Well bugger me (actually on second thoughts, errrm don’t) a real life post and everything.
So my logs tell me some people still come here and look so I’m sure your going to get the shock of your life when there is actually something to read…..
So with Thursday’s ride being just a lot shit, I was anticipating the Sunday ride with lots of enthusiasm. I Dragged my fat arse downstairs to get some breakfast in Mrs Fat Lads fluffy dressing gown as I couldn’t find mine. (Hey that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!)
Fed,changed and watered I made my way to the chippy to meet with Andy, Pete and Shiela. We had decided earlier in the week to follow our noses as the first wooded section we normally go through hosts Clay Pigeon shooting on occasion. There might be plenty of padding back there but I still don’t fancy pulling any shot out of it.
So we wizz down Scotchman Lane and I use my “gravity advantage” to coast past everybody and scare my self with a 36mph speed wobble, from there we took a left past the stables and onto the first climb of the morning. It was turning out to be a glorious day and in the gorgeous sunshine I sweated the ascent stopping for a breather half way. This was Shiela’s first ride for a while as Pete kept stealing her bike while his was being repaired (don’t ask, it involves many tales of woe with a certain Batley bike shop) and so she was struggling too.
Flying down Quarry lane and making our way past the church I coasted down the grass verge getting out of the saddle ready for the short blast to the cornfield climb to find Andy and Pete not quite up it yet and had to do my SPD dance to get out of the pedals in time. Still gave everybody else a giggle.
From there we cut down the side of the British Oak pub to find the path almost entirely blocked,I swear one of these days I’m going to take a saw with me and sort this out once and for all! But for a complete change we welcomed a fence that now encloses someones grounds that we’d always felt a bit wierd riding across….
Anyways… much like my navigation.. this has all got a bit of course. Round the reservoir through the woods and it was time to head out towards the trail Pete has named “Beirut Alley”. Last time we were there we got bottles thrown at us by the locals, while on this occasion the missiles were thankfully absent, the trail was still covered in broken glass and various other chav detritus.
Up through the White Rose Centre car park and on to a path I have not missed at all. The Gravel Stream. I feckin hate it. 2″ deep of loose gravel on an incline. I’ll leave it at that.
From that misery we rode parralel to the railway track which in winter is really boggy and was a joy to ride in the dry.
Regular riding should be doing wonders for my fitness, but I’ve never really noticed it. From the railway crossing to the main road via the farm was always a struggle historically but this morning I seemed to coast up it. Don’t get me wrong I was still fecked when I got to the top but I’ve definitely got quicker.
Two minutes from home is where I decided to follow the rest and go into the woods via Rooms Lane and finish my self off good and proper. Andy and Pete steamed ahead and missed the turning but thats what you get for being faster than me 🙂
Through the woods it was back home with a big grin and some sore legs.
Fat Lad
I’m not linking the logs and files here from now on, as they can be found on the left.