I am a lifelong mountain biker who rarely lacks motivation. I had always ridden bikes off road like most kids but in 1976 I bought a "scrambler" for 70 pence. This was a bike which was dedicated to off road use. In 1977 I added a homemade suspension fork. I used the front suspension units … Continue reading Why I’m writing this….
Explore, then explore some more.
The weather hasn't been kind in May. We've had temperatures way below seasonal norms and quite a lot of rain. This is undoubtedly one of those "expected anomalies" which enthusiasts of Global Warming Theory use to "prove" their hypothesis. Still, it will never stop a determined mountain biker so I took the mainly off road … Continue reading Explore, then explore some more.
Making an everyday ride more interesting.
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with regular rides in the same area. I have a firm favourite trail but the shine might go off it if I ride nothing else. Today I decided instead of my favourite to ride Healey Nab but again this is somewhere I ride a lot. So much … Continue reading Making an everyday ride more interesting.
What’s so great about Great Hill?
Great Hill is the northernmost high point at 1,251 feet of the West Pennine Moors, a chain of hills stretching for around 12 miles north of Bolton and east of my hometown of Chorley. The Highest point is Winter Hill, a little higher at 1,498 feet. The mountain biking is good from top to bottom … Continue reading What’s so great about Great Hill?
Strava likes me!
On my last ride I felt full of energy but today I was rather tired. In the morning I'd had a cooked breakfast prior to walking the dog before my ride. It could simply have been that I was still digesting my food and wasn't ready to ride, I'll never know. Had I felt more … Continue reading Strava likes me!
More boat testing.
My home made boat used a flapping foil (fishtail) for propulsion and although it did propel the boat forwards it had too many difficulties which I considered insurmountable. It didn’t move me nearly quickly enough and caused the boat to bob up and down. I decided to completely change the way in which the boat … Continue reading More boat testing.
Feeling far fitter.
Recently I've dug a pond by hand and paved around it. We had no access to use a mini digger and getting the heavy clay soil to a skip in the road meant using a wheelbarrow to cart it through the garage. Initially I thought the project wouldn't affect my mountain biking since I expected … Continue reading Feeling far fitter.
An exciting new prospect.
Today I had the exciting prospect of riding my Boardman FS Pro mountain bike. I bought it new in November 2016 so riding it wasn’t truly a new prospect but I haven’t been able to ride it since 14th February. It was on that day that a small spring on the freewheel broke, leaving me … Continue reading An exciting new prospect.
Returning to Great Hill.
It’s my favourite ride. Go to the top of Great Hill at 1,251 feet and ride the exquisite downhill through Brinscall Woods. It’s a long and varied ride with some flat and undulating sections, lots of gravity assisted parts and a bit of everything that we mountain bikers love. The climb is valuable exercise and … Continue reading Returning to Great Hill.
A quick spin becomes a perfect trail ride.
I’ve dug a new pond in our garden and am currently laying bricks to support the paving which will surround it. It’s hard physical work and has had a bigger effect on my energy levels than I ever would have expected. On Tuesday and Wednesday I was too tired to go for a bike ride … Continue reading A quick spin becomes a perfect trail ride.
In England’s green and pleasant land.
My title is from a poem of 1804 by William Blake which is often sung as a hymn entitled Jerusalem. On a day like today England fully deserves the eulogy. The temperature reached a pleasant 14 celcius and the sun has shone for most of the day. Perfect conditions for a mountain bike ride. I’m … Continue reading In England’s green and pleasant land.
