Boarding in Zermatt was great. Two days where it dumped snow and three bluebird days where the sun shone, plus one day when it was so windy that a third of the lifts were closed. It was great holiday time with really good friends and some plans have been hatched for later in the year. I’m sitting in a cafe at Geneva Airport train station, where the baggage has been checked into the left luggage store. We’re off into the city shortly to explore and look in some Estate Agent’s windows. Last night the G’star discovered that she has an interview with the UN later this week. It’s fantastic news and means if things all go to plan that Switzerland might be our new home. Fingers and toes are crossed.
Switzerland News
I’m in Zermatt right now taking in some stunning winter snowboarding and catching up with some old friends. There’s plenty of biking stories being discussed including past endeavours and future options – hopefully even some stuff that’s never been attempted or recorded before. We’re just trying to work out some dates to make it all happen.
Singletrack Issue 41 is due out in the shops in the next few days, it features my write up of the inaugural Eiger Sanction trip – a multi day adventure through the heart of Switzerland. Check it out! There are a few photos from the trip in the photos section, I’ll publish some more when I get back to the UK.
Not Riding
I might have finished my 30 day challenge, but every one else is now into their final week. Samuri must be a bit gutted to have made it so far in before quitting, but it doesn’t sound like he enjoyed it much other than at the weekends. Yesterday I didn’t ride at all. I’ve earned a rest day and the time was spent going through old digital photos and uploading them to Flickr, so my photo page on the site is now much healthier looking. I still have a lot of race photos and then a whole stack of old film based photos to add too. Rode into work today, had a few beers with some friends after work and wobbled home.
30 from 30 Riders
Simon | Sara | Grant | Ali | Samuri | Jenn | Steve | Marty | dRjOn
Managing Mountain Biking
Stuart Hardy of The University of Manchester is gathering information about the views of mountain bikers for a dissertation study examining threats and opportunities for recreational activities in the countryside, with particular reference to National Parks.
A lot is said and written about mountain biking in the countryside and Stuart needs to hear the views of mountain bike groups for his study. He’s arguing the case that more active forms of recreation should be better encouraged in the countryside and wants to test the hypotheses of Nigel Curry (1994) who said that with good management there is a place in the countryside for all activities.
Is mountain biking welcomed in the countryside and is enough being done to provide opportunities? How does riding fit in with other recreational uses/users? These are some of the questions that he’s keen to learn more about. He has canvassed academic opinion in the field of countryside recreation and it would be extremely useful to hear from the people who are affected on the ground – the people who use, and depend upon, the countryside for their activities
The very short questionnaire which takes only a couple of minutes to complete can be accessed by clicking this link. Most of the questions are multiple choice and require one answer only.
30 from 30
It’s done, thirty days riding for at least an hour. It wasn’t easy, but it’s something that defines my passion and commitment to the sport I love. It wasn’t all offroad, but there was no indoor riding and all my memorable rides involved getting wet and muddy. The final outing today was the logical conclusion for me. It combined the new trails discovered over the last month with the ambition to ride to Marple Lakes.
Today I made it out there and then for good measure did a lap of the circuit we used to run Harry Hall demo days over. Then it was time to head off home. Very cold today, a good four inches of snow on the top of Werneth Low and it was muddy everywhere. Absolutely caked in mud after the first offroad section, but the stunning views of the Peak District dusted in snow made up for it. Very, very cold feet, possibly with a bit of frost nip. Nice to be home now.
<a href=”http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-kingdom/manchester/362396936″>30 of 30</a><br /><a href=”http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-kingdom/manchester”>Find more Bike Rides in Manchester, United Kingdom</a>
Breakfast Ride
Well not a strict Breakfast Club Ride like MacPuppy used to promote, but it’s the Easter Break and I was home by 9.30 for breakfast and a brew. It’s the earliest proper ride (not counting commutes) I’ve managed during the entire year so far. I knew that Ivy Brook must join the Mersey, but it was actually flowing the wrong way for some reason, which was a bit weird. In the end I gave up following it and the chance of following the Transpennine Trail home and wound up back in Chorlton Green. Now the prevailing winds are westerlies so it generally makes sense to work outwards to Sale and then take the tail wind home. Not so today. We’re still in the grip of a bitterly cold north easterly and it made the ride home a pain. Still I reckon it only cost me a few minutes, but it felt like a much bigger effort.
New Bit
Based on the unexpected outcome of one of yesterday’s detours I extended today’s ride by linking up some new bits and finally riding the Goyt Valley Lane. I’d originally thought that this would be an ideal way to get into the Valley, but it’s not. The previously scouted route has much nicer woodsy singletrack. The Lane turned out to be wide, potholed and hardpacked and rather dull. Despite a puncture above Reddish Vale, I made it home just before an enormous hailstorm which was nice.
Good Vibe Navigation
The mild warm weather of yesterday that had Simon wearing shorts for the first time this year has been replaced overnight. Opening the curtains this morning resulted in a vista of shark skin grey skies and more than a hint of moisture in the air. Normal service for this time of the year has been resumed then. I rode the singlespeed in again today with the intention of riding from work once more tonight.
As the day went on the weather deteriorated and I decided to keep this ride as short as possible. Long circuitous route home, dump courier bag in garage head out immediately with some exploring in mind. Rode for a bit longer and ended up in some places I wasn’t expecting, but I think that’s the charm of navigating by sense of direction and what feels right – whether a particular option has a good vibe about it. Ended up soaking wet and a bit cold, but that’s another one done and some new singletrack through woods discovered.
Long Way Home
Whether you are a Mac person or a PC person, even the briefest exposure to the Apple logo may make you behave more creatively, according to recent research from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the University of Waterloo, Canada. Anyway tonight was a long ride home on the Singlespeed via the River Run. It was nice to do a midweek ride without lights. Might have to repeat tomorrow…
Audenshaw
I decided that having always skirted around Audenshaw, it was probably worth actually putting a ride in that took me through the area. Cold again tonight with a much more noticeable Northerly wind adding to the chill factor. Took the bottom bracket out of the road bike today whilst cooking dinner. The threads on the frame are fine so I stuck in a new Ultegra unit and put everything back together and it seemed okay. During the ride I noticed that there is play in the assembly. This is not good. It means that the axle has worn out on the Bonty Race X Lite cranks, so time for a new chainset then… I have put in the wrong king of bottom bracket for my cranks and need to order the proper unit. Doh!
R O T H A R . C O M 