So last night (03/09/08) I went out for a ride. There had been no posts on the forum and I was running late anyway. I knew Jono couldn't ride and Matt was away, so Billy no mates time!!! Which was fine by me, I had a few issues to resolve in my head and a beligerant grub around in the wet by myself suited me fine....   

So setting off from Flookburgh at about 8pm in my car, I was surprised that the sun was making it's presence known through the water-laden sky. I needen't have worried though, by the time I arrived at Moor Top, a steady drizzle was making getting out of the car hard work. Nevermind, I need the exercise. Kitted up, I set off around 8.30. and I made the decision to singlespeed it!!! So I stuck it in a comfortable gear (32-24 I think - Middle front, 3rd rear) and kept it there for the rest of the night.

From Moor Top, I thought I ought to search out some routes I'd ment to ride in ages, just to see what condition they were in, so I headed up the zig-zags towards Coniston and followed the firetrack down left at the bench. I took the next right, then left, then left again that takes you up what I know as "Route 66". At the top of this climb there is a gated bridleway (which I ignored) then a singletrack drop that I believe was used on the Wild Boar 24hr. This brings you out near the end of the NFT's "Chopper", which I rode in reverse. Round about now, it changed from drizzle to Hossing it down...    My bar light's were poor, but lit the immediate trail, my helmet light was OK, but blinded me with the r**ndrops reflecting back at me at eye-level.... 

At the end (start) of the Chopper, I turned left up and over the hill and then right at the bottom, to eventually take me past the top of Lawson's Park. Singlespeeding was doing my head in a little by now, as I had a great gear for firetrack climbs, but flat and downhills was the land of the comedy pedalar...    I rode past the Parkamoor entrance (which was drawing me), but took the next right, which was great for firetrack, as they've let the trees hug in a bit, it feels quite close. Around about now I had another tropical downpour, sheesh!!! 

The next bit is a little hard to describe, as it's all fairly bland firetrails, but essencially, it runs gently downhill, parrallel to the Dentist's Grandad, until a junction that you can go right to take you down toward Satterthwaite, or left to climb you up towards Lawson's Park again. I took the left and followed a couple of Hares all the bl**dy way up that drag!!!    I took the next right (at the bottom of the Submarine) on the firetrack that has the NFT's "Great Escape" on it, I couldn't be bothered riding that, so churning on, I turned up left on the Carron Crag underpass, which they've regraded - I noticed this as I was looking down at my front wheel for most of this climb, 'cos once again the heavens had really cut loose!!

I turned onto the top of the "Riverbed" and then left onto the "Play-station" - again used on the Wild-Boar - which I haven't riden for ages. As I still wanting to prove something to myself ( ), I wasn't gonna lower my saddle... hooo-hooo, that was entertaining real steep and unpridicatble surface... a proper ass on the rear wheel, chest on the saddle position that took me back to about 1993  At the bottom of the Playstation, I took the firetrack left back all the way to the car at Moor Top and loaded up.

I'd been riding for about 1.5hrs. I was wet, but fairly clean, as I'd stayed predominantly on firetrack. I'd ridden quite a lot that I hadn't ridden in ages  I'd only had to get off once (for the little climb in the middle of the Playstation) and I felt really quite good. Whilst riding, I sort of meditated - just concentrated on the here and now, a good release!  Singlespeeding was weird, 'cos you can't push yourself on the flats or downs, but need power on the climbs. I don't think I'm a convert, but I quite enjoyed the pig-headedness of razzing about on the firetrack (I'll probably be informed that I was in a really wussy gear now  )

All in all, a good night's ride, I recomend it to anyone!!!

(I didn't take any photo's - just imagine dark, wet and wetter again)

Craig222