Velo Trails - Aftermath (featuring the 'Exploding Explosif')

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Picture a man, going on a journey...

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... he's left Fife...

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--- and he's entered, the Exploding Explosif Zone!

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Let's just say our ride started with a bang, within 50 yards of Velo's front door, Robmac's rim explodes... of course this being Loanheid on a Sunday morning, the only folk that poop their pants are the out of towners.

We nip back to Velo's for a spare rim, where Mikee inspects the damage and of course, you guessed it, it was a Specialized inner tube that let go. Re-wheeled and lycra drained, the four of us set of once more.

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Velo's got some cracking singletrack starting literally minutes from his front door. First set of trails were really pretty dry, starting narrow and rooty, then the trees and the trail opened up a bit after crossing an old railway bridge (designed by the same guy who built the 2nd Dundee rail bridge). We worked our way up past Velo's work (a cracking commute) via a farm track and then some overgrown pavement and finally a bit of road. Nipping into the trees again, Rob's luck failed once more, with the Hawthorns deciding he hadn't had a shite enough ride yet.

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So first proper stop of the day, food munched, bikes tried (mikee's 'dale felt smaller than it looked, and so come to think of it did Velo's Kona).

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... more coming shortly ...
 
Jeez :shock: , i've heard of rims letting go, think it's the first time i've seen it.

Was thinking earlier i should have made it out to this.

New Kona looks great Velo :cool:
 
... Inner tube replaced, and it was onwards and downwards, gravelly track to a tight right hander for a footbridge, then first real mud of the day as we slipped and slid down a narrow strip, bushes on the left, barb wire fence on the right. Then a short bit of steep roadwork, and back into the forest again, this time things getting a bit more muddy under wheel. We took a left onto the new trails that Velo discovered...

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Anyway, a nice wee bit of singletrack, followed by one of those climbs that you know would be better going down than up.

Trails continued to get a bit muddier, but still not too bad. At some point Rob lost a cartridge pad from his back brake - I think that's 3 MacRetro rides now where someone's had a problem with a cartridge brake. Some cracking high speed single track, including a nasty piece of rooty angled trail that'll fling you into a burn if you don't stay left - this claimed the unfortunate Rob, didn't get wet but did get a sore knee I think.

We then crossed a right swampy field (Mikee reckoned this was the place where they filmed the Dead Marshes for Lord of the Rings) - not pleasant, and hard going against the cold westerly wind. Feet now wet for the first time in ride, then a quick spin up the hill out of Penicuik, and back into the trees I think, followed by some more muddy narrow trails, including a water feature that did it's best to claim me, although somehow I landed on the reeds and didn't get wet at all.

... end of part 2 ...
 
Speaking of pain ............................ thanks for helpin me out today Mikee :D

With a lift, with a lift you perverts :LOL:

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