February, 2013 | Basque Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking in the Basque Winter

One of the things I love about the Basque Country is the fact that we get seasons. Proper seasons. Many people take this for granted but not me, and this knowledge keeps me going through these cold, dark days of biblical rains and biting winds. I know that in a few short weeks the sun will make its appearance once more, drying out our trails and heralding the arrival of a bright and welcome spring. The bright green shoots will force their way through the rotten leaf mulch that covers our mountain bike tracks, the trees will once more offer their beautiful canopies to our heads and the birds will sing their songs of love, and lust, as they have done since the dawn of time. As is the way of things, spring will give way to summer, wild flowers will line our paths and we will search for climbs in the shade to ease our sweaty passage to the tops of the hills. We will swim in the sea at the end of our rides and drink cold beers to soothe our parched throats. Summer is great but, like winter, it is only temporary and will soon pass to autumn, a time of rustling leaves and cooler temperatures. In autumn we will enjoy the cool, clear days on the Basque coast and drive south to escape the sudden storms. Autumn is probably my favourite time for mountain biking, with the Basque forests showing their full splendour and many trails covered with deep leaves which give a soundtrack to our passing tyres. And then once more we enter winter, temporary winter.
Like I say, it is important to remember these things now , during these weeks when we can only grab our bikes and dash out between the storms to enjoy a couple of cold, damp hours in the mountains. At times like this I often look back at last year´s mountain biking holidays and remember sunnier times. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I do.