Apologies for swift exit and not finishing AQR piece on Friday, Kelly didn’t get gold but ran brilliantly, well worth getting home in time to see it.
Was hoping to get back to it on Saturday but being the family taxi took over. Sunday was a blur but great fun and I now have a rather fabulous very black bruise on my knee the result of a rather spectacular off at a roller skating party.

Anyway….AQR.
After lunch we moved on to basic maintenance and bike set up. This was brilliant for me because I was a bit precious about my bike, a bit of techno phobia going on and the thought of taking something off lovely bike and putting it back on was kinda scary. I can now manage a bit of basic stuff myself and the mystique has gone - my bike is a very beautiful collection of bits, bits that can come off, go back on, be lost and replaced.
I did bond with my bike; we are developing a close relationship: my bike is a “she” and definitely has personality!
I would whole heartedly recommend these skills days to anybody, my riding has already benefited from Kate’s top tips, I can hear her as I ride, telling me to look further ahead, that speed is my friend, oh and going up hill that she cant see enough saddle! I am enjoying the bike a lot more and will definitely do more skills days soon.
A word of advice from newly wise me: Don’t struggle with your bike – learn from good people, you wouldn’t take your driving test without lessons first!


Tracy looking very smokey in her PI Gavia Tight and Gore Alpine Jacket, me concentrating and looking chubby in gorgeously warm Peak Windstopper Pile Jacket.

AQuickRelease
Photos:Mr Miles