Boom Ion 15 29er

New Year. new me.

Well, maybe not. I am a little lighter, a change in diet. More focus on veg, less meat, eat when hungry not on a time of day basis, mor exercise, seems to be working. I really need a riding goal, it's the one thing that motivates me to train. It's a confusing time at the moment. We are probably letting our beloved camper go, and considering major works to the house. Was thinking of moving, but the economic situation, perhaps not for me personally, but broadly leads me towards a degree of caution, so it makes more sense to change what we have to do what we want. After 20 years in the house, we have changed. The realisation came when I examined what is really important to me/us as a family. What is it that, come New Years Eve, I remember about a year, what are the highlights, what makes me really happy, what will be the lasting memories. Well for me, those are the things I, and my family, have done. The places we have been. The experiences we have had. It's become clear that whilst my house can contribute to that, and it is my home, I spend most of my time there, it is not my focus on life. I have had many great evenings with friends in small rooms, small houses, mountain huts or tents all of which are characterised by the company, not how big or flash my house is. So, I think stay. Visit Italy again this year with my family. Take my wide to Paris. Ride the Basque mountains on my bike, see my children ride their first real trail on their mountain bikes, enjoy a meal with my Italian friends on the sea front of the Ligurian coast, meet their new child, introduce them to mine, taste that amazing Ligurian food. Ride more trails with my friends...and also try to change that last bit of my house so I can indulge in my passion for cooking whilst socialising with my closest friends, their new baby and my family.. All of this holds great promise for the year. It's tempered with uncertainty for some close to me, the next 2 weeks may well define both theirs and my life. If all goes well this will be a great year that is certain, if it doesn't, we'll we will see, it could still be a great year but it will before difficult and very emotional. Strangely their fate and mine are linked, it could herald a second beginning in my own career and lead to great opportunity, it may not be brave enough to grasp it, who knows. On a different note entirely I am designing another new bike with Nicolai. Very exciting times and a unique opportunity..there seem to be a lot of those this year. Life is certainly not dull.

Its been a while. Will try to be more vigilant I think.

I've got a new bike, which is great. I love it:
Nicolai AM29, Top of the Golspie Wildcat Trail, Northern Scotland. Longest descent in the UK.

Taken with a new camera. slowly rediscovering my love of photography. Need some better glass but hey, baby steps.

Here are a few photo's from recent trips, they are a bit random, but hey, so is life sometimes. All taken with my Olympus OM-D with 14-50mm lens.
:
Basecamp Dalgarry, Aviemore:

 Nicolai Helius AM29

 Dornoch, Scottish East Coast sunset

 Dornoch, Scottish East Coast dusk

 Torridon, Highlands of Scotland

Start of Special Stage Enduro race on Exmoor

Mid Stage

Social fun

 More London - budding Discus thrower

 Contrast the square where Kings and Queens of England were beheaded and the Shard in the background - Tower of London

 Foxglove - Michaelchurch Escley

 Memorial to those beheaded in past years after internment in the Tower of London

Quiet time

My lovely wife

Budding Geologist?

Waterfall - Michaelchurch Escley

Wellies and nighties

 A different perspective

Pygmy Goats to feed - Daughter number 2 and niece.

A rare sight in the UK this year, the mysterious yellow Orb

Daughter number one - Do I like butter?

Rolling English Countryside - Michaelchurch Escley

Hay On Wye - nice Dynamic range here

No2. Again..

 No1 again..

 London Bridge Paralympic symbol

 From further away

 The Shard seen from More London

I've been a little absent, apologies..the family and work has taken up time lately. No bad thing. The bad news is the training is going, erm, not very well. I have lost a couple of kilo's through good eating, but not training. The good news is, it doesn't seem to have had a huge impact on my fitness.

Had some nice meals out of late. I was in Paris, working, last week and had a wonderful meal, with good company at Aux Vieux Comptoir on Rue Lavandieres just behind Rue de Rivoli and near the Louvre. Despite being in a popular area, it has retained very reasonable prices, period, not just for Paris and yet retains the charm of a restaurant that has been largely unchanged for many years. It is my vision of a classic French restaurant/bistro. Its not formal, just a lovely atmosphere and very nice staff with high quality food. I highly recommend the Charcuterie, the Truffle risotto is a delight for starter and the Cafe Gourmand a lovely finish. They also know how to recommend a wine with your food.

In cycling matters my Fox F34 fork has turned up. looking forward to getting it fitted to the bike, when it arrives. Tubes should have been welded this last week so hopefully another couple of weeks will see it in the UK.

I've been trying the Rockshox Reverb seat post this weekend. Its nice and smooth and looks great. There is a little more travel on the lever than I would prefer to adjust travel, that might take a little getting used to for micro adjustments. My old KS i900 cable remote had better feel.

I've pimped my Hammerschmidt cranks for the new bike. Can't decide whether to leave them polished, and go with a Matt black/silver colour theme or go with a few anodised colour parts to spice it up.

One of my favourite looking bikes ever here, I must say, not usually one for copying but I think this is class..if only the F34 had a black fork crown instead of white..

I really like the look of Easton Haven wheels, but I think they have a few issues I'm really not sure about, spoke count and spoke strength, bearing fragility..I won't be using them but they do look good.

Also finally got a pretty foolproof and brilliantly simple CO2 inflator..highly recommended..

