The pleasures of trail riding...
You have probably heard that pleasures can double when you share them with someone special? This principle also applies to trail riding...
Contrary to popular belief I actually enjoy spending quality time with my other half and so I was very happy when Possu agreed to take on tail-ender duties on the GSer ride and come to Llangollen with me.
After half a day's work we set off from Oxford on Friday afternoon and even managed the obligatory stop at a garden centre for some tea and Victoria Sponge Cake on the way up north
Saturday morning at The Hand we were welcomed by this more
(to the right) or less pleasant
(to the left) sight...
Sorry Paul, I know it's mean but I couldn't resist...
How does Lu manage to look gorgeous regardless of how much of the cheap Wodka she has consumed the evening before, mmm?
The breakfast room wasn't exactly overcrowded that morning and only a few tough ones had successfully overcome the aftermath of Friday night's debauchery: Ash, Val H, Kleine Blumen and Shugie
In spite of the weather forecast, all my riders gathered in good spirits at the Market Street car park for 9:45 - left to right: Andres, Mark H-W, Tinatrim, Rsstler, Possu, Finn, Sarah Teach, Aidjay and Rowan
After a quick briefing and some road work via the Horseshoe Pass and Nant-y-Garth, we arrived at 'Miracle Lane' near Ruthin - Rowan
Mark - you wouldn't have noticed that it was his first day on the trails!
The sheep didn't seem impressed though...
What took you so long, Aidjay?
Now there's a clue...
Not sure if Tina was telling Andres or Sarah off here - probably both...
The next trail was 'Moel Famau' - and for quite a while it felt very lonely on top of the hill...
Oh brother, oh sister, where art thou?
Tina and Sarah came first - shall we carry on and turn this into a 'Dirty Girls' ride-out?
Aidjay was clearly chuffed about having conquered the mountain - on road tyres!
And here is Rsstler with his personal mountain-climbing-coach Possu
Even the sun came out to shine on Rowan and Finn
... and Sarah, Tina, Mark, Rsstler and Possu, too, of course
The third lane was 'Cilffordd Byway' - a nice combination of mud, roots, hedges, ruts and lose stone climbs which was going to be the watershed - would
ALL riders in the group make it to the end of the trail?
Don't miss the next episode...