Monday, November 08, 2004
Mud, nothing else, just mud
The title just about sums it up. Busy weekend this time; Saturday saw Ben and I trying on suits for his wedding and once that was done we got out in the woods and found.....mud. Now, normally I enjoy the forest in any weather but this time I didnt have time to look around. The normally slippery roots and rocks were now covered in slimy mud with a nice slippy leaf topping, masking the obstacle from view. The bike's handling was not dissimilar to driving a rally car with the front and back wheels sliding all over the place requiring some fairly deft balance and technique.
Considering the conditions we moved pretty quickly with only a few hairy moments. One spot on a trail dives steeply away on your right and the rider must drop into a ditch and then pedal like mad up the other side. This time a kind walker, badger or just wind had deposited a branch on the left of the trail leaving only 6 inches to ride.. or so I thought! The 6 inches were leaves which actually covered the edge of the drop. I dived into the ditch, avoided the branch, kept right and bike slipped off the edge and threatened to spit me into oblivion. Idiotically I put my right foot down which was about 3ft above the slope and I dropped. Somehow I managed not to go A over T down the slope and was able to recover and push the bike out.
I cant see the conditions getting any better this winter so better get used to it or put the body armour on!
Later all.
Considering the conditions we moved pretty quickly with only a few hairy moments. One spot on a trail dives steeply away on your right and the rider must drop into a ditch and then pedal like mad up the other side. This time a kind walker, badger or just wind had deposited a branch on the left of the trail leaving only 6 inches to ride.. or so I thought! The 6 inches were leaves which actually covered the edge of the drop. I dived into the ditch, avoided the branch, kept right and bike slipped off the edge and threatened to spit me into oblivion. Idiotically I put my right foot down which was about 3ft above the slope and I dropped. Somehow I managed not to go A over T down the slope and was able to recover and push the bike out.
I cant see the conditions getting any better this winter so better get used to it or put the body armour on!
Later all.
# posted by Nick Furneaux @ 1:51 PM 
