Saturday 10 April 2010

First summer ride fail!

Weather was looking good for today so I was running round on friday trying to get a riding buddy or two sorted. Nada, no one up for it and I was bothered by that, dunno why, in the old days it was "burk you coming riding? no? ok on my own then" Now it feels weird riding on my own. Maybe I'm more sociable than I used to be or more likely I just wanted someone to follow me down cavedale to shovel me up and pour me into an ambulance when it all went wrong. Anyway up to the peaks, parked up and realised it was gonna be a scorcher and I was not prepared, I had a serious shortage of sun cream ie none and I'd brought winter boots (!). So long sleeves and high neck gillet to cover up from the sun plus the boots meant I was a tad warm but the trails, wow, superb and Lowey, there was even dust, lots of dust. Best ride so far this year, as I finished the first dusty rocky drifty FAST decent (roych clough) I stood with my hands in the air shouting "this is why I do this" - fortunately there was no-one there to see me :-)

Look, dust!
Plenty of people around around hope/edale but everyone was in a good mood and there was very little "getting in each others way". I held gates open for loads of people, mountain bikers, offroad bikers (motor), walkers and horsey types, only one was opened for me but I've now got plenty in the karma bank now :-) Forgot what hard work it is pedaling the beast bike and I wasn't on top form, always seemed to be 1 or 2 gears lower than usual on any climb as I sweated out last nights beer and curry but I rocked the downs. Still need to get smoother and work on cornering but steep rocky stuff is pretty dialled. Completely shattered now, early night for me. Now where's my sun cream and summer shoes got to?

Classic british weather, glorious sunshine, dusty trails and snow!

3 comments:

Red Bike said...

Its been too long since i've been to the peaks. I have got to make the effort to return.

Donk said...

A couple of people I know don't like it coz of the crowds but on saturday it was fine (tho sunday may have been bad I guess). Some damn good trails.

lowey said...

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm dust.