Pricycles

I’ve been really feeling the pressure of work the last few weeks, mostly put on myself to get ALL the things done and with ever encroaching deadlines, monday flipped me. Mental block, anxiety, stress & ultimately, a nervous wreck. Fortunately big bro works next door to me so after reassurance, I rolled in tuesday morning. lots of discussion & reassurance, help & check ups. All should be ok, but my mind had shut down, rebooted & lost all saved work. The first time anything mentally this drastic has happened to me. It scared me & thats saying a lot after the number of serious physical injuries I’ve had! I hadn’t really acknowledged mental health before. Why should I? I ha d cycling to focus on & look forward too.

Laid on the bed at Acupuncture yesterday (treatment for an injury in 2009), it occurred to me that the amount of cycling I now do has dramatically reduced. Finding the ability to look upon the situation from an outside view helped me to remember how much confidence, satisfaction & joy cycling gave me, I couldn’t get enough at one time! Things change & routines waver…

This morning I got out of bed at the quiet time of 5:20 am with only the slightest murmur of miss. mechgrrrl in bed. Gathering my things & wheeling the bike out into the dimly lit morning outside, with all but the most dedicated of birds singing in the mild air of Hay, i set off, not for the first time, to cycle to work in Hereford. 26 miles & plenty of time for waking of the body & mind. Needless to say, I arrived at work ready for the sit down & my anxious self calmed by the endorphins that outperform anything a doctor could prescribe. As the day went on it started coming back…

A glorious sunny depart from work deserved the quiet & calm detour through the lanes winding steadily westward. No reason to hurry in attempt to cheat the clock, a rendezvous with miss mechgrrrl offered a quick refuel, & then on for some more cycling west beyond hay, in the foothills of the black mountains, all beneath the deep colours of a pristine darkening sky. That. Makes. Me. Happy. All in 63 miles covered on a bike the same age as me. My special bike, my friend, a friend that is always there & most importantly my loving, caring & beautiful girlfriend, miss mechgrrrl to share it with. Now for the fight for the cake.

Cycling is the right doing for so much i the world, surely it deserves a medal!?

Pricer

A nice little mtb loop tonight on the foot hills between Hay & Talgarth. Though the snow started getting more predominant on the ground half way round & the mud began freezing to the bike. Suspension damping noticeably dropped then a buzzing began… It turns out the jockey wheels on my bike had frozen solid and the chain just slipped over the top!

With only one layer over my knees too, the chill factor was really felt on the last descent & didn’t go til tucked up in bed. Steve Bennet would be going Ape! I really should have had more insulation over m’knees, thankfully no strains or twinges were picked up. One of the ten commandments for winter riding!

Thanks to Mechgrrrl for the company!

Pricer

Click on his name to be amazed!  Toni Bou

The simple life…

Oh how life can get so complicated… Where did the days spent down the woods with a spade and my bike with a Robin following a couple of meters behind, hoping for an uncovered worm go? Who’s bright and certainly not great idea was it to grow up and get supposedly responsible? Old people should be dealt with at birth was a comment in mbuk, i cant believe i used to think it was a good magazine. Now it’s about staying in the comfort zone, radio 2 and singletrack world, reminiscing of days gone & things we used to do, rubbing shoulders with various names that have gone on to an element of fame… There used to be a kid who was pretty handy when I used to race downhill mountain bikes, you tube showed me a video of him winning the world champs earlier this year, Danny Hart anyone?!

Jobs, people & ultimately life can put so much responsibility on us. How do people manage it all? All the things I’ve been unable to say no to have filled up so much of my brain that it’s clouded my thoughts, direction, motives, principles & focus. Only truly great people can handle such responsibility, not some simple minded cyclist who likes nothing more than the sensation of speed & the tires sliding underneath him safe in the knowledge that they’re going to find some grip just now. I’ve lost my focus & ultimately my way. I need a bike ride. That simple activity that allows the subconscious time to relax & work it all out for you ready to make sense whilst your making a post ride cup of tea.

I want my life to be simple again. With that comes the realisation that I will have no option but to say no & let people down. Perhaps that makes me a selfish individual?  Maybe so, maybe, just maybe. Alright so I’m a selfish person that above all else loves riding his bike and with like minded people. Now, I didn’t mention other people before, so perhaps I’m not selfish after all… It depends who you ask. Someone who understands?! Do you? I don’t, I just want to ride my bike!

The video from the final mtb marathon at Ruthin a few weeks back. The first outing fo my new Genesis Hardtail care of Drover Cycles & Madison!MTB Marathon Ruthin

To cut a week long story short, I came 4th. Matt Page (UK & European 24hr champ) came 1st, Torq’s Ajay Chhetri was 2nd & Matt Williams came in 3rd on his 29er singlespeed! Matt pulled out an incredible final stage to even beat Matt Page at the buith final test. Ajay took a storming win on the final day. The rider from Nepal is in a different league when the climbing gets tough. He twice won the yak attack in the himalayas!

Trans wales video

A slow start rising from bed this morning with the prospect of the longest day yet! A chilly but fair skies was a warm welcome after yesterdays waterproofs for most of the ride from clun to Llanidloes. As the route unfolded the going was alot more friendly for tiring legs. Tarmac lanes and forestry roads you could probably skateboard down with a gradient that went well with big ring, sustained out of the saddle climbing. Think contador or pantani!
An almightey descent after some fantastic natural singletrack on glyndwrs way just about took my attention away from the breath taking views!
The special stage today was part of the climax trail outside machynlleth and mostly went downhill. A sharp little up over some awkward bedrock left me fumbling in the big ring before getting going again. More time was lost after blowing a corner out and faceplanting with the gentlest of touches to terrafirma, a close call! I got some corners mint though and just feeling the back tyre braking away sligtley.
I’m a little anxious of the results now as I know I’ve lost time but just how much….

Special test position: 4th (1 second down on matt page in 3rd)
Overall running: 6th

So it’s time to stop nattering and hanging back for people, Pricer pace tomorrow!

Not one to miss an opportunity to get my mugshot in the rag, I lined up in pole at the start in my birth town of Knighton. I recognised the reporter/photographer too! A chat with the mayor and insistence that me and not so local monker lead the event off! RESULT! not only that but knowing how steep the first climb up panpunton is I got right to the front and led up it. On the trails along the top of kinsley wood and down the other side I dropped my only companion up the climb. I didn’t see a soul for the 10 mile, the special test fo the day. This descended part of bucknell dh track and climbed back to the start. By the time I’d finished the others were lining up. I waited to here some other times for comparison, 1 second down on matt page ain’t too shabby ehh?!
The remaining ride once again took in great climbs & descents with fantastic scenery! Of all the English counties transwales could go into, Shropshire has to be the most favourable! Podiums at 17:30 so will see positions for today’s special test!

A fab days riding out on the hillside with some stonking climbs and brill descents! The hill climb had me druelling and gasping for breath! I didn’t make podium spot but got my photo on the official trans Wales website! Heading over trails used on the rough ride & up into Radnor where I met some friends riding from Knighton, I slowed the pace to be kind but got carried away and cracked on. Heading along my favourite link trail from stonewall hill to Radnor I really felt at home. A stint on the road concluded a great day on the bike! Great to see Dave, James & Sam out on the bikes up Radnor!