Tim's MTB Blog

Sunday night rides are fun

2004-06-28T13:18:00.000+01:00

Out with Stanny tonight, did the same route as with Craig last Wednesday, even more enjoyable because it was dry :-) Finished off with a descent down Blue Pig, which as usual was top, if a little out of control / on the egde. Mental note, must get a disk brake for the front if i want to stop while descending.

The Droid returns to Calderdale

2004-06-24T13:09:00.000+01:00

A Wednesday night ride this time due to other chaps doing SSMM and other commitments.
We left my place and rode all the way up Cross Stone Road, feckin killed me, but Craig span his way up nicely. Along to Dukes cut which was really wet, the weather by the way was shit, heavy drizzle and a stiff wind. Down from Dukes Cut on what I think is called 'BMX Bandits trail'. Along to Egypt and then to Ripper Dipper, location to be keep secret. We ended with a nice ride down Alis Zig Zags and back on road to tod. Was good to see the Droid back in action and i'm sure it wont be long before he is kicking ass again. Enjoyed it very much, even if it was very wet and muddy.

Much dryness, apart from Ali's Zig Zags!

2004-06-18T13:45:00.000+01:00

Thursday night is here again, but not with the regulars. They all had various reasons for not riding tonight but a few newbies came along.
We had Bolt and mate from Blackburn, Ormondroyd from Reading, and Robin from Heptonstall plus regular Chris from Bolton. With me and Kelvin being the only local lads. Oh and Stanny of course!!!
Just one of the usual rides, up Jack bridge, Ben's pointless bit, Ali's zig zags, bastard tarmac climb, Blue Pig then up Keighley Rd just to do Peckett Well A. The two descents where fantastic, nice, dry and fast! Then to bolty's step and riverside back to Hebden. A couple of pints in the stubbing and that was that. Another good ride! The newbies seemed to enjoy it and the beers in the pub too :-)

Short and Sweet!!!

2004-06-10T12:25:00.000+01:00

Not too much to say about this Thursday night ride, apart from; i cleaned Horsehold for the first time on my SS, hurrah! the beer in the Stubbing was fantastic, lemon and ginger, mmmm and Stanny pulled an old bird who liked the beer too, she liked it so much she licked it off his arm, eeewwww!! The only downer was that it was the last night of the current owners in the Stubbing :( Thanks very much for all the great beer you have provided!!!

Exploration rules!!

2004-06-07T07:43:00.000+01:00

After Thursday nights wet ride, I felt the need for a nice evening ride after the glorious day on Sunday. A phone call to Stanny was in order and it was arranged.
We did and old favorite of ours from Tod, not setting off till nearly 8pm but we would still have enough light to do the ride. We went up to Lumbutts and along London Road all the way to Chipps' birthday present. First time down here for a while and the tree cover and bluebells made it seem a completely different place. The track has grown over lots and needs riding more!!! Half way down the descent is another track which which has always intrigued me. Exploration time, wow, wat a great find. Another woodland trail which will be an excellent alternative descent to Chipps' b'day pressie. I think we will name it 'Conkers Deep' Stanny was in the mood for more suffering so we decided to do Jack Bridge. We both set off up together but once we started the steeper bit stanny used his gears to excellent effect and twiddled his way up where as I pushed like hell on my SS, but I was feeling great! Once at the top we climbed up the road to Blackshaw Head, around to Great Rock, down long drag toward Cross Stone but we decided to do Rodwell B again, oh such fun!! I was on fire down the descent it was fantastic!!! Then a gentle run back into Tod on the canal. Sweeetttt!!

What happened to Summer?

