I’ve managed to have a good few rides over the past couple of weeks.  I’ve been focusing on getting my fitness back up on the blue, and throwing in a couple of sections of Follow the Dog.  Despite my first efforts of the year over the final Tackeroo section starting off a bit dicey, I’ve actually managed to get back into the swing of of it.  Although I did manage to skid sideways on the last berm before Werewolf and land on my side, much to the amusement of a group of blokes standing about.  Tell me boys, if you’re so frickin’ awesome why are you standing mincing at the top of the Werewolf instead of riding it?  Eh?  EH?

It’s amazing how quickly the trails recover once the frost finally buggers off – a little bit of added drainage here and there by Chase Trails (example:  the berms on the Tackeroo sections) and voila!  Perfectly rideable!  Occasionally a bit of mud and a fair few breaking bumps, but, as I keep on saying, if mud and bumpy trails bother you, you should probably question whether mountain biking is the hobby for you.

There’s lots of good dogs out at the moment – there seems to have been a bit of a puppy boom.  Last week alone I saw two German Shepherd pups and a spaniel pup, all bouncing merrily along.  Well, that’s a bit of a fib, the spaniel was bouncing, the alsations were quite dignified.

I also helped marshall the Midlands XC race last week – it mostly went smoothly, and thanks to the Follow the Dog riders for their patience and following the diversions.  Hope everyone enjoyed the day!

And now, photos!

After a slightly demented week, I really, really needed to get out an ride this weekend.  It’s been a week of things that are awesome, exciting and terrifying – some of which manage to be all three at one.  In the less awesome camp though resides stumping up an eye-watering £450 for new tyres (for the car) and getting evicted by our landlord who wants to sell our house.

Still felt a bit sheepish in the car park, taking the bikes off the rack and getting ready to go out.  Mr Toast enquired when the Big Build Day was, and I instantly answered “March 6th”.  Of course I knew, I did a poster and everything.  There was a moment’s pause, and I said, “Is that today?” followed by the less than eloquent, “Shit!”. But like I’ve said, I’ve had a lot on my mind – sadly keeping up to date with what day it is seems to have slipped by the wayside. >.<

On the plus side, I did have an fantastic ride, although slightly melancholy in that it’s only the second time I’ve been out on the bike since mid-November.  I seem to function much better when there’s a bit of sunshine – with it being a few degrees warmer my knees weren’t complaining too much until the last couple of hills, and I wasn’t too bothered by my cough.  I was left thinking that I’d really like to spend more time biking – I remember that it was a lot easier when I was fitter and a stone lighter…

I did all of the blue and felt I had enough energy to do the last section of Follow the Dog.  Minced along the start of the Tackaroo section quite merrily – it was a bit bumper than I remembered, and this was my first ‘proper’ bit of mountain biking in nearly four months.  Ended up stopping on a couple of berms that were quite cut up, not because I couldn’t do them but because there was someone right on my back wheel, and negotiating cut up berms isn’t made easier with the constant paranoia that someone’s going to slam into the back of you.  So a friendly word to the racing elite – buzzing my back tyre doesn’t make me go faster, it generally makes me slow down to a complete stop. Don’t be a dick.

The trail soon smoothed out though, and I felt a bit more back to normal.  As normal I chickened out of Werewolf Drop (along with the other five mincers hanging around it) and took the rest of the trail cautiously, but with a bit more speed.  The two step drops had been worrying me a little – the first one in particular looked bigger than I remembered, but I took them both fine and without any sense of imminent death.

I really need to get more biking in and get my fitness up, as in a fit of madness I volunteered to ride Mountain Mayhem this year.

ERK!

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: Blue route, followed by the last section of Follow the Dog

Highlights:  Going at speed, not dying at the top of the fireroad, much better lap time.  Chatting to various people at Swinnertons and in the cafe.

Bad bits:  Lack of fitness, general mincing on FtD.  STONES, OH NOES!

Post ride food snaffled: 1 cookie, one ham sandwich and a cup of tea

Good dogs seen: Mostly spaniels.  Many, many, spaniels.

It had been over two months since I’d been out on the bike, but with the temperature taking a distinct upturn (13 degrees!  Oh my!) it was time to WTFU and get out there.  I have to admit, initially it was harsh.  I decided that, given my time off the bike and delicate health (still coughing up slime) I’d build up my fitness and get used to being back on the bike by doing the blue route, rather than throwing myself onto the red whilst I was still a bit out of sorts and the trail is very slippy.

As I got on my bike I felt pure joy – I’ve not really gotten outdoors much over the winter.  Five minutes later, mentally I was still feeling the joy whilst my body was starting to protest.  After 10 minutes my body was screaming in protest – knees killing, coughing, chest hurting – and mentally I was starting to ponder if I should potter around the greens instead.  However, the urge to WTFU was too strong, and I carried on – fortunately after 15 minutes I was fine, I think I just needed to warm up!  Although my knees were killing by the end, I’m determined to get more biking in this year, and to get fitter than I’ve ever been (which isn’t that lofty a target, ahem).

I want to get on the red trail as soon as possible, because I don’t want to keep putting it off and building things up to being miles worse than I imagine them to be – again, my stomach turns slightly when I think of the last few steps on the turn out of the Stegosaur onto the bridge, even though I’ve ridden it numerous times without incident.  But there’s no point throwing myself straight onto it when I’m still feeling a bit under the weather, my fitness has gone to pot (albeit a delicious treacle pudding and custard infused pot) and the trail is slippier than an MP making an expenses claim.  I think the trail has quite enough braking bumps without me contributing to them!

