Training update - to the 4th Feb

So I take it all back! Winter has hit big time this week.

Ice crystals forming on a stream below Kinder

I'm typing this blog post whilst the snow is falling heavily outside. I think its going to be quite a covering. The birds are busily stocking up on the sunflower seeds, peanuts, nyjer seed and fat balls Rosemary has put out for them. They are eating us to of house and home at the moment.

Monty with South Head in the distance

When it's cold I always say to myself "well its not as cold as in Brandon, Manitoba" My friends Tim & Denise and their children moved out there some years back. The tales they tell of -50C with windchill of -75C puts our pathetic weather into perspective somewhat. They don't shut the schools until it hits -48C and even then they have to think about it. Schools shut over here if anyone even suggests snow. Apparently they are having a mild spell this year. Its only -25C at the moment.

Tea shirt weather in Canada

Riding to work this week has been exhilarating! I've been walking Monty in temperatures of -8 in the morning so had to wrap up warm for riding to work. Once in, it's taken an hour to thaw out, but the skies have been clear and the views stunning. The cold air gave my lungs a shock at first but once I got going and warm I have felt great. It got a bit too icy on Friday for my road bike, so I went on the mountainbike over the tops. The view over New Mills Golf course towards Kinder Scout was breathtaking (as was the climb up Watford Rd)

Beautiful clear skies across to Kinder Scout in the far distance

The previous Sunday I had arranged to go mountain biking with Neil Coverley (my new friend and LEJOGLE veteran). Well I got a call Sunday morning to say that he had invited Fred Salmon along. Regular readers of this blog will know Fred is the proprietor of the Bike Factory in Whaley Bridge and generous donator to my challenge. He is also an ex pro tour cyclist and cycle-cross champion. I was a bit apprehensive. I didn't think I could stay with them and was expecting a lonely ride trying catch them up. Well in the end I surprised myself. 

Mellor church overlooking the Cheshire plain

We climbed out of Hayfield on some great bridleways that were new to me. Past the old norman Mellor church and down towards Marple via the Roman lakes. We headed through the busy town centre and picked up the Middlewood way, which is a trail created after the main Marple/Macclesfield railway was shut in the early 70's. The idea was to go hard for 10 miles until we hit Bollington near Macclesfield. It was very muddy and we got absolutely filthy. We looked like three mud larks from a Dickensian novel. 

Just before Bollington we left the trail. We were climbing up a banking when a large group of OAP walkers spotted us. They thought it was very amusing. Three grown men covered from head to toe in grime. They asked us where we'd come from. So we told them we'd ridden over from Hayfield. One of the women said "I bet your wives won't let you in the house if you go home looking like that!" Neil, who I have discovered is a bit of a comedian, then pipes up with "It's alright love we're all gay"......it went quiet. 

With Fred Salmon in the store room of the cafe - ooh err missus. 

Waiting for our tea and glad to be warm

That sort of set the tone for the rest of our ride. We'd been out over two hours and we needed a rest. There was a little tea shop on the back roads to Adlington. I looked at the place, then the customers through the window, then at us and thought no way can I go in there looking like this. It was posh and full of families having a nice Sunday afternoon tea in quaint surroundings. The last thing they needed was a trio of muddy, sweaty mountain bikers bursting in. 

Well that is exactly what Neil did!  Fred and I reluctantly followed. The look on the waitresses face was a picture. First thing she said was "no - I can't serve you, look at you, you're filthy" I was happy to stand outside with a brew and was already on my way out when Neil called me back. I think he took this as a challenge and started to work on her better nature. "But we are cold and tired and need a warm drink - surely you wouldn't throw us out into the cold" I had to look away as I couldn't hold a straight face. Problem was the whole place was watching and listening by now. It was a kind of mexican stand off. Eventually the waitress to her credit, came up with a plan. We could stay if we went upstairs and she would serve us as soon as she could. She ushered us up to a sort of balcony store room. After placing three bin liners on chairs she told us to wait there and promptly disappeared. After what seemed like an age she reappeared with tea and toasted teacakes. Lovely! A result. I think I learned a good lesson there.  Don't assume the worst - oh and being cheeky can get you places.

Well after getting nice and warm in the cafe we had to venture back out. It was cold and getting late but we still had a few miles to get home. There is nothing worse than having to get going again when you've got yourself warm after being wet and cold.  But that is what I will probably have to do on my LEJOG ride at some point. So we headed up the back of Lyme park and cut through towards the A6 and home. It was a great ride and I felt quite a bit fitter. I am sure the lads were going easy on me but I managed to not get dropped all afternoon. 

Thanks again to Neil and Fred for a great ride out. I really enjoyed it.