OK Winter Whippet…

Posted on 22/02/2010 by Missus Toast

…you’ve had your fun, now bugger off!

Finding it a bit hard to get out at the moment – it’s not so much the biking in the cold that bothers me, it’s the two and a half hour round trip to get anywhere with decent riding. We actually went out for a ride last weekend, just around the local lanes and the one ridable bridleway. It was nice to get out, but the wind left me with a stabbing pain in my ears (even buffed up!), and road riding is just grey and depressing in winter, even in the countryside. I’d bloody kill for some decent offroad riding near us! 🙁

Still, we’ve got to get ourselves out next weekend for the final big push to get Phase II finished – it’ll mainly be focusing on surfacing, so everyone’s been asked to bring along a wheelbarrow if they can. We don’t own a wheelbarrow, but we’ll still be going along, I’m sure there’s something we can do!

In celebration, I made the MOST HIDEOUS poster ever. Initially it was going to be quite classy and arty, but I was a bit pressed for time, so settled for MBUK early 90s garishness. Eww…

MY EYES! IT BUURRRRNS!

Simon Says…SIMON LIES.

Posted on 06/01/2010 by Missus Toast

So, our trail building adventures got off to a less than punctual start this decade. We were supposed to be meeting at Swinnertons at 10am, and I woke up…10.15am. Oh dear.

Checked the Chase Trails forum for details where the digging would be taking place, and somebody had handily provided a postcode for the nearest parking. So, off we went, GPS at the ready.

Our GPS is occasionally set to ‘Lucien’, normally when Mr Toast likes to torment me. Lucien delivers directions in the style of an over-enthusiastic American gameshow host, and insists on calling roundabouts and ring roads ‘traffic circles’. In fact, watch that episode of Red Dwarf, where Holly restores her IQ at the expense of her lifespan. The Talkie Toaster and Lucien went to the same finishing school.

So generally, the GPS is set to Simon. Simon sounds like a slightly snide butler, but at least he doesn’t sound obnoxiously cheery. Unfortunately, on Sunday, the ever reliable Simon failed us.

The GPS directed us through Upper Longdon, then up through Stile Cop. He said we had two miles to go…then, rather unexpectedly, demanded “In nine hundred yards, make a U-Turn”. Er, excuse me? “In two hundred yards, make a U-Turn. Make a U-Turn”.

Slightly bemused, we found somewhere to turn, and headed back up. Simon, bless him, was then quite insistent that we should take the bridleway through the Special Events Area. Ignoring his increasingly demented demands – honestly, I swear he was starting to get a bit Skynet – we looked at the GPS map, and figured out how to make it there ourselves. As we got onto the A460, Simon suddenly realised his mistake, and calculated a route that didn’t involve off-roading a Nissan Micra through the forest. BIT LATE NOW, MATEY.

So, we arrived late, missing lunch (D’OH), and started on our Big Build…afternoon. I was thoroughly impressed with the turnout – given that it was a) below freezing, and b) just after New Year, I expected the turnout to be a bit sparse. But no, over 60 people were there, braving the cold, and had already dug a sizeable length of trail.

After a quick venture up and down the track to find some tools, we starting digging near the trail exit. Here, Martin had found the best tool – the chainsaw.

Conditions weren’t actually too bad – the ground wasn’t as hard as we were expecting, despite the freezing cold, and it didn’t take too much digging to get to the good stuff.

I became distracted by an exceptionally good dog – Leo, a black collie cross…wearing a coat. He looked very dapper. He was trotting around with a disc in his mouth, looking for someone to play with him. How could I not. I threw the disc and VOOM! Off he went! And came back, dropping the disc in front of me and looking at me. This was repeated over and over again, making it rapidly clear that I do indeed throw like a girl, and that border collies never, ever, ever get tired.

Despite his energy, he was exceptionally well trained. His Grimey Lymie Level 80 Resto Shammy (don’t ask, you’ll get an answer!) owner proudly demonstrated Leo’s repertoire of tricks, and also explained how his was the perfect trail dog…apart from the time he left his riders behind and joined two other riders instead. Sounds a bit like Mr Toast! 😛

More pictures and information about Sunday’s Big Build Day can be seen on Chase Trail’s blog.

2009: That was the year that was

Posted on 01/01/2010 by Missus Toast

Ah, 2009. The last year of the ‘noughties’, and the last year of me being in my twenties. Alas, there are still no hoverboards or flying cars, but it wasn’t too bad overall.

