Personal logs for windsurfing, surfing, kitesurfing and other sports. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php Copyright 2006. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9327/shem/bangor, angelsea 5th, January 2009 - A evening ride up in Bangor, a loop around angelseas 2 bridges, then round the back of town and down thru the uni woods just to justify it as a mtb ride! 7 miles. Rating: 2 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9327/shem/bangor, angelsea Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9323/shem/Cli-machx 4th, January 2009 - A first light ride with the usual crew from Aberdovey. Very icy, the rock garden was unridable, due to a 6 inch solid covering of icy. Still great fun on the single track, and great training blasting up the hills as fast as poss. Good sesh! Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9323/shem/Cli-machx Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9324/Tim/Nr Cheddington 4th, January 2009 - A shortish road ride with the local Icknield RC. I rode over the hill to Houghton Conquest. We did a loop round to the cafe at Cooks Wharf near Pitstone Lock on the Grand Union Canal. It was bitterly cold first thing. I barely wamed up climbing to Toddington. On the ride out I just got warm enough. A nice bunch of lads, 6 of us in all. It was tricky looking out for ice in places. On the return we climbed up and over Ivinghoe and back to Dunstable. What is windsurfing? Something you can't do at the moment..... Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9324/Tim/Nr Cheddington Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9325/pete%20b/The Peaks 4th, January 2009 - Ladybower. Billy-no-mates early starter. Parked up by the fishing lodge by 08:30 and under way within 15 mins. Usual cross the dam to Thornhill Way then to the Roman Road via (no pun intended) Thornhill & Aston to eventually drop down to the A57. The rocky descent was made treacherous in places by ice but otherwise dry & very mud free - I love this cold dry weather at times! Climbed past Rowlees to Lockerbrook Farm then the 10/10 descent to the ressie. Cross below the dam, round the peri track & then climb to Derwent Edge & onto Whinstone Lee Tor for a fantastic, if murky, view. All downhill back to the car from here! Scoff a 'nana before what I regard as arguably the best singletrack in the area (Cut-Gate - pah!) rolling down toward Highshaw Clough picking lines through the rocks n' ruts :-) Right at the pylons, a bit more rolling ST & then to superheat the grin a steepened rocky section down to the pub on the A57 as a finale. Whee! A short road hop back to the car - 2.75 quality hours later = job done! What a great way to spend an otherwise shitty morning! Rating: 5 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9325/pete%20b/The Peaks Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9322/shem/Talgarth woods, Pennal 3rd, January 2009 - A fun 5 mile bike ride, bashing the local single tracks and steps. great fun, need a helmet light! Rating: 3 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9322/shem/Talgarth woods, Pennal Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9319/Tim/Dunstable Downs-Ashridge 2nd, January 2009 - 60miles on the road bike. I created a route on memorymap, then unusually for me = stuck to it! The route was all up and down, almost no flat at all. I think this is the geological nature of the Chilterns - there are folds running SE to NW, so if you go SW then NE like I did today, you do a lot of climbing and descending. My legs ache a lot so it must have been worthwhile. And the sun came out the other side of Dunstable Downs too. PS mountain bikers, if you are going to ride the HONC, get in there it is already 2/3rd full, and it only opened for entry yesterday! Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9319/Tim/Dunstable Downs-Ashridge Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9320/dunk/Ynyslas Estuary 2nd, January 2009 - First sess of 2009, cold, but nowhere near as cold as New Years day! Ave sess, could of done with a bit more wind really. Rating: 3 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9320/dunk/Ynyslas Estuary Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9326/CraigSmith/Pentewan 2nd, January 2009 - Well lit on the 10.5 Flexifoil Ion2...loving my Youri Zoon Pro Model...getting back into megas and board offs after torn ligaments in ankle! great first session of the year! Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9326/CraigSmith/Pentewan Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9321/Encee/Arenigs/Glyders 1st, January 2009 - 1st January A romp over hoar frost covered Arenig Fach under a clear blue sky with the Berwins shrouded in mist on one side and clear views across to Snowdon and Triffan on the other. Then an evening of Beer and Curry at the BRMC hut in Tremadog. 