Drove up and awaited Nelson's arrival on Stonyridge - he was running a little later than me from a Physio session. Horrible bitter wind blasting through here, so stayed in the car til he arrived.
On the bikes, still enough daylight, and headed up the streets to the old gate on Upper Major Hornbro, and off up under the pylons, visibility due to lack of light a bit of a struggle, also, the bitterly cold wind making it a struggle too. Up to the top, and then as we rode round to get over to Broadleaf, we entered the fog and visibility got nasty.
No problem on the climbing, but once we hit the descent, it was tough work picking your way down. Ended up turning off the handlebar and running the head light on low for a start... Lower down, in the tussocks I tried a bit of handlebar which worked. Still, no where near the usual speed.
Then into Greenwood, and down through the top rocky sections, around the various bends, and we started to get below the fog down in here. Lights on brighter and going got a bit better. Some heinous headwinds approaching Gloomy Gulch, and I lost my mojo/flow right through there. Nelson was waiting and we got rolling again and it a bit got better. Then, down in Dangerous Dave's dug-outs, one of the corners was porridge. Nelson had warned me so I popped off the track and scooted around the inside. Lower down was all good, flow and groove. One adjustment to light made near the bottom. Then the new final bit down to the road. One nasty off camber corner, and then lots of water on track right at the end.
Onto the road and climbing, head wind, no wind, head wind, tail wind, head wind, one car, me struggling a bit to keep up with Nelson's relentless pace. Over the stile at the trees and up the climby track to the Greenwood Entrance. Again with the struggling. Road, and Britten. So nice. Tail wind, good visibility, speed, and flow. Straight down to pylon from the right-hander, missing the turn onto the traverse, then around across the front and down the funnest final section below the pylon to the cars.
All goods, 12.7 kms and 522 m climbed. Off to Noodle Union for a number 2 and then to the meeting, followed by a nice pint at the Hop and then I visited Josh, who set me up with a super lightweight cSixx(?) chainguide. I was home late.
On the bikes, still enough daylight, and headed up the streets to the old gate on Upper Major Hornbro, and off up under the pylons, visibility due to lack of light a bit of a struggle, also, the bitterly cold wind making it a struggle too. Up to the top, and then as we rode round to get over to Broadleaf, we entered the fog and visibility got nasty.
No problem on the climbing, but once we hit the descent, it was tough work picking your way down. Ended up turning off the handlebar and running the head light on low for a start... Lower down, in the tussocks I tried a bit of handlebar which worked. Still, no where near the usual speed.
Then into Greenwood, and down through the top rocky sections, around the various bends, and we started to get below the fog down in here. Lights on brighter and going got a bit better. Some heinous headwinds approaching Gloomy Gulch, and I lost my mojo/flow right through there. Nelson was waiting and we got rolling again and it a bit got better. Then, down in Dangerous Dave's dug-outs, one of the corners was porridge. Nelson had warned me so I popped off the track and scooted around the inside. Lower down was all good, flow and groove. One adjustment to light made near the bottom. Then the new final bit down to the road. One nasty off camber corner, and then lots of water on track right at the end.
Onto the road and climbing, head wind, no wind, head wind, tail wind, head wind, one car, me struggling a bit to keep up with Nelson's relentless pace. Over the stile at the trees and up the climby track to the Greenwood Entrance. Again with the struggling. Road, and Britten. So nice. Tail wind, good visibility, speed, and flow. Straight down to pylon from the right-hander, missing the turn onto the traverse, then around across the front and down the funnest final section below the pylon to the cars.
All goods, 12.7 kms and 522 m climbed. Off to Noodle Union for a number 2 and then to the meeting, followed by a nice pint at the Hop and then I visited Josh, who set me up with a super lightweight cSixx(?) chainguide. I was home late.
No comments:
Post a Comment