New Bike, New Route

With the British weather being so busy since Christmas, my #12×100 mileage had been a bit pants through January.  So, with a steely determination and wearing almost every item of technical fabric I possess, I headed out to try a new loop on Saturday.

The Pennine Bridleway cuts all over the foothills of the Pennines near where I live, and I’ve ridden little bits of it up near Hollingworth Lake a few times.  I figured that I couldn’t really call myself a Rochdalian mountain biker until I’d explored a bit more of it, though.

I chose to do half of the route which Evans Cycles had used for an organised ride the week before, heading along the canalside before heading up to Watergrove Reservoir and taking the PBW across the hills to Summit, between Littleborough and Todmorden.

Out by the PBW, back by the canal.

The snow began as I left home and continued for the whole ride.  I was loving it.  I’ve found that snow itself isn’t slippy.  It’s compacted snow and hidden ice that’s slippy.  I only had a single arse/floor interface, when I failed to spot a large frozen puddle beneath my wheels until the bike suddenly flipped rubber-side-up and dumped me unceremoniously on my side.  The only saving grace was that the ice was thick enough to support my weight, so I crawled back to my feet, checked that nobody had seen anything (they hadn’t, it was pretty deserted thanks to the weather) and cracked on with my ride.

I’ve stuck a few photos here for your enjoyment, and to remind me what a great time I had.  If you like them, please say so below 🙂 If you hate them, then shut up, you’re wrong 😉

After a few miles on the PBW and arriving at Summit, I decided that getting back home along the canal towpath was the most sensible idea because, quite frankly, I’d run out of bovril.  So, tucked my head down and cracked on home.

If you want to, you can see the map at my DailyMile site.  Tell ’em Phill sent you 🙂