Have map...will travel

 Living where we do, in a massive adventure playground (OS maps don't lie) and having a new toy, the Boardman MTB, is an excuse to go off piste and explore some of the local scenery.

 Which is why, today, yours truly set out for an hour and a bits freedom glorious Octoberfest sunshine, leaving Rock HQ with three sleeping beauties in charge (MBAOSPW's ME is giving her real grief so no get up and go to enjoy playtime) while I found some lesser known public rights of way.

 Some of it was a bit hilly but clear trails to follow. New hazards were encountered, the articulated lorry of the trail riding world, cows, who unlike sheep who wait til last second to bugger off, gang up, form a posse and try and head you off at the pass. They fell for the time honoured head down a side gulley, wait til they thunder past and then out retrace your steps, silly cows, Actually this translated to shout obscenities at A) Curious cows heading for same exit as yours truly and B) shout at Bike for first time fail of vital change gear to give our blessed lady of acceleration a chance to outrun said silly cows.

 I won the death race and found a fixer upper. Makes you wonder how a place like this came to be so unlived in. Several exciting miles later, kamikaze squirrels, lethargic sheep, gorse bushes and stinging nettles all adding to the heady adrenaline mix yours truly confronted one of his personal demons. Some years ago in a time before bionic left arm a spectacular attempt at self harm occurred on the dark side of Hergest Ridge leading to Five Ways (top of sheep skull lane, keep up!) where with daring do I rode (read crashed big time, earth sky earth sky earth, pain, bleed, relax)down a steep bit. I duly turned down that track and exorcised the that demon, almost, at the crucial section where controlled falling is necessary I bottled and dabbed the foot down a few times slowing to snails pace. This, despite the soundtrack to Rocky playing (in the earphones, not in my head)

Having survived and feeling pretty chuffed with trauma therapy working I finished the ride by heading into The Cauldron which is where the results of last nights downpour could be seen by the absence of trail hidden under the fallen bracken.