More long spins

There was no racing this weekend so Mel and I got to enjoy some long training spins around the Wicklow Mountains. The weather was amazing all weekend with Saturday being possibly the nicest day I've had in the mountains in Ireland since I started biking – sunny, warm, not too humid and everyone you met on the trails had a smile on their face. Surprisingly on Saturday's off-road ride, in the almost 5 hours of riding I only met two other mountain bikers! Many many walkers, but only two mountain bikers, usually I meet many times that – I guess everyone was off somewhere else.

Saturday's route had me start off around Djouce where I did most of the Djouce Challenge course taking in most of the single track Djouce has to offer – from there it was to the top of Djouce mountain (never been up there on a bike) and from then I followed the Wicklow Way to Glenmalur. Mel and I were supposed to meet their but lack of mobile coverage spoiled that so I ended up climbing the Shay Elliot climb and then heading up to the top of Mullacor (another climb I did not do before – it was amazing!) then back down into the valley holding Laragh and then the road to Roundwood where the car was waiting.

Saturday's Profile

Sunday was another big day – I don't usually go on too many rides much over 4 hours but this weekend was a little exception (the weather and the fact I'm not racing for another 14 days egged me on). This time the road bike was calling so I went on a similar ride to my longest road ride I did in Ireland last year. Basically riding over and then around the Wicklow Mountains taking in most of the bike climbs. I didn't feel particularly fast at any point until the final hour (of the almost 5.5 hours on the bike) when I had to hammer home to be in time for a dinner party Mel and I were attending. Overall – a great weekend of riding.

Sunday's Profile

Purple for off-road and red is for the road ride