Fat Lad Has Been Very Poorly Indeed

Tuesday morning my dearest dad had roped me into helping him with some lifting in exchange for a breakfast at the local trade warehouse. (You see it's not all glamour in the life of an international blogger/MTB legend) I knew something wasn't quite right when I passed up the opportunity for a "Full English" and opted for egg and toast. With the lifting out of the way I got back home and sat on the sofa feeling really strange. All reserves of energy had gone and my legs were painful to touch, it was like riding with Jim and Pete.....

A few hours later and I'd managed to get off the sofa and relocated to the bathroom to re-enact the pea soup scene from the Exorcist as it fired out from, well, another place too. Laying in bed feverish later, I lamented on the miles I was missing.

How were the trails going to be? Were they going to be still beautifully firm and grippy as springtime worked it's almost divine magic? Who was going to be out? Would it be the usual suspects or would the Pootle Crew be blessed with new grins? What route were they doing, start place had been decided but route not? Would the assembled crank mashers hit the sweet and swoopy joys of the Reservoir Raid or the demanding but grin inducing Drig Delight? What new toys would people have? Would it be the usual creaking, groaning mechanic's nightmare of velocipedes or would the sheen and shine of Jim's new race steed be prompting a trip on the plastic fantastic?

Before I descended into complete biological meltdown I'd managed to radio in to Pete to ask him to lead up the ride for me. Everyone who pootled has told me what a great ride he'd lead and what a good time had been shared. So to Pete; Cheers mate your a legend.

So, here I am, still not 100% (but with my appetite back thankfully) writing this up instead of riding, hopefully giving my body chance to fully heal.

In other news a few from the Bad Brains and most of Pete's "Training Crew" are riding the Spring Marathon this weekend so a big shout of good luck to them all.

In other news a few blogs you should be reading:

Bigringcircus: You should always be reading Juancho's little stateside adventures, every now and again he even rides his bike.

Mattmagic: This guy is always worth reading for two reasons: Firstly to gawp at the sheer mileage this guy puts in and secondly to be totally envious of a lifestyle where that much riding is even possible.

Fat Cyclist: A bit of cycling blog celebrity now but always well written and a giggle to read.

First and Last And Always: Sascha's little corner of the net is a favourite of mine but she supplements her cycling pain with swimming and running suffering too.

Jeff Kerkove: America's and Ergon's own poster boy for endurance racing. A regular updater and an interesting insight into the regime of what it takes to be very good indeed.

Highway Munky: He's already sliding down the slippery slope of MTB addiction and isn't far away from the point of no return. It's quite amusing to see his dependence being fed for all too see.

Struggling to Find My Form: Another stateside blogger (and this one is a roadie but don't hold it against him) with a certain wit about him. What is about the "chunkier" cyclist and mildly amusing ramblings.......

Fat Lad

P.S. This post was very nearly called Fat Lad Rides The Porcelain Throne but I thought better of it.

Pete Rides Like A New Born Foal....

With spring truly sprung, the trails are getting drier, firmer and faster. It's brilliant. Today Pete and I rolled out for a short trundle so he could try out clipless pedals. Resident whippet Jim lent him some shoes in roughly the right size and had to stifle a giggle as Pete walked like Frankenstein's monster to the garage to get the bike.

The glorious sunshine was only slightly marred by the cold wind gently blowing in all directions but behind us. On the tarmac and down the first off road section Pete was going strong. We hit the entrance to Birkby Brow woods for it's off cambered rooty singletrack and Pete had a nervous grin on his face. He shouldn't have he flew down as quick as he always does and I struggled to keep on his wheel despite riding for years. For a man nervous of being clipped in he was leaving the ground off the kickers with little worry.

I think it's a rite of initiation that the first time you ride clipless you spend most of your time on your arse on the ground and Pete was remaining disappointingly upright. That is, until the stream. He crossed the water without issue but then on crossing the lip out fell over. Sideways. I might have giggled.

Both over the small width of water I had to dismount to drop the chain(long story, watch this space) to the granny ring for the steep climb out. Cresting the top Pete was sat up yet on the ground, entangled in the bike still clipped in. "I'm just laying down enjoying the view Al" he smiled down to me.

With the Fat Lad playing squash in the evening, and with Jim pulling Pete's legs off in the afternoon on one of their training rides we decided on the shorter option of the ride and finished off in time for a late lunch.

So then Pete, you convinced?

Fat Lad

A Fat Lad Invitation

Dirty Burt said:
One thing I'd like to do is... Ride with people I meet or talk to with these blogs. Either I come there or you come here, what do you say?

If any bike blogger,Sascha, or even Juancho want's to come to blighty to ride with my crowd then just shout..... I've a spare room and enough space in the fridge to feed a few riders ;)

Seriously though if anyone fancies joining us for a ride let me know

Fat Lad

Fat Lad's Goals

Despite the easy going attitude and the vague general drift that is my life; I do have some hopes and dreams. But what might surprise some of my regular readers to know is that I do have goals.

In no particular order.....

I want my own bike shop:
And it would be a damn good one too! My early employment days in the "Bike Shop" were the happiest (though lowest paid) days of my professional life. I'd swap big salary for fun any day.......

I'd like a crack at MTB Journalism:
I love writing, I love riding. How much harder can it be ;)

I would like to be a better rider:
Not faster. Better. Yes, I'd like to lose another stone to climb a little easier but I'd like to descend with more confidence and stop my mind working overtime calculating exactly what damage I'd do to myself this time.

I want to finish this:
TransRockies. A long term goal but one day... I'm going to do it.

I want to also have a crack at this:
La Ruta hell it can't be any muddier than the shite we're riding through at this time of year in blighty. Can it?

But most of all I want this:
Happy pedalling, good times and the continued support, love and understanding of Mrs Fat Lad. No one else is daft enough to have me.

Fat Lad

Fat Lad Nearly Rides Somewhere

Sorry for not updating dear readers. (I'm fairly sure there's a few of you out there at least that's what the website stats are saying...) but it's because I've not ridden for a very very long time. Any danger of me calling the blog Thin Lad Rides Again have long since evaporated after Christmas and New Year..... too many pies and way too much ale! I was all fired up to go riding last night. Lights charged; yep. Kit washed; yep. Bike ready;yep. Roachy going out; nope. Well he could have done but as he's playing Bob The Builder and was tiling his bathroom last night he wouldn't have been able to shower afterwards. I thing Mrs Roachy would probably have kicked him out. Still I could have ridden by myself.................... yeah right. Still I'm supposed to be riding on Thursday with the Bad Brains guys maybe my one loyal reader could leave a comment and coax me out..........