I Heart The Woods

I have been out riding in the woods a lot recently. It has been good. After we got back from the lakes (stay tuned...) trips involving getting  in the car and spending a whole day on the trails have been put on hold whilst work/exam/other commitments have been filled. As a consequence the quick two hour ride around the woods has become my main riding fill, and I have been loving it.

Ste riding the woodland moon.

I think May is by far the best time to ride the Endor-like speeder bike singletrack around these parts. A sweet combination of hardpacked buffness and swoopy steep super-loam. I can think of one specific bit of trail that, in my head at least, is almost identical to Star Wars' finest, just lacking the small moon gravity. That would be sweet for huuuuge jumps. If I were an Ewok I would be a freeride god.

Mmmm, ferns

But I digress. Due to an upcoming change in circumstances the woods I have grown up with are not going to be at my front door for much longer. I appreciate that there will be other woods, other trails just beyond the doorstep, won't there? Does everyone have it this good? This is probably just a may thing, as the trails are perfect right now, and come July time when riding the woods will mean a wip-lashing from damp bracken I will look back at this post in awe. But the woods are good right now. I'll miss them when I'm gone.

Times are a'changing, the patchworks of trails in the woods changes every year. The bracken is taking back this new trail through some parched hillside already.

There be spiders in the trees.

Hardpacked dirt and dry powder loam.

The loam is soft, but brambles hurt. Ste stays safe.

Ste puts the hardpack to good effect on 'The Most Unphotogenic Jump'.

Woods + A dry May = Perfect

Dry trail heaven.

I have run out of words to describe how much fun weekday evenings are at the minute. I could have spent hours just lapping the trails, they are so nice at the minute. It is true though, I'll miss this when it is not there, just the other side of the doorstep.