Well, we’ve been back from our honeymoon for a couple of days now, and we’re already missing Glentress. OK, we have broadband and our own fridge, but Leamington is so…flat.

Anyhoo, needless to say we thoroughly enjoyed biking north of the border. I didn’t attempt the red route – I was content to stick to the skills loop and the fantastic blue route, in an effort to get my confidence and basic skills up. I think it actually worked too – I even successfully tackled a skinny with a rocky finish:

Yes, I’m aware that a) The skinny is lower than a kerb, b) I look like a terrified hamster, and that c) I’m glued to the saddle. But that’s not the point! I gave it a go and didn’t die! Huzzah!

The cafe at Glentress, The Hub, is fantastic – really good food. Observe!

There was also a really good atmosphere there, with everyone talking about their rides, whilst sneaking covert looks at other people’s bikes. It’s interesting: the more you get into mountain biking, the more you look at bikes. Eventually, you stop looking at people and just look at their bikes, and end up branding them thusly: “Heckler dude”, “Yeti Guy”, etc.

On the penultimate day, I took some photos at the freeride park whilst Mr Toast decided to give it a bash. “Be careful!” I said, in a wifely fashion, and he said, “I will be, it’ll be fine!”. Then an ambulance pulled up, part of the course was sectioned off. Paramedics went in, paramedic came out, paramedic went back in with a leg brace, paramedics came out with broken freerider. Ouch.

Fortunately neither Mr Toast or I injured ourselves – yes, I even did some of the freeride course…gave the downhill boardwalk a miss though! Mr Toast tackled it with his usual aplomb though:

Aaaand here’s a few pictures of peeps that were a bit nifty at freeriding:

I’d really recommend Glentress to anyone who’s interested in mountain biking – there’s trails for all levels of ability, and loads of opportunities to hone and improve your skills in a controlled and pressure-free environment. And if downhill is more your thing, there’s the DH course Innerleithen just down the road, along with a black graded XC. One day, maybe! 😉

Sweet merciful Zeus!

We’re currently in the second week of our honeymoon. Our first week was in Cyprus – we thought we might hire some bikes out, but as it was FIVE BILLION DEGREES…sod that!

I’m writing this post from a B&B in Scotland, just a few miles out of Glentress, and goddamn, I wish we’d got two weeks here! Quite apart from the B&B being beautiful, with friendly owners, a friendly dog, and great breakfasts, Glentress is rather good for mountain biking, believe it or not. 😉 The entire area is beautiful, and the biking trails are a dream come true.

Every trail I’ve done has been pure fun, even the green loops! The green loop is very gentle, but with some hairpin bends, and light undulation – a lot of fun when going at speed. It’s obscenely pretty, with a riot of purple and white foxgloves lining the route. The first part of the blue is a bit dull, as long uphill slogs always are (even with switchbacks), but once it gets going downhill…ruddy hell!

Considering the blue routes are supposed to be the stepping stone between the green and red, they’re actually pretty challenging, and there were parts that gave me more pause for thought than anything on Follow the Dog – drop-offs, table tops, etc.  Still, no-one can say I wasn’t warned:

Yesterday was a bit rough for me, as I went out without any of my precious ibuprofen. As regular readers may know, for me this is about as smart as when Icarus thought that getting a closer look at the sun was a good idea. Today, however, I went prepared, and had a great time (once I got up all the sodding hills).

I felt a lot more confident and comfortable going down the blue today, and was tackling the drop-offs, berms and tabletops with ease. I got a little too confident, and decided to jump a table top.

To my credit, I did get airbourne. Very airbourne. My smug grin turned to panic, however, as my feet came off the pedals, the bike started swinging sideways to the right, and the pedals smacked me in the knee . There are some people who actually do this as a stunt when they freeride. I’m not one of them.

Luckily, I managed to swing the bike back, land in an upright postion, get my feet back on the pedals and carried on as if it was intentional…possibly even in that order. I had a small river of blood on my knee, but I felt strangely exhilarated. I got air and didn’t die!

Anyhoo, that’s all from me for today, the internet connection is a bit slow here (using Mr Toast’s mobile as a modem), so I’ll add photos and the like when we get back.

…Yeah, OK, so I said I wouldn’t do any more red route before the wedding, but surely a leetle bit of Follow the Dog couldn’t hurt?

Well, I did all of FtD in about 1 hour 15 minutes, shaving 15 minutes off my previous best…and considering that when I started doing FtD this year, it was taking me two hours, I was well chuffed!

