Perfect weather in the Peaks

Rich had suggested a ride last week so after looking at what I had on friday was settled on.  So on friday morning after defrosting the car and the bike rack I loaded up trekster - yes I took the gears and suspension bike!  Part of being more sociable ridingwise means riding a more sociable bike.  Singlespeed is great but you are riding at a different pace to the geared riders.  Traffic was fine till the outskirts of Glossop, in fact I was almost enjoying driving again I had forgotten how nice getting to listen to music can be.  After about three sets of tempory lights, which made me a little late.  After a couple of phone calls I found the right place, only 20minutes late and we got going - Jon had also joined us - there was lots of chatting about where to go, none of which made much sense to me.  Made me realise how much we just rode the same routes in the peaks when my riding involved coming out here every couple of weeks.  Spinning up some climbs I have to walk rigger up I was already having fun.  The weather was playing ball, it wasn't long before the jacket came off.  With some ice on the ground and cloud inversions I am not sure that there are many places I would have rather been.

After lots of up and some scary down - need to trust myself going faster as after a while I brake for no reason.  We dropped into the cafe at Hayfield, lovely place and just what Hayfield needs!  Dizzy me had not thought to bring money though. 

After that Rich left us and Jon and I did another loop which was basically straight up and down.  Jon decided to try and puncture his tyre, it actually came off the rim so wasn't sealing.  Sorted we carried on down, suck along a cheeky path and back to Hayfield.  Jon set off to ride home and I jumped in the car back home.

Traffic was variable on the way home, but most of the time I was moving, so then it was time to get ready and go out to the work Christmas Do.

The fab thing is this ride took me over 8000 miles for the year.  Still not sure how I went from riding a couple of times a month to that sort of mileage!  Time to start planning next years targets!