2004-06-04T12:26:00.000+01:00

The regular Thursday night ride. The plan was to start at the Stubbing in Hebden, and finish at the Staff in Tod. We rode down to Hebden expecting Felix to be there and maybe someone else, but on our arrival just one guy, think his name was Chris, he was riding his retro Kona SS for the first time. Off we went up Jack Bridge as usual, Dave was struggling a bit after his day riding the 'Big Thrash' but eventually everybody got to the top. Then we went over to the top road via the farm track and sketchy 'vague trail'. We did a short road stretch upto the top of Eastwood rd then dropped down towards Whirlaw Commom. We rode along the common to Orchan rocks then around to the radio mast and dropped down to the Staff on the cheeky trail. It was rather wet and the trees where extremely low because of all the leaves and rain, nearly decapitated myself several times. Was gonna go in the Staff for a swifty but i made the last minute decision not to, just went home and got cleaned up and chilled out for a bit before bed. Great ride, but i want summer back now!!!

More new trails!!

2004-05-28T08:15:00.000+01:00

Thursday night seems to come round very quickly, not that I am complaining mind. It was back to the old fave The Stubbing, after our late arrival at nearly 8, we met Jon and proceeded to head straight up Keighley Rd, not just upto Pecket Well but right up on to the top, jesus, feckin killed me!! Once on the top we headed up on to the moor, and the trails were fantastic!! Lovely twisting rutted single track made for exciting riding while trying to keep up with Benji. The new Bombers began to shine as Stu couldn't keep up, the trails seemed sooo much easier to ride. We did a loop around the moor and ended up dropping back to Pecket Well and to the top of Pecket Well B. Pecked Well B was fantastic as usual, if a little dark, use the force time. Managed to clean the whole run even the drop off which didn't seem as bad as normal. Then onto Bolty's steps, where a few of the guys rode them, but I seem to have lost my bottle. Must get a seat post QR then I can attempt the steps without having a seat in my guts while hanging off the back. A nice run back to hebden down the riverside, followed by a school boy error from Stu, mental note, dont try and wheelie while using SPD's, it hurts when u go over backwards thanks for reminding me Stu. Then back to the Stubbing but no beers for me, had to shoot straight home :-( Top ride!!

More commuting, getting boring

2004-05-24T07:57:00.000+01:00

Shit headwind today, lost 5 mins on my time, feel fuuucked after yesterdays ride too. Maybe delay my ride home till later this week, see how i feel, 1hr 12mins :(

Sheep rescue!!

2004-05-23T07:55:00.000+01:00

While we were out today we accompished a small rescue mission on some of the local livestock. A small lamb while running away from stanny jumped into a 2 foot deep water filled gully about 8 inches wide and was stuck, so we though we better get it out. On returning to the gully there was already a larger sheep stuck in there too! So Scott and Stanny got the biggy out and i haul the lamb out by its neck. Both trotted off bleating happily. Mint Sauce would be proud of us!! We had good karma for the rest of the ride.

Bombers are ACE!!!

2004-05-23T07:49:00.000+01:00

Well after my first ride on the bombers today, i realise what i have been missing, they are fecking brilliant!!! none of this arm fatigue on long descents, just nice plush ride over or through everything. Need to pick my lines, its just so tempting to crash through everything but need to think i am still on rigids and pick the smooth line and be even faster!!!

'Bombers' are go!

2004-05-22T17:46:00.000+01:00

Picked my new bombers up today, well second hand actually but new to me. In remarkably good condition. Got em slapped on the bike with no major probs, bike feels very different now, will have to wait till i got out tommorrow to see what this suspension lark is all about.

New Trails Rock Dude!!

2004-05-21T08:13:00.000+01:00

Thursday nights come round sooo quick, not that I am complaining like. A cheeky ride was planned from the Staff of Life, with Dave A doing so reconnaissance work the night before, such commitment to the cheek!! well done Dave.
A steady start to the ride with a nice mile or so road ride, then an absolute fucker of a climb (Alberts). Even the mighty power of the Kershaw legs couldn't propel the SS up here, and I would take my hat off to anybody that did do it on an SS. Once up on the to it was a steady trail to sharney ford (Shagger's as stanny called it)the on to Flower Scar Rd (Sandy Road). Then it was technical singletrack heaven or hell which ever way you want to look at it. This led us on one of the best descents I have ever done around Tod, the grin facter was a definate 10/10, the trail has been named (Three pigs trotting). It even has a bit of 'shore'!! It rocks dude!
This brought us back to the Staff, so in we when for a few jars!! A cracking night finished off with good company and TT Landlord x 4!!

