Brownbacks

It was the last race of the brownbacks series up at Lee Quarry on Sunday. I really enjoyed the ones I did in 2009 but missed all of the last series and most of this one. So although I was working Sunday afternoon I was determined to get up there. Initially I had an idea I could ride there, race, ride to work etc. Until I looked at the timings and realised I would have to leave before the race finished. So I drove. It was still close getting to work, thanks for doing my prize first. It was really close racing with all five girls and I was beaten into second on the hills, need to work on getting uphill faster! But I got a prime for the fastest lap which was nice.

Odile came up and took pictures instead of racing. Got some good shots of me as well.

I really enjoyed it so thanks to the guys who organise it and Baron Aggregates for sponsoring the Racing Diva category, a good prize list definitely raised the quality of those racing.

I wrote up the race over on the cooksons blog as well so wander over and have a read.

A group cancelled on us today but we were already up at Lee Quarry so we had a look at the new trail to and from the car parking. Short and sweet but definetly more fun than carrying straight on down the track.

Dusty Trails

First thing on the to-do list for yesterday was to get Rigger sorted, he needed a new chain and the chain tension was so loose on the old one I couldn't really get away without doing something. Unfortunately I could not get the EBB to move. Hitting with a hammer, spraying in lube, cycling up a steep hill, etc just didn't work so off I went to Cooksons. Here Martin got to work, no big hammers for him just some nice tools. He also greased it all up and put the new chain on for me. I also picked up some new bar tap for rigger as ge has needed some new stuff for a while.

After some doing some bits round the house it was time to head over to Lee Quarry to meet up with Odile. After our last attempt at riding up there we were both hoping for better weather. Odile did ring to check we were still on as the weather looked like it was going to change. As it turned out the weather was fine, a little windy but nothing like last time. We headed up to the pump track and then went to play in the skills area. After a while we did the red route before heading back up to the skills area. Here we met up with Donk, Junkyard and Si. At this point Odile decided to head off and I stayed on with the boys. Some more skills area playing and then I showed them where the pump track was. Donk made it look easy! He then started talking about a vertical wall in the Quarry he wanted to ride. We all encouraged him but none of us offered to join him!

Partway up with his bike I think he may have been wondering what he was doing, he was soon carrying and practically crawling up! A nervous look over the top and in he dropped. Using my phone meant the pictures were rubbish. He refused to do it again for the camera though.

Then it was time for a lap of the red, me and Si peeled off at some point to head over to Rooley Moor Road and down towards Heywood. Where we split and went our seperate ways.

A lovely evening and a real change to ride dusty trails, although I did have some skids as it was such a strange surface!

An evening at Lee Quarry

After our weekend away Ali was all keen to do some more biking. She suggested a trip to lee quarry so I could help her with some skills. So I headed over on the bike and she followed later in the car after work. I was there by 4:30pm and had some fun on the pump track before trying all the tracks in the skills area. So far I had only done one of the reds. There seems to be another route (black I assume) that starts elsewhere although it finishes in the same area so I need to try and work that one out! I also tried the new climb again and failed to clear it again, one day. This time I took in the black slab thing. A little scary but fun! Back to the pump track and on the dot of 6pm Ali rang! So I headed down to the car.

Up the climb again and onto the pump track, she took one look at it and said she didn't like it. She had a few goes round but then a group came up and she didn't want an audience so we went up to the skills area. A bit of playing on the drops and me attempting to persuade her to ride over the log before we headed to the new climb. This was to help Ali with her fear of edges, but she managed it fine! In fact she got all the way up while I pushed some of it - she had gears though ;-) Back to the skills are and I took her down the berms run. Not sure she loved it but she did it well. Back to the pump track and she had improved loads! All that was left was to drop to the car! Back to the bottom and Ali was cramping I think she may need a rest day!

Spring?

This week I have been working a lot at Lee Quarry, my days have consisted of getting up early and heading into the office in Manchester, packing the van and then heading over to Bacup. Here I have had the fun of spring as I put about ten layers on and even the climbs can't warm me up. We've had rain, hail, snow, wind and even one afternoon the sun. But its been great fun! Small groups meant a chance for me to play on the pump track and each day I am feeling stronger on it. I've been riding on flats all week and it has been showing up where I use the fact I am in spd's, this can only be good for my skills. But however cold it has been and even when I have been washing muddy waterproofs again I have to say I wouldn't change my job as there has been fear and tears but after every sessions smiles and can we do it again!

