Biking

Waypoints: Tom & Ruby

  • Tom Wragg
  • •

There's no speedier duo than Tom & Hungarian Vizsla Ruby on the trails – Tom on his mountain bike and Ruby on her four paws. Here, Tom shares their favorite waypoint for biking and running, Wakerley Woods.

I'm from a small county near Lincolnshire, where I have lived my whole life. I had never had a dog until I met my wife, who came into my life with a chihuahua. Though not my first choice of dog, this insight into dog ownership made me realise I was missing something in my life. Cue Ruby!

A Hungarian vizsla dog smiles at the camera.

Ruby is a Hungarian Vizsla and was bred a few miles from my family home where I grew up. From the moment we met her, I knew we were going to have so many adventures. Once she had learnt basic commands and was old enough and her body was ready, she started learning how to run with me on my bike.

A man takes a break from mountain biking to high-five his dog.

This was a gradual process we took step by step to make sure she was comfortable and safe at all times, but it was absolutely worth all the time and patience I put in. Because being able to hit the trails with my best friend after a long day is the best medicine.

A man rides his mountain bike in the forest while his dog runs in front of him.

Our favourite place to go is one of our local trails, Wakerley Woods. About 3/4 of all of Ruby’s content has been filmed in there, and she knows it like the back of her hand. There is nothing better than just letting her out of the truck and chasing her around a trail she knows better than I do.

A dog runs in front of her human who is mountain biking.

We have been going to the woods to walk since she was allowed out on her lead. This was also where we started doing her first small rides together when she first began running with the bike. The fire roads were perfect for us to practice before she was confident enough to hit the more complex trails.

A man mountain bikes at night while his dog runs in front of him on the trail.

It will always be special to us as I feel it's where our partnership really began. It's where she learnt how to run with the bike, and where I realised how awesome she was.

We have spent so many hours here over the last 9 years, with friends and family and just the two of us, both walking and riding. Every memory we have is a great one.

A dog runs in the snow while her human mountain bikes behind her.

Ruby loves it because she knows exactly where she's going. She loves running ahead and showing everyone what she can do. The fact she knows every trail means she really can lead the pack.

We have since moved a bit further away from here, but that will always be considered “the local.” Regardless of how long we leave between trips, Ruby always knows where she's going!

Another place we love visiting is the Peak District; we have spent many weekends in the Peaks, and I'm fairly sure she loves the views as much as we do.

Ruby’s Top Picks:

Want to see more of Tom & Ruby's adventures? Check them out at @rubythetraildog.

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