Back to commuting

2004-05-17T08:41:00.000+01:00

Decide to commute in to work again today, very nice ride but feeling a bit knackered now. Was going to do the return journey today, but i have changed my mind. I'll leave it till tommorrow i think. Anyway, happy with my time 1:07:33, my fastest yet :-)

More Fun and light nights

2004-05-15T15:29:00.000+01:00

After last nights excellent ride, I received and email from Stanny telling me he was going out again (fri night)! What should I do?? silly question, go of course.
We did and old favorite of ours from Tod, not setting off till 8pm so we would get to ride at dusk , which is cool. We went up to Lumbutts and along London Road all the way to Chipps' birthday present. first time down here for a while and the tree cover and bluebells made it seem a completely different place. Stanny was in the mood for more suffering so we decided to do Jack Bridge. We both set off up together but once we started the steeper bit stanny used his gears to excellent effect and twiddled his way up where as I pushed like hell on my SS, but I was feeling great! Once at the top we climbed up the road to blackshaw head, around to great rock, down long drag toward Cross Stone but we decided to do Rodwell B again, oh such fun!! Then a gentle run back into Tod on the canal. Some much fun in 1hr and 45mins, brilliant!!!

Fun Fun Fun!!!

2004-05-14T08:13:00.000+01:00

Time for the usual Thursday night ride, but this weeks flavour was Tod, from Singletrack HQ. Upon arriving Felix was there looking remarkably fresh considering he had done a 50 mile commute to leeds already, and Alec turned up on his road bike after commuting too, wat is all this commuting lark?? i may ever do it myself one day ;-) Anyway Alec had the prize bike of the night, a specialized 'Big Hit' with 8 inches travel each end!!! not exactly designed for going up but Alec was prepared to go slowly up but quickly down. Kelvin arrived but then made a quick visit to the Muse and return with some hot choc fudge cake, god it smelt good!
Well left at 8 and the route was as follows :- Quick circuit round Tod park (such fun!) then up through Robinwood towards Whirlaw, along whirlaw (where Stanny deflated an already dead rabbit, eewww) and across to the Golf club. From here we decide to do the great little descent Rodwell B, Fantastic! Alec descended like a rocket and as i met him at the bottom, he had the biggest grin ever. Everone was loving the ride, so we decide to do more. Up woohouse house road and down ollies drop (through the only shore section in tod (a 4 inch plank over a gulley ;-)) then up to the shepards rest and down hunny hole bringing us out within 100 yds of STW HQ. Wat a fun 2hr ride and just time for a couple of beers in the Muse. The first ride of summer it was great!! lights nights rule.

Ali's farewell ride

2004-05-07T13:29:00.000+01:00

A sad event but a very enjoyable!! The weather was fantastic with lots of evening sun. Route as follows:- jack bridge (again), bens pointless bit, ali's zig zags, b@stard tarmac, blue pig, bolty's steps and riverside. A relatively uneventful ride apart from stanny's gears throwing the chain into the spokes and his fabulous uphill crash!! We had a guest rider again this week, no less than Paul Turner (Mr Maverick), riding, surprise surprise, a ML-7 with the big forks on and a front disk rotor the size of a bmx wheel!! The bike looked to be such fun to ride making the blue pig decent a doddle. But its not keepin it real like us rigid ss boys ;-)
Farewell to Ali and we wish you and Sue all the best in bonnie Scotland, i'm sure there are lots of cheeky trail to be had around your new home :-)

The Blue Pig bites back!

2004-04-23T08:26:00.000+01:00

Another good thursday night ride was had, only spoilt by my slow over the bars spill on the blue pig descent. I blame it on Stanny ;-) he was going to slow and we all bunched up on the brakes and bingo, Tim hits a small rock type step while on the front brake and over we go!! Quite comical really cause i couldn't get the bloody bike off me. No damage seemed to occur to the bike but i did manage to snap the handle bar mount for my lupine nightmare ;-) so had to ride the rest of the descent very cautiously by wat daylight we had left, not much. Finished the night with a pint of the aptly named beer 'Nightmare' and some 'Landlord' too. Yummy

PS Well done Tom for riding the whole length of Bolty's step, respect!!!