I’m still not tremendously fast – the main improvement is not taking such long breaks between sections. However, any improvement is good, so…yar! It was a top ride to end my mountain biking career as an unmarried wench.

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: All of FtD in record time

Highlights: Getting halfway up the fire road hill before realising that I was in the middle ring instead of the granny ring, finishing the lap in record time.

Bad bits: Flaking out at the top of the fire road hill. Damn thee, knees!

Post ride food snaffled: Didn’t actually eat anything at the café after the ride, as it was closed.

Good dogs seen: Some good jack russells with high quality head to body ratios.

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

‘Twas my birthday yesterday, and Mr. Toast gave me the most excellent gift of an upgraded bike! My V-brakes were replaced with hydraulic discs – Avid Juicy 3s, my Dart 2 forks replaced with Rebas, my pedals replaced with V8s, and my narrow Bontrager handlebars replaced with slightly wider Specialized handlebars.

The brakes were new, the rest of the stuff was remnants of Mr. Toast’s previous bikes – not that I’m complaining, he keeps his stuff in good nick! 😉

The new brakes were fantastic – it’s amazing how much confidence the ability to stop can give you! The slightly wider handlebars took some getting used to, but it generally made for a more stable ride. Forks were very smooth, but perhaps a bit too squodgy, so Mr. Toast is going to put a little more pressure in them.

My first lap was very slow. I’m not sure whether this is because I was getting used to the new bike setup, or whether I was just fatigued from doing more exercise than usual (I’ve started going to the gym, did a session on Friday night, but I my legs and knees were killing me, and I felt that I couldn’t really push myself.

Despite that, the first lap went pretty well, especially Ill Phil’s Hill. I was a bit disgruntled on the first section, as my flow was disturbed by ‘Harry’ – a large black dog lumbering around the end of the section. At least he stayed off the track, unlike one of his owners – a young boy who was walking up the track whilst his parents looked on. -_-

I started doing a second lap, and I was much, much faster. Again, my flow was disturbed near the end of the track – this time by a huge mass of fly covered horseshit, right on the berm. Nice to know that people pay attention to the ‘mountain bike only trail/bikes only/no entry’ signs. Ho hum. I tried biking up the fireroad hill – failed again – and my knees were screaming at me. So I decided to do on last bit of FTD, before exploring. Found an awesome path which was literally like a rollercoaster, and it made me want to explore more. Maybe next week – got to lay off the risky stuff before the wedding!

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: Follow the Dog – one and a bit laps

Highlights: The first three sections of the second lap, and having consistent braking!

Bad bits: Inconsiderate bastards on the track.  What, you can’t give the mountain bikers their one track, which they’ve built and maintained themselves.

Post ride food snaffled: Quavers and a chocolate muffin – the café had stopped doing sandwiches. 🙁

Good dogs seen: Meh, it was a bit barren for good dogs.  There was something that looked like a staffie/jack russell cross – he was nice.

Bit of a ropey day, this one.  As Mr Toast and I were heading Oop North to his cousin’s wedding, we couldn’t get our normal amount of biking in.  However, we couldn’t go a weekend without biking, so we went to the Chase and hired some bikes for a quick pootle around Follow the Dog.

Being a bit of a shortarse, I couldn’t go on a full suspension, or even on a Trek 6 series, so I went around on a Trek 4 series.  It suffered from the usual issues of me riding a bloke’s bike – the saddle was uncomfortable, and the forks practically imovable.  Yet it really wasn’t too bad, and I kind of liked the slightly wider bars.  Mr Toast was a bit disgruntled with his bike, as it wasn’t particularly well set up for a perfectionist like himself.

Well, I came a cropper almost from the start – did the first section fine, went to do the second section…and skidded on the rock at the very start.   I capsized sideways, am now sporting a large painful bruise to my left leg…and landed face first in a bunch of nettles.  Fortunately I didn’t swell up too badly, but it really shook my confidence, which was already a bit ropey for being on a hire bike.  Got back on a more even keel towards the end, but sadly quite a bit of the trail was closed today. 🙁

Bah, I failed to update my blog for the rides on the weekend 17th/18th May. I was fairly pleased, although I did have a few steering issues – I kept ballyhooing into trees for no good reason. I saw some deer though, nomming leaves and being generally bambi-like.