Speaking of contributing, another aim of mine is to attend more trail building days – regular Sunday ones as well as the Big Build Days.  There’s a Big Build Day on March 6^th, so I’ll definitely be along to that, going to try and get a few Sundays in too! 

And speaking of slippery MPs, have you all contacted your MP about the proposed sell-off of England’s forests?  If not, you should – many of the paths used by mountain bikers, horse riders and walkers that wind though Forestry Commission forests aren’t official rights of way, so there’s no guarantee so far that they would be honoured by private owners.

I contacted my MP over a week ago.  Not only did he vote down the motion to stop the forest sell-off, he has (so far) also failed to reply.  I was actual civil as well!

POOR, POOR SHOW, JEREMY WRIGHT OF KENILWORTH AND SOUTHAM.

I think I’m probably more disappointed in Aidan Burley, the MP for Cannock Chase.  He’s expressed his concern at Cannock Chase not being given ‘Heritage Status’ and  having less protection than the Forest of Dean and the like, but still supports the sell-off of the English forests.  Well, he voted against the motion to stop the sell-off, so I’ve heard.  So it’s OK if other forests around the country are sold off and limited in access, but not the one in your back garden?   

Well, I’ve had a complete break from the bike for over two months, I’ve spent a week sunning myself in the Dominican Republic, and I’m still coughing.  It’s much better now though, so hopefully it’s nearly beaten.  Maybe I just need to spend more time in countries with sensible weather*, none of this sub-22 degrees nonsense!

Planning on getting out next weekend, going to give myself another week to recover.  Got to get my fitness and skills back up though, we’re planning on doing Mountain Mayhem in the summer (plus riding’s generally more enjoyable when you’re not passing out after every climb and approaching rocks with EXTREME TERROR).

On a more serious note, the government’s public consultation concerning the proposed sell-off of England’s forests can be found here.  Please let your voice be heard!

My own personal feelings is that this is a very, very bad idea, and I’m particularly worried that the entire ‘consultation’ is worded in such a way that the sell-off is a foregone conclusion. The Forestry Commission may not get everything right 100% of the time, but I personally think they’ve done a fantastic job of maintaining our forests and woodlands, whilst balancing the needs of all forest users and reducing conflict and opening communication between them.  I’m not sure how splitting up our forests and selling to numerous parties, regardless of how well intentioned they are, will be good for either the environment or for public access.

I grew up during the Thatcher goverment and have many memories that didn’t endear the Tory party to me (such as the MP who said that the state shouldn’t fund public transport, because only children and old people use it, and the other MP who said that the minimum wage wasn’t needed because no-one earned less than £5 an hour (I was earning £3.21 at the time)).  So I’ve always had a pretty low opinion of the Tories, but I have to admit, the current government has impressed me with the new lows they have sunk to.  Raising VAT, making public sector workers redundant whilst the private sector is also struggling, selling off our forests, raising tuition fees, abolishing public bodies that deal with the environment and consumer rights whilst keeping ones that lobby for big businesses (even ones that are under investigation for innapropriate conduct)… it’s like David Cameron is trying to cause as much long term damage as possible in as short a time as possible.  It makes me a bit cross, particularly when I have the horrible feeling that the government won’t give a toss about the fact the majority of people don’t want the forests sold off.  They talk about ‘Big Society’, but don’t actually want to listen to that society.

So, that’s my slightly controversial political opinion piece on behalf of the Missus Toast party there, time for a cup of tea I think!

Should I venture out tomorrow, and brave the predicted -2 temperatures?  Or should I stay in, and gorge on videogames and exercise biking to episodes of Supernatural?  The idea of getting out really appeals to me, especially if there’s snow.  The idea of repeating last winter’s five month chest infection does not, and I’ve already got a bad cough.

Bah!

So, not updated in a while.  BAD MISSUS, BAD.  I didn’t go biking last week, was feeling a bit phlegmy and grim memories of the October ’09 to March ’10 chest infection kept rearing its ugly head.  I did go biking in the previous weeks though.

I’m chuffed to bits that I did the Chase Skills course – it brought up my speed quite a bit, I’m definitely more confident, taking corners better and not losing as much speed due to over-braking.  Plus I’m merrily manualling about!  I’m still too chicken to do the Werewolf though – I know I can do it, I know exactly how to do it… it’s just actually doing it that’s the problem.

Had a bit of a comedy mishap on the bridge at end of the Stegosaur the other week.  There were a couple of novice riders on the rocks pulled over to the side.  Mr Toast went straight past them, and I thought they’d let me pass too – but unfortunately one of them set off just as I caught them up.  She bottled it on the last couple of steps, so I waited for her to sort herself out then restarted on the bridge.  Started to pedal and somehow managed to propel the Professor off to the side – still not sure how it happened!   I think it was as my right foot moved the pedal down my bike slipped sideways, I toppled to the right but was still pedalling – I literally landed in the middle of the bridge and shot my bike off to the left.  Bizarre.  I managed to brush myself off and grumble at my wounded pride, lift my bike back on and carried on!

It was another fairly swift lap considering the conditions.  I mourned the loss of Evil Root Number Two – its face has finally been chewed through by many a spinning wheel.  Rumour has it it’s going to be replaced with a rock…