On Saturday Mr Toast and I decided to pootle around Cannock Chase’s green routes, as I’m a bit wary of disfiguring injury so close to our wedding and honeymoon – I don’t want to look like a battered wife! 😛

For a change, we parked at Marquis Drive and set out from there. The green route was actually a lot of fun, with quite varied scenery and some really beautiful parts – less ragged by timber felling and the like. It was ridiculously windy in parts though – at the top of one hill, I could feel myself being blown sideways. Mr Toast has installed the lockout lever for the Rebas on my bike, and I really felt the benefit going up the hills. My knees felt quite battered on some parts though, REALLY need to get them sorted.

Anyhoo, we did the 20 mile loop, ending up near Marquis Drive. Despite my ‘no FTD a month before the wedding’ resolution, Section 13 was too tempting. As was 14. Er, and 15…

At the start of 14 I managed to misplace Mr Toast (he didn’t realise I’d headed up to Ill Phil’s Hill). Still, I was quite proud, as I managed, for the first time ever, to climb up the hill leading to section 14. I think the fact it had rained the previous day helped quite a bit.

Once I rejoined Mr Toast, we did the fireroad hill, the short downhill bermy bit (not sure if it’s still classed as section 8), then a couple of the woodland sections. Not bad for a day’s work.

I was actually really pleased with my riding around FTD, felt really flowing and consistent. I was also pleased with doing the green loop too – I don’t think I would have had the fitness to do it last year, never mind follow it with some red route action!

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: 20 mile green route loop, sections 13, 14, 15, 8, 10, 11 and 12 of Follow the Dog

Highlights: Seeing more of the Chase, zipping around bits of FTD – everything really

Bad bits: My crap knees, causing me to munch a lot of ibuprofen.

Post ride food snaffled: Didn’t actually eat anything at the café after the ride, as it was closed. I did have a ham and cheese toasty before setting out, though

Good dogs seen: Lots and lots of jack russels