Headed up to Dunked to drop my forks into Flotec for repair, and also did some riding while I was there. Found a gps trace for the endure route and did some of it. All I can say is I'm glad I never entered any. I know I'm not exactly fit at the moment but with a lot of walking, it took me 1.5hrs just to get up to the start of stage 1! First part of the stage was really steep and cut up and I bottles some of it, but it got better as it went on. Took me 10 minutes to get to the bottom, the top guys took under 4. The climb up to the mast for stage 2 was again brutal and I can't say I particularly enjoyed the descent. Really steep, loose slate with a lot of exposed roots. Just glad it was dry today, I would have been lethal in the wet. Some of the lines were just straight down the hill in narrow, rocky gullies. Not fun for me. Well done to Kaiser for getting down there in the time he did, must be riding like a man possessed at the moment. Called it quits after that as I didn't fancy a return slog up to the mast for a second steep run down.
Maybe just getting older, but I prefer my trails to flow, not just a challenge for survival to avoid certain death. It's a shame, as I like the idea of the enduro format, but there doesn't seem to be much in between the family funduro events and the full on Scottish series ones. Hoping the Comrie one might be a bit of middle ground, but still unsure if I can make it.
Anyway, at least it was warm and sunny and I got a couple of good photos.
From the mast looking across to stage 1. Pretty much the top of that hill to the bottom was 1 stage. If you drive the A9 a lot, it's the hill behind Dunked train station. The one you can't see the top of from the road!
Untitled by
Steven Clubb, on Flickr
Looking back down to Birnam and Dunkeld from the top of stage 2. The climb started in the village.
Untitled by
Steven Clubb, on Flickr
Panorama shot.
Untitled by
Steven Clubb, on Flickr
