humbling experience. Tony and I had a long conversation on the phone later and we definitely cleared the air.

Justin and I abandoned the route at Grafton crossroads and headed to Geddington with me trying to get some cricket coverage on my phone because I knew the Test match was about to get very interesting! Along the way I took pictures of the war memorial and the cross well...because they're there! If you're new to this blog then you might not know the rich history on our cycle routes here's some links RAF Grafton

Eleanor Cross at Geddington Link with much better pictures!

As I crossed the A6003 towards Rushton, Karma struck. I'm sure if I'd been a much nicer group rider that day then I wouldn't have hit whatever it was put a gash in my sidewall too big for the tubeless sealant to fill. I had the indignity of having to fit a tube under the flyover with van drivers taking delight at beeping me whilst I did my repair.

I'm not too worried about the tyre, as the picture above shows it was already pretty ruined. Right now I have a standard schwalbe durano with a tube on the wheel but I will replace it with another tubeless tyre. Those ones have done well really. I'd estimate those tyres have done at least 2000 miles and I do give them quite a bit of abuse! I might try another brand though because those Schwalbe Pro Ones were a pain to get seated.

Gash!

Finally I know the root cause of the route flaws! Andy P says up Duck End when he means going away from Cranford, Justin calls that down...you have to see the funny side!!!

On Monday the 6th of August something quite wonderful happened. We had a CX coaching session for kids and adults with Mark Evans. Mark has taken a few months off from coaching and it was lovely to see him back at it!

Sam going so fast he's a blur!

It was a really good session at Prologis and I know all of the people involved will benefit when the CX season gets underway.

The next day Sam was at Rockingham Speedway for some fun races organised by Welland Valley CC. It was the first of three events and thanks must go to all at Welland Valley for such a well organised and fun evening. I also think its great for the kids to use that excellent motor racing circuit to learn road skills away from traffic.

I went for another run...The week before I had experienced a sore ankle after running so I rested for  a few days and gave it a test. I felt much stronger this week but the aches and niggles put me off entering the parkrun on Saturday. I just know that I'd push myself with other runners around me and that's possibly an injury risk...so I'll keep doing my runs and do another pakrun when I feel stronger!

He beat me at fishing again on the Friday!

On the Saturday afternoon I got at least three birds with one stone! I needed to test my MTB before the big ride on Sunday, I hadn't been to Wakerley Woods for ages and I got to ride again with SuperSam!

Sorry about the picture quality. I think the images do capture though that Sam was having fun. We like Wakerley, I wish it was a bit bigger with more downhill sections but for trails in Northamptonshire it's pretty good. Also it's completely free to use, so you can't knock that!

To the main event. Andy P's epic off road ride. Due to the weather we've had all Summer it was decided this was definitely a MTB type of day....then due to the weather forecast we had some drop outs meaning only four of us did this ride! For Andy, Bob, Karl and I, the sun does appear to be on our side because it rained all day in parts of Northamptonshire...we didn't get wet once!!!

As per usual I was the last to arrive at the Geddington Cross meeting point. We then headed down the chase, which was still dry despite recent rain and on to trails we'd never seen before thanks to Andy's Uncle Bob! It was dry and rutted in parts but also some areas were a bit muddy and slidey. 

I was convinced today would be the day that I got a great picture of a Red Kite whilst out on the bike. As we headed to our first cafe stop at Fineshade Woods we saw load so of those massive birds but no...not one good picture. Later in the ride one swooped down in a garden next to us and then passed at head height BUT NO still no picture!

The cafe is pretty good at Fineshade. I can recommend the chocolate and peanut butter brownies! 

As we headed down the trails which were bone dry just a few days earlier we encountered a lot of 'clarty,' mud conditions. Andy and I waited for n age at the end of a trail before heading back to discover Karl furiously attacking his bike with a stick. Mud had clogged him right up, but luckily he's a dab hand with a ninja stick...

Now I'm aware that when you're riding in the countryside, mud can ruin your ride. However don't panic because we've decided to market a new product to save the day! Yes, brought to you in association with GKN you can now own your own Ninja Mudstick! The one pictured below is about the size of a tyre lever but they come in any size you want. These will be a 'must have product,' for your jersey pocket, saddle bag or if you're that way inclined top tube bag!

GKN Ninja Mudstick (pat pending) 

Sometimes you feel like you're doing something wrong riding ion the countryside. This bridleway went through a churchyard.

Just hanging around...

That's how the bike got there...

Some of the route got very challenging due to ploughed fields and recently harvested cereal crops. This was heavy going and I must confess at this point I was hoping for some easier rolling on the tarmac.

Towards the end of the ride all four of us were feeling those hard off-road miles in our legs...only one thing for it: pub!!! We stopped at the Old Friar in Twywell. Andy got the beers in and also some much needed chips. That lovely looking pint is 'Zesty Jester,' from the Kansas Avenue Brewery. It's a lovely light, hoppy thirst quencher.  Soon after the pub we headed off in our own directions as the others left me to go down (or up,) Duck End. I trundled back to Geddington and then back through Weekly Woods and home. I was happy to go at my own pace because those twingey warning signs of impending cramp were coming. Thankfully I made it home without the dreaded leg lock! 

So 65 miles and the August Gran Fondo under my belt. There are definitely easier ways to do it though. Big thanks to Andy, Karl and Bob for splendid company along the way.

We had another Monday night CX training session with Mark Evans. He put us through our paces with some dismount and mount practise. I quickly learned that my technique is pretty poor with a bouncing bike and a funny hop to get back on! At least I know now!!!!

Just for Mark C

Okay the busy business continues! Loads to do before we go to Wales tomorrow! Let the fun continue. Sam and I are planning to check out Elan Valley MTB trails.

Happy Pedalling (and all manner of other things!)