My New Friend

Is a blackbird. He popped over to say hello when I stopped for a text break at the carpark at Moortop on the Grizedale North Face route. Very accommodating with the photo taking and everything. We swapped numbers and I said to drop in if he's ever in the area.

I did my first proper MTBing of the year (Cwmcarn was a bit more of a sledging session) this afternoon at Grizedale. I was on my own after leaving A and the Boy to have a walk elsewhere, and it was fantastic.

That sounds cruel perhaps, but what I mean is that I like my own company; I set my own pace; I could admire the scenery; and it was simply an opportunity to get a bit zen. The conditions were excellent - cool, crisp, clear. I much prefer that to summer heat. The trail was bone dry in places, icy and wet in others. So all-in-all it was a great ride.

I like to grind up the fireroads (actually, that's more have to), attack the technical climbs (so I don't fall off) and boot it on the downs and being in a group of one meant that I didn't have to wait for anyone, and I wasn't slowing anyone down.

Onwards to the goal!