Aaanyhoo, I had a rather splendid ride this weekend gone. It was by far by fastest lap, and that was including ‘the new section’ at the top of the fireroad hill. We thought the weather was going to be proper grim, as it was pissing it down on the journey there. But we got to the mystical land of Rugeley, then onto the trail, and lo…the sun came out.

On the first section, I took all the berms at the end without stopping or overshooting them – I normally come a bit of a cropper on the last one. Second section was pretty much the same as usual, with the exception of a rather sheepish looking couple with a border collie, who had evidently wondered onto Follow the Dog by mistake. Third section I was faster than usual, although I still get TERRIFIED on the boardwalk (no butterflies this time though). Had to take my waterproof jacket off at this point, as I was boiling to death.

Got up the fireroad hill without too much trouble, although I’ve tried to cut down my ibuprofen consumption, so my knees were groaning a little.

The new section is great now that I’m getting a little more confidence. I managed to get around the entire thing, not only not stopping, but also not catching my feet, pedals, or any other limbs on owt. Doesn’t sound like much, but it is to me! Took all of the jumps and the log bit at the end. Nice.

Did the woody section very fast*. As the trail was fairly quiet, I wasn’t stopping between sections to let people pass or go ahead of me. I actually got airborne at one point, and let out an involuntary ‘Whhheeee!’ (as in the verbal exclamation, not body fluid…). I’m not entirely sure how or why, and I had to look around to make sure no-one heard me. I think it’s a side-effect of mountain biking – I think if you could have captured that moment on camera, you could have made a lolpicture and captioned it ‘Joy’.

Felt a bit battered on Ill Phil’s Hill, and went crazy fast* on the wooded section after that. Did the last section, was bemused by a strange whizzing noise until I noticed the man on the zip wire above (Go Ape’s just opened). All in all, a good day.

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: Follow the Dog

Highlights: Again, the entire thing.

Bad bits: Nothing!

Post ride food snaffled: Bacon sandwich and a flapjack thing that had stealth raisins 🙁

Good dogs seen: Where to start? I think it’s proof that good dogs = good ride. Saw a sweet Jack Russel having a bit of a shout in a car, THEN a minature schnauzer! And it got better! A husky! And then, the masterpiece…

Yes, I do believe that’s a Border Terrier. And it’s a Border Terrier with a puppy! Everyone knows a thing, accompanied by a smaller version of that thing, is always cute

I nearly fell off the boardwalk trying to avoid a butterfly.

Twas a good weekend, very hot and sunny, and the first time I’ve been over the Chase this year when it’s been pretty much dry.

I felt a bit more confident as the ground was drier, so pushed myself a bit more, going faster, braking less. Unfortunately, as a result, I have come out of the weekend slightly injured.

My first minor injury was a result of my greatest feat so far – on Saturday, I actually cycled all the way up the fire road hill. Admittedly, I was very slow (lowest gear possible, or ‘Granny gear’ as Mr Toast calls it), but I had a huge sense of accomplishment when I got to the top. I had a little sit down, admired the view, and set off again. As I was still in granny gear, however, the pedal span round a bit quick and scraped my leg. Yes, I am indeed a pro.

The second was on a wooded section – there’s a short but steep uphill, with a nasty root at the top. There was a small child with two guys waiting at the top, so I attempted it. I nearly made it…but then my bike skidded backwards, and I capsized at the bottom, scraping my elbow and banging my shin. The small child (he was no older than 8 ) then proceeded to defeat what had just conquered me. Oh dear…

The third injury was today – I was going down Ill Phil’s Hill (or section 14, to give it its official name), and I was going down the last big descent. I picked my line a bit iffily, and, unused to dry sand, skidded. I didn’t come off completely, but my bike skidded slightly underneath me and I caught the back of my calf on the chain ring.

Despite all that, I feel that I did well over the weekend – two entire laps faster than I’ve ever done them before (including two lots of the fire road hill!). Woot!

Ride: Cannock Chase

Trail: Follow the Dog, bits of green

Highlights: Just the overall sense of getting better – taking the jumps without hesitation on the new section, cycling up the fire road instead of pushing up it, taking the berms a bit better.  Overtaking people!  And of course, section 13.

Bad bits: Falling off, although its never as bad as you think it’s going to be.  Getting pwn3d by a small child who’s biking skills far surpass your own. That is as bad as you think it is.

Post ride food snaffled: Ham and cheese sandwich and honeycomb ice-cream.

Good dogs seen: Lots, including plenty running with their biker owners – spaniels, jack russels, and something that looked like a cross between a schnauzer and a spaniel.  Oh my!