White Men Can't Jump

[jambosean75]

Or rather 20st White Man On Mountain Bike Can't Jump.

 

I've spent the last couple of weeks on holiday in the Newtonmore area and i've spent a fair bit of it out cycling. I had been enjoying it but was saving the best until last, just a couple of days before i went home.

 

Laggan Wolftrax.

 

So, Thursday morning came and i eagerly loaded my 11 year old nephew's bike and mine for the 10 minute drive with little notion of the calamity the day would bring.

 

We got there and while i checked out the big map board with the various trails and their difficulty levels my nephew decided he would try the practice area next to it. He thundered up the ramp and disappeared out of sight. A minute or so later he shouted for me to watch him as he came racing back down. He then managed to miss the ramp, drop the 3 or 4 feet down nose first, went flying other his handle bars while the bike did a flip and landed on him.

There was a deathly silence for a few seconds before the wailing started. I raced over to him as did a couple of families in the car park. Luckily he hadn't broke anything but he had scrapped the skin of his elbow and had hurt his hip. It would eventually form a bruise the size of a small football. So i had to repack the bikes and take him back to the cottage and sit through the rant from my sister that i had said he wouldn't get hurt.

 

Decided to head back to the Wolftrax myself as the worst had happened, nothing else could go wrong surely?

What the **** do I know eh.

 

Most folk take the truck up , but i decided i would cycle up the mountain. BIG Mistake. After what seemed hours, god knows how many stops and a good 5 minutes wondering how the air ambulance was going to get to me through all the trees when i had the heart attack i was surely going to have, i reached the orange track, the free track, the one with all the jumps.

 

Deciding i was going no further, I got ready to make my descent.

 

Got to the first berm and almost shot off the top off it, but after that started to get the hang off it. As my confidence increased so did my speed though i was slowing down each time i came to a jump as i'm not totally stupid. That's when it happened.

I came shooting out of a berm and was on the jump before i realised. Managed to slow down slightly but was off balance and leaning to the left when i came racing down the back of the jump to find to my horror it was a double jump and found myself being launched of the second like an exocet.

 

That's when i found out having top of the range disc brakes like on a car does no good if none of the wheels are touching the ground.

 

I returned to earth with an almighty clatter and realised i was almost certainly going to loose it.

There was a small chance i might of regained control but that small hope was torn from my grasp when the track took a sharp turn right at that moment and where it SHOULD of been was a rock the size of a small car or so it seemed to me.

With my momentum already having me leaning that way i launched myself and the bike to the left of the rock and into the deep ditch that was there.

Which turned out to be filled with rocks only slightly smaller.

 

After i ground to a halt i gingerly picked myself up. Blood was dripping from my knuckles and legs, i was covered in scrapes,cuts and bruises but with a growing sense of wonder i realised everything was where it should be and nothing was broken.

Time to check the bike. The handle bars needed straighten, easily done, then i got to my seat.

It was a write off. I don't know if it was my weight when i landed the jump or if it had hit a rock in the ditch but it was buckled out of shape always.

 

I managed to straighten it enough so i could coast down to the repair station at the bottom. The guy had a look at it and told me it was ruined. ?40 it cost me to replace it.

 

You would think i had learned my lesson but,

:2thumbsup:I can't wait to go again:2thumbsup:

[Alan_R]

hows you and the bairn? sounds like you had both had clangers.

 

Sounds quality though.

 

How experienced do you need to be? I've not been on my mountain bike in years.

[Moriarty]

very good but:

 

when are we going to talk about the wesley snipes movie?

[Mr Loverman]

very good but:

 

when are we going to talk about the wesley snipes movie?

 

I love that film!

[jambosean75]

hows you and the bairn? sounds like you had both had clangers.

 

Sounds quality though.

 

How experienced do you need to be? I've not been on my mountain bike in years.

 

we're both ok and we've both got some superb bruises to show off.

 

as for experience, i hadn't been on my bike for a few years myself but bought a new one for going on holiday and had a great time.

