December Video and 2017 Round Up

December Video and 2017 Round Up

Too many words? Video click here.

Regular readers/viewers will have noticed the lack of a November video - or pretty much the lack of November. The final days of October were marred by an unfortunate collision, not hurtling down a mountainside or carving berms at excessive speed like a geriatric Danny Hart but on a suburban cycle path. Injuries received meant November was more or less cancelled but December arrived ready for a gentle (the doctor’s word, not mine) re-introduction to the delights of offroad riding. The weather did have other ideas, some days it was barely possible to leave Teesside for nine to fivers skidding into each other. The majority of December’s riding featured a view of Roseberry Topping, including the less than clement Christmas Ride - the highlights of which were dry clothes and hot food, the ride itself was a trifle damp and slightly cooler than ideal.

As for the whole of 2017, it must be said it was a pretty good year, as well as the usual local rides there were several successful and enjoyable trips away, most notably the Terra Trailblazers’ first venture to foreign climes when 4 of us went to Fuengirola in southern Spain with Sierra Cycling for a few days dry and dusty riding. 

A week long trip to Keswick, in the Lake District saw atypical Lakes weather and a few days were probably hotter than when we were in Spain. Luckily our rented house is next door to a pub, so rehydrating at the end of rides with cold lager became virtually mandatory. 

The weather gods were kind to us again in Scotland and we had a trip to Glentress in unheard of temperatures for The Borders - approaching 30 celsius at some points. Hot nights sleeping in sheds with a bunch of methane machines, at least we could leave the doors open. Belhaven Best has a lot to answer for.

The most memorable and poignant ride of 2017 had to be The Pensioner’s Ashes when we fulfilled Bob’s wish by riding his very own Nidderdale route and scattering his ashes at the furthest point. I’m not ashamed to say a few tears were shed, although that may have been just ash in the eyes. It even got it’s own movie. We found a worthy replacement for The Pensioner with a hulking brute of a teenager, cantankerous, opinionated, complaining and unable to have a thought in his head that doesn’t eventually come blurting out of his mouth - step forward Benny The Brawl. What he lacks in years he makes up for in dogmatism.

Me and The Fireman did our usual two cyclocross events, The Moors And Shores in April and The Lakeland Monster Miles in October, either we’re getting older or they are getting harder, it must be the latter, the routes are longer and more hills are creeping in but liked the dogged old mules we are, we just keep on turning the pedals. 

Oddly enough, one of the year’s major highlights came a little closer to home with the opening of K Line in Hamsterley Forest, arguably a pinnacle in the art of trailbuilding, a superb, swooping, non-technical trail; deceptively fast, as the regular air ambulance landings will testify, but a satisfying blast and a great addition to the usual Hamsterley hot lap.

And what will 2018 bring? For me a welcome lack of gainful employment, hopefully less accidents and more trips away interspersed with lots of riding on our local North York Moors. Is it too much to ask?