Introducing Hannah to Winter Hill

Hannah was over this side of the Pennines visiting family so I suggested a ride. She grow up round here so knows Winter Hill but I think this was the first time she rode up it. The Belmont descent seems to be getting harder everytime I ride it and certainly muddier. After a quick wash of the bikes we had pizza. Lovely to get out in the hills again.

Fresh Tracks

I was wide awake at 3:30 this morning, not reallly a time I want to see but the one good thing was I saw the snow. As by the time I got up at 7am it had all gone washed away by rain.

Once again I was working over in Horwich so I jammed everything into a camelbak and went on Rigger. Leaving the school I headed for Winter Hill and as I headed up there was still pockets of snow and at the top everywhere was covered with a dusting. Heading down the Belmont descent the first half was all fresh tracks, okay it was only a dusting of snow but it was still snow.

From here I headed over the Darwen Moors, they were muddy so progress wasn't fast and one uphill had to be walked. Over to the A666 and down to the Strawbury Duck. From here I headed home.
20miles of mainly off-road fun, an ideal commute.

I noticed on Winter Hill 'my' bench had gone. It's a silly thing but I often sat there when I was out riding when I was ill. There are a fair few pictures on this blog of Rigger at the bench. I was suprised how sad I felt about it not being there. Now I'm working I am less likely to have a day where I just ride out to the bench and back and there are always other benches.

Girls Night Ride

Tonight the girls were over Rivington way so I thought I should make the effort to ride. The legs felt fine on the way to and from work (all 1.2miles of it) so I had no excuses. We were meeting near lower barn so I aimed to get there just after the meeting time as I didn't want to be hanging round on my own in the dark. It was perfect and most of the girls were just getting bikes out of cars when I got there.
We set off towards the Nab and I hung round the back of the group chatting. At the Nab we did two laps and I was please to ride all but one uphill section as my technical skills are non-existent with my recent lack of mountain biking.
Got home and realised I had lost my wallet :-(

Back on the mountain bike

I rode Rigger round Kielder following Ali round the marathon but other than that I haven't rode a mountain bike since I hurt my back. So I decided on a nice easy ride back, but that was last week and I never got out. Today I had arranged to ride with Chris, to make it even easier I was on a fully rigid singlespeed. Shaun also joined us so I knew I would be following rear lights the whole time.

It was a usual ride up to Rooley Moor Road, as expected I was well behind on the climbs. Shaun pushed me a bit on the road sections when I spun out. Once we started descending I lost them again, a combination of riding fully rigid and not having ridden off-road in ages. Then suddenly my rear wheel locked up, my saddle bag had come undone and my spare base layer fallen out and was now stuck in my brake. I had no tools with me as I had been in such a rush to get back. The boys soon returned though and it was quick to sort. Base layer isn't much use any more though.

Dropping Shaun off at home we span back along the road. 30miles of riding and my back seems okay.

Lots of company

Another tuesday and another ride with Chris so I headed over to the shop. After stopping to add a jacket and then again to answer the phone I was running a little late. Due to me being unable to change the brakepads on my on-one (the pistons were being silly) so I went on Rigger (bringing the brake for Chris to look at). At the shop I found Shaun with a cross bike to ride home (he's borrowed it to ride Hit the North at the weekend). So we persuaded him to join us as far as Radcliffe. Over to the Berms, where Shaun fell off before he started riding down the hill, some excuse about toe overlap.

Round the blue route before heading along the Nature Trail to Radcliffe, here Shaun headed off home and Chris and I headed over to Bolton to collect our next guest rider of the evening.

We met Ali at Firwood Fold and headed up through Jumbles to Crowthorn before dropping down towards the Strawbury Duck and then down the Witton Weavers way back home.

31miles for me and 13 for Ali (at least I could just about keep up on the hills this week)

Collecting Rigger

Tonight I went to collect Rigger after leaving him at my folks house when I went for sunday lunch the other week. Ali dropped me off and headed off shopping while I headed over towards Prestwich to ride home. It was dark but mild and the wind from earlier seemed to have dropped. By the time I reached the Berms I was having fun and had set myself a challenge of getting home with an overall average of 16km/h (10mph).

Over the motorway and into Moses Gate where I blinded a couple of dog walkers with my uber bright light (which is working again fine). Up to Leverhulme Park and home.

15miles, overall average of 10.5mph and moving average 10.9mph. I think I earnt my jaffa cakes!

