Here’s a video I’m posting specifically for Rob Floders, who I know enjoys my cycle videos. Rob’s having a really tough time at the moment, and although I know a daft video can’t make anything better, I hope it makes him smile just a little. Thinking of you, old chap.

This is a journey from Rifle Range corner, on Cannock Chase, past the old range itself, and unusually for me, along the east side of Abraham’s Valley to Seven Springs. It was filmed last Sunday afternoon; oddly, there wasn’t a soul around.

For the armchair cyclists, this is what happens when I’m let loose on a fast mountain bike. It goes like stink, and is much more surefooted than my usual ride. Speeds up to about 35mph on loose forest tracks, and all of it in real time, no speed jiggery at all in this one.

I haven’t yet built up much bottle on this steed yet – I’m looking forward to riding it over some fairly rough landscape in future…

For the best video quality, click on the little gear symbol in the bottom right of the video box and click the highest number that will play on your computer. Resolutions up to 1080HD high definition are available.

The track used is the magical orchestral version of Peter Gabriel’s ‘In Your Eyes’ from the excellent ‘New Blood’ album of last year – hard to believe the album that it came from originally – ‘So’ – is over 25 years old.