Yesterday the strong winds and rain were back, but Saturday was lovely. It meant that for the first time in over a month I found myself back on my MTB saddle on the South Downs. To be honest I wasn’t very adventurous in my choice of route – I chose well ridden paths, with an mix of surfaces and gradients to test the ground conditions and my fitness.
I stated at Foredown Tower heading straight up to the South Downs Way above Fulking. I then turned left towards Truleigh Hill. Left again down towards Southwick before turning left again almost back to the start. I then pointed myelf in the direction of Devils Dyke. Once there I decided to knock up some easy mileage on tamac down to the A27. I cut off road down to Hove Park and picked up the Old Shoreham Road back towards the start. Not quite 16.5 miles – but enough to make my legs feel tired.
The ground conditions were variable but almost all rideable – no muddy falls today – but I still got caught out by a couple of ponds across the path that were as deep or deeper than my bottom bracket – arrrggghhh frozen wet feet. One path in particular had changed since I last rode with a meandering foot deep gulley cut in it by the heavy rain, and another section was mud a foot deep where cattle had been milling round a gate in the bottom of a valley.
At the end I was muddy, tired, wet and happy!