riding it's a love hate thing

When I started riding about 3 years ago I loved it and couldn't get enough of it. I read about it in magazines, and the internet and watched videos and visited bike shops. I was made up to find something I loved. Then even better I found other people that loved it too and there was the biking 'community'. I started off riding with my husband and his two dirty ratty sidekicks Jim and Si. They had crappy old bike and threw themselves off anything and I loved it, we all wore jeans and hoodies and no one expected us to be any good even though the boys were rad and not many women rode so soon I felt pretty good about being faster than boys we saw.

we started to meet more people and our riding circle increased which was fine at first But then it all got complicated like the good things always do and riding became more than me and my band of boys, we'd joined the riding community.

Lately I haven't blogged much because quite frankly I'd had enough of the world of mountain biking. being bombarded by the pinkbike experts who always know best and meeting people all day who had the 'best' bike and knew everything about the latest equipment. And girls downhill in the southwest is having it's moment with the 661 mini downhill so facebook is bombarded with which girls shorts should we buy, and what bikes can girls ride, where can all the girls be next and we should all read women's Wednesday. YUCK! just cos were girls we are no different, stop separating us!

I'd had enough I went into hermit mode, my life of riding bikes with the boys had been slowly invaded over years and at first I welcomed it but now all I ever seem to think is shut up and ride, how did it become this?

Giving myself some distance from riding in general, my avoidance of all things social media and running I can now ride my bike again with the boys and love it :D I still get annoyed with the same things but I choose to ignore them and block it out. So I miss racing and that but isn't it really all just about you and your bike?

A week in Wales - Coed Llandegla

We'd all had enough of flat out working so decided it was time for a road trip and where better than Wales. Afan may have tried to claim the lives of myself and my husband but I'd come to forgive Wales in general but still have a hate to bear against Afan so we could safely count it out.

So, far away from Afan as we could get we headed North for some trail centre goodness. I'd ever been to Coed Llandegla  but heard good things about it and it was great. The skills centre was great fun and the trails had amazing jumps, jumps and more jumps. We did all the free ride sections off the black which were amazing but couldn't feel the full benefit having not ridden the before. The black was the usual epic long 20 mile mark but the weather had ruined our bikes so with no gear changes and a lot of climbs it did get emotional at some points. A word of warning you want your bike in tip top condition for this one. The main fire road climb at the start is what killed the bikes. It was very sandy and got in everywhere on the exposed section riding through driving wind and rain.

I must say it's not my favourite place, not a great lover of very man made trails and constant table tops I was looking forward to going on to Coed y brenin where I'd heard it was much more natural.

The best thing about Coed Llandegla and needs a mention is The Crown pub in the village. We spent 2 nights in the pub getting more than merry enjoying their hospitality, wine and great food. The Sunday roast we just divine! I would ride Coed Llandegla again just for an excuse to visit the pub again!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1097186-d1545141-Reviews-The_Crown_Hotel-Llandegla_Denbighshire_North_Wales_Wales.html#REVIEWS

Sometimes you have an awesome day

riders Laura Griffiths, Emma Braithewaite, Danni Benn

Straight to Silver at Southwest Champs

Last years Southwest Champs was my first ever race.

When I first ever went to Gawton it was to ride downhill for the first time on 'HSD' track.
After riding for a year I decided to race on the new track 'Proper Job' which was quite a step up and this year they upped the game even more holding the race on 'SuperTavi'.
SuperTavi is the old dirt 1:04 track and the track that had said to me when I started downhill "If I can ever ride that, then I will be a downhill rider" in my mind it was unobtainable... at the time!
In no way was I expecting it to be easy, I was nervous! I first rolled down it and with the new sections built in they had made the track harder. There was one section I just could not get around at first but got more confident with practice. I had a couple of really hard crashes but nothing could stop me with that feeling that every clean run was taming the beast. I was loving the challenge!
When it came to race day I was tired and now know that 3 days practice before was too much but every race I learn something new.
The pressure was off in someways because so many people had entered but didn't race because the track was so hard. By Sunday there weren't many girls left.
I had one clean super safe run and one terrible pushing it run. I came off twice my second run. I wish I had pushed it more on my first run but without more competition it was hard to risk such big crashes on so many nervous sleeps before!
Still I tamed the beast and raced SuperTavi and that is an achievement I never thought I would have, that and a Silver Southwest champs medal!

Living A FORCE OF NATURE - Lula Darquier

Living A FORCE OF NATURE - Lula Darquier on Pinkbike

I am loving this video so much right now. I love how well she rides, the music, her family and the whole idea. We all have our own mountain bike life 

Bontrager TwentyFour 12

A couple of weeks ago myself and my team of 5 took part in Newnham parks Bontrager twentyfour 12.

I got the idea to do it as a challenge to raise money for hospiscare, Exeter universities campus services charity of the year.

As my last cross country race experience was some what terrifying I was pretty apprehensive about what I'd signed us up too. 24 hours of relay cycling night and day.

On arriving I realised how huge the event was. It was amazing to see so many tents and vans and how big the event arena was. The vibe was really relaxed and it didn't feel like a serious athletic event. obviously no beer or shots but lots of people milling around staying up late and enjoying the live music. 

The next day I tried to keep my nerves in check knowing it was going to be a long night and day but it felt different knowing it wasn't once chance all out and your one run counts. In fact with the fun atmosphere of the kids race and relaxed approach of the past racers it was chilled but exciting. 

Sue started us off and when it was my turn I was excited to know what the course was like. We didn't pre ride it seen as we were gonna do it about 5 times anyway! The course was awesome it had long slow climbs and short sharp get out the saddle climbs with loose rocky descents but mainly rooty technical single track descents. It sounds like a nightmare for passing but it was really well thought out and everyone was really considerate calling ahead to pass. With all my training I actually was keeping up a good pace every lap and did more over taking than being over taken which really surprised and pleased me!

My first night ride went really good and I was loving it, so much smoother lines that I choose in the dark and it was cooler and the perfect temperature. Just amazing although so different to the day. People were silent but riding in big groups together, almost earie. But the places where the track ran along side the campsite were amazing. So many people cheering and playing music. plenty of banging saucepans!

The second night ride at about 4 am was totally different, by then it was a cold start and there were a lot less people on the track and no one to cheer you on. My lights were both on red so I was nervous I would get stranded in the dark and then my light cleat came loose so I couldn't see in front of me on both lights. I fell off on the fireroad in a stupid place and honestly for the first time thought that it was hard, but I kept going and knew that it would get better when the sun came up. 

On my next run it chucked it down on the most exposed part of the course and I got soaked and pedalling was hard going, I'd also only had two hours sleep and was really tired so when I finished I genuinely hoped I would not have to go out again but it looked like I was going to do the last run.

When it got to five past eleven and was chaining over from Emma to do my last run I felt elated and so glad to have a final run, The best I had felt after about 2 am was whenever I was on the bike and I got to finish on high tho I had to race round to get one last person round to count another lap on our total but I did it. I gave it everything I got and pedalled my heart out. When I came back into the area it was ten too and I had five minutes to get Jim out. I over took everyone sprinting through. 

It was an amazing feeling to finish. We came 10/19 teams in our category and did 6 laps each. Although you have to dig deep when it gets hard and I'm still tired now! I would definitely do it again. It was a great event  and so much fun.

uh wow!

Freeride = in my mind rolling down steep stuff

She sure as hell gives it a bit of commitment. 

Amazing stuff that girls can do!

Katie Hayes - Fall Promo from 406 Productions on Vimeo.