26/30

It was my birthday today and Ali had got me 32 presents. Which meant lots of fun unwrapping. My goodies included a pink bike horn so watch out people. I think it is going on kiwi. There was also lots of chocolate bits, the chocolate muffins have been eaten already!

After work I had a hospital appointment, unfortunately I had a headwind the whole way there. This meant that although I should have had lots of time I was getting worried I would be late, it was fine though. Appointment went well and I'm having my tonsils out so hopefully that should stop me getting ill as much.

Home and there was time for pizza and for me to sort out the rear wheel puncture I had discovered on Rigger before heading up the road to meet the girls for a nightride. There was just four of us but it was a fantastic night for riding. Up to Pigeon Tower and down the ice-cream run, which I cleared for the first time in ages. This gave me confidence and I flew down off the back of the Pike and then Winter Hill. Halfway down my light was being odd, flashing for some reason. I stopped turned it on and off and it was fine, no idea what that was all about. Back to the pub for a quick drink and crisps before rolling home.

I'm a little tired now after two late, for me, nights.

3/30 - Hit the North Preview

This morning I headed over to prestwich for the Hit the North preview ride (get yourself entered). I was a little late, couldn't resist the berms but that was fine as I wasn't the only one. A lap of the course and we all headed for the local costa coffee, not sure they are used to muddy mountain bikers, still the hot chocolate and cake was appreciated.

Then six of us headed off for another loop and this time I rode the downhill I had wimped out on earlier.

After this we spent ages making plans for food before heading to the Strawbury Duck, Greg and Pauline in the van and Chris and I rode (Damian joined us as far as Bolton). Getting there and it was packed, no tables and no food orders for at least half an hour so we headed down to the Rose and Crown in Edgeworth, where the food was fantastic!

After this Ali let me ride home via holcombe moor with Chris, which hurt! But it was great fun.

47miles in total, 3 days complete only 27 to go!

Pictures thanks to Chris as my camera batteries had died!

A winter adventure

On Boxing Day after spending the whole day doing basically nothing I realised that unless I planned something the 27th and 28th would probably be the same. So I spent a few hours playing with maps and looking at options on the computer. I had decided that 50miles was probably the maximum distance I could plan to cover in the current condtitions and that I wasn't going to bivvy out on my own (that can wait till I have a warmer sleeping bag). Edale turned out to be the ideal distance and the Youth Hostel had beds. So I plotted a route, booked a bed and breakfast for the tuesday morning and headed to bed.

I was out on monday morning just after 9am (my aim had been 9 but Ali rang so I could let her know my plans) and on my way making good time, well I was on road for the first bit. It was snaining a bit but I was hoping that the weather would improve a bit.

A mixture of on and off-road took me over towards Mossley where I had my first bit of navigation to deal with, I had been following my garmin and it took me to a farmyard that was a deadend. No sign of a path the other side and a farmer looking at me as if I shouldn't be there, a little bit of map reading later and it was back down the hill and round by road to the other side (I didn't climb up again to see if they did meet).

I then found my first real bit of ice.

Up till then it had been easy enough to ride round any ice, this had me off and walking/shuffling down the hill.

Round the outskirts of Glossop using the trans-pennine trail and I started climbing, next thing I know I'm on Monks Road. I have only climbed this once on my road bike and it turns out my legs were not strong enough on the singlespeed. Still I gave it a good go, some walking but lots of attempts at riding! Soon it was onto the Pennine Bridleway and down towards hayfield.

Over towards Jacob Ladder and there was no option for me but to push the bike, I met a lot of people coming the other way, probably wondering why I was heading up as it was going to get dark soon! It was still light when I got to Jacobs Ladder, although it was hard to pick out contrast. I rode some, pushed some and slide down some when I found the ice (into a wall which was nice and has left me with some bruises). Before getting to Edale. Here I headed to the pub for some well earned food before spinning up to the youth hostel and curling up with my book.

The next morning I was up at 7:30am for breakfast and on my way before 9am. It was a lovely drizzle and the beginning of a thaw from the monday had frozen overnight leaving lots of ice, so it was very slowly I made my way back to Edale. I then headed onto Chapel Gate for the push up to Rushop Edge.

At some point I realised it would be easier to carry the bike than push it, so rigger got a rest.

