Pretty hard going to be fair!
Ride Date: 03/04/2016
Distance: 18 MIles
Climbing: 2500ft
Route: Ambergate Woods > Shining Cliff > Black Rocks > Shining Cliff
Riders : Jake, Matt, Deley, Scott, Duncan, Luke & carro
Not a huge write up this one, as Ambergate has been well documented in the past. We started as usual with the lung busting climb up to the top of the woods, once off the road it was apparent it was going to be a hard going ride, the almost dry trails of 2 weeks previous were now decidedly soggy again (cheers rain!). There were no incidents from top to bottom in Ambergate woods before riding back up into Shining Cliff were we made time for some fun on a nice looking jump (see video below). By now, what had been a mist damp morning was warming up nicely with the strong spring sun bursting through the trees, with plenty of us getting a dab on as we rode out over the fields towards Alderwasley & Black Rocks.
Black Rocks was much better, still a few puddles but none of the sogginess, the centre rock blast being a particularly memorable section, down through the trees I did have a minor wet root/face plant incident and managed to rip my reverb hose off, skipped the loamy bit and met back up at the Gully, which, as always was great. From here we altered the usual ride a bit as the other side of the valley was borderline quagmire and we climbed steadily back up to the road at Black Rocks, not an unpleasant climb in the warm sun. From here is fast road via Kennel wood and back over the fields to Shining Cliff, one more go on the Millstone descent (I actually saw the millstone this time as I was a bit slower because of no dropper). That just left the blast back past the wireworks to the pub, still warm enough to sit outside with an ice cold Moretti.
A tough ride then all in, the soft conditions being the main reason, but otherwise a good ride out with with nice group of seven.
It's the Wye Valley Triple Eight up next, it should be a new ride for most people even though some have done parts of it before, hopefully we'll get a dry spell before then.
Distance: 18 MIles
Climbing: 2500ft
Route: Ambergate Woods > Shining Cliff > Black Rocks > Shining Cliff
Riders : Jake, Matt, Deley, Scott, Duncan, Luke & carro
Not a huge write up this one, as Ambergate has been well documented in the past. We started as usual with the lung busting climb up to the top of the woods, once off the road it was apparent it was going to be a hard going ride, the almost dry trails of 2 weeks previous were now decidedly soggy again (cheers rain!). There were no incidents from top to bottom in Ambergate woods before riding back up into Shining Cliff were we made time for some fun on a nice looking jump (see video below). By now, what had been a mist damp morning was warming up nicely with the strong spring sun bursting through the trees, with plenty of us getting a dab on as we rode out over the fields towards Alderwasley & Black Rocks.
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| Some quick modelling action at the bottom of Jake's demise! |
It's the Wye Valley Triple Eight up next, it should be a new ride for most people even though some have done parts of it before, hopefully we'll get a dry spell before then.
