Friday – it was a bit nippy. Maybe the weather would be nicer some other day in the Easter weekend?
Saturday – organising wedding stuff
Sunday – weather forcast was a bit grim. Weather didn’t actually seem that bad, but we stayed in. Maybe the weather would be better on Monday?
Monday – the weather report said sunny. The sky said differently. Still, we were sick of being in the house, and wanted to get biking, so we gritted our teeth, strapped the bikes on the bike, and headed out to the Chase.
Then it started snowing. It was, indeed, a bit nippy.
The hour drive was dark, grey, and gifted with flurries of snow. Got to Cannock Chase…and huzzah! The sun came out! Thank you, BBC weather report, you are occassionally right!
I expected my knees to play up (as they tend to in low temperatures), and was generally expecting to find riding to be a bit miserable and grim, but bugger me…perhaps it was because I was pre-tanked on ibuprofen, but I really enjoyed it!
Anyhoo, here’s my first ride report:
Ride: Cannock Chase
Trail: First 3 sections of Follow the Dog, various green tracks
Highlights: On my first circuit, taking the first section without hesitation, even managing the berms with relatively little trouble. On the second circuit I managed to climb up the steep slippy hill on the second section, which I ballsed up on my first circuit. Deliberately plowing through puddles and mud pits in an effort to make me look like a real mountain biker! Seeing a little sausage dog chasing a ball.
Bad bits: Cocking up the hill on the second section on my first circuit. Chickening out of the boardwalk, which I’ve done loads of times before, but just felt a bit cowardly. On my second circuit, I nearly lost control of my bike and went into a tree – managed to stay on though. Stupid congregation of walkers and their pack of dogs insisting on blocking the entrance to the second section, forcing bikers to plough through loads of undergrowth to bypass them. Appparently aforementioned stupid congregation decided to walk the dogs on Follow the Dog. Oh dear.
Post ride food snaffled: Bacon sandwich
Good dogs seen: Minature daschund, English Bull Terrier, chipper Jack Russels.