Re:
over the last few years i have noticed alot of people reverting back to all mountain bikes, DH bikes can be so limiting, and i think alot of people have noticed this, also some of the best trails require you to climb to them, so the DH boys don't bother with them, they all seem to have their race heads on "must do another run, gotta get that jump right, need to shave some time off" etc yawn. :roll: in real terms the all mountain bikes and riders are just xc riders picking a bike suitable for the area which makes sense.
the braking bumps are as bad as ever but again only on the courses the actual trails are just normal all be it extreme trails.
anyway on to todays mission(s)
i had yesterday off so i wanted to get out today and give it some beans, i definitely felt better for the day off, i had sort of got to the point where i was on auto pilot with some of the trails and as a result i was becoming complacent, which out here is far from ideal!
so today the plan was to do the port du soliel route, although i knew the champoussan lift was now closed, this meant a climb, not an issue but i decided to take the ST4 instead of the Patriot, so off i went at about 9.45am. i went up the Super Morzine lifts and smoked a whole bunch of downhillers on the traverse to the first trail head, being it was my first day on my own and after the day off i was going well and the downhillers just sort of grind along on this section! i hit the first trailhead and spanked down there and continued straight into the next section at speed, surprised a few people who were standing with their bikes at the natural stopping place i think! i went towards the Mossette lift but cut back on a downhill run and headed back to Linderet, straight up the Chatel lift and headed for the Panoramic descent, i really like that descent, it's rough but not too rough and quite flowy.
i then headed up the climb to the nice singletrack route to Chatel itself, then it started raining :? knowing how bad the rain could be i decided to sort of abandon! so from Chatel i needed to get the bus back to the bike park so that i could then head back to Linderet, i headed straight through Linderet, avoided the stinky goats and all their poo! launched myself unpoiltely down the trail to the lac du montriond blasting past people like i was on a mission (Prodigy on the Ipod will do that!)
i got back to the Chalet and it was only 2pm, i'd managed to avoid the rain but by the time i got back the sky was getting better, i felt i'd cheated myself a bit by not completing the route i had planned.
so by 1530 i had got cleaned up and headed out on the roadbike! up and down to Avoriaz from Morzine, it's afair old climb, taking about an hour for someone like me, i love the descent though, it was sort of part ruined by a rear puncture but thanks to my CO2 pump getting the tyre to a good pressure it meant i could still nail the rest of the descent.
anyway, here are some pics!
after the first climb
P1130889 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
getting near to Chatel, there is a big drop the other side of the fence
P1130892 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
P1130893 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
P1130896 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
P1130897 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
this part of the trail used to be alot narrower with no fence
P1130901 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
at the lake in Chatel, the ripples in the water is rain
P1130902 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
coffee time
P1130905 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
waiting for the bus in Chatel
P1130906 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
P1130907 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
P1130908 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
P1130909 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
this is the mountain i rode round, the left one
P1130910 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
i have no idea!
P1130911 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
only 14 degrees!
P1130912 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
the bus is biker proof!
P1130913 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
looking through the back window to check on the bike, it's safe but i still worry
P1130914 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
puncture 1 of the day!
P1130915 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
the descent into Chatel
IMG_2662 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
the second ride, the road climb to Avoriaz
IMG_2664 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_2667 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_2668 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_2669 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
IMG_2670 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr
puncture number 2!
IMG_2671 by
Dr. Branom, on Flickr