The team I am putting together from work for Simons little jaunt across
the south of Scotland, while all working within the same sub division of
the company, all work at different locations so few of us have met. To
put this right we had a little spin round Glentress today. This is was
the first time I had done any MTBing. The original plan was to take the
black route [1]. Fortunately by the time I had caught up with the rest
of them as they waited at the top car park [2] where all the routes
start to diverge, common sense had prevailed and the plan was changed to
do the red route [4] followed by the blue route [5]. When the climbs
went off the forest tracks and we were zig-zagging up the steep bits I
was finding that the front wheel kept on lifting [7] or the rear was
losing traction. Either case left me cussing and walking to the next
relatively level bit. Going down on the other hand was incredible. OK I
was not as fast as the others, but as I got more confident I sped up a
bit. I did come a cropper on one bit when my front hit a root or rock
and the bars twisted out of my grip, I went flying down the hill off the
side of the track after jamming my groin into the end of the bar.
Fortunately no real harm was done and I was back on my way after a bit.
When all that was left of the red route was to head back down to the
cafe, we went back up the hill to do the blue. Which we did from the top
car park and then back all the way down to the cafe. So we did not quite
do the full 17km of the red and did somewhere between the 8km & 14km of
the blue.
My fellow team mates are all much better than I could aspire to and I
know I was slowing things down as I could neither climb nor descend as
fast as them. However, all the way up the hills and all the way down, if
they were not with me giving advice and encouragement, they would
patiently stop and wait for me at appropriate places. Even allowing me
the time for a breather before heading off again.
Now I ache all over from either bruises or use of muscles that are not
used to the rough stuff.
Would I do it again?, you bet!. The pain of the climbing is more than
offset by the combination of terror and pleasure of swooping through the
forest trying to follow a trail. Now I need to convince SWMBO that I
have to have a decent MTB. This will not be easy.
[1] Severe, 29km, Gradients - Steep with drop offs, Surface - Mostly on
rough narrow tracks, Suitable for - Expert mountain bikers.
[2] We had started from the bottom as I needed to hire a machine [3]
[3] ... and that is the proper start and also has the cafe for a cuppa
at the end
[4] Difficult, 17km, Gradients - Steep, Surface - Width below 1m wide
with a range of surfaces including rough narrow tracks, Suitable for -
Good mountain bikers
[5] Moderate, 8km & 14km [6], Gradients - Moderate with some steep
sections that may have to be walked, Surface - Compacted surface 2-3m
wide mainly up to 10% on rough tracks over 2m wide, Suitable for -
Novice mountain bikers and families
[6] A couple of alternate starting and ending points
[7] I never have been able to do a wheelie and keep my balance
[8] All route descriptions above taken from
http://www.thehubintheforest.co.uk/TRAIL_MAPS/glentressmap.pdf
--
Don Whybrow
Sequi Bonum Non Time
Discordianism: Where reality is a figment of your imagination