First ride of the year,so excited,knew I'd forgotten Something...

I awoke this morning to a fresh covering of snow. I was really excited as this was to be my first ride of the new year. My Surly Nate's had arrived Friday and my dad had fitted them whilst I was at work, great stuff. 

I got myself sorted and popped out to our shed to just check my bike over. "Dam" I noticed I had a flat on the back. Don't know how that happened as it wasn't like a nip of the tube when my dad had put the tyres on. Never mind it was a fairly quick fix, the hardest part was actually trying to find the hole as it was tiny, no bigger than a pin prick. I used one of my Leyzne ready glued patches and this did the trick sealing the tube nicely. It was then just a case of re-inflating the tyre. I pumped them up to 8psi, not entirely sure what is the best pressure for snowy conditions, however thought this would be a good start to try.

My plans were to just have a short ride out and kind of get back in the swing of things see how the Nate's performed. I had also arranged with a Ade a good friend of mine to get some "fun" shots as he's pretty handy with a camera. 

So Ade met me down mine and he brought along his son Simon who was going to be the sherpa for the day carrying Ade's camera gear.

And so we set off Ade and Simon in his car and my dad and myself in ours (Ern wanted to tag along to see if I fell off in the snow I think) To be honest my dad is my number one fan, he's a great bloke so is well deserving of a mention.

 I like to cheer people up and make them chuckle so had come up with the idea of doing something maybe a little different whilst out on my bike and in the snow. 

This was to prove hilarious especially when Ade spotted some walkers out along the trail. We were in the woods and he kind of panicked saying "quick hide there's someone coming"..."No really Glenn I'm not joking there's someone coming". The walkers didn't come along our trail, however imagine there surprise if they had. To be confronted by a half man, half mechanical dude in the buff riding a Fat Bike...Coldest part of me today btw was my fingers, note to self...must buy some new winter gloves...

  What a difference the Surly Nate's make when riding on stuff like snow and thick mud. Yeah I found they dragged a bit when I was on my way home and had to venture onto a little bit of tarmac, however it wasn't too bad.

My Bartlett Tendon also performed well. My confidence has grown immensely over the years I have been using the unit and what with the way the new "cam" helps make the knee feel more progressive, well it's just brilliant.Oh and check out my shiny Pace carbon Fibre socket, everything has just come together and I feel so lucky to be able and get out on days like this...

Anyhoo thoroughly enjoyed my first small ride of the year. It was really fun filled with loads of laughs. It does you good to go a little mad now and again.

 When we had finished shooting the pics we returned to the cars. I decided I would just ride home. To be honest I wasn't all that cold considering all I had on was a pair of shorts with nowt underneath & a base layer, jersey and jacket...The coldest part of me being my finger ends and toes on one foot (the other actually felt remarkably warm and toasty, it's funny the sensations you get as an amputee)

 I was a little sore when I got in around where I have recently had surgery, good news my wound is intact and hasn't split. It now appears to be healing nicely, only a few anti-biotics left to take. So looks like I'm ok to get back out on my bike. Hoping to get some nice photo's and video's this year and achieve a few more goals I have set myself...

Huge thanks to Ade & Simon I think we all had a really good day out, it's one of those days you can look back on and say "Can you remember the time". Oh and also a big thank you to my dad, what with helping put my tyres on yesterday then helping me sort my bike and ferrying me around these past few months back and forth to work, well I know I have a dad in a million. For me this is what it's all about just getting out there and having a laugh & some fun especially with good m8's and it's a bonus when you can bring a laugh and a smile to your dear old pop through your mad antics lol....

Just ordered some Surly Nate's for my Fat Bike...

Well I'm well fed up, got my self a Fat Bike and the snow is pretty much on the ground, yet I haven't been for a ride this year. No it's not because I'm afraid of the cold weather.As many of you will know it's because I've had surgery, just a small biopsy, unfortunately this went on to get infected so has delayed my recovery slightly. 

 I have to admit when walking on snow and ice with my normal everyday prosthetic limb it's pretty difficult and scary, very weird when you can't feel your foot, so not entirely sure when it's under you or not lol. I think I much prefer to be on my bike, somehow I get a sense it will be much more stable.

Anyhoo onto the subject of this post... I've found it quite difficult riding over the last few wet months. I've just have no traction in this thick gloopy stuff we have had around on local trails. So I decided to seek advice from fellow Fat Bikers and invest in a pair of Surly Nate's. I ordered my tyres from Charlie the Bike Monger and they should arrive here any day now. As soon as they are here, it will be a case of off with my current tyre's which are Surly Larry's and on with the new Nate's. Then it's just getting the all clear to say it's pretty much safe to ride, nothings going to split open or drop off and I will be out on the trails testing them out. In fact come Saturday if I feel up to it I may have an ickle  none to strenuous look out as it's my intention to get some shots each month for a calendar project I have in mind, so need to catch at least one pic for each month...If something does drop off I can always get a photo I suppose for that month lol...

From Surly Website