A recharge of the batteries

2010 was a great year on many levels, but ten cx races tagged on the back of a full TT season has left me ready for a break from racing. I'm not knackered, not stale, just ready to break the routine of constant packing and unpacking of the Belgrano (2 tons of Land Rover Defender).

I've just got one more cx to do then the bikes will be put at the darkest depths of Service Course (where I keep my gear) and forgotten about. I'm now thinking about the YCF Reliability Trial in February which isn't a race but it is a great opportunity to ride a big gear and ride tempo plus for a couple of hours. I always deliberately miss the start and then aim work my way through those spat out out the back of the fast group, hopefully to arrive at Norwood Hall about ten mins adrift of the fast group. I prefer to ride this way as I get to ride on the front without following any wheels. I'm usually absolutely smashed at the finish but for some reason riding a 100km TT on my winter bike brings me on really well.

So today was a case of just doing a load of labouring in our wood, moving spoil, chopping logs and cutting brambles down with a quality couple of hours early afternoon on some gritty slushy roads. Roecliffe lane is in a terrible state now with slush making picking a line round the massive potholes at speed nigh on impossible. It's now a case of keep the speed up, let the bike float over the holes and bash it - good stuff.

I also took half an hour out to fit a new stem to Red Bike. The old stem came off and went on Blue Bike si I now have truly identical positions on both cx bikes. Red bike is set up for fast conditions with intermediate mud tyres (Grifos) whilst Blue is set up for quagmire racing with full on mud tubs (Rhino's).....but both bikes are basically the same and importantly the position & weight on front/rear wheels should be pretty similar. So hopefully, I won't be reluctant to ride one bike or other if I change mid race. At Bradford, I couldn't wait to get off Blue despite Red being paralysed with mud.

Anyway, here's a picture that's more interesting than my twaddle, it's of Heather with one of hens on the WRONG side of the double glazing. She felt sorry for it because it was wet......