First ride of 2019….

I rode Healey Nab today because I knew that it would be completely rideable, but it was the wettest so far this winter, unlike the picture above which is a random individual riding the area.

I arrived at the trail head and was recognised by someone.

He asked me where my bike with the crazy suspension was, meaning my Whyte PRST/JWs. He asked if they were still up and running and I assured him they were. So who was this random member of the public who’d recognised me?

IT WAS ENDURO WORLD SERIES 2018 UNDER 21 WORLD CHAMPION ELLIOTT HEAP!

I remembered speaking to him a number of times before. It was his name on the bike which finally gave it away, combined with the fact that he mentioned he rode the EWS. He was riding a Nukeproof with 180/160mm of suspension travel. Here’s a video of him in action though obviously not taken today despite conditions being similar.

He told me that he trains mainly at Rivington where I went for my last ride and we talked about a few of the routes up there.

I only rode 2 laps today since I felt a bit tired.

I think it’s a good idea at the beginning of each year to set yourself some challenges in mountain biking. So here are the things that I’d like to achieve in 2019. This is a fluid list which may change or be extended.

1. Ride from the steps above Pike cottage to “the Two Lads” without a foot down. It’s been a few years since I managed the last part of this.
2. Ride the full red route of the Nab in under 11 minutes. This year I did 11min 12.
3. Get a Strava KOM on the climb at Birkacre. I did it this year on the stopwatch but Strava failed to record.
4. Ride White Coppice to Brinscall woods both ways without a foot down. I set this challenge every year, it shouldn’t be impossible since I did it last year.
5. Anything else I think of with, hopefully, a few more Strava KOMs.