At the top and Rushop Edge was reasonably rideable, I walked a lot of the drops but more to be careful as I was on my own and had a long way to go. Onto Roych Clough and this was an ice slide from top to bottom, I fell over trying to walk my bike down and it felt a long way to hayfield, especially as the rain was getting heavier. I wasn't the only crazy person out, I saw plenty of walkers and fell runners.

Once at Hayfield it was over to New Mills and time to push a bit harder, I had to be home for 4:30pm as my sister was picking me up for dinner at my mum's. At stockport I stopped for a hot chocolate but otherwise it was a case of keeping going. Home at 4pm, hungry and tired with over 80miles on the garmin.

91 days......

Somehow it has been 91 days since I last rode Rigger (my singlespeed mtb). I've no idea how it ended up being so long and he has been feeling sorry for himself in the corner. As Chris wasn't riding this evening I decided to get my act together and put him back together. Obviously I spent an hour on the sofa thinking about it first before I got round to it. Then I headed out just as it was starting to get dark. I wasn't really feeling like I could be bothered with riding for the sake of riding so headed off round the golf course. I then decided to try and get 10miles and headed towards the Strawbury Duck. Once I got into Jumbles I was having fun and enjoying it. In fact the main reason I turned back as I had told Ali I wouldn't be back too much after her so a long ride really wasn't an option! The surface varied from grippy snow to slippy snow. The worst being junctions where cars had gone in at different angles, or across a different way to me. But it was all great fun.

So time to get out on some singlespeed adventures.

Kielder 100

It hardly seems five minutes since I was up here and racing the inaugural kielder100 and we were back again for the 2010 version. No Ali racing this year as she had managed to hurt her back in the run-up (good for me as it meant she could look after a stressing trio!) On the friday we got ready to go and then I changed my mind, I wasn't as fit as last year, I couldn't do it, we wouldn't go. Ali ignored me and we were soon in the car on the way up the M6. Arriving at the campsite we found our pod, thanks to Rich being organised and booking in advance before deciding on a different adventure we were camping in luxury.

After registration Ali cooked me dinner, she is good, we then got eaten alive at briefing and I decided that looking stupid in a midge net was worth it. Off to bed and thanks to Jon for lending me the comfiest sleeping mat in the world I really was in camping luxury. I still didn't sleep well and I should learn that if I wake up cold I should put more clothes on and not just try to go back to sleep as I just wake up again! Morning dawned and Ali was up and cooking me porridge (while I was lying in bed denying all knowledge of any race!)

Up to the castle for the start, wow there were a lot of people! 534 started out of the 627 on the start list. I "dibbed" in and joined the queue. I found Jane and tried not to feel too nervous or remember how bad I felt last year. Once again we just all started riding and it wasn't long before the pace car pulled off and we were allowed to race. I was on Heathers wheel at this point but we hit the hill and she disappeared, if fell running makes you that fast uphill maybe I should try it? With so many more people on the course some of the singletrack was a solid line of people meaning that I was riding harder than I liked at times but also slower than I maybe would have with the trail to myself on some of the downhills.

But after the first bag drop it got quieter. Just after I finished all the vimto in my camelbak and was swooping down some singletrack I came round a corner to see Ali and Andy taking pictures. It's always nice to be cheered and I was feeling good at this point. I did see if Ali had my spare camelbak but she was expecting me to want it at Newcastleton. So I headed onto the next water stop and filled up there.

At this waterstop we had to head down the hill and up a grassy bank before completing a 7mile loop back to the water station. At some point on the loop climbing a fire road my rear tyre exploded off my rim in a cloud of latex. Time to work out how to remove the rim strip (the valve was attached) and put a new tube in. For me I managed this with minimal panicking, although I did think at one point I wouldn't get the tyre on as everytime one bead was seated the other didn't want to. Jane came past and stopped to check I was fine but I told her to keep going as all I had to do then was fill the tube with CO2 and it meant I had a target to try and catch ;-)

Then it was the lovely switchback push up the boardwalk at the top where Joolze seemed to be doing a spot of landscape photography! Then the course headed over towards Newcastleton. I felt I knew this trail well having ridden it twice since last years even and tried to pretend I was with Ali on the fireroad descents (she was noticeably faster than me last time we were here so I had to not brake!) It seemed like no time at all and I was getting to the feed stop at Newcastleton.

In I went and grabbed a chocolate-cake-biscuit thing and a banana before waddling out, Ali insisted I did more waddling for the camera! I made my stop short and got back out quickly, heading up to cover more of the Newcastleton trails.





















