The ride.... and the plan for 2014

Try as I might, I couldn't find a friend to come riding in the Redwoods with me this week.  Actually, now I read that first sentence - is it that no one wants to ride with ME?  Surely not, it was the Redwoods on offer, that would far outweigh any negatives that being in my company might bring.

So, I was Nigel No Mates, heading to Green Lake on my own.  Green Lake, because I wanted to try out the Xterra MTB course, and that's where I thought it starts.  But it turns out, it starts at Blue Lake, and I couldn't even get to Green Lake on the closed logging road, so I drove all the way back to Blue Lake, which I'd passed nearly half an hour ago.  Let's not dwell on this either.

We are so fortunate to have so many Redwoods trails which are nearly better with a little rain.  I didn't see another rider all day, probably a combination of the rain, the outback trails which I stuck to, and the fact I did a lot of hill climbing.  But even the climbs were peaceful today, in that lovely, newly cleansed forest way.  A small wallaby was about the only other mammal I came across.

I rode all of Billy T, an intermediate/advanced track, without putting my feet down.  The last time I rode it, (some months ago) was two days after I badly broke my finger and had done some home doctoring, taping it to an ice block stick.  As a result, I could hold the handlebar, or I could apply the brakes, but I couldn't do both at once with that hand.  Billy T has some rooty sections, and I learned just how much you need both hands to be properly balanced.  What resulted was some very awkward sections with one foot out of my clips, and Clare growling me for this horrendous technique which I despise in others.  When MTBing, I firmly believe that you either commit, or get off.  Turns out I'm not much good at practising what I preach.  I canned off, which I also don't believe in doing, and am only just getting my confidence back now.

Anyway, this week, Billy T, in the rain, on my own, with no feet down, rode it all the way.  It wasn't always pretty, and my Garmin shows I actually had a higher speed on the way up Frontal Lobotomy, but it's still a big psychological hurdle for me.  Bonus.

After another decent hill climb, I'm heading down Split Enz.  This trail is gold.  Sweeping berms, great speed, natural lines.  One of those trails that a rider of any ability feels like they're flying on.  I realise that my cheeks are actually hurting, a result of the beaming grin I didn't even realise I had.

I love Mountain biking.  It's my favourite thing at the moment.  So, my big bucket list for next year.... the big reveal.......

To ride all the (non-expert) trails in the Redwoods.


That's going to be so much fun.