MTBberkhamsted ride report - April 28 2010

 

Another week of bone dry conditions and another great turn out with 18 riders congregating at the new meeting point outside Berkhamsted station. Ellesmere Road's residents' gain is the commuters' pain, station users now having to navigate the twin perils of the queue for the new chippy and a large gaggle of bikers loitering on the taxi rank. Ho hum!

With Lloydy wanting to try out his new flashy camera techniques and demanding a display of cunning stunts I made the rash decision to do this week's ride on my DMR jump bike, which is little more than a glorified BMX for kids and not a dignified means of transport for a grown man. Knees around my ears, I struggled to keep pace as we headed up Sunnyside toward the Special Secret Jump Spot I'd scoped some months back.

Not that secret as it turned out, a couple of pesky kids on BMXs adding to the peril of the gap jump by lighting a fire between the take off and landing. And nonchalantly boosting off it with some style.

While the rest of the band made the sensible decision to leave the jumping to the idiots I attempted to prove I still had the old magic. And then fell off. I could feel the sympathy as I dusted myself down and I'm sure the laughter was down to one of Tom's quips and entirely unrelated to the fact I'd just made an arse of myself in front of everyone.  

Four of our party declared themselves bored and went straight back to the pub to watch the football, the rest of the ride progressing rather more smoothly on some of the new singletrack we've found recently. Well, apart from the bits where we got lost. Or dragged unsuspecting rookies along techie trails more suited to Kick Start champions. Sorry Ben, probably should have warned you about that big stump. Check out the injuries below…