After my first test of my newly built boat I was pleased with its stability on the water. I tried a pedal to paddle propulsion system but wasn’t getting much power into the water, meaning that it was very slow. I decided that it looked impossible to develope this propulsion system so chose to buildContinue reading “Testing the new boat again.”
The joys of summer.
It doesn’t seem to have rained in weeks, though, due to global warming, it hasn’t been all that warm until the last couple of days. The ground was baked hard on my ride 2 days ago, which I have my excuses for not writing about until now, and the trails were running fast. I rodeContinue reading “The joys of summer.”
Flower of the Week, 28th May 2023.
Irises give a spectacular if ephemeral display at this time of year. The bearded iris likes to have its tubers exposed, not buried under the soil. Our smaller Iris Sibirica were donated to us by a neighbour and are very attractive to bees.
Why you should ride repeated circuits.
Back in the day, before my riding companions decided they were too old for mountain biking, we would never ride repeated circuits. Everyone seemed to think it was boring to ride a section of trail more than once but my view always differed. For one thing you can perfect the speed at which you rideContinue reading “Why you should ride repeated circuits.”
Back on the bike at last.
Normally my mountain biking life is very steady. I rarely leave home for more than a week at a time and sometimes when I have, I’ve taken a bike with me. This month, though, I had a trip to the island of Jersey by scooter, with friends. This kept me off the bike for 6Continue reading “Back on the bike at last.”
Flower of the Week, 20th May 2023.
I returned from my recent trip to Jersey, where wild flowers were many weeks ahead of those of my home in Lancashire, only to develop a stinking cold. It’s really hit me hard so I haven’t been able to get out on my mountain bike and have felt far too delicate to make much progressContinue reading “Flower of the Week, 20th May 2023.”
Visiting Jersey by scooter.
I’ve never been to the Channel Islands before but over the last week I’ve been on a trip there by scooter. I chose to ride what turned out to be 265 miles to the port of Poole in one go. I’d gone to the Bay Horse to meet the rest before they left on theContinue reading “Visiting Jersey by scooter.”
A pilgrimage.
On my last mountain bike ride I tried to do something which has become an annual pilgrimage. Riding to a curiously shaped hump known as the Egg Hillock. I tried to cut across a section of trackless moorland and decided that I didn’t have time to reach my objective. Yesterday I wanted to repeat theContinue reading “A pilgrimage.”
Flower of the Week, 4th May 2023.
We have around a dozen Acer Palmatum or Japanese Maples. Many are green but here is one which starts a very bright red. It turns gradually green during the summer before giving a spectacular display of autumn colours.
Lost on the Moors.
Today I decided to engage in a mountain bike ride which has become a bit of an annual pilgrimage. I ride to a distant and curiously shape hump called the Egg Hillock. It rises from a wild and desolate area of moorland and makes a very testing, longer ride. The problem with the route I’veContinue reading “Lost on the Moors.”
Mountainbiker 