Delamere in the sun sun sun...

So that weather that started on Thursday night, it's lasted. Wow. 3 days of glorious weather (so I'm expecting a wet ride this week on Thursday).

Anyway with a beer festival Jon wanted to get back for things we headed out early and we met at the layby at Delamere at 9.45am. Myself and Tony made it there first, joined by Jon and girlfriend Emma, and finally Leo!! Anyhow off we set and headed straight for the skills area. After a tool about on the chute and small jump we had a few goes on the old 4X track before heading over to the mini DH (definitely mini) and had a few runs and a few snaps. Good fun. However the boys were keen on a ride so off we set on the 7 miler loop and that was that.

Good day - lovely weather. I could have stayed at the skills area all day though! :D

Delamere Forest 31/5/09

Envigorated

What a fantastic day!

Chris and I almost didn't go riding this evening - I'd not brought my bike due to an admin issue and Chris had forgotten his helmet. The weather was humid but the blue sky appearing convinced us to brave it - and boy was it worth it.

As a bit of a laugh I donned my checked short sleeve shirt and DH shorts! Check the snaps!

We put the world to rights on the fireroad climb, so much so we got up in no time (not as quick as the XC whippet on a Cannondale though - he was riding like he had an engine!). Charity Lane was quite wet, especially at the top. Somehow though it was a good wet. Fast, grippy, confidence inspiring.

I've had a few only ok descents of Charity Lane on the hardtail recently but something really just clicked today - Chris felt the same - really flying, pumping, flowing. Awesome awesome fun. Just when you think you've tired of the same old route it drags you back in.

Onwards after a whoop and a high five and the high spirits lead me to pull a bar tweak off the grass verge - another whoop and onto the singletrack. This was SLIPPERY and sensing danger we both took it a little more steady, good sideways action on the roots, the only reason I didn't kill myself coming off I think was the forward momentum so with a few dabs we were through. The undergrowth had re-established itself at the tree but Chris and I pushed through and that was that. Ride over.

Buzzing and can't wait for the next one...

Oh and did the shirt make a difference? Don't know. Cathy thinks it looks gash so it's good enough for me! :D

Macclesfield Forest 28/5/09

Next ride is on Sunday morning - current favourite is Delamere. Check your emails tomorrow!!

The story...

Taking us back to 2002

Choice of 3...
1) New BMX
2) New fork and wheels for Chameleon
3) New camera and slave flash setup

Decisions decisions.

Nostalgia's never a good thing!

It's been a funny old week. I've been reflecting on the weekend and reminiscing about the old days of Fearingout.

Back in the day we used to mock the guys on full sussers doing trails. We used to mock the guys wearing helmets, camelbaks, arm and knee pads. We thought we were it - xc hardtails with a few choice upgrades, GAP shorts and cotton t-shirts, Vans trainers - the only comprimise being decent gloves.
Then slowly over the years the toys and gadgets have crept in... admittedly as we got faster and crashed more helmets and pads became a must (we all have a day job unfortunately)... but with it came base layers, camelbaks, special shorts and coats.

Somewhere along the way I think I got lost.

Anyway enough of the nostalgia bollocks - what do I want to do about it I thought?
Well I'm thinking DH shorts paired with short sleeved chequed shirts - piss pot or full face helmets and flat pedals...

Maybe I'm just having a mid life crisis!

Anyway got an email from Scott about the video preview below - cheers mate - it's made me re-evaluate things. I really enjoy making films - films of us lot riding. It's never been about the amazing stunts but Scott mentioned something that got me thinking? Do you lot really value it? At Innerleithen I was really upset with the piss take slow riding past the camera - maybe you lot don't value it as much as I do?

Fearingout used to be a lot about messing around with your mates, pushing back up to get a better photo, pushing yourself further and riding new stuff.
I'm going to take it back to it's roots this summer. Camera wielding rather than video camera wielding...

So tonight then, good ride.
Changeable weather, but Jon and Chris joined me and we had a good laugh. Charity Lane was BONE DRY - very quick (not so quick with a streaming nose though - damn cold) and great fun. It all bode well for the singletrack... which turned out to be AMAZINGLY fast - wicked on the roots! We stopped half way to investigate alternative routes around the fallen tree and have started a new line above the fallen obstacle. It was fun. Scouting for lines. Messing about and feeling like this is really where it's at!

Oh and big up Jon for his retro chrome BMX bars! Good lad - they look awesome!

Macclesfield Forest 14/5/09

Lee Quarry and Scotland Video

Scotland in brief...

Well got back mid evening after an eventful two days north of the border with Ross, Phil, Chris, Scott, Leo, James and Terry...

Day 1 the 8 of us hit up Glentress red route with a few extras and with Scott as the guide I think we managed a good mix of new and old. Lots of fun for the 5 of us who stuck together as James, Terry and Leo got seperated mid ride after some of us pushed back up Spooky Woods for a second run. High fives, whoops and hollas all round.

The evening brought curry and beer and me home early with me cold and the other lads back about 1ish bar Terry, Phil, Chris and Scott who somehow ended up invited to a randoms house for a few hours with a long walk home getting back after 3.

Day 2 and the supposed better weather never arrived - infact it got worse! Terrential rain at parts and gale force winds survival kicked in and we just got round as quick as possible at Innerleithen. A good ride, and some good descents, just shame about the weather.

Props to Terry for leading the pack all day despite his late night!

Some crap photos below - got a bit of video but really I should pull the finger out and get snapping again properly!

Scotland 8-9/5/09

Scotland - this weekend!

Scotland Weekender... It's come round fast hasn't it! Yeah this Friday sees us head north of the border to Peebles for a couple of days of singletrack heaven.

Weather isn't looking too clever so take a couple of sets of riding clothes plus some wet-weather gear. I guess we can't always have dry rides in the borders - mind you last April we had snow!

CLICKY FOR THE WEATHER

See you all at the Red-Squirrel car park (by the freeride park) before 12pm (lunchtime) on Friday!

Nothing like a crash...

...to make you realise your human!

Pushing the limits - that's my excuse. More likely just arsing about but anyway I now sport another nice graze to the fore-arm and a broken bike!

Lee Quarry was inspiring - completely different to my last visit and as Jon reported recently totally awesome.

We now have a really decent trail within 1 hours drive.

Anyway after fitting Ross's new headset and pedals he and I headed over in the Mondadeo. Good ride, good weather, good fun. Video will be in Episode 9 - possibly a taster before too!

Photos below. Bring on Scotland - at least the bike dilemma is over - the hardtail needs a new left hand shifter.

Lee Quarry 2/5/09