The title describes my last 3 days of activity beginning with a fairly long and certainly energetic mountain bike ride. Yesterday I returned to part of the area where I’d ridden not 24 hours previously to walk our dog, Freddie. Mountain biking is never far from my mind, though, and we walked down a fantasticContinue reading “Bike, Hike, Boat.”
The Egg Hillock.
As I walked the dog this morning I decided that, at just 11 celcius, I was more likely to enjoy a mountain bike ride than a trip in my boat. This thought raised another question, how could I possibly match either of my last 2 rides? They had both involved fast sections within a trailContinue reading “The Egg Hillock.”
Flower of the Week, 27th April.
We have at least a dozen Acer Palmatum or Japanese Maples. They give delightful fresh colours at this time of year and a spectacular final flourish in autumn.
Chasing the Dragon.
I hadn’t ridden my mountain bike for 5 days and it was all my own fault. When I was 17 years old I had salmonella food poisoning from an unknown source and when it seemed to be over I developed rheumatoid arthritis. It was seriously debilitating but faded after about 6 months, only to returnContinue reading “Chasing the Dragon.”
Flower of the Week, 22nd April.
All garden plants are derived from wild plants but many have been selectively bred until they are barely recognisable. We do, however, have some plants and flowers which are still in their native British form. More will bloom later in the season but we already have a few beginning to flower. At the top isContinue reading “Flower of the Week, 22nd April.”
Sessioning the Graveyard.
A strange title, perhaps, but by sessioning I mean riding a mountain bike trail several times in succession to learn it’s intricacies. This may allow you to go quicker the more times you ride the segment but today I was also keen to make riding the unfamiliar safer. I used the roads to reach theContinue reading “Sessioning the Graveyard.”
Flower of the Week, 17th April.
The garden is constantly changing with an increasing number of plants reaching their best, but what are we aiming at? I thought I’d show you what we are trying to achieve by posting some pictures taken over the last few years.
A Dangerous Thing.
They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing but can too much knowledge also be harmful? I use the app. Strava to record my mountain bike rides and it provides masses of information. I’d looked back at the data from recent rides and found that my average speed was slower than normal. LookingContinue reading “A Dangerous Thing.”
Back after 5 days.
I don’t usually leave 5 days between mountain bike rides but with a combination of some rain and my wife being on holiday from her work as a school teacher things have conspired against me. The only significant exercise I’ve had since my previous ride was a walk with our dog up Healey Nab whereContinue reading “Back after 5 days.”
Flower of the Week, 12th April.
Tulips are beautiful in spring and much prized. They aren’t expensive but this was not always the case. From December 1636 to February 1637 tulip prices spiked, rising 12 fold. Some special bulbs sold for the value of a modest house! This situation was unsustainable and prices quickly crashed. We have some bulbs in aContinue reading “Flower of the Week, 12th April.”
Mountainbiker 