........and I'm free to be who I choose any old time......

I don't know what I've been struck down by but thankfully it didn't seem to affect my legs today, venturing out on the mtb over the moors. In an effort to ride places new Bonus and I did a variation on a loop in his big book of mountain bike loops. We actually started on top of a big hill today, some may call that cheating but as we were expecting to cover twenty plus unknown miles we thought it was a good idea.

Getting ready to roll.

So off we went and still upwards, over Dunkery Beacon and onwards towards Aldermans Barrow and some proper wilderness type cycling over the moor. It was hard going, soft boggy ground and a bit of guess the path, some dodgy moments when you'd suddenly sink, all part of the fun though. We cussed our way to Larkbarrow ruins, a really peaceful spot, that's probably why the British army used it for target practice?

don't say thr B word....

We were grateful to get off the moor and to Badgworthy Water but after criss crossing the river lack of map reading skills and not knowing the area meant we ended up not getting to where we wanted to (yes, lost) We got directions from a nice lady with horses and got our bearings back and made our way back down to the Doone valley.

Oare church...

It was then a case of mainly spinning along the valley and a sticky road climb back to the main road and back towards and over Dunkery to the car. Another great ride but heavy going in places, Exmoor is such a varied place to ride, time to look in the big book for the next adventure ;)

.........It's that time of year again, I can taste the air.....

I've been laid low a bit this week, struck down by an allergic reaction to something in the air, bunged up, wheezing, not pleasant and not conducive to cycling. I was hoping to do the club Spring Audax but after waking up still feeling a bit groggy I thought better of it, my lungs are probably better off resting. Fortunately, Richard who was organising the event sent out an e-mail asking if anyone fancied taking some pics so I thought why not, if I can't ride been out taking pics of people cycling seemed a good second.

I drove out to Withypool and popped into The Royal Oak pub the first control point, who had laid on a table of very nice looking goodies, chatted to Rob who was doing the control, had some flapjack then headed up onto the moor to take some pics.