2nd January Armed with winter climbing gear a fun approach to Nameless Cwm (Glyders) up and over some of the large ice covered boulders, followed by a roped ascent on the left side of Tower Slabs on continual ice, varying in difficulty and deep enough to take ice screws. A head torch descent of the Grybin ridge to finish. 2 memorable days out........ Rating: 5 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9321/Encee/Arenigs/Glyders Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9318/justal/ClimachX 31st, December 2008 - After the past few very cold days up at Nant I had expected it to be even colder at ClimachX. It was still cold at home at sea level with ice everywhere, butb strangely when I got to ClimachX it was actually fairly warm and there was hardly any ice or frost about. In fact in places it was a little muddy! Odd that as it was still icey when I go home. Still, Had a good ride around the ClimachX trail on my own. Didn't see anyone else whilst out on the trails and did the whole trail including the horrible bit if single track at the top. I did have a puncture on the first climb but it soon sealed itself without any issues so after putting a little bit of air in I was able to continue as if nothing had happened... I do like this [url=http://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2008/going-ghetto-tubeless/]ghetto tubeless[/url] malarky Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9318/justal/ClimachX Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9313/shem/climax :) 30th, December 2008 - Ad per usual, col n sunny, about 6 of us, slow pace, but fun as always. Looks like Ive seriously run out of browny points now, judging by the respose I got when I got home today. cant complain though the amount of play Ive had this month, hehe. Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9313/shem/climax :) Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9316/justal/Nan yr Arian 30th, December 2008 - A lovely day up at Nant yr Arian. Gorgeous sunshine, cold and frosty but the trails were as good as they get. Hard packed and flowing really well and dusty as if it were summer. Got back to the car without any mud anywhere.. Lovely. Unfortunately my Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS training watch / heart rate monitor thingy wouldn't switch on. It was fine on Sunday but no life in it today. Thankfully it is still within the warranty by 7 days so its now time to see just how good the Garmin customer support is! Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9316/justal/Nan yr Arian Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9315/Paul%20M/Crmcarn 30th, December 2008 - With son Harry and John D plus loads from the cycling club - 7 or so doing 8 downhill runs and 15 to 20 of us on the Twych XC circuit. Great session and no muddy bike at the end - what more could you ask for? Freezing temperature left the ground solid but with enough grip to let rip on the descents. John out with his XMAS toy, a new head cam but although I was leading so that John could video me descending I'm sure the shots will be of the mud just in front of his wheel. As I was on camera I really held off the brakes, some hairy moments on the tight corners but much more fun with the extra speed. Juicy brakes seemed to be grabbing - might look at changing the pads or the whole system. Had hoped to get two laps in but Harry was taking too long on the 4 mile climb although he was much better than last time. Rating: 5 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9315/Paul%20M/Crmcarn Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9317/pete%20b/Dalby Forest 30th, December 2008 - Met up with Rich, Chris & Colin. Pleasant amble around the red route, Colins back axle snapped about half way round so he had to bail and head back on fire roads. My chain bust - easily repaired with a powerlink & Rich's legs gave out from lack of riding. At one point we became enmeshed with a massive group, the whole mtb population of Leeds or York must've turned out - reminiscent of being on an enduro, but without the entry fee! However, the shenannigans with Colins bike meant they got clear of us. Ground not frozen like the Welsh centres (reading others reports) so a little muddy & slippery in places making for the odd dodgeyness. Good day out and a good place to be in the dullness. Rating: 4 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9317/pete%20b/Dalby Forest Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9310/justal/Nant yr Arian - Summit Trail 29th, December 2008 - A very cold, icy wind and frozen conditions for the end of month ride. Dave, James and i were the only ones to brave it although there were plenty of other people out on the trail. I felt terrible, too long off the bike and too many mince pies, but I made it around and had a good ride. Need to get out a bit more though. Rating: 3 stars. http://www.forces-of-nature.co.uk/dbdriven/diary/diary.php/view_entry/9310/justal/Nant yr Arian - Summit Trail Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000