A stop for food near the top cooled us down so we had to work to
warm up again. The final descent soon dispelled any lingering chill as
we fought to guide our bikes over the bouldery trails. It was a fight
Jamie lost. He emerged at the trail centre covered in mud after close
inspection of the undergrowth. Not that it mattered too much, we were
minutes from our cars and the warm dry clothes they contained.
Well that's it for another year. Thanks everyone who turned up and
made the rides such fun. Have a great Christmas and I'll see you in the
New Year.
Here is my GPS log of the ride (mmo file).
warm up again. The final descent soon dispelled any lingering chill as
we fought to guide our bikes over the bouldery trails. It was a fight
Jamie lost. He emerged at the trail centre covered in mud after close
inspection of the undergrowth. Not that it mattered too much, we were
minutes from our cars and the warm dry clothes they contained.
Well that's it for another year. Thanks everyone who turned up and
made the rides such fun. Have a great Christmas and I'll see you in the
New Year.
Here is my GPS log of the ride (mmo file).
| |||||||||
The mountains of North Wales sat under clear blue skies looking beautiful in their covering of snow and
frost. This beauty was tempered by the fact it was cold outside and I’d soon have to get out of a nice warm
car. Still, it was a long time since I’d been to Coed-y-Brenin and I was really looking forward riding the trails
again.
frost. This beauty was tempered by the fact it was cold outside and I’d soon have to get out of a nice warm
car. Still, it was a long time since I’d been to Coed-y-Brenin and I was really looking forward riding the trails
again.
At the car park all I wanted to do
was put on my gloves rather than
mess about assembling bikes and
signing disclaimers. Nobody else
wanted to stand around fettling
either so we actually set off on
time. The feeling quickly came
back to my fingers as we muscled
our way over the big boulders that
made up the first trail. It felt a bit
much to tackle straight away but as
a qualifier to the rest of the route
was put on my gloves rather than
mess about assembling bikes and
signing disclaimers. Nobody else
wanted to stand around fettling
either so we actually set off on
time. The feeling quickly came
back to my fingers as we muscled
our way over the big boulders that
made up the first trail. It felt a bit
much to tackle straight away but as
a qualifier to the rest of the route
| Stu and John riding a frosty Badger |
(clockwise from above left)
Dave, Harri, Lee and Ian
climbing the wet rocks of
Brutus
Dave, Harri, Lee and Ian
climbing the wet rocks of
Brutus
it let us know what we were in for. The
conditions quickly let us know what to
expect too as stream crossings and low
temperatures started to freeze our mechs
making gear changes difficult.
Winstone, who was new to the Shop Rides,
was having problems with the technical
trails, which were really slowing him down.
He apologised for holding everyone up and
said he’d go and do his own thing. After
sorting him out with a trail map I let him
know he would be welcome to come back
on a less technical ride to see how it went.
The rest of us continued following the MBR
conditions quickly let us know what to
expect too as stream crossings and low
temperatures started to freeze our mechs
making gear changes difficult.
Winstone, who was new to the Shop Rides,
was having problems with the technical
trails, which were really slowing him down.
He apologised for holding everyone up and
said he’d go and do his own thing. After
sorting him out with a trail map I let him
know he would be welcome to come back
on a less technical ride to see how it went.
The rest of us continued following the MBR
along some fast but slippery trails. They were
great fun but not a place where you wanted to be
right on somebody’s rear wheel. Harri found this
out when he chose to crash rather than plough
into the rider in front.
great fun but not a place where you wanted to be
right on somebody’s rear wheel. Harri found this
out when he chose to crash rather than plough
into the rider in front.
(left) Darren and Jamie,
hairpin on able
hairpin on able
Darren and Dave on the rocky finish to Cain
On the following climb a
slab 2/3rds of the way up
defeated me. I was
starting to suffer from a
cold and didn’t have the
bust of power needed to
get over it. As long as I
kept eating I still had the
energy to get downhill
quickly. I was glad of
that, especially as the
next descent reminded
me how good the
singletrack at Coedy was.