 

if going on a proper track i would recomend getting a pair of gloves as will save the old knuckles if you do come off.

plan to get myself a pair for next time.

[conn artist]

we're both ok and we've both got some superb bruises to show off.

 

as for experience, i hadn't been on my bike for a few years myself but bought a new one for going on holiday and had a great time.

 

if going on a proper track i would recomend getting a pair of gloves as will save the old knuckles if you do come off.

plan to get myself a pair for next time.

 

get the wrap a round sixsixone shin gaurds too. they look a bit like cricket pads but have saved my skin literally a few times.

 

the x country trails there are ace and that massive rock face is terrifying.

 

heal soon.

[vladtheexhaler]

Or rather 20st White Man On Mountain Bike Can't Jump.

 

I've spent the last couple of weeks on holiday in the Newtonmore area and i've spent a fair bit of it out cycling. I had been enjoying it but was saving the best until last, just a couple of days before i went home.

 

Laggan Wolftrax.

 

So, Thursday morning came and i eagerly loaded my 11 year old nephew's bike and mine for the 10 minute drive with little notion of the calamity the day would bring.

 

We got there and while i checked out the big map board with the various trails and their difficulty levels my nephew decided he would try the practice area next to it. He thundered up the ramp and disappeared out of sight. A minute or so later he shouted for me to watch him as he came racing back down. He then managed to miss the ramp, drop the 3 or 4 feet down nose first, went flying other his handle bars while the bike did a flip and landed on him.

There was a deathly silence for a few seconds before the wailing started. I raced over to him as did a couple of families in the car park. Luckily he hadn't broke anything but he had scrapped the skin of his elbow and had hurt his hip. It would eventually form a bruise the size of a small football. So i had to repack the bikes and take him back to the cottage and sit through the rant from my sister that i had said he wouldn't get hurt.

 

Decided to head back to the Wolftrax myself as the worst had happened, nothing else could go wrong surely?

What the **** do I know eh.

 

Most folk take the truck up , but i decided i would cycle up the mountain. BIG Mistake. After what seemed hours, god knows how many stops and a good 5 minutes wondering how the air ambulance was going to get to me through all the trees when i had the heart attack i was surely going to have, i reached the orange track, the free track, the one with all the jumps.

 

Deciding i was going no further, I got ready to make my descent.

 

Got to the first berm and almost shot off the top off it, but after that started to get the hang off it. As my confidence increased so did my speed though i was slowing down each time i came to a jump as i'm not totally stupid. That's when it happened.

I came shooting out of a berm and was on the jump before i realised. Managed to slow down slightly but was off balance and leaning to the left when i came racing down the back of the jump to find to my horror it was a double jump and found myself being launched of the second like an exocet.

 

That's when i found out having top of the range disc brakes like on a car does no good if none of the wheels are touching the ground.

 

I returned to earth with an almighty clatter and realised i was almost certainly going to loose it.

There was a small chance i might of regained control but that small hope was torn from my grasp when the track took a sharp turn right at that moment and where it SHOULD of been was a rock the size of a small car or so it seemed to me.

With my momentum already having me leaning that way i launched myself and the bike to the left of the rock and into the deep ditch that was there.

Which turned out to be filled with rocks only slightly smaller.

 

After i ground to a halt i gingerly picked myself up. Blood was dripping from my knuckles and legs, i was covered in scrapes,cuts and bruises but with a growing sense of wonder i realised everything was where it should be and nothing was broken.

Time to check the bike. The handle bars needed straighten, easily done, then i got to my seat.

It was a write off. I don't know if it was my weight when i landed the jump or if it had hit a rock in the ditch but it was buckled out of shape always.

 

I managed to straighten it enough so i could coast down to the repair station at the bottom. The guy had a look at it and told me it was ruined. ?40 it cost me to replace it.

 

You would think i had learned my lesson but,

:2thumbsup:I can't wait to go again:2thumbsup:

 

If you do go back it might be an idea not to try and land jumps whilst seated.