Lee Quarry and night ride fail

Yesterday I was working up at Lee Quarry in the afternoon. This time there was no hail, wind and only light rain. The group was a lot smaller than expected so it was a fun afternoon. First we played on the pump track for a while - I need more practice as I had to pedal a little on the way back. Then over to the new skills area, it really is great. I have to get back over there again to explore all the new tracks - we just used one of them!

Tuesday had meant to be a night ride with donk. But as soon as I realised there was a problem! I was pedalling yet going nowhere! Appears the rear hub is a little dead. So Cooksons have now sent it back to Hope, lets hope it is back for Easter as Ali and I have riding plans which might be a problem if I don't have a bike to ride!

Project ride my mountain bike begins

Although my mileage has increased to a level I am happy with and I have started to do longer rides it has nearly all been on road. Now that would be fine but the race in May is off-road and at a trail centre, a type of riding that I don't do much of when I am riding off road regularly anyway. So a plan was hatched! It started with arranging to meet Odile for our evening ride at Lee Quarry I then added in a daytime ride with Jumbly and the day was set.

I was all ready to go an hour and a half before meeting Jumbly so I could go a longer way over and take in the ICR, only when I got rigger out his rear tyre was flat. So the extra time was spent putting a new inner tube in. The way over was nice and I was wearing just a base layer and a Jersey. Climbing up Barrow Bridge I felt so unfit as I made slow progress, but at least I didn't stop! Up onto Georges Lane and I decided to drop down through Wilderswood, then along to meet Jumbly. She had some excuse about sore legs, something to do with running 18miles yesterday. So my suggestion had been two hours riding, over to the nab play on the trails, then one hour of cake at the cafe!

The nab has some new stuff since I was last there including a singletrack climb which we both enjoyed. But a lot of the downhill sections showed me I have a lot of work to do. We started with me taking 3 attempts to ride over some logs and there were plenty more bits to scream down or have to try again after stopping. All I need to do is get over there regularly as it will help me with my riding.

Back to the cafe and amazingly enough I had timed it perfectly and we arrived at 1pm. But then it got odd, neither of us had cake. Although the sandwiches on this new bread were amazing!

At exactly 2pm I set off towards Lee Quarry. A mixture of roads and trails taking me towards my destination. By the time I got there the sun was out and I was looking forward to riding. As I was a little early I headed up to do some riding. Partway up I bumped into Chips and Matt Wilderness they said it had been windy earlier but the new stuff was great. So I headed up and did the last descent before getting to the car park. Here I had some food and waiting for Odile. It wasn't long before she arrived, after stripping in the car park to change while a local tried to have a conversation with us we were off.

Partway up the climb and we joined the new singletrack climb, here it got windy and I was reduced to walking up something that didn't look that steep! But it was worth it with some lovely flowing singletrack bringing us back down to what was the top of the climb. At this point staying on the trail was getting harder! We got to the skills area and it has completely changed. The plan was to play but the hail came and it was impossible. We set off following the red arrows, only to find ourselves with four options (I think this might be the new pump track) before getting back to where we started. Here I led us straight down the shortest way. Back to the car and Odile was shivering!

Not long after my last companion for the day arrived when Ali rode up. She had rang me when she finished work unsure of what to do, she wanted to go for a ride but wasn't sure. Next thing I know she was ringing me again, she had a plan, she was going to ride out to meet me and ride home with me as long as I was riding home on road. So with perfect timing she arrived just as I was ready to leave. So we set off, both cold by this point and wishing it wasn't downhill to Rawtenstall. In fact the hill out of Rawtenstall wasn't long enough to warm up on. I was starting to warm up but then I was on a mountain bike so putting more effort in than Ali on her roadie. She tried going ahead and coming back but no still cold. We were both glad to get home and take the wet layers off. Pizza for tea was the easy option. I finished feeling strong which after 9 hours out of the house was good.

90km, not a bad start to mountain bike miles.

