JOURNAL

From that day I have incorporated gravel riding into my daily training schedule, whether it's big mile rides or leisure spins with friends.

This year I was able to do the five forest challenge which was totally new to me!

I remember emptying my legs for the first 20km and then immediately regretting it as we still had 30km to go!

So, one day I was minding my business at work before getting a phone-call to see if I was free to go record a video for a new brand of gravel bike called FUSTLE.

I remember Sandy (photographer) asking me to do wheelies and drifts and thinking the expectations are high for a guy who’s on a new bike with brakes the wrong way round!

But long story short from that day I am now a full-time gravel bike guy! 

Having spent around 3 years riding gravel bikes around our local area, we knew we needed to expand our horizons and get involved with the local community. What better way than to start joining some gravel events or MTB Sportives. 

My wife Julie was at least 2 glasses of wine deep when she made the announcement to the household that she had just signed us up for the Roe Valley 5 Forests Sportive for 2020.

"...having drafted in a few mates, and bribed Granny to come and juggle the kids for the day, off we headed to the epicentre of the country that is Limavady..."

FUSTLE [fuh - sul]

noun, plural Fustle.

The lesser spotted Fustle has been seldom observed by the naked eye, yet is known to live in large herds and breaks cover only to seek for sustenance during the midnight hours.

We had a plan, albeit a bit loose around the edges.  Our videographer Sandy landed on a cold September afternoon, and we headed straight for the north coast of Ireland, destined for the village of Bushmills that would be our base...