|
NEWS
It's
just
so
good
22.10.06-
When
the
Sunday
ride
got
back
at
1pm,
2hrs
earlier
than
normal
because
of
the
torrential
rain,
Simon
assumed
that
I
would
abandon
my
normal
'after
work'
Sunday
ride.
But
this
is
the
new
me,
who
after
a
couple
of
months
of
riding
at
least
once
a
week
(not
much
I
know,
but
it's
made
a
difference) now
I
can
go
out
&
not
spend
my
whole
time
'recovering'!!
I
was
especially
keen
to
go,
as
on
my
previous
ride
I
failed
to
check
the
shock
settings
on
my
Giant
Trance
&
as
it's
also
used
as
a
demo
bike,
this
was
a
foolish
error.
Going
down
my
first
downhill,
I
was
momentarily
taken
back
to
the
days
when
I
struggled
to
just
hold
on
to
the
bars.
Thinking
I
must
have
taken
a
bumpier
line
than
usual
I
continued
on.
What
a
mistake,
after
reaching
the
pinnacle
of
my
ride
I
began
to
head
down,
it
what
horrible,
every
bump
I
felt,
every
drop
was
harsh
my arms
were
tingling
with
the
buzz
of
the
trail,
what
had
happened
to
the
fun
ride
on
my
full
suspension,
where
you
just
want
to
do
the
next
challenge
&
there's
a
zip
in
the
bike.
On
this
ride
my
arms
were
aching
like
I
don't
know
what!!
Back
at
the
shop
I
checked
the
pressures
&
sure
enough
front
&
rear
shocks were
way
too
high
for
my
weight.
What
an
eye
opener.
If
anyone
is
ever
in
doubt
about
the
benefits
of
full
susp
this
is
a
good
way
to
make
your
mind
up.
Anyway,
I
digress,
I
set
off
into
the
storm,
it
was
lashing
it
down.
Now
I
should
mention
I'm
a
novice
when
it
come
to
these
conditions.
If
I
get
caught
in
rain,
fine.
But
I
wouldn't
normally
choose
to
go
out
in
it.
I
told
myself
to
take
it
easy
as
everything
is
bound
to
be
slippy. So
I
hurtled
down
the
first
downhill
ignoring
my
thoughts
of
caution
&
nearly
came
a
right
cropper
when
my
fingers
slipped
off
covering
the
brakes
going
over
a
bumpy
bit,
throwing
my
balance
right
out.
I
managed
to
cling
on
&
continued
on
my
way.
Now,
at
this
point
I
reached
my
first
real
climb
&
by
this
stage
I
felt
like
mr
Magoo,
my
glasses
were
all
steamed
up
&
what
little
bits
I
could
see
out
of
had
a
waterfall
running
down
them.
The
Rookery
is
a
difficult
climb,
normally
I
clean
it,
but
I
wasn't
too
agrieved
to
get
thwarted
&
have
to
dab.
Only
to
feel
my
shoe
fill
up
with
water
from
the
stream
which
was
now
running
down
it.
I
was
getting
the
feeling
that
this
wasn't
to
be
my
day.
I
carried
on,
enjoying
the
delights
of
feeling
the
suspension
working
again.
It
was
fantastic.
I
just
wish
my
mind
was
better
prepared
in
stopping
myself
from
doing
silly
things,
like
trying
short
steep
climbs
over
sodden
tree
roots,
suffering
the
inevitable
failure
&
twisting
my
ankle
on
said
tree
roots
when
trying
not
to
fall.
I
was
like
a
moth
to
the
flame
when
I
saw
a
huge
puddle
with
an
off
camber
3"
muddy
path
running
alongside
it
to
circumvent
it.
Should
I
risk
it
or
should
I
take
that
easy
path
alongside
it
through
the
braken.
I
set
off
on
the
3"
wide
off
camber
path
&
it
was
like
slow
motion,
I
slid
into
the
puddle
which
must
have
been
at
least
12"
deep,
I
saw
my
bike
sliding
further
in-NO-oooooo
not
my
DT
swiss
hub
completely
submerged.
I
ignored
the
feeling
of
my
shoes
filling
with
cold,
muddy
liquid
&
dragged
my
bike
clear.
We'll
just
have
to
see
how
well
sealed
those
hubs
are!
By
this
time
I
was
ready
for
home,
I
really
wish
I
had
fitted
a
crud
catcher
before
the
ride.
When
I
hit
the
road
on
the
last
stretch
back
I
felt
like
I
needed
little
wipers
on
my
glasses
and
my
eyes
were
stinging
with
all
the
water
going
into
them.
Was
it
worth
it?
You
bet
ya.
Lately,
I've
been
putting
loads
of
info
up
on
the
website
about
all
the
jumping
&
freeridey
stuff.
But,
in
the
meantime
we're
still
going
out
doing
our
cross
country
rides,
enjoying
the
thrill
&
the
beauty,
I
can't
think
of
anything
else
which
is
so
good
for
the
soul
(and
I
just
love
my
bike)
See
you
on
the
trails.........
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to
home
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