Tunnels and Bridges

Went to Clapham in Yorkshire for a ride around the Tunnels and Bridges route. I found the route at mtbthedales

The weather was cold but dry, no wind. Just myself and Dean today. The route is about 12 miles, a mixture of steep climbing, fast descents, singletrack, bridleways and even some road. Cafe stop about a third in.

Great day and great route, look forward to doing it i the sunshine and summer.

Evening Ride

After a full week commuting in snow, ice, headwinds, Friday evening and an early finish , coupled with a nice evening, warm even at 6 degrees I rode home via Lever Park and Georges Lane.

There was a nice sunset across the reservoir, I rode the full length of the park up to the Top Barn. From there up the alternative ice cream rum to Georges Lane. The track up there has been damaged badly by the frost, the surface is broken and soft, very muddy. Made my way along the full length of Georges Lane to Chorley Old Rod, then usual route home via Middlebrook Valley Trail.

Gisburn Forest

We planned a day at Gisburn Forest, first time I have been there, but Dean and Dave have visited a couple of times, but before the completed Red Trail was finished.

The car park was full when we arrived at 09.30, we got the last two spaces, itb was in bad condition after the winter weather, but lots of riders setting out to do the trails, in fact there were quite a few traffic jams.

Lots of riders riding big heavy downhill bikes, way to big and burly for the trail riding on offer.

The trail is excellent, it just seems to on and on, long sections of twisty singletrack, fire road climbs, rock gardens, super high berms and lots of mud.

The trail builders have excelled themselves, it’s a superb ride, great scenery and features, including a quarry and a rock slab drop if you want!

The tril took us the best part of three hours to complete, quite a bit of waiting at the jam points.

We will definitely be back there, through perhaps on a weekday. It’s a fantastic resource for Lancashire, all it needs is a better infrastructure at the car park, a café and shop would bring it up the standard of the best.

Of all the trail centres I have ridden Gisburn comes second only to Glentress.

17th January 2010

We all got back together for the first time today, except fro Rob who s away to Australia on Wednesday.

The trails are all still very icy, the path from the iron lamp to the mast road was passable and from there we went to have a look at the decent off the sharp end of Winter Hill. It was a bit better than thought it would be, just about ridable keeping away from the track. The ice was very think on Belmont Rood. Back to the Pigeon Tower through the gardens and along the side of the lake back to Horwich. Enough for a cold day.

Winter Video

Having seen last week a fantstic video from Ed Oxley, I was inspired to have a go myself. So on Saturday morning I went up to Winter Hill via Walker Fold and took a few sequences. There are certianly some tricks involved to end up with someting resonably interesting, very short action sequences and to be as close as possible to the camera. I would like to music, but its a minefield of performing rights etc. Here it IS

Winter Comes To Middlebrook Valley Trail

No blogs for a while, got to get back into it. Not stopped riding though, managed 3750 miles in 2009 and looking forward to lots of riding in 2010.

The snow has come and made it difficult and interesting at the same time, managed to continue with the daily commute through the snow, though it is taking a lot longer than normal. the scenery however is fantastic, transformed: no mud and the bike is as clean as a whistle.

Here are some PHOTOS of the trail in winter.

Sunday

Long wet, cold, muddy, misty ride around the usual haunts, Winter Hill, Walker Fold, Coal Pits, Winter Hill again, Ice Cream Run, Yarrow, Healey Nab and back to Lever Park. Riders, Richard, Dave, Rob and Phil. Missed Dean today, not so well this week, hope he back soon.

Very wet and muddy, slippy everywhere today, also did I say cold, 6.5 degrees, just like winter!