Weekend Mudbath
I was feeling a bit better by late afternoon on Saturday than I had the preceeding week (strange lump in throat, stuffed up sinuses, extreme fatigue, very muzzy head) so decided to take a very gentle pootle out in the late sunshine.
I noticed that there's been some re-surfacing work going on on the Downs Link just in Cranleigh, so thought I'd better investigate! They've put down an awful lot of fine gravel, widened the path and levelled it. The greenery at the edges is looking a bit, well, savaged, but I expect it will look much better once the leaves have come out. The lovely surface unfortunatley only runs to the edge of the village; beyond that the Link is currently a mud pit!!!
Still, I wanted a gentle pootle, and that's what I was going to have, if it meant riding in hub-high mud all the way there and all the way back. I started off doing a lot of skidding around going for the edges of the wells of gloop in my path, and although that was fun for a while, it soon got wearing as all I could do was constantly look at the ground. So I changed my technique by bringing my speed right down, and just rolling through whatever was in my way in a low gear.
That worked nicely. Mud everywhere, including all over my water bottle, all up my back and all over my feet and legs, but it enabled me to have a good look around me whilst I was going along, which is the whole point, after all.
Riding through this much mud and cack is rather hard work though, especially having to stop frequently and clear the mud from between your brake shoes and wheel rims. I was very glad of a stop and a Mars Bar. This is a superb view as well, at any time of the year.
By the time I got back to Cranleigh, I must have looked like I'd ridden through a swamp! I rode back home in the fading light tired (after only 10 miles! I must get out more!) and nicely relaxed.
I knew I wouldn't be cleaning my bike that night as it was almost dark. But I had to face it this morning. What a state!! Trying to jar the bike as little as possible to prevent clods of mud and leaves raining down onto the kitchen floor, I gingerly coaxed it out of the back door. Degreaser for the chain and Muc-Off and a good brushing saw off the worse of it, and a good rinse and lube had things back in order. I was encouraged to make a good job by the attention of the neighbourhood cats, who thought it a good entertainment to sit and watch the funny human splash about. Why is it that when I wash my bike I always have a feline audience?!
Looks like night riding on the Downs Link is not a good idea just yet....
I noticed that there's been some re-surfacing work going on on the Downs Link just in Cranleigh, so thought I'd better investigate! They've put down an awful lot of fine gravel, widened the path and levelled it. The greenery at the edges is looking a bit, well, savaged, but I expect it will look much better once the leaves have come out. The lovely surface unfortunatley only runs to the edge of the village; beyond that the Link is currently a mud pit!!!
Still, I wanted a gentle pootle, and that's what I was going to have, if it meant riding in hub-high mud all the way there and all the way back. I started off doing a lot of skidding around going for the edges of the wells of gloop in my path, and although that was fun for a while, it soon got wearing as all I could do was constantly look at the ground. So I changed my technique by bringing my speed right down, and just rolling through whatever was in my way in a low gear.
That worked nicely. Mud everywhere, including all over my water bottle, all up my back and all over my feet and legs, but it enabled me to have a good look around me whilst I was going along, which is the whole point, after all.
Riding through this much mud and cack is rather hard work though, especially having to stop frequently and clear the mud from between your brake shoes and wheel rims. I was very glad of a stop and a Mars Bar. This is a superb view as well, at any time of the year.
By the time I got back to Cranleigh, I must have looked like I'd ridden through a swamp! I rode back home in the fading light tired (after only 10 miles! I must get out more!) and nicely relaxed.
I knew I wouldn't be cleaning my bike that night as it was almost dark. But I had to face it this morning. What a state!! Trying to jar the bike as little as possible to prevent clods of mud and leaves raining down onto the kitchen floor, I gingerly coaxed it out of the back door. Degreaser for the chain and Muc-Off and a good brushing saw off the worse of it, and a good rinse and lube had things back in order. I was encouraged to make a good job by the attention of the neighbourhood cats, who thought it a good entertainment to sit and watch the funny human splash about. Why is it that when I wash my bike I always have a feline audience?!
Looks like night riding on the Downs Link is not a good idea just yet....
posted by Catherine at 15:35
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