Didn't manage any riding on Bank Holiday Monday but got myself set up for a ride after work Tuesday.
Tuesday
Decided to give the Minley Manor race lap another go, what with the clocks going forward, thought I would have more light to get it done.
Weather was beautiful and quite warm which was rather handy as I had inadvertidly picked up 1 summer glove and one winter, my summer hand only got chilly initially and then was fine for the duration of the ride.
The ride went well, the first bit that took me to the race course was quick and dry, on reaching the course I went the correct direction this time, it was reassuring to recognise parts of the course better, now I was going past them in the correct direction.
It was still very difficult to track the route exactly, I have a feeling that I didn't reord a clen track in the first place but I managed to track it well enough to complete the lap and found the spot where I had camped 18 months previous.
Wednesday
Bunch of chaps at work had suggested a trip to Swinley Forest to have a look at the newly opened Trail centre style runs. This was planned in for Wednesday. Previousley it had been necessary to get a cycling pass which gave you insurance, parking was free. Now the arrangements are different, you don't pay to cycle, only to park, which as I can cycle to Swinley from my house I reckon I prefer this idea.
The new, "trail centre", swinley forest, wil have a green beginner course, a blue intermediate and a red advanced course. The red course wasn't fully opened and to be quite frank was poorly managed from a "you can go here but you can't go there" point of view.
We took to the blue run which was fully open and it was pretty full on from "the get go" what a naff phrase but it seemed to fit. A quick succession of ups and downs with us feeling the need to pedal hard between the trail features, it was good fun and we were quickly pleased with the new trails. One of our group, Dave, felt poorly part way through the blue run at the point where the Red run starts so he decided to call it a day and make his way back along the Blue whilst the rest of us continued along the Red.
The Red route didn't feel like a step change in ability was required but i think that was more a reflection on the Blue run rather than the Red. We kept finding bits which seemed clear/open and then it putting us into sections which were definately closed but sometimes giving us no exit options other than to continue along the Red.
A great deal of hanging on was required on some of the sections, having previousely abandoned my full suspension bike my but was getting a fair old pounding but i was holding my own through the twisty and bumpy stuff.
Much excitement was had.
It did make you feel like you wanted to pedal as much as possible so we kept haveing to have breathers at the section marker points.
All in all we had a great time...except Dave...and shall be revisiting swinley very soon.
Thursday
No riding but much excitement...the arrival of my frame back from paint just in time to build it up in time for "Bespoked" handbuilt bike show.
Sunday
Other commitments dictated that i couldn't fully build the bike up over the weekend but i got as far as assembling all the components on reading for cabling etc.
Target for the week: 200K
Total distance achieved: 45K
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