Halloween 2020 - Covid Edtion

Halloween, maybe my favorite time of the year! This year, 2020, it was set to fall on a Saturday, with the Friday before also being a Critical Mass ride... the fun we had planned!.... then along came Covid-19.

We did still plan to have a Mass ride, but kept the "promotion" low with the rule of 6 in mind, we did read that protests could still take place, within the current "social distancing" guidelines, but we decided  that we would avoid causing any "bad press". This, as it happened was the right decision, as as of Midnight on the Thursday, we were placed into the higher tier 2 restrictions and so really should not have been meeting at all! 

As it was the core group of our Critical Mass group turned out and we had 9 riding a short city based route, ending up on top of the one of the City car parks where we planned to have a play with some smoke bombs, purely for the photo opportunity!    

As we had a quick chat, we where taken aback by a visit from the local Police!, as it turned out after a photo for their "social media"! - taking little interest, if any, in the fact there where 9 of us! - we did wonder what would have happened had they arrived 5 minutes later when we were drinking beer and riding with smoke bombs!!

Saturday, in line with tier 2 restrictions was a quiet day in comparison to a usual Halloween, taking the rickshaw on a ride into town for a coffee at the Melbourne in Lichfield and then a swift pint, or two, at Bittersuite-micropub. The ride home was a long one as I stopped at the numerous requests for a photo!

Here`s to 2021 and a more normal Halloween - the planning has already begun!                  

 

Twilight Follow the Dog

While happier clocking up miles on the road, I do enjoy a ride on my MTB, helped by the fact it is a Mercian! So, as Autumn is in full swing and the evenings are getting a little darker, I decided to take a twilight ride around Follow the Dog on Cannock Chase, easy for me as just a 10 minute drive away!

My closest parking spot means I join the route just after the first section, as dusk was approaching, I was surprised to see so many others seemingly just setting off, finishing the first section at least, even more surprised that I was catching and leaving most behind, I gave them the benefit of deciding they had done "other" routes or 1 lap or already!

Good lights are needed and I must get some! I use two "Cree" ones off Ebay, cheap and cheerful and on the road commute are great, on the lumpy Cannock Chase routes, well they move about a little, meaning that constant adjustment is required! 

Now, I am not the most skillful mountain biker and even a small descent down rocks can cause me to  un-clip, but in the fading light, you don notice some of the obstacles and so riding them without "fear" is easier, or fool hardy?, any way I do think that it also helps with confidence and improving skill.   

On my own and in the growing darkness, owls hooting, occasional red eyes picked out by my lights, it does bring out a certain primeval feeling and the heart beat does rise... but its great fun - and I must do more of the same..... see you on the Trails!

 

   

Cowhorn Capers

Saturday 4th May. and over to Northampton for the Cowhorn Capers "klunker" ride. 

I didn't know what to expect, apart from the unexpected!, meeting near the "racecourse" a small number headed North, stopping for supplies at a local supermarket, which also gave shelter from the heavy rain which suddenly appeared! After a few minutes we braved the remnants of the storm and a short ride saw us at the "race" site.

In my head this was a flat field, a short coarse, but no, rough and hilly and quite a bit longer than I had guessed. Numbers had grown and the racing was soon in full flow, great to watch and with some liquid refreshments, much fun was being had. I made it to the semis, and was up against Richard, Bill and Morgan in the second "semi". A good start I thought, pushed by Pete who was filming, following me on his electric stead, I guess we must have been close but nearing the finish, I went head over handle bars and with that went any chance of a final!.

Morgan beat Bill and in the final Richard won out, a great afternoon, finished with a go on the bumper cars this followed by a few beers!

Semi Final Lap - my fall at about 1.35!

Drone footage - Thanks to Pete Cobbe!

             

Busy Weekend

A rather busy one -

Firstly a "rush" on Sponsorship, taking me to 15% of my target, many thanks to all who have donated so far - if you've not yet donated - please look Here  

Longest ride for some time on Saturday, 51 miles, as I joined around 20 riders for the Run & Ride Spring Challenge. Rain and wind where forecast and so unfortunately the numbers taking part where a little lower than had been expected. 

The rain held off, but not the wind! Gust of 40 miles plus had been in the forecast and on a couple of occasions side winds made for a "exciting" ride, but the last 8 or so miles where in to a horrible head wind, this and me "suffering" a little, saw my average drop from 14.6mph to 13.8.

I had the help of another rider for this last bit for which I was most thankful!

The route headed out over Cannock Chase, hitting a top speed of 44mph on the Stile Cop hill!
Longdon, Rugeley, Great Haywood, Hixon, Abbots Bromley, Hoar Cross, Barton and "home" to Lichfield.

Thanks to the staff at Run & Ride and the other riders - I think I returned as 6th rider back.