Home on the range

Sun streamed through the bedroom blinds... there was not a cloud in the sky... Marvelllous! Quick cup of caffeine. Out the door at seven.... and into baltic temperatures. This is when my Skins come in useful; you know it's going to heat up eventually and a heavier tight would leave you cooking mid morning... but then you actually stay cool. Clever. It actually stayed pretty chilly for a good while as I headed off up the road on my mountain bike and in the direction of Harwood forest. This takes about 50 minutes. The plan was to ride through Harwood, over Rothbury Crags, into Thrunton Woods and then back along the road, after boshing out some intervals in the middle. About 4 and a half hours.

Recently, I've ridden away quite a lot on my mountain bike or locally on my road bike so I'd kind of forgotten how good the Northumbrian trails can be. It's a funny place; often overlooked but this is really unfounded. Thing is, you just have to spend some time digging around as the good riding is not so obvious or well known. Today I decided to string some of the 'best bits' together and also I did them in reverse. The weather was perfect and the ground just the ride side of bone dry; peat is always better with a bit of spring in it. Turned out to be a cracking ride with great variety and plenty of challenges (check the pic of root alley). Funny thing is, I've ridden down that in the middle of winter in the pitch black.... no-one for miles and and hour from home... bit spooky...

Heck I'm missing winter already.