After my knee operation at the end of 2008, I resumed biking, kicking of 2009 with a few different demo days. I quite fancied the Lapierre Zesty 514 L, but I realised that most other women’s specific bikes didn’t really fit me that well…

Whilst at the Bike Radar demo day, entranced by a border terrier, I signed up and became a member of Chase Trails.

In February I created the ‘Map of Joy’, pinpointing places across the UK we wanted to visit for biking purposes.

The first addition to the Map of Joy was a pair of rather lovely mini-coasters from Chase Trails, and Cannock Chase was set up as home base.

The first sojourn to non-Cannocky climes was to Dalby, when we visited the Toast-in-Laws. I ventured onto the Dalby red route for the first time, and thoroughly enjoyed it – although I chickened out on some of the downhill drops.

Not these drops though! Although I suppose they’re more jumps than drops. Didn’t jump them though, that would be silly…

In April, my quest for a full-suspension came to an end as we welcome Professor Von Stumperson, a 2009 Stumpjumper FSR Elite. Unfortunately, me getting sorted with my bike also signalled the start of Mr Toast’s rear-hub woes. Even now, he gets a twitch in his eye if you mention XT wheels…

The most depressing of the rear-hub instances was after making the 2.5 hour drive to Llandegla. Still, at least the Professor and I had a good time whilst Mr Toast sat glumly in the café for a couple of hours.

In May, we helped marshal the Nice Price Special at Cannock Chase. The weather was actually pretty nice on the day, but had been spectacularly grim in the days before hand, leaving the course a slidy mudbath – so, pretty much a traditional MTB event!

The end of May saw the first ever Bike Radar Live at Donington. It wasn’t originally on the Map of Joy, but it got added with various bits of tat. It was a great weekend – good atmosphere, great weather, and there’s something distinctly charming about flying around Donington race track on a tandem and folding bike.

It’s a shame that we won’t be going to Bike Radar 2010, but unfortunately it a) clashes with our anniversary, so we’ll be in Scotland, and b) is in Kent. Kent! I mean, really? Kent?

June saw me venture to the Peak District. As I was holidaying with my mother, it meant that my bike adventures would be strictly solo. Well, apart from that day when I hired a wheelchair bike and strapped my mother to the front. Other than that, it was adventuring around Castleton, going up Mam-Tor, and generally admiring the views.

In July, Mr Toast and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. And what better way to celebrate it than throwing ourselves around some of the finest trails in Britain! We revisited Glentress, went around both the blue and red routes at Dalbeattie, and flirted briefly with Innerleithen. If you count ‘flirting’ as ‘crying whilst carrying your bike’.

MOAR PINS!

At the end of July, we revisted Llandegla – Mr Toast had a fully functioning bike at this point! Also along for the ride was Sir Jaggy, on his newly acquired Cannondale Prophet. A seasoned road rider, Jaggy had limited off-road experience, but fortunately a more than healthy level of competitiveness meant that he threw himself into it with great gusto. He also threw himself into trees, but we don’t talk about that.

Alas, although we continued riding for the remainder of the year, we never did make it to Thetford, Afan or Coed-Y-Brenin. This was due to an unfortunate combination of work, illness and the weather. We still kept ourselves busy though, assisting marshalling the Midlands XC race in August:

I also finally managed to ride all of the new rock features on FtD, and get a lap time of under an hour for the first time. We also ventured outside of the trail centres when we went Oop North again, riding across moorland and getting chased by pheasants.

October was notable. Why? Because it was the start of THE LURGY that I’ve now had for three months. Fortunately the only symptoms I have now is a persistent cough. Could be worse, eh? The remainder of the year has been me battling to get out at the weekends despite the cold – at the moment, I’m actually giving biking a couple of week’s break in the hope that the cough will bugger off.

We helped out with a couple of the Big Build Days at Cannock Chase throughout the year, hopefully we’ll be able to get a bit more involved next year. Really looking forward to Phase II, which will hopefully be opened Easter next year!

BIKES OF 2009

Hello to…

January: GT Carbon Zaskar (Mr Toast’s)

April: Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite (Mrs Toast’s)

December: Ibis Mojo Carbon (Mr Toast’s)

Farewell to…

June: Trek 4500 WSD (Mrs Toast’s, sold to a younger and more talented rider)

October: GT Carbon Zaskar (Mr Toast’s, died due to manufacturing fault)

When the whippet brings the snow…

Posted on 19/12/2009 by Missus Toast

Oh dear, I went biking last weekend and have only just got around to making a post! Christmas tends to make everything sparkly, but slightly hectic!