I had nice chat with Jane at Newcastleton as we both stuffed our faces! She was much better with the timing dibber than me, I needed someone to help me!

The next section to the final feed was good. Last year it had been hell but this year I felt good, I mean everything hurt but I still felt reasonably strong. The last feed I grabbed some more water and my teacake and waffle and proceeded to walk up the hill before riding a section with two lads where we were almost taking turns at the front and pulling each other along. Back into the singletrack and I had to walk up a couple of sections but I recognised the last uphill and so there were lots of smiles as I turned onto the last descent. Flying past Ali offering me the keys to our pod I told her I couldn't stop there!

No picture of me finishing as although Ali ran the last mile down to the finish (not along the trail though) I was a lot faster on the bike! Odd that ;-) Back up to the castle for my free beer and food and to wander round in a daze for a while!

A fantastic event and I'm already thinking about next year maybe gears??? Ali is looking forward to getting to ride it as well.

Time: 11:55:58
5th female, 2nd female singlespeeder, 205th overall

Beer and Darts

After 50 + miles of commuting I went night riding with Odile and Ali. We set off up Winter hill, with a stop for dougnuts on the way. At the top I suggested some options and they both decided that down the Belmont descent to the pub was the way to go. It is really nice to ride at the moment and I felt fast down it. At the pub with beers we noticed a dart board. As the evening wore on we got better at hitting the board (although Ali had obviously played before!) The bar man said we sounded like we were having fun and fortunately none of the darts hit anyone!

Downhill Diva

Last night I went riding with speedy Chris again, as a warm up I had rode 40miles commuting so I was wondering how the legs would be. We met out near mine and I led the way this time. I thought this might be a sneaky way of slowing him down since he didn't know where he was going, but no it didn't work he was still flying up and down the hills.

We headed up onto Winter Hill and I cleared a few climbs I had always stopped on when riding singlespeed. Then down the shoulder, which I rode. We didn't do the Gully though so that is the next thing to do! Down the ice-cream run, no dabs! Over to the nab where we rode round the red. Then the black. I kept waiting for something to get me off my bike but it all seemed fine. Either it wasn't particularly harder than the red or I was just riding really well, I'll go for the later ;-)

I then realised the time, 9pm. No lights meant we had to get going. So it was work, work, work, with some nice downhills thrown in to get back to Bolton. Including a couple of singletrack sections I couldn't see anything. We split on Crompton Way and I got home with 34miles on my Garmin. I was tired and sore but happy after a great ride.

Hit the North Preview ride

A chance to preride the course for next months Hit the North race meant I was riding again tonight. A slower commute on the way in due to a silly low gear meant I could ride my singlespeed round the course. The start time meant I could ride there straight from work with no stress.

After the ride I spun back to radcliffe with Chris before heading home.

27miles in total. Hopefully I will start to get fit again.

Chasing Chris

An early finish due to working at a school in Bolton made me organise a ride. I just had time to nip home, check my email, switch bikes, fill a camelbak up and head over to Cookson Cycles. The plan was to head up onto Scout Moor, over Holcombe Moor and then loop back via the outskirts of Bolton. On the way over I was thinking that I really should have changed the gear on my bike (Still 32x20 from 24solo) as I spun out at a silly low speed on any tarmac sections. Leaving the shop I still wasn't sure, Chris was taking it easy and I was spinning like a loon. Once we were off-road it wasn't as bad and I appreciated being able to turn the gear over. Before I knew it we were on Rooley Moor Road and I was doing my best to keep up with Chris, he is one of these people who stay just the right distance ahead of you that you can't give up! I found myself working harder than I had in a long time, but its good for me isn't it?

At the top of Scout Moor we headed onto the Cragg Quarry trails. They are great but you do really have to work on them. Lots of times I just made the short sharp uphills. But they reward you with lots of fun berms and track to pump.

Cutting off we headed down to Edenfield. Chris told me stories of 50mph speeds being reached on this section. No chance of that happening with me! Then we started climbing again, up and up and more up. Onto Holcombe Moor and to the trig point at Bull Hill. I can't believe I haven't been up there before, the views are stunning! I put an extra layer on here as it was windy, next climb and it had to come straight off!

Across the firing range and I showed Chris some of the trails around Entwistle before a cheeky ride through Jumbles. Through Longsight Park and down to the Bury Road. It was starting to get dark at this point. So Chris headed off to Whitefield and I spun back to my house.

