13 degrees, autumn mode on. Chilly in the dips. After a wet and fairly wild week or so, it was super-quiet, calm, barely a breeze to speak of. Broken cloud, mostly clear, glorious sunrise.
The legs were on fire so looking forward to the final round of the SWXC this Sunday....if the weather isn't shite!
Speaking of which the last round back in the heat of August was eventful. Red flagged during the first lap with a nasty crash around the water splash. We were routed away so I didn't see what happened at the time. The air ambulance arrived and but that was diverted shortly after landing to a more serious road incident. Eventually the chap was taken by normal ambulance and was discharged in the evening with a broken arm and collar bone.
On the restart we missed the section he crashed at which none of us complained about given the bugger of a short climb in that zone. It was baking hot, absolutely roasting, with the heat reflecting off the stone trails.
#notlast in category. 10/11 ain't great but I was 6 minutes ahead of last and "only" 30 seconds behind 9th and a minute behind 8th. Overall I placed 23/48 so comfortably mid-pack. The whippets remain miles ahead!
Then there's the Malverns retro XC. That was ace are stoked with a 15/36 finish, although it should have been 14th had I not made the rookie mistake of slowing up on the line and been more brave on the first lap. Shoulda woulda coudla With the top 4 ex pro's or high ranking semi's they don't count either
Coming round to pass these two...
The guy with the camelpack passed me at the top, but the folks ahead were who I was after...
Been a while since I've posted in here... Or rode a bloomin bike.
Felt great to get out after 5 weeks off. Did around 9.5 miles, one of my local loops that I like to do most. I could have wimped out and taken the turn off which leads me back home after just a couple of miles but felt like I'd never been off a bike to be honest (I'm always slow, bike fit or not).
Rained most of the way which was very refreshing.
Just over 30 miles today on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border. Surprisingly nice ride for what is mostly fenland flat lands. Downham Market for a cafe stop was much nicer than I remember it, spoilt for choice for nice spots to have refreshments. Settled on a bacon and scallop sandwich, a new one on me but superb scran. Back and forth over the Ouse a couple of times.
Apparently the largest pumping station in the UK. This pumps the middle level main drain back to the river I think. https://middlelevel.gov.uk/education/
Finally the weather cleared enough for me to get out on my first gravel bike build, my first 1X build and possibly my first SRAM groupset build, but definitely my first SRAM drop bar hydro disc build! I've been waiting for one bloody tiny screw before I could test ride the thing!
I wanted to see if the gear ratios work for me, I have an 11 speed 11-46 on the rear and a 44 on the front. I know a couple of off-road, short and fairly rutted little chalky climbs that on my hardtail I always climb in the lowest gear so that would prove a good test.
Here is the new machine waiting to be tested. So new I haven't even put bar tape on yet!
Here is the first short, sharp climb which it sailed up.
The M3 looked busy as usual
This was the second test climb, more rutted than the first and that was my downfall, nearly cleaned it but a pedal grounded about 10 feet from the top, so a fail on a technicality, foot down.
So I think the gearing is good enough but I am thinking I want to go up from the 35mm tyres currently fitted, up to 45mm. I think overall its a success though, I like it.
With the top 4 ex pro's or high ranking semi's they don't count either 