Last Sunday I did a couple of sections of FtD, and the green loop. It was a freezing but entertaining ride, although I do sometimes wonder if going out at the moment does me more harm than good. :s Started with sections 1 & 2, rode a little shakily, and couldn’t do the exit – I haven’t ridden it since the ‘ribs’ incident last month, and certainly couldn’t ride it with Mr Toast and Ovide standing at the end, looking at me!

Did the green loop, and my knees were giving me grief. They weren’t really hurting (not at the start, anyway…), just felt very tight, and I struggled to put any pressure on them on the climbs. Once I’d warmed up, I could absolutely fly down the flat sections and had no trouble keeping up, but I fell behind on any climbs. I’m just incapable of giving them any welly at the moment without my knees going on strike.

Naturally on the green you have to slow down a lot for walkers and horse riders, and Sunday was no different. And, I’m pleased to report, there were some EXCEPTIONALLY good (if slightly dim) dogs about! We approached a family with some sort of mid-sized dog that looked like a mini-lurcher and a black poodley-terrier thing. Slowed right down, naturally, but we were still expecting the dogs to move as we got near – most do it automatically. Mr Mini-Lurcher just stood his ground however, like a smaller, hairer Gandalf. “You shall not pass”, indeed! Instead of having a bit of a scuffle and pulling him into the fiery depths of a Dwarven mine, I came to a complete stop waited for him to move. And waited. Gandalf just looked at me, looked around, and ignored his owners slightly bemused calls, and I eventually had to shuffle around him.

As we slowly set off, Gandalf’s smaller poodley friend decided that this would be a good time to launch himself in front of Ovide’s wheel. As I said, we were going slowly, so Ovide stopped with no incident, except that his slightly shonky v-brakes sound like something dying. This noise seemed to be slightly more effective at getting dogs (and pedestrians!) to shift…

We also saw the world’s happiest whippet. Now, I’m a huge fan of whippets, I think they’re adorable. But there’s no denying that both whippets and their larger cousin, the greyhound, generally look a bit…folorn. Not this chappy though! It’s the first time I’ve seen a grinning whippet, but he was loving his life, bounding all over the place. Like Gandalf and his poodley friend, he wasn’t the most obidient of dogs, with his exasperated owners trying to call him back. But no, he was flying up the hills, down the hills, all over the shop! Shortly after we saw him, we saw our first frost on the trail – not sure why we hadn’t seen any up to that point, whether it was down to shelter or height of the route at that point. Regardless, we decided that the Whippet brought the winter. The Whippet Of Winter!

Just before the big climb at the end, my iPod died (my own fault, haven’t recharged it in weeks), so I climbed up with nothing except the sound of my own wheezing. Found the big climb quite hard – not only were my knees protesting, but my lungs and throat decided to join in, and the steady production of phlegm that I’d been suffering throughout the ride kicked into overdrive. Bit hard to explain (and possibly too much information), but it felt like my throat was completely slimed up, and every time I coughed, my noise was exploding as well. My face was a slime factory, which was making breathing a bit tricky. Got to the top (all in middle ring, it’s not all bad news!), had a coughing fit, and was slightly sick. Epic!

Carried on over the top and through the Tackeroo, then back to the start of 13. Seemed a bit rude to ignore it, so I rode 13 and it was ace. Given Toast’s recent reports I was a bit worried what it would be like, but it was reasonably smooth and well drained, and rode really well. It was evident that the trail pixies had been about! I didn’t join Toast and Ovide on 14 onwards, as I really didn’t feel too sparky by that point, but they said that the rest of the sections had been given some TLC as well, with 14 riding as well as it does during the summer. Had a look at the Chase Trails blog when we got back, and it’s certainly impressive how they can make trail mashed by bad weather and make it rideable again in the space of a week. Good work, Chase Trails!

Got backed to the cafe, nearly passed out. Feasted on a scone, because there’s nothing like good nutrition to speed recovery!

