Author: Elizabeth

The format for Trans Wales is changing for 2012.  They’ve condensed it into a long weekend with a longer night stage and more special stages. The core of it is still sociable fun riding and scoffing large amounts of lovely food.  Anyone interested in doing it with me?  Teams of three or solos. You can still ride with your mates even as a solo, you just race the special stages separately. 17th -19th August in the middle of Wales (about 5.5hr drive from Glasgow).

Me and Zoe heading out tomorrow for a ride. We’re still sorting transport so it may be Dumyat since you can get a train there. If anyone is keen to come along let us know and we’ll keep you posted. If I can get my car for the day it might be somewhere more adventurous.

Hi folks

Seems to be a lot of bike theft going on.  My friend asked if I could post this, as he’s lost a really lovely bike and was hoping folk might keep an eye out for it (see below for description).

I was also wondering if anyone marks their bikes (like with a police regisration scheme or pens or electronic tags that go in your frame).  I just know know if any of it is worth doing. Any thoughts?   Continue reading

Went to Comrie Croft in the end. When I was there in summer (i.e. pishing doon), the mud made the ups, downs and alongs all pretty unrideable. It was waaaaay more fun with a bit of snow and hard ground. The trails are super steep (terrifying) and pretty technical. There’s not loads of riding but if you go round a couple of times, there’s also some other, gentler stuff nearby that’s quite nice. Might go back sometime soon and give ben chonzie a go, if anyone is keen for that.

Hello
I’m planning a ride with some friends on Saturday.  They live in Dundee so we’re hopefully going to meet up somewhere on the A9, maybe Perth or Pitlochry. 

Does anyone fancy coming along?

Also, can anyone recommend any routes that are unlikely to be totally sodden / underwater?

For the first time in ages I’ve got use of the car this Sunday so is anyone up for an away ride? I can take up to two others in the car and happy to go anywhere – maybe Auchindrain, Ben Venue (if someone knows the route), kirroughtree or any other suggestions welcome. Supposed to be good weather.

Soaked before we’d even loaded the bikes onto the carrier.  It wasn’t looking the best of weathers to be heading up to Glencoe but Chris was determined to be enthusiastic.  Despite mine and Al’s best efforts, come 10am, seven hardy souls were standing kitted out in rain jackets, surveying the climb up the Devil’s staircase.   Me, Chris, Al, Elaine, Gareth, Gav and Andy, who was out for a parting ride before heading back to Oz. 

A long day of technical riding lay ahead, starting with a push up the Devil’s staircase then a puncture ridden ride down towards Kinlochleven, turning right along the landrover track to reach the dam.  There we stopped for lunch and (as far as I could see) to entirely rebuild Al’s bike, thanking Gav for carrying spare cables (as you do).   Apparently we’d only gone 12km by that point, it took at least 3hr.

Then it was down the Ciaran path. I think it’s meant for stronger riders than me so really I’m just glad I got out alive.  Less of a river than expected (it helps when you’re prepared for the very worst) and actually a really pretty route so I’m glad I went, even if it meant a bit of walking. More punctures.  Quick cake stop in Kinlochleven.  Then up the longest hill in the world to get to, oh yes, more hill except this time rockier.  So from then it was a push / ride combo all the way up the West Highland way again, pausing only for Andy to ride off a slimy cliff (deliberately) then for Chris’s bike to fall apart (not deliberately).  By the time we got back to the car in Glencoe, Al had bent his rotor and was bike-carrying alongside Chris.  They may have missed out on a great descent but at least we all got a great dinner in the Drovers.

‘taking mountain biking back to the mountains’

82km, around Ben Nevis, almost entirely off-road, with special timed sections involving crazy descents, hill climbs and an evil soul-destroying push up the biggest, longest hill in the world.

I absolutely loved the sound of the race format and also the idea of getting out into the wild, remote country at the other side of the Ben.  And I couldn’t let the year go by without doing at least one ‘no fuss’ event. Continue reading