NWAlps+

I don't really like driving to ride somewhere, sitting in a car for a few hours just to ride around a 10 mile off road circle, even if it does have jumps, berms and drops etc seems a bit of a waste of time not to mention fuel. I don't have a problem with public transport however and luckily London Midland trains are quite happy for you to pop a bike on their trains without a reservation.It was a bit cramped in the "bike" section as there were two touring bikes already there, the owners had travelled down from Sheffield on their way to Hereford.
I disembarked from the train at Great Malvern and straight into the stiff climb up to the town, now I wasn't exactly riding a bike that was ideal for tarmac cruising, the 4" tyres on the fat bike tend to suck the tarmac and put up quite a lot of rolling resistance but I'd fitted spd pedals to do a bit of spinning and once up to speed it rolls fairly well. Hills though are another matter as all told the bike weights a lot nearer to 40lb than 30. There was no choice though now, all i had to do was ride home. I decided to head back to Worcester and then get on the canal to get me nearer to home turf, The route i took wasn't really planned, i just followed my nose keeping the Malvern hills on my left and the river Severn on my right. Because of the proximity of the hills the road was very undulating and i had to battle to keep momentum and keep the speed up. numerous sprints out of the saddle followed by trying to recoup some energy by coasting the down hills was my strategy. If i had a £ for every comment i got on this ride about the size of the tyres I'd have had enough for a slap up meal at the eco-pump tea room in Gheluvelt park, as it was i settle for a huge piece of sponge cake and a pot of tea whilst expailning "those huge tyres" to people also sat in the cafe garden including an old guy who asked if my bike was a Raleigh!
the final stretch was all off road via the Droitwich canal. It was dry on the towpath and i got a good rhythm going only interrupted by a fox stood in the middle of the path, he was in no rush to move either by eventually wandered off through the reeds as ig ot very close.
Knowing i was out with the boys for a beer that evening i had to get a shift on to be back in time and had tea in the saddle in the form of a pasty. i got home with just enough time to shower and change before being picked up
ride 83
42 miles
total 1449
commute 324