I’ve got a blood test on Monday to see how I can get rid of this cough, as after a few months, it’s getting to be a bit annoying. It’s been six weeks since the antibiotics, so…meh. Modern science 0, virus/bacteria 1. On the plus side, I’ll be humanity’s salvation if Martians ever invade. In other news, Chase Trails have another Big Build Day coming up! The first build day of 2010 will be on Sunday 3rd January – what better way to welcome in the new year! And what better way to welcome a Big Build Day than a new poster! Possibly my most self-indulgent and nerdy BBD poster yet!

05/12/09: Green and grey

Posted on 06/12/2009 by Missus Toast

Saturday marked the first time back on my bike since the ‘ribs’ incident, and bloody hell, didn’t my legs know it! Rather than sliding across an increasingly battered FtD with no mud tyres, I went the way of cowardice and did the green route instead.

My legs felt pretty stiff as I started off, and I had the vague concern that I wouldn’t actually be able to do a full loop. Fortunately, by the time I got to the road crossing near the start of section 13, my legs had loosened up.

The ride was a slightly surreal experience. I swear I passed the same guy walking his dog about five or six times – I think there’s some sort of cloning facility over the Chase where they turn out slightly grumpy looking grey-haired chaps in wax jackets. Spaniels also seem to be in vogue – I saw a lot of them. Perhaps they’re the only breed that don’t mind the weather that much…there was also a HUGE dog that was the size of a pony, think it was some sort of mountain breed. I also saw a woman in a small cart being pulled by a small pony (that was probably smaller than the aforementioned dog), which was OMG BEST THING EVAH!

Despite restricting myself to the green route, I still managed to get utterly plastered in mud. I’d gone out wearing my normally glasses rather than my contact lenses/biking glasses combo, due to my left eye being a bit sore (fell asleep with my contacts in the previous day, doh!), and I quickly found that, although biking glasses make you look a bit like an insect – or even worse, a bit like Bono – they’re by far and away the most effect way of keeping mud out of your eyes!

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: Green loop

Highlights: Getting back on the bike

Bad bits: Weather’s a bit rubbish…

Post ride food snaffled: Tea, bacon sarnie and shortbread. Nom!

Good dogs seen: Giant bear pony dog, curly haired Airdale terrier type thing, Jack Russells, and looooooooooads of bouncy demented spaniels.

100 posts!

Posted on 04/11/2009 by Missus Toast

This is the 100th post! To celebrate, I actually went to the doctors, just like I said I would! Turns out it’s bronchitis.

On the plus side, I have delicious antibiotics now, which will hopefully make me feel better by the weekend!

Braaaaains….

Posted on 06/10/2009 by Missus Toast

Been feeling rough again, can’t bloody shake this cold! Didn’t go out at all this weekend, just stayed in with the sniffles and drank tea. I missed being out on my bike, and I missed the Big Build Day. I should probably eat more fruit, or something. Or any fruit.

Mr Toast had some bad news – his carbon Zaskar is sadly dead. It’s never been quite right, always creaking, and he’s tried numerous things to try and sort it. He eventually sent it back to be looked at…and they found out it had a manufacturing defect and was cracked. They couldn’t get a replacement, so he got a refund. And so ends his short-lived love affair with carbon – I think he’s going to wait for the manufacturing technology to become a bit more established. Taking bets on what hardtail frame he’ll go for next!

Merry Christmas!

Posted on 23/09/2009 by Missus Toast

On Saturday we went to the Chase Trails Christmas party….2008! Apparently it’s a noble tradition to hold the Christmas party late, and I think this year must have been a new record! It’s Chase Trails way of thanking all of the regular volunteers, and it was great. You too should become a member of Chase Trails, and/or help out with the trailbuilding, and you too could be living it up with Christmas curry!

Good evening all around, although I ate far too much, and had to listen to Steps far more than anybody should have to (thanks Charlotte…). Rob rolled around on the floor and got beaten up by small children, yet despite possibly being a wee bit drunk, displayed prodigious juggling skills.

12/09/09: Oh sweet Cannock Chase, how I’ve missed thee

Posted on 13/09/2009 by Missus Toast

We hit the Chase yesterday in glorious, warm sunshine. I guess we had to have summer at some point!

Due to a combination of weddings, family visits, and illness we hadn’t ridden the Chase in over a month. You may recall the last time I rode there, I had a really, really bad day. It knocked my confidence quite badly, and left me worried I was going to have another bad day.