 A very wet and cold ride on the AC29 demo again today on local trails. Getting to know it a bit better now and really looking forward to the new one

On a personal note I've had a little more motivation for work of late. I had a breakthrough and it's given me a bit of a lift. I don't like just 'turning the handle' so that's all good.

My eldest had the last xc running race of the season this weekend. She ran pretty well coming 9th, but that's a top ten in all the races and helped the team win the area overall prize. Really proud of her. Looks like they might be racing county next so competitive Dad here thinks he might get her doing some training...

and on that note she's out grown her bike so its time for her to step up..a year or so ago I bought a second had Curtis T1 Comp 11" trials bike. We had a 'fit' the other day and the top tube etc is all fine now..

Its a small and nimble frame if pretty heavy, being T45 steel, but its a lovely brazed frame from a very small scale maker and very cool. I figured I could restore it and use high quality secondhand parts to build it up light elsewhere. Children's bikes usually have pretty heavy kit on them built to a price, even aluminium ones.
She's not quite big enough for it with 26" wheels so I've got a set of 24" wheels to go on, XT hubs on Sun Ringle Singletrack rims. I'm I'm planning some Aerozine super light cranks (kindly donated by a good friend) modified to 150mm crank arm length and run them single ring, fit an XT cassette, derailleur and shifter, Rockshox SID world cup 100mm forks I've been saving from an old build, some flat bars at 580mm and a 50mm stem, white frame, new graphics and bam...then we can go and do some proper mountain biking. I think in a year or so she'll need the 26" wheels which will lighten it up a little bit further..

Youngest is stepping up to the Isla bikes beinn 20". Its a nice light bike for kids too.

i think that's it for now.  Plan for the week is to try and get some training in, get up earlier and stay healthy...

Think I might have to get myself down to Lago Di Garda too from the looks of this...lucky I have friends down that way..Enduro Free ride in Italy

This was what I was up to last October 2011 in Finale. Fantastico..
Finale Ligure SuperEnduro Pro6

This is  good video for showing more of the terrain and how the top riders do it, unlike me!

Finale SuperEnduro top riders on trail.

Couple of excellent and inspiring videos

Steep and Technical with amazing scenery

This is just inspirational. Never give up, there is usually a way..

Northshore with one arm...amazing

A weekend in Wales

The variety of life. I spent the weekend in Wales friends and members of our mountaineering club at a mountain hut. Young and old(er) people, all very active in mind and body. I always enjoy the banter at these meets and the wide range of interests and characters. It was Neil, Ian and me, planning to ride all weekend where everyone else was there for the hiking. We arrived on the Friday evening in the camper loaded up with bikes after a 3hr drive into the Welsh mountains. The Hut was very full so Neil and I were in the camper. After a good evening sampling steak and ale pie and chips washed down with real ale down the local pub it was time to retire, a days biking ahead. Up with the roof on the 'Dub. It looked like a clear if rapidly cooling night. Pretty soon, as is customary for both a 'boys' weekend and mountain weather things soon deteriorated. 40mph winds, driving rain and a bit of snow for good measure, swept in. The van was shaking side to side with the wind and Neil decided that 'downstairs' was a better option, even if it meant being a lot closer to me and my bio gas production plant; freshly stocked with pie and real ale! One of the few times where you could 'hear' the wind down the valley before you felt it hit. According to Neil both from inside and out!

Saturday dawned and it was horridble(sic); driving rain, misty, low visibility and still windy. None of us felt up for a good ride, but the forecast was for it to clear by lunchtime so we headed out after a leisurely breakfast towards Penmachno and the trails in the Gwydyr Forest near to Betws-y-Coed. After a stop in Betws for a Welsh cake and some trail supplies (Waterproof shorts for Neil) it was time to head out, the weather, whilst cold, had cleared.

We got the bikes out, a trio of Nicolai full sussers, and got changed. I had forgotten all my over shorts! Just lycra and waterproof trousers in my bag. This was to prove a fortunate error!

We headed out and the trail went up and up and up. all the rain had left lots of standing and running water, the trails were firm with plenty of rocks but it was like riding in a stream, pretty hard going and very cold. Soon everyones feet were water logged and cold but I was the only one without frozen legs too. Luck not judgement.

Plenty of single track, some fire road and then suddenly towards the end of the ride freezing rain, hail and snow! it didn't matter, the last two descents were fantastic single track fun.

No doubt this would be a lot more fun in the dry but it was worth it to be out in the hills and for the last two descents. Ace. 

We had a man down on one of the corners during the last descent but he seemed ok. I really enjoyed the trail and was happy with the 29er ride, different but good. Ian was out on his new AM and getting the setup sorted. Seemed to be enjoying himself.

After emptying out the freezing water from our socks and getting warmed up in the camper van some nice hot homemade Butternut squash soup was the order of the day.

Back at the hut we had a great evening with plenty of food and drink. Lancashire hotpot went down a treat for Neil and I whilst everyone else pulled together with a Pork chop, apple and cider dish. Looked good.

Sunday dawned with fresh snow but clear. We packed up and headed for the trails at Llandegla, unfortunately only to find they were closed due to snow, added to this, it turns out Neils 'off' the previous day had injured his shoulder more than he realised so as an expression of solidarity we elected to get lunch and return to the family early for a Sunday roast dinner...

Not a bad way to spend a weekend. I'll get some pictures up soon.