Industrial Fell Biking

Well, that should have grabbed your attention - what do I mean?

Flat racing with maggots, a group of bookmakers clustered at the side of the track?

No, something altogether different.

It's all to do with the sign.

It's a balmy summer evening. You're out on the bike catching the last rays of the day. As you round the final bend on Moorbottom Road you ride into the tepid stench of the maggot farm. The smell of a thousand sheep carcases in various stages of decay crammed into an overheated barn.

Well, things could get worse. Lets look at the sign a little more closely:

So, not only will your nostrils be assaulted with rotting meat, there'll be a cloud of barbeque smoke following you round the hill, the rich aroma of singed Tiddles in the air.
Which will be worst?

You need to look for a positive side to this sort of development - do you think they'll start serving kebabs?

I made another discovery while I was out.
You know all that rain we've had?
Ever wondered where it goes?
Well, I found this enormous plughole while I was out:

So that's where it all goes!

Being a Billy rider can be a bit lonely at times. I asked these guys if they fancied a spin but they weren't keen.

But there were a few other riders out.
I passed this group by Holcombe Hill:

There's been a lot of work done on the Robin Hood's Well descent, at the back of Holcombe Hill.
And it's coped with the recent rain admirably. And its fast to boot!

Nice to be dry enough to take the camera out again.
All I need now are some amenable models!

Posted by NoPies at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

... that was.

Well, it's raining again (got soaked every day last week), I'm not feeling too good, and my mojo is cowering under the bed upstairs.

So I'm not riding.
Instead, here's my view of 2007.

Let's start with a very rare picture of me. Spent hours photoshopping this to make my wheels appear off the ground!

The Double Garburn in Feb - which way is best?
Our panel says west to east.
Although this is taken east to west:

Looks good to me!

March took us over to Coniston, for a wet ride over Walna Scar down to Coniston:

and then over to Grizedale Forest and the descent from Parkamoor to High Nibthwaite:

Back in the Lakes in April - this time a thwarted attempt on High Street.
This was us heading back down to Hartsop:

Found some nice riding round Boredale Hause on the way back though:

Did plenty of riding at home - my back garden:

Things went quiet for a while, then it was off to the Alps.
Chamonix to Zermatt. Fantastic trip!
And for those of you who think it's all chair lifts:

but it's worth it for the views:

Back home Shaman linked the 4 Quarries above Rochdale:

We made a pilgrimage to Whernside:

And then I was Billy-no-mates for a 2 day out and back trip in the Lakes.
Great weekend, but it's not often you have to push up and then walk down!

High Street was grand:

<

(Well, the views were)

And the walk down into Langdale was, umm, interesting:

The Lakes trip was a grand finale for me, but there was still some fun to be had.
Riding the quarries:

Even had a day off the bike (dog-sitting was my excuse) watching the suffering on the annual Rake Hill climb:

And we finished the year off with Llandegla (huge dirt-jumping course and where's the helmet-cam video?) and Penmachno (two fantastic xc loops with tons of fun).

All in all, not a bad year on the MTB front.

So what for this year?
Well, the list is something like this (in no special order)
the R2R one weekend
the Berwyns
return to Penmachno
more Lakes
some Peaks
more Dales
Hit the North
a Merida or two
and probably a few days in Switzerland

Anything I've missed?

Posted by NoPies at 01:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)