the longest-shortest birthday ride

tomorrow i slip cleanly into the 30+ age category and what better way the put off impending gifferdom than to go and play on bikes. my vague plan of riding somewhere in hayfield was given a sprinkle of magic, secret trail dust thanks to
rich. local trails for local people.

normally when we get together our rides tend to be long affairs, early starts, late finishes, mile munching terrain and ending up sleeping on the fell side. today's ride was a different beast. the distance was short, so short in fact, that jane actually ran further than us.

but no mile was easily won. winching ourselves up, faces gnarled into the headwind. divert from the path, seeking the easy line. there is no easy line. tyres sinking into peat, then the boots. keep on pushing. a warning of such is given, "you can give it the beans but there are some drops". i get to the back of the queue. brakes squealing like a pig, trying to make the turn. too steep, too scared.

a promise of the best singletrack in the peaks. a bold statement. today, i think we where shown a glimpse of it. some excelled, some pushed too hard. me, i excepted defeat too soon. but to get better you have try what you can't. it's just playing on bikes really. i felt like a big kid. thanks for coming guys...