And today I did......
- Thread starter kaiser
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You keep your footsie with Howard Jones to yourself, mate.....we've heard enough about your depraved shenanigans over the years!
You keep your footsie with Howard Jones to yourself, mate.....we've heard enough about your depraved shenanigans over the years!
Tiring day up at "Funkled" getting my enduro on. Kaiser and I had (accidentally) found some new trails when we were up last month, with other teaser trails leading off these. Weather been ok the last few weeks, so I thought the trails should be running pretty well. Started off by hike-a-biking up our usual last descent up to the rock face look out. The trail we usually walk up to there is actually pretty nice in the opposite direction, but all too soon I reached the walking track and turned uphill once again. We'd done this hike last month, so I knew what I was in for, but it wasn't actually as bad as last time. At the very top of the hill, I reached the Caves Pass trail that this years bawbaggers enjoyed but headed upwards once again. The trail only went a short distance more until it topped out at a giant boulder. From the boulder things only went down, and down and down. The strava segment doesn't cover all of it, but the part it does is only 0.4 miles but drops 600ft at an average gradient of 26% !!! Some of it was just too steep and techy for me at the moment but I'd like to go back once it's dried out properly, and with knee pads and flat pedals.
I then headed out along the old back road to pick up the Fiddlers path along the river. Unfortunately I picked the Dunkeld side of the trail, which was pretty flat and wide. The trail on the other side of the river looked a lot more fun and interesting. Next time.
I then had the bright idea of heading up to do one of the enduro stages, Rake and Ruin. Zigzag and I did it last autumn and he can confirm that its a bit of a hike up. I decided to take the Birnham hill walking trail up this time, as it's shorter than the track up from the farm. Shorter, yes, easier, hell no. Couldn't tell how high I was getting as the mist was coming down, but finally made it to the top. Just couldn't see where the start of bike track was. Started heading down the walking trail on the opposite side and saw a rider carrying his bike through the mist. Stopped and chatted to him and got pointed in the right direction. Found the junction I missed and was soon at the top of Rake and Ruin surrounded by murk.
First few corners were steep and greasy but once I got into the meat of the descent it dried out nicely with plenty of grip and I came out of the mist band. Trail was running sweetly but my skills weren't. Been too used to steady winter rides on the hardtail. This was first time on the full sus in months, and my hands and thighs were feeling it. Confidence gradually increased and by the time I hit the quarry I was feeling good even if my thighs were burning from all the standing. Still managed a Starva PR for the stage, knocking a minute off my previous best, though I'm still nearly three times slower than the record.
All in all a good day, but lots of work to do before my Ibiza trip and only 2 months to go. Lighter nights and better weather (please) should help though.
I then headed out along the old back road to pick up the Fiddlers path along the river. Unfortunately I picked the Dunkeld side of the trail, which was pretty flat and wide. The trail on the other side of the river looked a lot more fun and interesting. Next time.
I then had the bright idea of heading up to do one of the enduro stages, Rake and Ruin. Zigzag and I did it last autumn and he can confirm that its a bit of a hike up. I decided to take the Birnham hill walking trail up this time, as it's shorter than the track up from the farm. Shorter, yes, easier, hell no. Couldn't tell how high I was getting as the mist was coming down, but finally made it to the top. Just couldn't see where the start of bike track was. Started heading down the walking trail on the opposite side and saw a rider carrying his bike through the mist. Stopped and chatted to him and got pointed in the right direction. Found the junction I missed and was soon at the top of Rake and Ruin surrounded by murk.
First few corners were steep and greasy but once I got into the meat of the descent it dried out nicely with plenty of grip and I came out of the mist band. Trail was running sweetly but my skills weren't. Been too used to steady winter rides on the hardtail. This was first time on the full sus in months, and my hands and thighs were feeling it. Confidence gradually increased and by the time I hit the quarry I was feeling good even if my thighs were burning from all the standing. Still managed a Starva PR for the stage, knocking a minute off my previous best, though I'm still nearly three times slower than the record.
All in all a good day, but lots of work to do before my Ibiza trip and only 2 months to go. Lighter nights and better weather (please) should help though.
Sounds good Clubby A good day out, sounds like you covered some ground.
I wouldn't be so hard on yourself either, your just coming out of winter and as you say have spent it mostly on the hardtail. You at least know what to work on before the trip.
Jamie
A good day out, sounds like you covered some ground. I wouldn't be so hard on yourself either, your just coming out of winter and as you say have spent it mostly on the hardtail. You at least know what to work on before the trip.
Jamie
velomaniac
MacRetro Rider
I wouldn't title it a MacRetro run as someone might bring something retro and then die !!!!!
Sounds like a modern full sus only kind of a run. This of course rules me out as my skillset stopped being added to in 1990 something :roll:
Should make some impressive cam footage though !
Sounds like a modern full sus only kind of a run. This of course rules me out as my skillset stopped being added to in 1990 something :roll:
Should make some impressive cam footage though !
Summer like day at Pitmedden with Keith. Trails running fantastic, with some new tasty lines being built. I should know, I went head first into one of the them, yum.
Sad to see the lower back forest completely wrecked by clear felling. One of my favourite trails gone forever, good bye Steep and Deep
Sad to see the lower back forest completely wrecked by clear felling. One of my favourite trails gone forever, good bye Steep and Deep
old_coyote_pedaller
MacRetro Rider
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Aye Steven, it's been a braw day, went up Benarty this afternoon, it's so dry now compared to what it was like just 2 weeks ago.
Keith and I are going out tomorrow but I knew if I didn't go out today I'd have spent the whole afternoon till 7 watching the Melrose Sevens and wasting a braw day.
Agree about the FC, on Benarty they've clear-felled and destroyed one trail and another is unridable as they've just left the felled trees they don't want across the trail in loads of places, the trail where I got brambled.
More felling to come and another trail will be lost too. Don't suppose we can complain, it is their business after all and the trails have been ridden for a long time.
Aye Steven, it's been a braw day, went up Benarty this afternoon, it's so dry now compared to what it was like just 2 weeks ago.
Keith and I are going out tomorrow but I knew if I didn't go out today I'd have spent the whole afternoon till 7 watching the Melrose Sevens and wasting a braw day.
Agree about the FC, on Benarty they've clear-felled and destroyed one trail and another is unridable as they've just left the felled trees they don't want across the trail in loads of places, the trail where I got brambled.
More felling to come and another trail will be lost too. Don't suppose we can complain, it is their business after all and the trails have been ridden for a long time.
