Apparently, to save the economy, we all need to spend.    Normally I shirk my civic duty on the grounds of ‘having no money’, but this month, I decided to play hero.

So, I’ve bought some Dhb triple-lens glasses.  I normally wear my contacts when biking, but I’m a bit paranoid about getting stuff in my eyes.  Personally I blame Mr Toast’s friend Ovide for this.  He got mud on his contact lens whilst biking, and struggled to get it clear.  Eeew.

I’ve also bought some new Endura legwarmers.  The Trek ones have served me well and faithfully, but are looking a bit worse for wear, with the grippers starting to disintergrate and a general tendancy to gather around the knees and ankles.  So, it’s time to retire them, but they’ll still be on standby.

And last but not least, I’ve bought some V8 flat pedals.  I did have some V8s borrowed from Mr Toast, but he’s reclaimed them, so it was back to the default Trek pedals.  Not too keen on them, so I’ve decided to get some V8s of my own.  And they’re green.

I’m still waiting to see if I can test a small Meta some point soon.  Until then, my full-suss future is still very much up in the air, and I don’t really want to spend too much money pimping my Trek if there’s a new bike on the horizon.

Fortunately, I’ve got the Rebas back on my bike, so it’s a bit lighter again.  The back end of my Trek still weighs a tonne though.  Fat bottomed girls make the rocking world go round, but fat bottomed bikes make the rocky hill climbs sloooooow.

Mr Toast had reclaimed the Rebas for his Zaskar, but because he’d cut down the steerer tube to fit my bike, it didn’t really fit.  So, he got a Fox F100 for his Zaskar, and popped the Rebas back on the Trek.  Yay! \o/

Somehow during the transplant procedure he managed to hit his arm with a mallet, resulting in an impressive bruise.  I think it’s possibly the worst mountain biking injury he’s had…

No, I’m not dead.  Sadly, I’m still not zipping around the woods yet, either – the left knee is still decidedly wonky, and needs some strengthening.  Unfortunately, cold weather doesn’t do my joints any good, so there is only one solution…and it’s now sitting in our living room.

Yes, thanks to the Toast in-laws, we are now the proud owners of a very nice exercise bike.  Unlike the previous pile of crap I bought from Argos, this one is magnetic, the pedals actually turn (smoothly, and with decent floor clearance, if you can believe it!), and  it doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall over if you go hellbent for leather on it.  So, I’m hoping that I can use it to build up the muscles in my legs, strengthen my knees, and generally improve my fitness, so I can throw myself into proper biking when the sun eventually emerges.

I’m still looking to get a full-susser this year.  Apparently full-sussers are less jarring on the joints, so I need one for medicinal purposes.  It’s not so I can have an easier time of it and compensate for shoddy technique with extra travel.  No sir.

Got a few demo days coming up and marked on the calender for this year.  I’m not sure what to try.  My hobbit-like stature continues to infuriate me – I’m too small for the majority of ‘small’ bloke’s bikes, which severly limits the brands available to me, or to women-specific bikes.  And although I’ll confess, I tend to prefer the look of lady bikes, I resent having to pay more for a smaller frame and a prettier paint job – there’s just less choice, and less competition.

Eugh, cars.  Or more accurately, “Eugh, my car”.  It recently started to cough, splutter, and lose all energy – a bit like Mr Toast in the height of hay fever season.  Fortunately with Mr Toast, we can look at him and say, “He has hay fever!  Let’s give him antihistamines and have his asthma medication on standby!”

What happens with my car when anything goes wrong?  It stays in the garage for a couple of days, and then they say, “Well, we can’t find anything wrong with it, but there’s definitely something wrong”.

This has now happened twice, at two different garages.  It’s like Nissan used strange alien technology to build the Micra.  “Hey Hiro, put that…thing in there.  You know, next to the…other…thing.  I don’t know what it does, but it makes it go bruum!”

Anyhoo, bringing this post dangerously back on topic, it means that there was AN ENTIRE WEEKEND WITHOUT TRAIL RIDING.  Just after the aforementioned weekend, I got my car back with a new fuel filter and a tank full of Redex, which worked for approximately five days before returning to a spluttering unpredictable mess.  Deciding to risk it, we set off to Hammerwich in the zombie car, our carbon footprint visibly pooting out of the exhaust.

We stayed at my mother’s on the Saturday, and went for our ride on the Sunday.  At the unholy hour of 9.30am, might I add – Mr Toast was meeting up with some of the Chase Trails forumites for an explore of the Chase.

I settled for…Follow the Dog (yes, I’m horribly predictable).  Only this time, as we were parked at the other car park, I started on section 13 – an interesting start to the day for someone who’s not a morning person.

This ride was a mixed bag.  On one hand, I felt that I took a lot of stuff with a bit more technical prowess than usual.  On the other, it took me a lot longer than usual to complete a lap.  That said, I did have a Swinnerton’s stop after four sections (as I started from the other carpark), and got some water and hobnobs.

I also contemplated getting some clear glasses for eye protection – it was very muddy and I’ve now taken to wearing my contacts when biking, as I like having peripheral vision.  Unfortunately, all of the£14.99 glasses were too big for my peanut head, and I’m too much of a cheap ass for fork out any more cash than that for something that will essentially make me look like a twat.

Hmmm, I should probably time my accessory stops…

I also spent a lot of time between sections letting people pass – despite the ungodly hour and crap weather, it was actually busier than usual.  And, truth be told, I think my fitness might have dropped off a little – before the wedding I was going to the gym twice a week as well.  Still, nowt that can’t be remedied.

I had a top experience on section 8 (the longer route).  I was chased by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier – lovely, friendly dog, running with his biking owners.  However, as lovely as he was, it was also slightly disconcerting – in addition to worrying about him running into my wheels, I was riding as fast as I could, listening to the footfalls and heavy breathing of an unseen animal right behind me.  ACTIVATE PREY INSTINCT!!

I have never, ever ridden that section so fast.

In other news, I should be seeing a specialist on Tuesday about my knees.  Here’s to fully functioning limbs!

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: FtD – long route, including the reopened section 16.

Highlights: Being encouraged to new speeds by a friendly Staffie

Bad bits: Riding for my life whilst being pursued by a snarling hellbeast

Post ride food snaffled: Had a bacon sandwich.  The Marquis Drive Cafe is rubbish.  On the other hand, the Visitor Centre and its staff are awesome.

Good dogs seen: Snarling hellbeast/affectionate Staffie

Well, we got married! I didn’t realise how strong our reputation as a ‘biking couple’ was until it got mentioned in the groom’s speech, my brother’s speech (stepping in for my late dad) and the best man’s speech (who pointed out the first time he met me, I fell with great gusto when I hit a kerb – although he did point out that I just got straight back on again…thanks Jag!).

And there was also the matter of the cake, made by my mother-in-law…

Top stuff!

We’re off on honeymoon on Wednesday – going to Cyprus for a week, then off to Glentress for a week of mountain biking.  Who’d’ve thunk it?