the resolution ride

fellow blogger and tweeter, fatlad, aka al, posted a pretty cool set of 'not resolutions but goals', in the new year. once a month he wants to meet up with a stranger/weirdo/tinternet freak and ride in new places. an ace idea. i was, erm, his february ride...

with the excellent guiding skills of simon, who's local knowledge and factoids never cease to amaze me, we took al on one of our night ride loops. showing someone your local trails turns you into a bit of an anxious parent. what will they think, is it worth the drive, will they notice that really long boring road section, is that twisty bit of off camber vanishing trail really that good? oh, and will they notice quite how burnt the tea loaf is.

i'll let al answer those questions. i had a great ride and had the opportunity to ride from the door in day light. my eyes were opened in more ways than one. it's not often that you get the chance to really appreciate what you've got on your doorstep. we don't have massive drop offs, steep technical climbs, or boulder strewn descents. but 10 minutes from the front door, is fast and zippy wooded singletrack. and just a few pedals more, rolling humps of oak tree lined trails, linked together with just a 'little' bit of road.

thanks simon, for choosing the choicest bits and thanks to al for making me see what we've got and having the genius idea in the first place. if you ride and are reading this, help a thoroughly lovely chap stick to his 'not a resolution but goal', i guarantee fun.