been a while

Well it has been a while since I blogged so about time I resolved that.

There is a change in the air, Autumn has announced its arrival with heavy rain and high winds and there is a change in the cycling community too.

A noteable scent in the air as glue is applied to rims (and fingers!!) as the cross season approaches with tubs being glued or stretched and smiles appear on faces as the bikes are wheeled out and pointed towards the woods and fields.

The summer (I call it that though this year it failed to appear) road miles seem mearly a warm up for what is the highlight of our cycling year. Now it starts. We have had our first cross session at the club (Cycle Sport Pendle) and Matt and I have ventured into the woods to practice getting mucky, whilst hopping on and off our bikes and throwing in some hill reps. Last night Al and his lad Jack and I were back in the woods just riding new tracks and enjoying a easy session where skills improve without any real thought.

It is great to see Matt and Jack both 10 out enjoying riding their bikes and seeing their confidence grow and skills improve, both want to race again this year which is great to see.

This year has also seen me step up to the plate and organise a cross race for our club, its part of the NW series so I hope we get plenty of HcTB riding the event - 23rd of October. The course Al and I have designed will be very much a European sytle course that should allow the fast boys and girls to ride fast and those new to cross ride at their own pace and enjoy the course. We have a few tweaks still to make but we are hoping that it works well and becomes an annual event on the calender.

Another highlight this year will be the Rapha SuperCross talking to Konrad I really think this will be a fantastic series and set a marker for how a cross race can be run. I am aiming to race the Lakes event and may ride the Huddersfield one if my body allows it. I hope we get a good show from the HcTB - get them in your schedules.

Finally this year I have changed my ride, the Uncle John just felt too big so I have gone for a Specialized CruX and what a difference. last night was the first ride and I was very impressed with the handlig and the speed of the bike so I cannot wait to give it a real test in a race.

So I hope to see some of you at the events over the next few months