A photo update

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BY: Niall Frost

Published: 28th June, 2011

It's been a while since my last update so I thought I'd change my usual "text heavy" blog entries with a few more photos this time.  For a variety of reasons its been a mixed couple of months on the bike.  An extended period of virus/ill health meant I took some time out of training and just went about riding my bike.  Quite possibly the best decision, particularly since its the first time I'd recognised that stopping "training" was the quickest way to get better.


Photo looking towards Buttermere down the miners trail - Honister

First up was a trip to the lakes, more specifically camping around Seatoller at the base of Honister.  A fantastic ride over Honister, down the miners path to Buttermere and back over Scarth Gap pass to Ennerdale. Black Sail Pass took us over to Wasdale where a can of coke was necessary to recover for the final scramble up and over Sty Head.  Some of the best technical mountain biking the lakes has to offer and very accessible.


Borrowdale bash - Bikevillage Tom using a technical hand dab (still legal)

This was followed up with a cheeky run at some of the trails round Borrowdale, of which there are plenty and culminated in an attempt to climb the bridleway to Maiden Moor and High Crag.  Ultimate failure to climb all was my only reward, having to resort to shouldering to the windy summit.  I did get some encouragement, or possibly bewilderment from the descending walking contingent however.


Nan-bield to Hawes water - the most technical trail in the UK?

The final sojourn in the lakes was an out and back attempt on the (in)famous Nan-Bield pass.  We climbed up from Kentmere and took on the descent to Hawes water which was the most fun trail I've found in the UK.  It was immensely technical and most sections required pre-walked to pick out lines but after about an 1hr we made it down having ridden most if not all, although saddles did have to get dropped.  A hike back up to the pass and the descent back to Kentmere (the more traditional way) was immense and stupidly fast.  A great weekend of my favourite type of riding; technical, steep and rocky and even better the 29er excelled.  Proving to me that it's more than capable of any riding, no matter how tight or steep you throw at it.


Sorry Mark - I was too nice with the pictures in the report!

A few weekends later I was up at Newcastleton to watch/pit b*tch/tweet at the 24hrs of exposure.  I was primarily helping Mark Spratt of Cardiff JIF and it was a great weekend, despite the weather.  Managed to get some good helmet cam footage and found the sole pocket of mobile signal for the tweets.


Isle of Man singletrack - quick elite roadie Mike Wragg (Python RT) on an mtb bike

It was then off the Isle of Man for a long weekend to recce some of the End2End route and watch some TT maniacs.  Ballaugh Plantation was the highlight, some great off-camber singletrack to explore.  The above picture was taken round Port Erin, with the Irish sea only an spd-tip-over away...


Not strictly cycling related - but my main sustenance in Paris was macaroons from Laduree

Before Wasing BMBS 3 came up altogether too quickly for my fitness levels I had a little trip to Paris, and indulged the sweeter tooth.  The first energy food provider to come up with something this tasty will have my backing.  Before I went I watched, "A Sunday in Hell" and remembered Roger de Vlaeminck eating steak before Paris Roubaix so I tried several bleu steaks and some steak tartare for lunch.  Not sure it made much difference to me if I'm honest.


Wasing BMBS 3 - showing the excellent new XCracer team kit - photo courtesy of Rob Barker

Wasing was fantastic!  I think race 2 had the best conditions of the day, it was delightfully grip resistant on the trail and the big 29er wheels were holding some good lines.  I managed to trick my legs into about 4th place and found myself in 5th place going into the final lap.  Somewhere along the final lap my race-fitness bluff went a bit wrong and I lost 6 places.  Despite this failing I really enjoyed the race, the course and seeing team-mate Mel Alexander achieve a highest ever position in the BMBS, getting 4th.

Next on the list is a town centre criterium this weekend for a bit of speed work, followed by 10 @ kirroughtree and Bontrager 24/12 where the Xcracer team will be competing in the mixed team category.  We've got some tough competition so I'm ever hopeful the new found health lasts until then.

See you out on the race course soon.

Niall
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