43.7 miles with 1290m of ascent. Not bad for an evenings ride after work. Hopefully to be repeated if Chris can cope with waiting for me.

Gisburn Dirty Dozen

This race was on my list to do this year but I never got round to entering. As it got closer it seemed a good idea not to enter. I started a new job, completed 24solo and then the Welsh Ride Thing. I was tired and my body was not happy. A complete rest was needed. I kept having two days off commuting but it wasn't enough. So last week I bought a weekly train ticket, borrowed a brompton from work and had a rest week. Well nearly, there were two track sessions organised through work had to be ridden, but two hours of track riding, a couple of miles (mainly downhill) on a brompton and one 10mile mtb ride to reece a route was a rest. Thursday I felt great, the aches and pains gone so Ali agreed that if I felt that good in the morning I could enter. The organisers were great letting me enter the day before so I was all set.

Friday evening was spent packing - Ali kindly went shopping for me - and making up energy drinks. I was going to this race on my own as Ali was off to a BBQ. A lot of faffing and I realised Rigger still had a puncture from 24solo (he needed a wash as well). That fixed it was off to bed, the race started at 7:30am so I had an early start.

Saturday dawned and Ali was up before me, making me porridge and putting the bikes on the car. I set off before 5:30am and it already looked like an amazing day. Getting there I unpacked my kit and trekster, leaving it all at the Cookson Cycles Gazebo just as Chris(from Cooksons) arrived to cook his bacon. Off to the Car Park I rode back up via registration. All too soon it was race time, I put my food and drinks in the Gazebo set up for soloists, racked my bike and headed down.

The race started with a run, not my forte. But I managed to keep Chris in sight and there were still plenty of bikes when I got up there so I wasn't last! Out on the course and I decided I had made the wrong decision on bikes and singlespeed (especially as I hadn't changed the gear since 24solo) was not the way to go. Everyone was pedalling off down the fireroads and I was spun out. But once I hit the singletrack I was loving it. In fact it probably helped my legs by stopping me using too much energy too early. Back through the pits, one bottle off, one on and out again. I really liked the course. Well except for the raised wooden bit, but that was a mental block. The techy descent we had been warned about was lovely.

After four laps I was told I was the only female soloist so had won. It would have been easy to stop so I set myself a target of 100miles. I worked out this would either be 13 or 14 laps (maths not being my strong point). Chris passed me at the start of my 5th lap, he was in 3rd and flying up the hills. At 7 laps I was going well so thought I would probably manage 14. So I kept pushing, by this point I was having to walk some of the last hill as well as one little rocky bit in the middle of the course. But even with the tiredness and aches and pains I felt good and was having fun. Every picture I have found of me so far I am smiling, I am sure there will be some of me grimacing somewhere as I remember a photographer on the climb.

Lap 13 was finished after 11hours, time for one more shouted the timer so I was back out. A few fast boys passed me but then I seemed to be on my own and getting slower and slower. That was in fact my slowest lap at an hour.

All that was left was to get everything back to the car, bikes on the roof - not fun as my back was hurting - and go to the presentation at the pub. I missed the free food (must pack up quicker next time) but I did win some prizes.

According to my garmin I completed 108miles which I was pleased with. 11th overall in the solo's which I am very pleased with.

Definetly one to do next year, thanks to all the organisers, marhalls and other competitors.

24solo

It wasn't an ideal build up to this race as I started working full-time on monday, this also meant my taper didn't really happen and I rode for 8.5 hours although I did try and take it easy but the odd sprint to get to the front of the group still happened. On thursday night I changed the tyres on rigger and tried to put the rear wheel back on. It was now a quick release after Cooksons had changed the drop-outs on wednesday evening. Only it didn't work? My fault for only taking the wheel in and not the bike! I had to push hard to get it in and then when it was tight it just didn't pedal forward, yet the wheel went backwards. I really thought I was being dumb! All this meant I had to ride to work on friday, at least it was only 8miles. Ali then went to Cooksons at lunch, they dropped everything to look at it but were not 100% sure what is going on they thought that was the wrong time to play about and put the old bolts back on, leaving the quick release to be sorted after the race. Once this had been done I got a text from Ali, she had taken the afternoon off to sort everything and try and get Mel the mini's air-con fixed (this failed which made the trip up to Scotland very hot). She also said she could collect me, which saved my legs the uphill ride home. Ali being off and me being in a school meant we were on the road before 6pm and even with a long stop at tesco we arrived at the Campsite with lots of daylight. This meant stressy trio stayed hidden away. As we were driving in the velocake called out to us and we got a spot for our tent with them.  I even got to register on the friday night and annoy lots of people with my talking! Once it got dark I headed to bed, not that I could sleep but at least I was resting!

