Kite flying extravaganza

So a few weeks ago, Greg and I embarked on the idea of getting to grips with kite flying! We have the smallest amount of time together as it is, and certainly don't need another hobby, but this really took us by storm. I love the water and I really want Greg to get into surfing/kite surfing or something similar, so this seemed like a good way of venturing into it. We found a cool spot on St Andrews beach which is usually populated with wind and kite surfers and kite flyer's and the occasional small soupie grom surfer.

We had a cool first session with an intimate lesson from John, the legendary Fife Cycles main cheese! In less than an hour both managed a few loop de loops and a small short and quite pitiful linked up blast on the beach board. It was ace, total upper body and abs work out.

On Monday we ventured out again in a force off the scale gale! Greg had his first blast and decided it was way too windy to be cool. I had to have a shot, and actually believed that I could do it. I managed to get it up in the air, but before I knew it the wind had snatched the kite, nearly threw me on the ground and I let go of one of the handles which catapulted over towards some parked cars and nearly too someones head off and windscreen out. Still not satisfied, I gave it another shot and was dragged to the ground! Needless to say, it was far too strong for lil ole me, and after a serious reprimanding for being an irresponsible kite flyier from Greg, we packed up! We went back a few hours later when the wind had died down a little and had the most amazing session. Greg loop in 15 loop de loops and I got dragged along the floor more than 3 times, I cut my leg and nearly ripped my neck off!! Aside from all that, we left with big smiles all round and didn't get back to base until just after 11!!

Fort Willy

So, riding, last week I took part in round 3 of the Scottish Summer series in Fort William. It was my first glance at the World Championship course, and first glances were good. I nailed everything on course and got to grips with it after a few runs. It always takes a while to get a feel for that course, it is a real boobie shaker, exhausting to say the least. The new top section has added 20 seconds for the fast boys (Steve and Renoir) and 25 seconds for Tray-Mo. I seriously need to build up my lactate tolerance and stamina before the big day (12 weeks to and counting!). In the race, I crashed hard, high siding on one of the bridges. Total school girl error, but I was chasing a time and although I had had a blinder of a run, I was to shattered to hold on and lost control. I'm paying for it tho....big ole bruise on my SIP (Side impact protection system, or hip!!).

The course has been adapted a little for the World Championships. It starts about 20meters from the gondola station. From the start you hit a surface similar to hard packed sand, there is a hip jump, some really big sweeping berma and a lot of decking, to get upto speed you need to belt on the pedals all the way down. The new section meets the old course at the first bus stop where the terrain changes back to the rough Fort William style rocks. At the bottom on the motorway, the jumps have changed slightly, everything is the same until after the hip jump, their is a kicky tabletop before the first origional double and there is another tabletop after that. At the finish, the small double has been built up to a tripple which is pretty big, you can still double it up tho. The tripple is faster but very unforgiving if you don't make it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frighten/562081534/in/set-72157600385021241/

So that is y'all upto speed for now.

Peace out.

10-4 Grey Squirril, ths is red fox. I want your nuts!

Behind every girls exterior is a sneeky lil trucker edging its way out...you just have to nurture it a little!! My panchant for a hot cuppa with T-bag left in cup, a greasy bacon buttie, some rank CB chat and my abilty to navigate round the counreee using nothing but garbled road numbers and truck stops paid off this week! I passed my truck test!! Yeeeeha! I spent the week trucking around in a 7.5 wag-in, steering 10 to 2 and anchoring on the air brakes!! All for a good cause mind you!

The Day Disco Died.....

Word Yowth.

Round 2 of the World Cup has come and gownnnnnn. I travelled out to the alpine village of Champery, Switz last Wednesday in the company of my ex-teamie, the Giant Ben Cathro (who hates gurkins…long story!). It was an EPIC brain fart of a journey, planes, trains and automobiles central. I landed in Geneva (the only airport to have the bing-bongs to ‘how much is that doggy in the window, as there tannoy announcement intro) Gary Forest, Ben and I had a sport of brekki then Ben and I caught the train along the scenic Lake Geneva and up to the race Village. I landed with 30 mins to go before the lifts stopped, Fi threw me a pass and we went for a ‘turn’ on the Gondola.

