recovery

takes longer to do these days, the efforts of last weekend wiped me out, I'm actually quite shocked at how much Yesterday I decided to head to the peaks with the Salsa Vaya, I took the mudguards and rack off the bike as it was blue skies and sunshine, I drove to Langley with the idea of saving my legs for the hills. Heading straight up through the forest immediatly indicated that there was nothing in the tank, 1st gear and slipping around on the loose gravel fire roads wasn't fun... at all.



I had to stop a few times to let the lactic drain from my legs but eventually made the top



Meanwhile, the sun did its thing



Dropping into the valley brought some relief, and I started to feel better, until the road went up again, it was at this point that I decided to call it a day so headed back via a loop of Shutlingsloe
 

Just over 12 miles, 560 metres of climbing, 1 hour 30 mins. Feeling a bit let down with this I decided to make the most of the sunshine and headed over to Delamere where I'd heard that the trails were dry and dusty via NickTeetosugars, he was right, they were just about perfect, very few puddles, dry dusty and smelling of rising pine.



The Salsa Vaya was perfect for here today, fast and nimble, and in complete contrast to my earlier ride, there was only two places where I got caught out, one rooty drop off that I hit before I realised and felt the rear rim through the tyre, amazed that I didntpinch flat, and then at the bottom of a descent was a sand pit, the front tyre squirmed and I felt my self going over the bars, luckily for me the sand firmed up and the tyre squared up, I got through ! Still awaiting the new tent to be delivered, should be here either today or tomorrow, will take it over to my folks house to pitch it in their garden to see if I fit into it, if its okay then I'm thinking of heading back to Wales on Sunday to continue the tour.