MTB LEith ride report

[Andrew G]

A very enjoyable day, and a big thanks to Marco, Aodan and co who pointed us in the right direction. I won't embarrass myself with my woeful recollection of names but it was nice meeting some new people.

I also won't even attempt to recall the names of the places we rode or where we were as I had absolutely no idea 99% of the time, I'll leave details to Marco etc.

We met at the carpark at 10, then Marco at 10:30 being fashionably late as usual . We didn't get back 'til 5:30 so a full day on the bike, but not that hard as there was plenty of chat, regroup stops, a couple of tea stops, so it was a really nice fun ride. Lots of people out on MTBs today and as usual anyone on two wheels and Marco seems to know them, I have no idea how you remember everybody and their names so well.

Some fantastic sections ridden, my favourites the 3 or 4 sections of real roller coaster swoops and flicks - not sure of all the funny names but poss Summer Lightening, yoghurt pots, mini yoghurt pots, and Barry Knows Best. A number of good descents too and only one that was a bit hairy. It was a quick one and really bumpy and rocky. Good fun but a couple of rock dodging moments as my hard rear end (careful we're talking bikes here ) bounced about from side to side of the gully.

Once again thanks folks, a good day. See you for the easy ride up to Biggin Hill next Sunday.

Thanks for the compliment Marco your making me , only my second proper MTB ride but they are great fun, make me even more of a child as they take me back to my youth of mucking about on a BMX.

[stu23]

yup good ride today, ta everyone and andrew for giving me and the little 'un a lift!!

as marco said, well done to andrew, rode immensely well for a TTer!!

see y'all out and about on a ride soon

[Sylv]

Yep cheers guys for a chilled & agreeable ride,

Well done indeed to mr G who looks like a natural (next step = get him to race mtb!!), Stu with his broken knee/singlespeed and his bro who are both flying, and marco who has lost none of his chatting ability (even going up a steep hill!!)

We did 44km in something like 6h30, you work out the average!!

[Ashley]

Hi guys!

As promised, I google'd and found the forum! Wasn't that difficlut to find after all.

I'm really to pleased to have bumped into you (Marco) and the guys (and girl). Had a really great ride, but I still can't get over the amount of chating Marco does - it was truely astonishing! I'm so glad trees can't speak or we'd have been out all month!

Look forward to meeting anfd riding with you guys soon!

Take care!

Ashley

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Sorry, in-laws won the day

[higg]

[img]http://photos-g.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v253/163/48/565591867/n565591867_595870_952.jpg[/img]

This is the top of "deliverance" which after much looking and thinking none of us did. It goes down a long way On the way home we ran into some other riders from Croydon who had a go, the first got down almost flawlessly, the other doing a good impression of a bucking bronco over the roots before he finally lost it in the compression at the bottom. Thankfully he got up soon enough.

Most of the time we dealt with the the easier dips and hollows

[img]http://photos-h.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v253/163/48/565591867/n565591867_595871_1308.jpg[/img]

[img]http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v253/163/48/565591867/n565591867_595873_2676.jpg[/img]

[stu23]

Marco, is there a sustainable plan for these mtb rides as it'd be nice to have the mtb scene going again as everybody seems to enjoy it. Or if not is it worth while there seems to be a fair amount of interest (ie 14 riders out last weeka nd 11 this) formulating a plan or something of the like to keep it going?

I know I'm not going to be a great help from afar but if anything needs doing that I can help with, give me a shout..

[stu23]

Also, something I've been working on with the freshers at uni is skills days, instead of trawling them across wales not having a clue what they're doing spend an afternoon with them teaching them to un-weight the bike, pump, footwork for corners, braking that sorts of stuff, and it seems to be paying dividens, we had one of our fresher girl win the fun race at Midlands XC series rd 2

Just a thought, could be good to get complete newbies to progress faster and ultimately mean they can come out every week rather than just beginner rides

[Andrew G]

Did anyone else get eaten alive by midges? My legs have been itching like mad the last two days and I have about 8 angry little red lumps on me pins .

[stu23]

Yes, showed up on monday morning, was lovely

absolutely covered in them!!

[Marky Mark]

What? no broken bones?

[Andrew G]

No we didn't do Deliverance .

It was good to see the 2nd bloke come acropper (sp?) in such a big way, not because I'm a sadist but the 1st bloke made it look so easy you could get lulled in to thinking, "yeah I'll have a go". I'd have easily been able to out plaster you then, full body cast probably .

[Marky Mark]

[quote="marco"]no
contrary to what people might assume we take care of the riders out with us and try and warn them when they are about to do something very dangerous!

like riding on the tarmac!

[stu23]

[quote="marco"]
Stu, good ideas, I know Bob was talking about things like that. Sylv is actually the mtb secretary, Im happy to be just a keen rider now. He's the man to be liasing with on this sort of stuff!