Course walking was mammoth! The course is so steep it is unreal; it is actually easier to ride than to walk down! We all (boys and all) slip slided our way down using every technique possible, including the famous bum shuffle! On first inspection, the course looked like a dream, few roots, rocks and jumps, just good ole skool natural DH! My first run down on Thursday was nothing short of disastrous; the course had been spat on by the DEW DEVILS and was treacherously slippy! It took me a lifetime to get down; I spent half of my time perfecting my Klinsman technique (sliding head first on your tummy!) like a true novice afterbeing bucker-rude over the handlebars!! I had a more hard crashes over the course of the weekend than in the last 3 years put together. I landed on my flower so many times I lost count, I landed hard on my kidney and nearly peeded my panties (NICE!) and I got up with so much foliage hanging off everything, I could have been mistaken for a salad!! Needless to say, I am covered in bruises, my hands are killing from hangin on, and my ladies bits have seen better days! There is NOTHING glam about racing DH some weekends!

The guys race was just like Vigo, the heavens opened half way through the final. The course was reduced to a death rink, none of the guys made it down without crashing, and it was sad to watch. The majority of the guys have worked and trained so hard for the season, its sad to see them struggle and be held back by a track that in my eyes should never be on the W.C. circuit. Somehow Sam Hill (the last man down) opened a massif can of whoop ass. He rode into an incredible 3rd place with skill and precision that was testament to his phenomenal ability. I for one, and the people around me were left stunned, mouths wide open. Although there was a lack of seats and everyone was standing. Sam received what could be classed as a standing ovation for his gallent efforts. Its was nothing short of an amazing sporting moment.

The after party was a little lame, but with the help of Wee Jill, her new found ability to fly and break fridges, Fionn and her nose for mischief, Buhly and her penchant for shots and beer chasers, Sam Blenkinsops private bar and D (Mr Yeti) and his fetish for dressing up like kitchen staff…it was a giggle!

So, I made it through quaili and finished 21st in the final! That leaves me 20th overall in the points. I’m pleased with that, not ecstatic!! I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do on a good course, Champery will go down in my memories as a track which tested your guts, your nerves, determination and most of all, your ability to hang on! I much prefer riding courses that test your ability to RIDE fast!

Big up to Fionn who got the first W.C podium for Griffiths Racing (3rd in the 4x)! Good going Gal-friend!!

See yaw on the Flip Side…..Hormoné

Word...

Random week in the life of me!! I have been FLAT out with work, going to loads of running events and chatting sports nutrition has taken me to every corner of Scotland (nearly!) I went to a half marathon in Cambletown (the most westerly point no mainland Scotland) after a weekend at the Edinburgh Marathon. It was an epic journey. 'A' road central! It was beautiful though, white sand beaches and palm trees! The runners were piped of the start line, all in all it was the coolest half marathon I have been to in terms of spirit and cool setting!

My days off were spent in a frustrated stupor! It was lashing it down the whole time, but Greg kept me sane (actually, I think it was mutual). We put heads together and hit the badminton courts, snuck out for a wee xc ride at Kinoul Hill (the old Perth DH track) ate lots of yummy food and drank loads of Starbucks Frappuchino. The dull rain eventually got to the better fo me and I resorted to comfort shopping TKMax style, I found a splash of colour and bought the most offensive pair of bright orange Dunlop pumps the world has ever seen...needless to say, I haven't worn them yet?!!

Anyway, Thursday evening saw Greg blasting round this cool new MX track we found! He was ace, he messed up a few jumps and went back and nailed em! He hadn't ridden for a while and was a little rusty, but by the end of the session, he was RIP RIP RIPPIN!!

He has talked me into getting an engine when the season is done! We are looking at a CRF150, small enough for me to manage and big enough to race on. We also bought a kite, its 2.5m Flexifoil Rage...Greg hates the water and the cold...I on the other hand love it...so, we've stuck a balance. We're gonna get the hang of kite flying, if we like it, which I'm sure we will...I recon we might add a board and hit the water....just another thing to fill our almost none existent free time!! Anybody would think we had ants in our pants?! WE DO!!

Okay...mass organisation for the next few days and its out to Switz for round 2 of the World Cups...and top 20 here we come!

La da dee la da da!

Jme. X