After missing a week I was back on the regular weekly night ride last night. Seven of us set off from Oxton at the usual time. The car thermometer said it was 1.5 degrees when we set off but as we turned into the wind out of the pub car park the wind chill must have knocked at least 5 degrees off that.
Entering the woods gave us shelter from the wind and Shakey took the lead. The first surprise was that slippery bridge wasn't slippery! You could pedal, brake or steer on it if you wanted! Considering the weather we've had this week I was expecting slippy damp trails but I couldn't have been more wrong. The singletrack in the woods was as good as it could be: dry and firm.
Shakey took advantage of the conditions and set a very quick pace which didn't let up for the whole ride. It was fun though. It's great blasting down fast, twisty singletrack in the dark, hopping fallen branches and dodging stumps :) Towards the end of the ride we repeated a short sharp climb that we had done right near the beginning of the ride. The first time I just stood and honked up it in middle ring. The second I was spinning in granny. Two hours at that pace had cetainly taken it's toll.
Just after this we started heading back via the slippery logs that I have already mentioned / pictured in previous entries to this diary. Shakey hit them first and went straight over the bars; illuminated for all to see by the bright lights following him. After we had stopped laughing we hammered down the last really good singletrack section before heading back over (none) slippery bridge to the pub.
The conditions meant the portable washer stayed in the car and we were soon in the pub with a pint talking over trips being planned and races being entered. Looks like this diary should have some varied and interesting riding to record in the coming year?
