|
|
|
Welcome to our Ride Diary - Site under Reconstruction
A brilliant, cloudless day in the Lake District was the reward for those who took the MidAirCrisis Train to Whinlatter's new trail this Sunday, 5th October 2008. Thanks to Ian B, Chris and Mick for volunteering their cars in order to cure the chaos at the start!
Anyway, we got over there OK, no traffic problems, just a bit slow on the A66 to Keswick, and started the ride around 11:00am. The low-lying bits and dips in the trail had some moisture in them, but the exposed climbs were almost bone dry! The initial kick from the Trailhead has been improved fantastically from when it first opened with a brilliant, technical, loose and rocky climb up the side of the hill, parallel to that awful fireroad slog. This takes you half way up where you need to be, unfortunately still leaving a plenty boring, fairly steep fireroad heave to get some height. But after that, whether you are climbing (yep, still a bit left!) or levelling off it takes on a whole new personality - Fun Generation!
And that's without the downhills, which are almost worth the visit on their own, or would be if they were five miles longer. Just as we were about to start the first fantastic such drop, which is also the second last one, Derek managed to stop his forks working. He'd done something pretty stupid (honesty's the best policy, Del!) by bringing his featherweight Cannondale single speed weapon. It's an excellent bike for nippin' doon the shops for a paper but only an idiot (pause for offers) would bring it to a Trail Centre. So he did.
Anyway, we stopped to push some air in the front forks, and after 10 minutes had pumped them up, down and sideways every which way - you get my drift. We broke them. So he had to ride this immensely enjoyable rush of rock gardens, drop-offs and berms with no front travel at all, except on the upstroke when it topped out with a loud bang every time the front wheel left the ground (lots). He also managed to get down the long, final hum-dinger of a roller coaster to be met with applause from the others gathered and enthusing at the bottom.
That, however, was that for Derek, declining a hire bike for the pre-planned second lap of the place during our nice long lunch break back at the cars. Probably just as well as he'd had a good shaking and still is far from match fit after a whole heap of health problems in the last year or two. If he didn't love his bikes so much he'd have given them up altogether by now. At least I now have a fellow struggler to keep me company in the hinterland. But actually, we've decided between the pair of us (executive decision again) to try and look after last man better than we have been lately.
Anyway, Derek remained at the Visitor centre enjoying a coffee and the sunshine while the other 11 of us re-grouped for the second assault on that there hill. Everyone coped much better this time and, true to his word, the Gollum remained firmly planted at the back when it was necessary. Over the two laps just about everyone managed at least a dodgy moment with a dismount. I think Alex claimed the prize for most comprehensive launch of the day and actually managed to draw blood. I have a feeling someone else oozed a bit of fluid - I'm sure I'll be told in time.
Even for those new to the game, the second loop gave them plenty of satisfaction and confidence for future Trail centre rides. And for the Gollum, it was brilliant not to have an ailing singlespeed slowing him down for those last two wonderful stretches of potentially death-inducing singletrack downhill, so cheers for that, Dekker! 13.68 miles clocked up by my bike PC on a beautiful clear, warm day in the Lakes! Believe!
Here's the solitary videos from the final whoop-de-doo descent - if you aren't in here, where were you? If you were and the video doesn't have your name on it, I'm afraid I've forgotten again so put me right (again!) please. (Stewart and Mick here, by any chance?)
Now if I'm right, the following people were in attendance here today:
Let me know if you have trouble seeing theez pleez.
|
|
|
Fixtures coming... |
|
Tyneside 12th Oct
Perth 18th Oct (Sat)
Chopwell Woods
Ian B's Glentress - The Secret Trails!
Holy Island
Thrunton Woods
Dalby Forest
Kielder
Hexham Common
Glentress/Innerleithen Xmas Stopover? |
|
MidAirCrisis
