Owner:
MartinF
Member
Worst Wipeout Award 2003
Member#: 72 Location: Registered: 28-10-2002 Diary Entries: 184
Mood: needing time out
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16th September 2006
Mt. Biking: Cwmcarn Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Max Speed: Distance Covered: 25km. (Nautical Miles - unless stated otherwise)
Wow, what a day!
Ok - 1st major outing for new bike & had problems with the shock locking
out at inopportune moments. Also rear mech - both problems turned out to be
cable routing issues - now fixed.
The first lap took us 2 1/2 hours, with many breaks and (for me) walked
sections that I've ridden many times before. Where's my fitness gone??
Disappeared with this bloody virus I've had over the last few weeks :(
At the top, there's a newly opened Freeride (Red) section (which Adrian
persuaded me to do), which starts with 3 ladder ramps with jumps of various
heights: Take your pick from 50cms, 1m and 1.5m (approx). There's also a
wimp-out path round the jumps (which I took!). After that are several 1.5m
tall table tops, a number of earth jumps, and then - The Wall (which I
didn't take!). We stopped to watch other, younger riders do both the jumps
& the wall. Respect. :-0
Where the Twrch trail meets the Downhill course - just by the last descent
- Adrian persuaded me to do the last bit of the downhill (Hmmm, sounds
familiar). After many false starts (Ie: lost bottle!), I took the plunge
over the edge (NO - NOT THE BIG STEPPED DROP!!) which wasn't too bad,
really. The rest of it is easy(ish).
Break at the Portacabin for meaty & bready sustenance, then - like lambs to
the slaughter - back out on the trail.
Seriously suffering from this (mal)lingering virus, we decided to take
tarmac from the Ranger's hut on the Forest Trail, up to the end of the new
freeride section, joined the trail from there, baling out onto the tarmac
again just before the 'orrible climb through the cleared area (the one that
feels like it ought to be downhill, but isn't), meeting up with the trail
again by the steep concrete ramp.
Decision point: Either rejoin the Twrch trail, or stay on the tarmac up to
the top & do the whole of the downhill course. Adrain persuaded me - once
more against my better judgement - to do the downhill (3rd time he got his
own way!).
So we carried-on slogging up the tarmac, which just kept getting steeper &
steeper. Just before the top, cramp set in my right thigh. Ouch. Time for a
break, then dive down onto the trail. To be honest, several parts are
beyond my ability/sanity - especially the bit that drops into the tunnel,
and the bit after the tunnel. Other than that, most of it's ok AS LONG AS
YOU STICK TO THE RED MARKERS. Avoid following the black/nutters trails.
Time for 2nd lap - 1hr 50m.
Total dist ~25km
My HRM tells me I burned 3471 calories (exactly)
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