Brownbacks Series 1 Race 3

Once again I was carless again so I had to ride over to the race. Rigger was all happy with his new bottom bracket, cranks and chainring. But I seemed to be making hard work of the ride over, I think the running the day before had killed my legs! Still there were nice views over the hills and the promised rain hadn't appeared yet! I arrived with plenty of time to register and dump my bag in someones van. I had no idea what the racing was to be like today but I knew Molly wasn't riding as she had a broken wrist. We'd had a good race last time so it was a shame. Soon it was time to start and the first hill killed me, I was walking within minutes my legs said no! But I knew I had to at least finish the race, the idea of giving up was very tempting! The course was very different to last time and led to me doing a lot of pushing, I wasn't much better on the downhill sections I knew and was not riding well. Still I told myself if I finished I would be in a good position for the series win. The course never let up, I found it hard to find anywhere I could let go of the bars and drink! Somehow I ended up completing 5 laps, I felt like I was right at the back but who knows!

Prize giving came and I was the 1st female in my category, I got another nice trophy - realised I hadn't put a picture oup of it last time. This time the rock was even bigger so I was glad I had brought a bigger rucksac! After eating all the food in my bag it was time to head home. It's a lot easier that way - less climbing - which I was glad of.

Now its time to sleep I think, it'll be takeaway for dinner!

My first Cross-country race

Today was the second event in the Hope Race Series up at lee quarry and organised by brownbacks. I couldn't make the last one but definetly wanted to be at this one. The decision had been made to take rigger and it was an early start as I needed to ride over since Ali is away with the car - my mum actually offered me a lift last night but it is a long way for her to come to take me to a bike race! I was very cold waiting for the race to start and was beginning to wonder if I hadn't worn enough clothes, but once I was racing it was fine. We set off and it took me a while to get going, all the people round made it hard on a singlespeed, I was passed by the other two singlespeeders on the first climb and I knew there were at least two girls ahead of me. One of them was my friend Molly who had won the category last time. On the first two laps I could see her in the distance which had me pushing, the third lap though she got away from me and I couldn't see her. I think this is the lap I slipped off on a rock, fortunately to the side that wasn't a cliff! Turns out Molly had fallen the lap before hence me getting closer to her. The next two laps I started making inroads on her again, but I was thinking I was running out of race. I think Enduro stuff suits me more than flat out for 1.5 hours. On the last lap I hit the last hill with her only 10m or so ahead so it was a hard effort, then on the flat where she had been gaining I just sprinted. I caught her on the next hill where we were both pushing, I think she had the edge there with all her running! Followed her down the next singletrack section and then went for it on the next flat section, she was there for a while but the next glance I had 5m, I pushed hard up the hill, 10m, then I heard "my seat post is broke" - shame as it was really close. But it meant I was less worried through the last singletrack section. I finished just a few minutes ahead as molly crossed the line with her saddle in her mouth!

Turns out I was the second singlespeeder back and 1st in the women's weekend warrior category for which I got a fab trophy. I'll be back for the next one an I recommend everyone has a go, if you are a racer already there is a category for you and if you are a little more nervous enter the have-a-go heros - a slightly shorter course and the marshalls were being really helpful on the downhills those guys were doing.

I did 6 laps in total:

I was pretty happy with the splits - the first being the extra climb we did at the start. They were pretty consistent and unlike normally I managed to work harder on the final lap! I had to I had Molly in my sights!

Dave got some pics of me. (Hope its ok me stealing them!)

Lee Quarry

Tomorrow I am planning on racing the Brownbacks race at Lee Quarry. I have heard nothing but good things about the last race so I'm looking forward to it. I thought today it would be a good idea to check I could ride the place! So me and Jon headed over. Only a few laps as the legs were tired from yesterday and I can say, its's going to kill me! I can't get up one of the hills but all the downs were fine, at todays pace, race pace might be different. Also wondering if my legs will cope, the car is away so I'll have to ride there. Still all good practice!

Playing at Lee Quarry

Fit Freddie took a video today of me at lee quarry.

Lee quarry

Today I decided to ride lee quarry so last night I plotted a route over there and back. I got out this morning, turned on my garmin and the route wasn't there. I decided just to do something local but within 5 minutes I had changed my mind and was heading through Jumbles (naughty) to Ramsbottom and then over to Rawtenstall, here I rode along the road till I found it. First impressions are good. Although I ended up pushing up the hill! Maybe it is time to try an easier gear? I just rode the red once - ran out of time for anything else after a puncture - and it seemed loads of fun, I rode all the downhill so I was happy.

Back to Ramsbottom along the road and then over the firing range, to the strawbury duck and home for a late lunch.

Nice day for a ride and I missed the rain that came later!

43.01 miles @ 10 mph
1250m ascent