Archive for May, 2005

Saturday beginners spin
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Unfortunately saturday was not an ideal day for a beginners spin, featuring, as it did, gale force winds, but at least there was no rain!

We had two absolute beginners with us, Graham and Tracy, who struggled a bit on the road up to Ticknock (didn’t we all the first time). I had an interesting / funny encounter with a wind assisted tree branch that clocked me in the head on the way up (thats one of the reasons why we wear helmets of course!).

Once we got to ticknock and everyone had recovered suitably we headed off up the trails but soon split into two groups, as one lot insisted on taking the road up to the masts (i.e. cheating) while the rest of us went via the red shed thing and on up the boneshaker. Unfortunately the wind meant that there was point in heading on any further up to fairy castle and so instead we headed down the trails to the carpark before looping back up to go down the trail with the double bombhole. After a slow start getting used to the whole rocks and mud issue, both Tracy and Graham had sped up a lot by the time the ride over and the big cheesy grins means we should be seeing them both again soon.

Photos (only a few though) can be found at http://madmtb.fotopic.net/c523350_49.html

Sundays exploration spin
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With much better weather on sunday (very light winds), Thomas, Mick and myself headed off to try and see what we could find / generally just have fun. First of all was the nasty climb along the fenceline in masseys which felt much harder than ever before (recovering from a cold at the moment).

After that the lovely, fast and flowing track in Cruagh brought us across to Tibradden where the evil climbing started once again. Once at the top we took a quick break and then headed on down the other side with some minor unplanned excursions to bring us to the Woca Wocas (farside of 2 rock mtn) which we sped down and then along the road, across the river and started climbing up Prince Willies.

After a short fireroad climb we headed up the muddy, boggy, rocky way and around the side of the mountain before noticing a track leading right to the top. Sure why not! So off we went up an even more muddy and boggy track which mostly had zero traction and involved some pushing and climbing to get to the top. Of course what goes up must come down and after a short break we were alternatively speeding down or slowly bumping down, depending on if you were Thomas or me. Finally we hit the joy of the forest descent in Prince Willies where disaster struck as Micks rear derailleur got pulled into his spokes, bending the hanger and finally snapping the mounting point on his frame!! Mick then made history as the first chainless and gearless gear bike to ride the trails down through the forest before being picked up at the carpark by the rescue crew (our housemate Sam).

Myself and Thomas then headed off towards Djouce, going truely cross country through a few fields of sheep before finally arriving on the road beside Djouce forest and deciding that we’d had enough and were too tired to continue. Of course at that point you realise you still have over an hour of road cycling and several hills to climb in order to get home, where, if you’re like me, you arrive broken and in need of lots of food / water / tea / beer and a shower!

Photos from sundays ride will be posted as soon as i can get the time.

Sunday started off as a really nice, but windy day, as 6 of us headed out to howth including one new person, Bjorn (welcome welcome .. hope to see you out again soon), and also Steven, a guy from EPIC. A hurried repair to wheel hub delayed our start from sutton, but we were soon off on the trail with only a few walkers to get in our way

Unfortunately, shortly after the lighthouse the weather closed in with a really heavy fogbank rolling in off the sea and cutting the visibility to about 10m at one stage so we decided to abandon the trip and instead head over the top of the hill and make a break for Judiths house where we all stopped off for tea, coffee and homemade banana bread! Truely we are the club that cares(tm).

Photos are up on the gallery showing what a nice day it was at first.