Holidays

If you thought we were way away from Christmas, then you would apparently be wrong as Argos already wants to sell you stuff. I’m including it because it’s nice to see that they want you to buy bikes and pull 180s.

Talking of tricks, some real pros are rocking it.

This is one way to ride a bike... https://t.co/rgtiY2o1jx

— Red Bull UK (@RedBullUK) October 17, 2014

Meanwhile I headed off to the South West to revisit some old trails. On Saturday it was time to hit a big hard ride on Exmoor, from Porlock, riding trails I’ve done before, in many cases in the other direction. Exmoor offers some tough challenges, some of which I could have worked round by not forgetting to pack inner tubes and having to head back to the car. It was a surprisingly hot and humid autumn day and the climbs were brutal from the start.

Exmoor puts up quite a challenge, with fun downhills interspersed with unridable combe climbs and huge powerful long drags up onto the highest point of the moor at Dunkery Beacon.

The rewards came in terms of wide open views and a sense of achievement, although not enough of the top-level singletrack that the route we were following had promised, with surprisingly large stretches of road. Six hours out on the moors and a pinch puncture each and we were back, wet and blown in the wind, but having had a real adventure of a day out on the bike.

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