Night Rides

The first week of winter and managed two night rides, the first on Wednesday, perfect weather, still, moonlit and clear. Very dark in Lever Park in the trees, couldn't see the trails as the leaves covered everywhere. The view from the Pike was awesome, stayed there a while, 4 other riders had the same idea, it was like a normal Sunday.

Tried to take some photos of the moon and lights reflecting on the still water, but phone camera not good enough for that.

Friday evening ride not so good weather, very windy on Winter Hill, but still good.

Quite happy with the Cateye front light.

SUNDAY

Long ride today around Rivington, Healey Nab and all the usual places. Met very early at the Jolly Crofters, weather was cold and dull, in fact it lasted all day and never seemed to warm up, in fact it got colder as the day went on. Met quite a few other riders including one gut on a Marin Wolfridge, brand new bike.

Felt a bit ill towards the end, didn't eat anything during the ride except a packet of crisps and a gel sachet, felt faint and sick climbing back to Georges lane from the Top Barn. Had to stop in the fishery cafe for sausage and chips before I could carry on.

On the top of Winter Hill came a across a cloud inversion, not sure if it was a ground inversion or an inversion aloft, anyway it doesn't matter.

Miles 35 for me and about 20 for Phil and Dean

Glentress

Took the opportunity after a meeting in Kirkcaldy to do the Red again at Glentress on the way home, which is the best man made trail I have done. The weather was superb, autumn sunshine and warm enough. I have visited Glentress four times this year and this was the busiest I have seen it. The builders were resurfacing the access road and it looks like the new visitor centre will be open soon, it looks good and should be a vast improvement over the portacabins that are there now.

Spooky Wood descent is the best downhill section I have ever done and yesterday on the dry trails it was fantastic.

Marin Trail North Wales

Five of us went to North Wales to ride the Marin Trail. I think it was of the first trails built in the UK. It starts straight out of the car par and the start is very promising, twisting ascending singletrack. But very soon it stops at a fireroad, a trend that was repeated many times on the trail.

The riders were Dean, Rob, Dave, Phil and Richard. Phil had decided that he wanted to get value for money and set off to ride the trail twice! So we didn't see him again till he finished.

For the rest of us we continued on and were very surprised at the amount of climbing on the trail, unfortunately the climbs seemed to be all along the fireroads, which made for a very boring time, but we shouldn't be too critical, of course the scenery is fantastic everywhere in the forest, the rocky singletrack sections are brilliant, though if you went over the bars you would know about it!

Its a really tough trail, there does seem to be much more climbing than descending, but I suppose there really can't be. For the four of us once round was enough but for super rider Phil it must have been a major workout.

We finished off at the tea rooms for a snack and a drink, I went to Manchester for the train to London and others had to wait for Phil.............

16 miles (or 32)







Photographs HERE