So...............

............I went out riding today, even though I felt a bit low because I'm getting a bit tired of going it alone. Not that I mind riding by myself. It's just nicer when you have company. This is somewhat due to Mr Angell having a blast in New Zeland. And I hear he's been doing some riding out there (GIT), so no doubt he will tell us all about it. So he has a good excuse not to be out. But all of my other friends who own bikes and love to ride. Shame on you. No excuse not to get out have some fun and get fitter, scare yourself and let some fresh air into your lungs.
So I went out to Leigh Woods and missed out all of the singletrack because just thinking about doing it made me numb. And headed straight over to the picnic table, which is the start of the technical decent. Composed myself for a few minutes and proceded to go down.
Not a bad run. The trail conditions were ok. The slope at the top is alot faster now. And alot less worrying. I'm sure that I getting faster each time. There are a couple of tightish turn which if you don't get right will throw you off course for the next section ahead. For instance. Near the top there is a chicane (is that how it's spelt?) which flows into a slight climb with 2 or 3 trees at either side leaning into the trail. You need to keep up your momentum along this and move your bodyweight around to keep on track for the gully ahead. The gully used to have a bridge across it but now it is gone I think it is better. So long as you have your approach dialed you can enter it and pop out over the root on the other side clean. I'm rambling again. Sorry.
After doing the run and finding myself at the bottom, I climbed the long way back up and tried another run which I saw from the bottom. It has potential but it was a little wet still and pretty much all of it was off-camber making it clumsy to ride. Hence why I fell off and messed up a whole bunch of times. Back down the bottom again. There's only one thing for it. Climb back up to the picnic table. On the way up I started to ntice some cunning lines and other routes which I had seen before but not had the time to explore. No time like the present. I dropped the bike and scouted around. It was quiet today so I wasn't going to be in anybody's way. MMMMnnnnnnnnnn. AAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhaaaaaa. I found a drop off one of the berms. It was ample. Not too big not too small, about a ft and a quater. But it was right on a tight bend and you had to come into it nicely and go straight off of it and get on the brakes because as soon as you land on the 45 degree slope the soil is loose and you could quite easily go off of the trail which you need to pick up. So come in high on the bend, spot your take off point and go for it. Land by trying to avoid a tree on the right and logs on the left. On the brakes and kick the back of the bike out to the left behind you to pick up the trail below.
I climbed all of the way back up the top and had a run down and dropped off the berm through a shortcut ( a smaller drop), just to test what the speed would be like when I land. Big smile. Ok, climb back up access and do it.

Video Hosting - Upload Video - Photo SharingSorry the quality isn't very good and it doesn't do the trail/drop any justiceBigger SMILE. Now I feel better. I love that feeling of doing something different. Be it trying a new line or a jump or a drop. Which makes you feel a bit scared. You know you can do it but.... . What if?. I'm not the best a jumps or drops but I'm getting better. To impove is an amazing sensation. Back when I was BMXing I'd try a trick for ages and ages and eventually bag it and that feeling was priceless. So if there is a jump or drop or a trail which freaks you out out there. Warm up to it. And take as much time as you need. Anything is possible. You just need to learn and teach your brain and your body how to tackle it. After that it's second nature, you will be able to do it without even flinching. And then it's on to the next........

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