If you go down to the woods today.....

[ededwards]

Lovely ride today, sub zero at 10 a.m. but the sun came up and warmed the air just enough that freezing hands and feet were not a problem.

The tracks were interesting, some totally dry and covered in pine needles, others still frozen, some with a greasy surface and a bone hard base, others very sticky mud. And then there was the large puddles with just a thin veneer of ice on top, not a good idea to stall in the middle of one of those. Running an XC race tomorrow on much of the route (includes a mid thigh deep stream crossing, oh dear) so should be interesting.

Why do trails always look so flat and easy in photos? The top one is covered by a criss cross of greasy roots with tight twists and turns, the bottom one is off camber with a way steep drop to the right. Honest.

 

[mrkawasaki]

Query

How will you tend to your frozen manhood, mid-stream? Do you have some sort of bespoke wetsuit sock for such conditions?!

Mr K

 

[Augustus]

I bet he's got an action man canoe (but oversized) or a Pursuit Craft...? I presume you have to run in full kit with camo on your face and a GPMG on your back?

:shock:

 

[Dhphat]

I'm really jealous. I tried riding in the woods yesterday and there was probably 5 inches of snow still on the trail, and where there wasn't there was slick ice :cry: Back to the Trainer for me. 1 or 2 months left.

 

[ededwards]

Re: Query

How will you tend to your frozen manhood, mid-stream? Do you have some sort of bespoke wetsuit sock for such conditions?!

Mr K

During my 'wax on, wax off' training from Mr. Miyagi I learnt that if you don't worry about the General, The General won't worry about you

 

[REKIBorter]

Re: Query

How will you tend to your frozen manhood, mid-stream?

Mr K

He's got an Endura merino wool willy warmer

 

[sunchaser]

Top pics, I like trails like that..

 

[Pickle]

Beautiful woods you got there Ed, you'll just have to organise a mini meet! Put me first in line when you do

Here's a couple of pics from my weekend, cold and crisp out, just the way I like it

 

[ededwards]

Yesterdays XC (running) race was interesting.

The surface was absolutely terrible - usually very muddy and used by cattle and horses but after -7C at night it was frozen into ruts and ridges. The worst bit was the two stream crossings, the first ankle deep but the second thigh deep which turns rapidly into waist deep once you start trying to run through it - Little Edward wasn't best pleased but was in better condition than a club mate who fell in face first and then had to run 30 minutes in zero degree temperature, soaking wet and in a vest.

Beautiful day though and the fact that I rode offroad to and from on the Ti Cross meant that at least I got some quality saddle time.

 

[Pickle]

I felt my body temperature drop and start shivering whilst reading that Ed