It was light nice and early on saturday and I could hear movement on the campsite but I was staying curled up in my sleeping bag as long as possible. Once I got up I did my usual walking round in a daze till Ali fed me porridge for breakfast. Everyone else seemed to be in race kit but I was in my pink PJ's. Ali got my old Garmin attached to the bike with the charger in my feed bag on the top-tube (the new replacement one having crashed and died!) I had a little panic and got food bags ready and discussed with Ali what I needed her to have ready - she had been really organised and got a whiteboard to keep everything organised.

Before I knew it we were at racer briefing and then riding down to Newcastleton for the sign-on and start. It was quite exciting being called up to sign on the board like the pro-racers on tv.

The start wasn't as bad as I had expected and the road back up to the course was very rideable. I chatted my way up with Jane who eventually finished in 3rd on her lovely Superfly100. At this point it still felt like going out for a ride with some friends - well new friends. Jac was just behind us, the other female singlespeeder who we were camped with.

Lap 1 I was taking it easy but felt like I was really flowing in the descents, at this point thanks must go out to the pump track at lee quarry! Climbing up a fireroad halfway round I look down to see front quick release undone, opps wonder when that happened? I had wondered on the descent if my headset was lose, no just the wheel! Lap 2 it was getting hotter, I was being sensible and walking more hills, but still feeling like it was easy, probably going too slow. Lap 3 and I'd had enough, I couldn't believe I was battling myself to carry on. Everyone said I had the right mental attitude for this, that is my strong point in endurance stuff usually. I was walking when I could ride as 'I couldn't be bothered'. Remembering Kate's advice that if I wanted to stop do one more lap I headed out. Didn't work, I was practically walking descents on this lap I was so not in the mood! I came in and told Ali that was me done, I was stopping, my head had gone. I was going to wait till it cooled down and go to bed. She was worried about me, my head was apparently really hot and the last thing she had expected was me to be wanting to stop so early. So stop I did, she fed me fluids and got me a chicken, cheese and salsa wrap from the caterers and got me to sit in the shade. A bit before 8pm she put me on my bike and made me go out again. I was not a happy trio - did she not understand I had pulled out, loads of others had it wasn't just me? On that lap I started debating how many laps I would do (before the event I had been thinking 14 was probably the best I could aim at from the distance of the course but without riding the actual course it was hard to say). I was thinking 10 was a good number, well over the magic 100miles, but it would be another 5laps after finishing that one. Went out again and decided that I was happy with 9, 10 was the aim and 11 would be fantastic. I now had an aim! But I still was thinking of stopping in the night to sleep. Each lap it got better and 10 was seeming possible, eventually I worked out I would get 12 done if I kept lapping as I was till the end. A bottle of vimto on the 10th lap - where I kept finding myself riding with my eyes shut - some riding chatting to Jac, and I felt on fire. I think it was the magic vimto (maybe they should sponser me ;-) ) I was flying up hills on lap 11, thinking I put a good couple of laps in and I may just manage 13! A change of clothes and instructions to Ali and I was back out on the course.

More magic vimto-juice and I was feeling good but it was getting hotter and I was finding it harder again, still I was determined! Out on the last lap and knowing I needed to back before midday I thought that was easy. But the heat was slowing me down, I was beginning to worry I would be sprinting. But no I crossed the line at about 11:45am 5th in the open womens (I was first female singlespeeder but there was no category for us).

 A bit of wandering round, remember to let Joolze take my after picture and I was off to get changed and watch the prize-giving. All that was left was pretend to help Ali pack up and head home.

In the end I was really pleased, yes I stopped but I have never dealt well in heat. I managed a lot longer than I would have expected. I was never in race mode really and I suspect that sub-consiously I was aware of working on monday and actually having to ride. Hopefully next time I will be able to have the day off and then my brain will let me go for it, or maybe it was one of those days that pushing doesn't happen. But my legs and stomach behaved so that was good.