And I wasn’t the only one
enjoying myself. We
reached the river at the
bottom with a lot of big
smiles.
slab 2/3rds of the way up
defeated me. I was
starting to suffer from a
cold and didn’t have the
bust of power needed to
get over it. As long as I
kept eating I still had the
energy to get downhill
quickly. I was glad of
that, especially as the
next descent reminded
me how good the
singletrack at Coedy was.
And I wasn’t the only one
enjoying myself. We
reached the river at the
bottom with a lot of big
smiles.
| Shane on Able |
| Ken on Able |
| .....and no pun for Harri |
| (clockwise from top left) Jamie, John, Stu and Shane descending False Teeth |
| Darren climbing past the misty valleys |
| Harri on False Teeth |
We left the MBR behind to follow the
Dragons Back on a trail that was fast
Dragons Back on a trail that was fast
hard work and made me feel worse. I was
having too much fun to back of so only had
having too much fun to back of so only had
myself to blame. I wasn’t the worst off anyway. By the end of the trail Dave’s
free hub had broken and he had to bail. The only silver lining was it was flat all
the way back to the car park.
free hub had broken and he had to bail. The only silver lining was it was flat all
the way back to the car park.
| Ken going all 'action shot' on Big Dug |
| Ian, John and Lee at the top of the first, steep short cut |
Everyone else came with me and left the Dragon’s Back for a short cut to the next good section of
singletrack. It removed a long firetrack climb but by climbing the same height in a much shorter distance it
was steep. The singletrack we headed for was followed by another short cut and more climbing. This
started to get a bit much for Darren’s legs and he had to stop to touch his toes and stretch his legs. I don’t
know if pointing his rear end in my direction was an accident or he was trying to tell me something.
singletrack. It removed a long firetrack climb but by climbing the same height in a much shorter distance it
was steep. The singletrack we headed for was followed by another short cut and more climbing. This
started to get a bit much for Darren’s legs and he had to stop to touch his toes and stretch his legs. I don’t
know if pointing his rear end in my direction was an accident or he was trying to tell me something.
and fun for a while but soon started going up as well as down. It was
| Harri, Ian and Lee on the pine needle covered singletrack of Herman |
All the effort was forgotten on reaching the
top of a series of trails that would take us
down to the river again. And what trails
they were. We flew down between the
trees, weaving through corner after corner
on a descent that seemed to go on and on.
Among the trail obstacles thrown in our
path was a wet wooden bridge, its greasy
surface waiting to catch out the unwary.
There were a few big slides but thankfully,
no crashes. The final trail, Uncle Fester,
was a fantastic way to finish. With more
corners and higher speeds it left us at the
bottom talking nonsense and grinning from
ear to ear.
top of a series of trails that would take us
down to the river again. And what trails
they were. We flew down between the
trees, weaving through corner after corner
on a descent that seemed to go on and on.
Among the trail obstacles thrown in our
path was a wet wooden bridge, its greasy
surface waiting to catch out the unwary.
There were a few big slides but thankfully,
no crashes. The final trail, Uncle Fester,
was a fantastic way to finish. With more
corners and higher speeds it left us at the
bottom talking nonsense and grinning from
ear to ear.
| Ken braving the Teflon Bridge |
(left) Harri descending Gomez
| Shane, Harri, John and Ken at the end of Uncle Fester, the finish to a fantastic series of descents. |
Lee and Harri on the final climb
| (above and right) Ken, Darren, Stu and Ian on the final climb |
I surprised everyone, when given the choice of going up or down, by pointing
them in a down hill direction. It was only a small respite and before long we
were winching our way up the final climb. I was spared the usual evil wishes for
inflicting this on tired legs by some guy who came barging through at high
speed on a XC bike, without saying a word. Excuse me would have been nice.
them in a down hill direction. It was only a small respite and before long we
were winching our way up the final climb. I was spared the usual evil wishes for
inflicting this on tired legs by some guy who came barging through at high
speed on a XC bike, without saying a word. Excuse me would have been nice.
| Ken, Stu, John and Darren on the final rocky section of Beginning of the End |
| Shane on Beginning of the End |
| A Oneplanet Adventure Shop Ride by www.flattyresmtbroutes.com |