Rutsville

 

26.1km, 1192ft ascent in 2hrs 20 mins (trail and forest) today in bitterly cold temps. -11C this morning. The mush - water, mud, ice, snow with deep tyre ruts all mixed together in a chunky soup - left from yesterday had frozen solid overnight and made riding, even in my spikes, bloody hard and I admit to opting to ride on the road for oooh, all of 10 seconds until I realised it was worse and headed back to rutsville. I'm not sure what the gritters were doing last night but it wasn't gritting or ploughing as the traffic was down to 5mph and careering about all over the place trying to avoid the huge patches of frozen meltwater and ruts. I was really ready for breakfast (thats proper brekkie, not the banana I force down throat at 6am) by the time I got to work.

It was still a stunning day when I left and a good bit warmer at 2 deg C, and the majority of the snow had thawed so decided to add a bit of ascent and a few extra km so went home via Crathes Castle. Leg numbing climb (not that steep, just an awkward gradient) to the castle grounds from a side entrance then a lovely coast down through the forest, a few extra loops through it as it was so pretty and then rejoined the trail. I'd planned to hit the riverside but the Estate have closed off the track with a brand new 6ft high spiky gate that I can't get over or round. GAH! So disappointed, I went and treated myself to a Doubledecker at the village shop.

Tomorrow is a no-ride day (erk..) as have an appt in Aberdeen with N and Jnr. That all going well, then its lunch with a mate. Still, it'll give my gear a chance to dry out maybe :)