Saturday 1 November 2008

One

Woke up to a gloriously sunny, cold, crisp sort of day, just what was needed for getting the 30/30 thing started, rain I suspect could have had me stalling in the starting gate! A plan was hatched so I could get a ride in and do some Glyn and Flipper stuff. 12.99 miles of very cold and breezey biking from home to Sunnyhurst woods near Darwen Tower. Done on the cross-check, the nobbly tyres were bit sluggish on the road but ace once I got onto the moorland bridleways, the drop bars and canti brakes were a bit scary compared to the flat bars and discs of the mountain bike, I took the descents very steadily. Got a few stares and two blokes actually stopped me to ask about the bike, felt like Big-Bird from Sesame Street teaching them todays new word "cyclocross!" Was pretty cool though. Glyn and Flipper had driven round and after a few "where are you" confusion phone calls because of both being at different car-parks we met up. A quick change into jeans and boots, a cup of tea and a chip butty from the kiosk and off for a hike.
 
2.34 miles hiking, well let's be honest "hike" is a complete exaggeration, was a bit of a walk! I wanted to check out the route of a fell race I'm thinking of entering at the end of November. We walked a bit of it and then discussed the fact we were both freezing so called it a day and headed back to the car. 

Nice way to spend a Saturday though! 

9 comments:

kate said...

sounds like a lovely day, good work...only 29 to go ;)

...will bike before or after the fell race?

jumbly said...

After, I don't reckon I'd have the legs for a fell race after a bike ride, but a gentle spin out after the event might be manageable!

trio said...

Nice start! Amazing how many people haven't come across cyclocross!! I so need a cyclocross bike and you need to come and do a race! How far is that race I can't see from your race, I could be very tempted!

jumbly said...

The fell race? It's just under 6 miles. I think it'll be quite hard going, it's a lot of short sharp climbing. There is a trail race in Tyldsley on the 16th I'm going to do and we've got a club trail race on the 9th, they're both 5 milers too.

I've seen some bargains on Jake the Snakes!

trio said...

Don't tell me I have no money at all!!! I'm not sure they go small enough, there are some nice bikes on wiggle!

Will sort the calendar tomorrow to work out if I can do any of the trail races. Want to keep my motivation for running!

jumbly said...

I always thought Kona Jakes didn't go little but as of last year they go down to a 47cm. It's tricky being little isn't it, lots of 50 something cm bikes come up second hand on STW.

trio said...

Don't tell me, I can't accidently buy a new bike!

sarah said...

I'm so into following 'cross now and riding my 'cross bike that it seems so normal and I'm amazed when people don't know about it yet! How many of you are doing the 30/30 thing? It's such a fun plan! I'm trying to follow along, but as I've commented on another blog too, I can't ride safely on the roads in bad weather, so I'll do the best I can and see what happens!

jumbly said...

These 30/30 things have a way of gathering extra people in once one person (in this case Kate) starts it off! I'm like you I'll just see how I go, my feeling is that it's meant to be fun and if I can't make a ride for some reason that's just the way it goes. Happy riding!