Enduring #1 - UK Gravity Enduro Innerliethen

A bit past the event now, but still. At the end of March's sensational dry spell Josh and I were heading north to represent the West Cheshire Massive at the first round of the UK Gravity Enduro series. Due to miscalculated driving distances, and accidently staying in the pub until midnight the day before we rolled into Innerliethen just before lunch on the saturday. On the plus side the instant coffee had exploded somewhere in the depths of the boot and we would race smelling like a high class bistro.

So, what of the racing. It was bloody awesome, knackering and a little scary all at the same time. Pretty early on it dawned on me that I hadn't ridden my bike down hill with out stopping for 7 minutes in a long time. To unfit to attack the whole course, I opted for to stay on, and hope for the best. Trailcenter black runs, old downhill tracks and fresh cut loam/mud death ruts seemed to be the order of the day. Pre-race I was feeling a little nervous, but just about up to it. Pretty much hit me that at a national level race, everyone is pretty bloody fast. Clearly I was near the bottom of the 300 strong field, the plan was hang on and hope, and try not to get beaten by too many girls.

Stage 1: Saturday night's (late afternoon) all right for seeding. In the queue, damn scared. The field is unseeded, fast guys littered throughout. A gated start and a shitty clip in kicked things off badly, few corners in and things had relaxed slightly. Things go well, then someone is on me, 30 seconds lost on the downhill bit. Sprint the fireroad then into more trails, it feels like it is going well. Two corners remain. 'On your left mate' Shit, lost a minute, though he sounded local, thats ok. Seeded 234 out of 300. Crap, but I'll take it.

Stage 2: Much happier, in with people my pace. Relaxed chat at the start of stage 1, and then we are off. Old DH tracks ridden on sight, stay calm, get down, no one caught me, happy days.

Stage 3: Again no idea what is coming up. Get clipped in, crash, shit. 6 minutes of it all going to shit, followed by two of competent riding. A bad stage

Stage 4: Huuuuge transition, times are tight. Drop in to the most glorious bit of singletrack, probably had a bit too much fun, should have pedalled more. A glorious start gets better. Loam shoot-traverse-repeat. Happy days, not caught, good stuff.

Stage 5: Worried, we practised this one, no idea how I am going to ride it fast. Opening death ruts are clean, trail center stuff is fine, though I'm pretty sure it is up hill. 6 minutes in, I'm knackered allready. Man ahead is taking a rest at the top of the 'death section'. Probably a good plan. Fuck it, drop in, it goes well to start with. Really shouldn't be too finger braking, too knackered not to. Oh Shit, over the bars we go. Have a sit down. Are you allowed to have a sit down in a race? Probably not. Get it finished. A disaster, though not just for me.

Stage 6: Stage 1 again, I know where I'm going, I know it is a fun one. I'm hanging, menatlly & physically. Get down well, pleased with that, pleased to finish. 31km, 1500 meters up, 1500 meters down, brutal. 233rd, beaten by girls and old men alike, happy to finish.

Despite a fairly rubbish result, this was the best mtb event I have ever taken part in. The race was knackering, yet awesome, and the course was unrelentingly brilliant. I will be back to 'just ride' it for sure. Hats off to the team behind the race. Superb from start to finish.

West Cheshire Massive:
97) Matt S 100) Ryan 197) Josh (On a hardtail) 221) Dave M 241) Russ (With a puncture in seeding) 252) Ian S (A whole world of issues)

Pretty Sweet 2 - The Details

So this blog has kind of died a little recently. We have had a bit on. Mostly getting this done:

Yep, it is finished. Sighs of relief all round. After Stevie's kind offer we had a bit of a rush on these last few months to get it all togethor, but I for one, feel really quite pleased with how it has come out.

So, the premier:

Friday October 7th, Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival

Details of tickets and all the other good stuff taking place at this years EMFF, can be found on the website; www.edinburghmountainff.com. As for those who can't make it to Edinburgh (It looks as if this list will unfortunately include us), we hope to make a few more film festivals before eventually getting the film up somewhere for all to see.

Cheers

The Perfect Trail - Wideopen Mag

8 whole pages of tails of trails from Dave and I's Highland adventure can be found amongst flips and DH action in the latest Wideopen Mag, which is both excellent and free, online. I am well chuffed with the awesome job the guys have done with our photos and words. It looks bleeding excellent. Also pretty cool to see our jeyer antics in amongst all the DH action. It is an awesome mag. Get yerself over to their webber and have a look. Or just click on that doodah above. SuperXCmountaincore page 59 - 67

Pretty Sweet at Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival

Pretty Sweet is off to Scotland as part of EMFF 2010. We are really chuffed that Pretty Sweet (or Sweet Trip as the website currently has it) has been included in the line up of '20 of the best mountain films'. Our 'beautiful little film' is first on on the Sunday evening, along with Mark Beaumont. Super awesome news. For more details on the tickets and the full line up: http://www.edinburghmountainff.com/

Looks like an awesome festival in an awesome city.

A Day at the Races

The only experience i have of the word 'race' would be primary school sports days (those held at secondary school would be spent at home skiving under the façade of ill health). So i mean it when i say i didn't know what to expect from Tour de Ben Nevis, the newest 'race' event to No Fuss Events' repertoire.

It turned out to be bloody brilliant.
Great route, even by my standards the adventure level was high; waist deep river crossings and prolonged hike-a-bike. But, best of all was the great company; so many like minded people to share in the agony. I am positively looking forward to the next season of No Fuss Events - hopefully to contend for the Britain's Best Mountain Biker (unofficial) title!

Here are the thoughts of Pretty Sweet throughout the race:

We're Going Racing

Yup. it is all on the line now. In a month or so's time the Pretty Sweet Race Team (ha..) will be heading of to this:

On the No Fuss website it is described as 'The race that took mountain biking back to the mountains' and a 'mountain biking adventure race' which sounds right up our street. As far as I can tell the format is sort of like an Enduro, with both downhill and uphill stages on a course that circumnavigates Ben Nevis. The stages look like they take in some sweet out the way singletrack, plus a stage on the Fort William Downhill Course, and a hike-a-bike section.

Anyway, it looks like Dave W, Cal and I are all going to be there, so bragging rights are on the line, plus it sounds like a pretty good excuse for a roadtrip whilst we are up north. Cal and Dave W are talking of training programs so they should be super competitive. I am aiming to avoid the wooden spoon. The clown is down.

Another Roadtrip Disaster

This time we were aiming for Knoydart and we ended up in Torridon. Turned out all right in the end though:

Then we just kind of stayed there. Dave 'Pleasuredome' Waugh in action

Summer 2009 - Scotish Roadtrip

We kicked off the trip in the Cairngorms with Laggan Black/Red followed up with some local-built singletrack and a sweet trail i had scouted a few years back in the Rothiemurchus Estate; weaving its way above a raging river just a steep 200m drop below it was definitely a contender for the best singletrack of the trip (and it was only day 2). I promise you, the flow was incredible and coupled with stunning location even in the rain it was dope.