I really couldn't have done it without Ali and her magic whiteboard. She was there everytime I came in, kept an eye on my food and fluid intake and most importantly got me back out on the course when I had given up!

Other imporant people were of course the boys at Cooksons, they really did everything to make sure I was ready - although I didn't need the horror stories! The velocake lot that we camped with, meant Ali had company and help when I came in demanding things! Oh and of course Grant who had a fantastic race himself and who provided the suspension forks for rigger. My hands were in pieces at the end, I can't imagine what they would have been like if I had rode rigid!

Will I do it again? Yes of course, I think I would love to do it on a nice fast geared bike as well! But that doesn't

Preparation

So what is that on the bike? Yes its suspension forks. Them and a bigger rear cog were put on the bike today at cooksons. An evening ride with Odile and I had to remind myself that suspension forks did not mean that I could ride anything as I nearly overshot a corner. I did get down a set of steps (with some screaming though). Now time for lots of rest!

The miles add up

Today I had lots of errands to run, first it was down to Cooksons Cycles to get them to have a look at trek, as expected it needs too much doing. Back home again and there was just time for a quick lunch before heading out for a hospital appointment. Heading down Crompton Way I saw the strangest sight, a young deer racing all over the road. It looked terrified. I have to assume there are deer in Seven Acres Park but I am suprised. Onto Bury Road and straight into a headwind, not good. I was on the drops working as hard as I had at the time trial the other week only I was barely moving. In fact I only just got to Fairfield hospital in time. The way home was a lot easier, although you never notice the wind when it is a tail wind!

Then it was time for a short mtb ride. Odile had just picked up her bike with new forks so wanted a ride but was on a time-limit. Ali was tired but wanted some mtb miles so we set out to the golf course. Some playing on trails I normally run, great singletrack here I should do it more often. Some riding down steep slopes.

Then an attempt to get back up by me.

A cheeky ride through Jumbles with some new lines taken then back home via last drop village. 10miles on the GPS.

40miles in total for the day!

A solo bivvy

A lot has changed since I started this blog. Back then I was just starting to train for transwales 2008, going from a weekend warrior. I had only recently started riding off-road on my own having said that I never would. Well last night was another first for me I went bivvying on my own. I've always been too scared to, but slowly with more bivvying experience I decided I wanted to give it a go. So last night I left the house at about 6pm with Ali in tow, she accompanied me to Bury then headed off on her own ride (this is all part of her training for Wales at the end of the month, I think she'll be towing me round). On the way I stopped for supplies for the evening, pork pies, crisps, chocolate, sweets and Philadelpia light and bread sticks (why I thought this was a good snack I don't know, its a bit low on calories). I was soon on Rooley Moor road and already feeling slow and a little tired. Maybe not the best start.

At the top I did some of the trails through Cragg quarry and then enjoyed the descent to Waterfoot. After that it was time for thousands of gates which on my own took so long. In fact at times I was wondering why I kept getting back on my bike to ride. By now it was dark. But I needed to keep going. I had a stop at the Mary Townley Stone and at this point I was beginning to feel good.

I was aiming to get up to Long Causeway and once crossing it find somewhere to bivvy there. I now was happy I would get that far. One long push up and it was back on my bike and feeling like I was descending fast. Probably more to do with the fact it was dark than I was fast. Onto Gorple Road, I saw the Pennine Bridleway North heading off one to explore at another time, and it was time to make my bed for the night. It was so dark and I wasn't expecting to see anyone else up there so I just wanted 50m off the path and tried to find a flat patch to put my bed out on.

A text to Ali to let her know where I was and it was time for my pork pies, she rang then to say she had managed 30miles and say goodnight and then I hunkered down. After half an hour I had to take a layer off, I had actually overdressed! Then I got to sleep, waking as it got light. I dozed for a while and at about 6am I decided I should have breakfast. As well as my cereal I had a belgian waffle that I had picked up earlier, one to remembered as it was lovely. I packed everything up and headed off. About a km later I saw the perfect bivvy spot, ahh well mine was fine.

On the way back there seemed to be baby sheep everywhere. Some of them can only have been a few days only. I got some looks off them, obviously I was a new creature to them. I was realising at this point that at the speed I was travelling (slow I was at about 9km/h including stops) I wasn't going to be home in time. So once I reached Summit I dropped on the road and headed home via Litterborough and Rochdale from there.

Lots of things sorted in my head for the end of May now. First Solo bivvy done and has made me want to plan the next adventure!