Headed over to Rishton near Blackburn for a loop which was a Frankenstein of two other loops. The southern most one it turned out was all road and a missed opportunity as I passed a couple of bridleways. Might have to return and do some more recce work.

When they arrived, the off-road bits were mint. Some really good bits of Singletrack, including some nice little sunken trails and technical climbs. There was also some classic Singletrack ribbons which were great, except the bit through the gorse bushes on one of the hill sides which was a prickly bit to navigate.

Some good views and bits of Lancashire where you could have been in the middle of Wales miles from anywhere. Then over the next hill, you were back into obvious civilisation. Lovely little Father’s Day ride.

So today was my last day working in Durham, so earlier this week I returned to the Land of the Prince Bishops to say farewell.

The weather was kind, the ground was baked hard and dusty. The trails ranged from the improved, to the neglected to the lost.

There were cheeky trails, there were peacocks, lovely folk and head height cow parsley and handlebar high nettles.

After 7.5 years of riding, including a full year where I commuted by bike everyday even during the Beast of the East, I have come to know and love the place. I had bought the Chameleon with the intent of keeping that exploring going, but COVID killed off that idea. I’ll bank those – might get back and be able to try them one day.

That UNESCO World Heritage Site view of the city is truly a rarity in this modern age, there’s certainly no boring commutes getting into work in Durham.

Rugby season is over so up at 6.30am and out to the Dark Peak District for a classic ride.

Longendale Trail up to the Woodhead Pass, the Now Track down to Langsett, along Mickledon Edge and over and Cut Gate to Derwent Reservoir then up Snake Pass to just shy of the summit before taking Doctor’s Gate ultra technical trail down to Old Glossop…

It was scorch out there, low 30s and I had to beg some sunscreen off some walkers I bumped into. Also ran out of water on the final climb up the Snake, that was properly hard.

I have never ridden Cut Gate when it has been so dry – literally dusty and all rideable which was a complete first!

At the bottom of Doctor’s Gate as you come into Old Glossop there is a pub and for the thirsty biker it was like finding an Oasis. Suitably refreshed it was back over the tops back to the start of the Longendale Trail. A long but really good loop.

So the last week has been cold in our area, uncharacteristically so because living by the sea tends to give us a microclimate that is a bit warmer than everything else. Yet this last week the mercury hasn’t gone above freezing which has meant that the trails have gone from saturated and muddy to rock solid and frozen.

The trails are just as waterlogged as they were but today the riding was on the whole fast and I returned home with a bike that wasn’t in need of a full clean and prep.

The highlight of the ride were numerous ice puddles, look like puddles but turn out to be half an inch of water over sheet ice of varying strength and thickness, but all equally lethal if you try and turn too sharply.

Well metaphorically speaking (as they are not really big enough to get properly lost in). Any way good to get out #StillExploring