Wednesday 29 June 2011

Sun's shining get riding

Gorgeous morning ride into work monday, trails a bit wet but drying nicely, sting-o-rama tho, all the trailsides are overgrown, have to push brake levers out so they don't get pulled by passing vegetation. Couple of dog related emergency stops too, if your dog "goes" for riders/people keep it on a lead please, good job I slow down and cover the brakes round pooches. Met my mrs and kids in the park on the way home and we watched charlie going up and down the big slide....repeatedly :-) He does like slides. Yesterday's commute was just as nice, ride home went a bit wonky tho. A few weeks ago on the narrow section near clifton works, metal fence left side, wooden post/metal tube cross bars on the right, I managed to clip my handlebar on wooden post, front wheel swung right and hit the next post stopping me dead back end lifted and saddle hit the fence and the bike jammed in place. I was a bit shook up but ok, my 1998ish flite saddle was ripped, grrrrr. Anyway last night I managed to clip my bars again, same spot but this time I managed to straighten up but my body went left and my shoulder hit the metal fence, a few times actually, at about 12mph. Bit of a cheese grater effect, ouch. Got me thinking tho, rufty tufty mtbers always seem to have arms and legs covered in grazes, bruises, lumps gouged out of their shins etc, I don't, guess I just don't push myself hard enough, not sure if thats good or bad as I am a big girls blouse quite averse to pain.

Tuesday night ride, I was short on time so went down hole in the wall instead of 2lads, normally boring or proper sketchy on mud and wet grass but now, bone dry it's very fast and quite fun! Down wildes and met up with Johnnie and Si only a little late. Up to the pike and over to winter hill where we met GavinB, by the looks of it one of the aformentioned rufty tufty scuffed mountain bikers (I assume, dunno, maybe he wrestles lions for a living) waiting for a slow group of bikers (his words) on their way down to vacate the trail and give him a clean run. We chatted for a few mins then Gavin set off I gave him a bit of a start then chased, so I'm competitive, so sue me. He is quick! Him on HT me on FS and I assume I have the home advantage but that didn't amount for much. I was flying, pushing a bit harder than usual, at that speed it was tricky to tell if I was catching up, if I was I wasn't closing the gap very quickly. Anyway about halfway he pulled up, I'm sorry to say I shot straight passed, Si and Johnnie both checked he was ok (double puncture) Flying down more punture-ees said Hi as I passed, hit the bottom and the rest of the group, turns out it was lowey and friends, think it was wors who'd flatted, so we had a chat. Down Belmont road to the quarry, where we all managed the drop off chute, back up to scout rd and up winter hill, it was getting late and I was now heading away from home but it was too nice to stop. So back down hole in the wall, halfway down wildes where I eventually split, up old rake and down georges. Noticed I'd got a flat, fairly slow one tho so stop top it up then ride very fast. Managed on just 2 stops, tyre is only 2 rides old, dissappointing.
Gavin has done a vid, an edit, 1st half of it is the run where I was chasing, second half is from his earlier first run.

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