I didn’t get off to a promising start. There were lots of walkers gathered around the start of section 2, so I cautiously weaved through them and entered the trail. I was doing my best to look graceful and effortless, but was sadly distracted by a small child pushing his bike the wrong way – possibly the progeny of aforementioned walkers. Clipped the handlebars on a tree (AGAIN), and came to a stop. Didn’t fall off though, so that was a distinct improvement from last time. I swear, the more I ride section 2, the more I think the trees are out to get me.

Bottled the end of section 2, but, after 15 minutes of contemplation and a bit of encouragement from another couple of riders, I rode the start of section 6 with no problems. Well, I fluffed the last couple of rocks that lead onto the bridge, but otherwise pretty smooth, especially when compared to last time. It made me ponder how, by and large, mountain bikers are a pretty nice bunch. Sure, you get the odd elitist arsehats who moan about anybody who’s not as good as them clogging up the trail, but more often than not you also get the people that always say thanks when you let them past, who keep their distance, who offer encouragement and advice.

Section 7 was partially open, allowing me to ride the boardwalk. Huzzah! It’s funny – whereas in my mind I make some things a lot worse than they actually are, the boardwalk took me by surprise. I swear it used to be wider – maybe it’s just because I haven’t ridden it much since Glentress and Llandegla, whose red boardwalks are actually pretty wide. Didn’t have any problems though. The post-boardwalk stretch has been nicely repaired by the Chase Trails trail pixies, with the erosion and drainage issues fixed. Hurrah! The section was diverted just before Evil Root Number One, so I managed to evade it’s Evil Rootiness for another week.

The fireroad hill up to 8 was brutal – a month off had taken its toll on my fitness. Got to the top and collapsed with a Nutrigrain Oatie and enjoyed the sun. Took section 8 at a steady pace, it felt a bit slippier than I was used to – possibly because I was going a little slower than usual (but faster than last time, I hasten to add!). Did all the jumps, but chickened out at the end – my reasoning being that I was actually really enjoying my ride, and didn’t want to fluff the rest of it by coming off. The fact that every time I’ve ridden the end of 8 I’ve never fallen off didn’t matter! Again, this got me thinking: all of the stuff I struggle to ride -the exit of 2, the exit of 8, Evil Roots One and Two – I’ve never actually fallen off on any of them. The exit of 8 I’ve ridden a few times no trouble, but I’ve never really properly thrown myself at the rest. I always stop just before. One day, one day…

By the time I’d got to 9, 10, 11 and 12, my confidence (and speed!) had picked up quite a bit, and I felt a bit more back to normal. Raced along, had a bash at Evil Root Number Two, rather predictably bottled it just before the front wheel made contact…carried on to section 13. I rode section 13 at a fairly moderate pace, there were two people in front so I kept my distance. Section 14 was nice and sandy, section 15 now has what I call ‘The Stump of Indecision’ – do you go left around it, or right? Section 16 is still growing on me, I still have to take the start very slowly (trees!), but the later part is good fun.

So, all in all, a great day. I was slow, and had quite long breaks at the start of section 6 and section 8, but I didn’t fall off and rode a lot better than last time.

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: Follow the Dog

Highlights: Massive improvement on last time, and the weather!

Bad bits: None really, was just grateful for a good ride

Post ride food snaffled: Tea

Good dogs seen: A truly epic West Highland Terrier puppy. You should have seen his ears. Magnificent!

My face is sad

Posted on 23/08/2009 by Missus Toast

I didn’t get to do any biking this weekend – we’ve got a house inspection, so I’ve been busy getting things tidy – quite tricky to hide four bikes, apparently ‘civilised’ folk don’t keep bikes in the kitchen. Or the dining room…

I’ve also tried to sort the garden a little. Bit of a mammoth job, as it’s been a bit neglected (if it’s a weekend and it’s sunny, we go biking, not gardening), so it was a wee bit triffidy. It’s still not going to win any RHS awards, but it’s a little less “wildlife haven”.

Felt a bit guilty – several worms were bisected by the edging tool, and loads of ladybirds nearly found a new home in the garden waste bin. Most impressive was this little dude:

Yes, the Sycamore Moth caterpillar is pretty punk rock. It grows into a very dull brown moth, sadly. I think the more extravagant the caterpillar, the less interesting the adult flappy. He went back to live in the remaining weeds.

Next weekend we’ll be Ooop North to visit Mr Toast’s parents, and will hopefully get some Dalby and North Yorkshire Moors rides in.

The Mountain Biking Misadventures of Missus Toast

Bikes. Cookies. Dogs

Category Archives: Stuff