Wash out commute

2004-04-22T13:23:00.000+01:00

Did the return leg of my commute from manchester yesterday evening. The weather was terrible, absolutly p!ssing down. It took me 1hr 20 mins which is 8 mins longer than the inbound journey but it is more uphill and the traffic was shite too. Legs feel a bit tired today but looking forward to the night ride from the stubbing :-)

Cor Blimey, commuting!!

2004-04-20T07:55:00.000+01:00

Did my first commute to Manchester today on the road bike. 22 miles in 1hr 12mins, which i am very happy with. Weather was perfect, no wind and dry too. I think the journey home will be a little more challenging as it is more uphill :-( I've decided to split the journey over two days cause i'm a chicken and aint fit enough yet to do it both ways in one day. Hoping if i can do this commute once a week my fitness should increase nicely, and then i can challenge Benji up the climbs, well maybe anyway. I'm off to recover now, and maybe do some work.

Slippery Pig

2004-04-16T08:09:00.000+01:00

Another good Thursday night ride, but Dave's bike let him down and him and Sharon had to return to the pub early, i recon he removed his crack bolt on purpose so he could get to the pub cause it was raining!!!
Simple route, up jack bridge, along MTL to colden the down to Heptonstall, Blue Pig descent, which was very slippery after the heavy rain. Bolty's steps and riverside into Hebden, then back to pub. Feeling a bit ropey today, maybe a cold coming on :-( bugger.

Widdop-tastic!!

2004-04-12T20:25:00.000+01:00

Went on a cracking ride today with the boy Stanny. Left tod and climbed up Cross Stone past the golf course to the top road, then along Dukes Cut and across to Gorple Res. Then to Widdop Res and along Gorple Gate, which is a cracking ascent and descent, if a little rocky on the rigid, down to Hurstwood Res. A nice steady climb up to the windmills followed by a short road ride to shore and the cheeky descent down to the 'Staff of Life'. A top ride, bout 20 - 25 miles, quite a long one for myself, need to do more of these to build my stamina up. The Inbred performed faultlessly as usual!! :-) Looking forward to ther a ride on Thursday night now, yippee, bring on the riding!!!

Rigid rocks, keepin it real etc....

2004-04-09T21:49:00.000+01:00

The thursday night ride was another cracking ride, not overly long but great trails with some top cheek too. Managed to keep up with Ben on the first steep climb, but then got stuck behind Jim on the climb up the packhorse trail and Ben got away from me, thats my excuse anyway ;-) On the packhorse trail descent i managed to keep with the sus boys just about but the bike and my arms took a real beating, but it was fun. The cheeky trail along the side of the canal was upto scratch as usual, with the 'diesel' boys steaming along it. Conti diesels rock dude! Even rode the rooty hip type thing and managed to catch up to Jim with Ben right on my tail. A nice steady ride back up the canal to 'The Muse', where i drank erdinger, mmmm and stanny got wankered on some 8% stuff, he wat well pi**ed riding home. Another good night ride, i look forward to next weeks already!!

Nowt much doing

2004-04-08T08:20:00.000+01:00

Nothing much to report really, just did a bit of tinkering with the bike last night in preperation for tonights ride. Hoping weather is gonna be fine, but it will still be very wet after the amount of rain we have had recently. Anyway, i suppose i best do some work before the bank holiday weekend :-)

"Here we go!"

2004-04-06T10:24:00.000+01:00

Well, first post on my new blog, so here goes.
Finally got my new battery through from multicell, completed the wiring last night and hopefully it is now charging and aint going to explode like the last one! Inserted a inline fuse to try and stop it going bang again and save me £47.
Sounds like the boys are planning the usual Thursday night ride, hopefully I shall be attending. Looking forwand to seeing Ben's new Redline and maybe challenge him on some of the descents but he now has sus forks on so he does have an advantage, but what the hell, you gotta try. And looking forward to a couple of jars of beer too ;-)