Mountain biking

Of course it is normal that whilst you are out on your mountainbike that you get wet and muddy.  Nevertheless there is no reason why that should not be a bit minimized.  The spray of water coming off your back wheel is a case in point; is it really necessary that you get a wet backside when going through puddles? Completely Waterproof clothing is not much good in the summer as you get far too hot and indeed today I took off my jacket after a few minutes, despite heavy rainfall.  I had seen that water resistant shorts existed, so when I was in England a few weeks ago got a pair from the Specialized concept store in Harrogate. My local shops do not have so much of that sort of wet-weather gear as a lot of people here seem to think that rain is a reason to stay inside. The shorts cost about half of what I was expecting to pay  - according to the helpful assistant, they had made too many, which I suppose means that not everyone sees the point. I am hoping they will be good both for warm wet weather and also on top of long cycling trousers in the autumn and winter. The shorts are made of nylon and coated with some sort of hydrophobic substance, but with a rather open weave (presumably like that, so that they are not too hot).  Today there was some serious rain before I set off, leaving all the paths submerged in a several centimetres of water.  Ideal testing conditions.
How did they do?  In short, I was pleased.  Indeed, the spray from the wheels and rain from above splashed off them like water off a duck's back.  Naturally, after a half hour or so on continuous wetting, they let some water through, but seeing that would normally have occurred within one minute of setting off in such conditions that was not bad. Of course I will have to see how the coating does after a few washes, but certainly as they are now, they are well worth having.

Photo: Statue by Edward Hore, 'Duck'.
'African Art' statues can been seen whilst mountaibiking through the Renkumsebeekdal.

I often go mountain biking in the woods around the Ginkelse

Hei

de and normally, other than the wide tracks in the sand left by the tanks carrying out

exercises on the heathland, there is not much to remind you of its history.  But this is the location where the paratroopers landed in the second world war, with Operation Market Garden, leading to the battle of Arnhem and 'the bridge too far'.  A historical site. Yesterday was the 68th anniversary so there were the usual celebrations and commemoratio

ns. By the time I cycled past this morning, there was not so much to see.  Fresh wreaths on the memorial, a few tents, and some fences left that had not yet been cleared up. I thought that was it, but a half hour later, the distinctive rumble of old aircraft came overhead and a couple of waves of small old planes (spitfires?) flew above my head. A reminder of the events of nearly 70 years ago that played out in these woods where I cycle so often.

Yes, it's time for another muddy photo.

  It has rained a lot in the past week and although it was dry and sunny today, that means that the woods are full of spectaucular damp bits that look like they might be just a bit on the wet side, but can be a good half meter deep. One was as deep as my wheels! At least all the mud earned us some impressed looks from passers by as we cycled home!