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Date:
6th August 2006
A return to Holmbury and the first visit to Pitch Hill for a couple of months sees us re-visit all the great trails. We are joined by Jason who has traded in his GT for a Giant Reign II (last one in the country apparently) and Niall, another Prince Albert rider.
The trails are slick with dust and each run leaves us nicely coated in a fine powder. Reservoir Dogs and BKB are great as usual but it's when we head over to Pitch Hill that the fun starts.
Sam and Grant takle the steep roll-in at Caution Steep Slope for the first time and then it's over to Sleepy Hollow and Sam is really fast down it, going sideways and skidding to a halt. Rad Lane is very loose and Grant and I descend it very fast followed by Sam who flies down it (riding my SX trail still). The bombholes are next but the fun stops as Jason slams hard, face-first into the bank on the reverse of the 3rd bombhole. It's amazing how easy it is to lose control there. Jasons shades have probably protected him but the bottom of the lens has left a semi-circular bloody graze on his cheek and he has collected a load of dirt too.
Further along the same trail, I shout out how sketchy my front wheels feels from all the loose pine needles and line cones scattered along the trail moments before the wheels slides out from under me and I land in the ferns but no harm done.
Over to Xmas Pudding where it's Grant's turn to lose it on a fast corner and end up yards from his bike off the side of the trail.
We head back to Peaslake via the scenic route and pause for a break. Jason decides to wait there until we return to Holmbury and I pick him up in the car. But before that we still have time to session the steep roll-in at Pitch, run into Will and Andy in the car-park and for Niall to almost lose his crank as the bolt comes loose and he limps back to the car-park at Holmbury.
A really good, eventful ride with lots of people tackling new stuff for the first time.
READ MORE: Single
speeding Date:
12th August 2006
Lee is fairly new to the forum but has suggested a local ride and decides to bring along a couple of mates as well to make it the best attended domtb ride for a few months.
Despite the overcast weather and a few splashes of rain, the trails are still fast, dry and dusty and we set a fairly fast pace along the whole route. However, I keep to my promise and we don't lose any of the riders despite a few waits at the top (and bottom) of a couple of hills.
A tea break at the cafe on Box Hill gives me a chance to check out some of the kit on display. A classic Kona being ridden by Jamie with Avid v-brakes, Rock Shox SID's and a fat-arse saddle. But it rides well and is obviously maintained which is the main thing. Plus Huey and Sue's singlespeeds with a nice pair of Cook Brothers Racing Cranks.
A good training ride to keep the legs working and I look forward to hooking up with all the riders again.
I also spent Sunday afternoon's thunderstorm in my garage servicing my Fox Vanilla forks. See the Fox Vanilla service details here.
READ MORE: Single
speeding
Date:
20th August 2006
Summer is long gone but another great turnout as Pete comes back to the fold after not seeing him since March. He has been focusing on racing the Gorrick series and it looks like he has bulked up a bit too since March whilst shedding the heavy old Hardrock and buying a trick looking Kona with Vanilla 130Rs up front. He has dragged along Sam and Dan and they are in full race mode. We are also joined by Tim and Jo and their mate Fred.
Setting off from the car park, the racers set a very fast pace which unfortunately makes Jo decide to go off and do her own thing - sorry Jo!
We do all the normal trails which are really sweet, the weeks rain damping them down and giving the opportunity for some nice drifting round the corners. The talk is all about racing and lap times and when to make the breaks so I take them down Rad Lane and other trails to show them the more technical trails in this area.
Down Sleepy Hollow and I somehow manage to lose one of my contact lenses as one of the conifers branches rubs against my eye. I descend okay but my eye is a bit sore and it is a strange sensation riding on with one eye only able to focus.
We visit the bombholes again which sees Pete take a small tumble but nothing as bad as Jason a few weeks ago.
Heading back to Peaslake, I still need to drive home cock-eyed and so decide to finish the ride early. The others head up Holmbury Hill but get caught in a massive downpour and finish shortly afterwards.
READ MORE: Single
speeding Date:
26th August 2006 Same place but a whole different bunch of riders ('cept me) and the rain holds as we make our way round the trails. I try a different approach this week, a few different turns to discover some new trails and genreally heading in the reverse of the route I would normally ride. We finish Pitch Hill by linking all of the 'trails' series together i.e. Trails 1 through to 5 and exit into the car park. A pause ofr lunch and the rain passes over before we head up Holmbury Hill and tackle the trails there. We are all really enjoying the ride and all at similar fitness levels and keep on going from trail to trail, finally heading back to the car park when hunger calls. We discover Cas has a puncture - on his car tyre! Luckily, it appears to be a slow flat and a dogger in the car park has an electric pump handy and Cas uses this to inflate his tyres to get him home. Another in the ongoing series of "best ride for ages".
READ MORE: Single
speeding
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