TurfZone – WhereIsTheEsk
One imperial inch of snow has fallen; that’s 25.4 mm decimal. Maybe more, maybe less, here or there, depending on the local terrain. Just about enough to go sledging if you can find the right spot but not enough to warrant working from home. However, while it’s fun when freshly fallen, once it gets trodden, compressed by footfalls, partially melted by the weak winter sun, then frozen overnight, it’s a right pain in the proverbial derriere. The slippery uneven surfaces make turfing on foot a challenge and try turf cycling with a normal bike and you take your life in your hands. What you need is a fat bike. Good job I already have one.
For those that don’t know, a fat bike is like any traditional bike but with clearance on the frame and forks for enormous tyres. My Trek Farley 9.6 has 4.5-inch-wide tyres, that’s approx. 115 mm wide and they are ideal for turfing in the above-mentioned conditions. The tyres are amazing and they are not the biggest you can get. Not only do they smooth out all the icy rough stuff but they also provide enormous and confidence inspiring grip. Yes, they do take that little bit more effort to pedal but the rewards are well worth it.
TurfZone – FirthViaduct
Today, I visited Penicuik, tracking down a unique zone I’d been meaning to take since the zone was created back in May last year. The zone is called WhereIsTheEsk. Yes, I could have cycled there during the nice warm summer and bagged it then. But no, I’ve been keeping it for a special occasion. And that special occasion is today, with snow and ice carpeting the ground and temperatures hovering around bloody freezing. Yes, I know I’m mad but where’s the fun in being a normal turfer, if there even is such a thing? It’s not a lot of snow, I know, but winters snows are fickle these days and snowfall is not a dependable as it once was. So, making use of what we have.
So, off I went along the Dalkeith to Penicuik cycleway, once the Penicuik Branch line of the North British Railway, built to service the many paper mills that once operated along the valley of the River North Esk, effectively killing the river with their chemical discharges in the process. (It’s okay now that the mills have all gone). The path was not a busy as usual, the hard-packed slippery conditions keeping the usual runners, cyclists and dog walkers tucked up snugly in front of the telly. Mind you, still a few brave souls out running and cycling.
The fat bike, like when I’m riding the Brompton, tends to attract attention. Reactions are mixed. Some people, usually men, appear jealous, though I may be wrong. Others smile and say hello, though I’m never sure if they are laughing at me or just amazed so encounter this daft idiot riding a silly bike that is more at home on the groomed snow trails of Alaska. Of course, the best reaction is from the small children. Love seeing their wee faces light up in astonishment followed by ” Mummy, can I have one of those?”
TurfZone – TwoHares
I was wearing my heated socks and heated gloves today and both do well to keep the feet and fingers toasty. However, I’m not all that enamoured with the gloves. They were about £40.00 on Amazon and do their job but don’t seem breathable and you get very sweaty inside. And that dampness cools when the gloves are not used, meaning it’s worth carrying dry normal gloves with you. I see that better quality heated gloves can cost between £150.00 to £200.00, so I guess you get what you pay for.
The route taking me along the gentle gradients of an old railway line means fairly easy cycling, picking up zones along the way. Hills are only encountered in Penicuik where the line terminates and you switch to tarmac streets. The one hill I failed to ascent while riding was between zone FlyingBroom and the unique I was heading for, zone WhereIsTheEsk. It was too steep to ride in these conditions, too slippery and even walking was a challenge. However, eventually I made it to the zone, did a wee photo shoot, then started heading back to Bonnyrigg. A grand, if rather chilly, day out turfing.
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