A newbie to riding..........

I think we take for granted the ease in which we jump on our bikes and go for a ride.
We've ridden for years.
Probably, (like me) you were riding bikes soon after learning to walk.
So....
It comes as a shock to us that some people have never ridden a bike.
How difficult can it be?
My sister-in-law, Lynne, was tempted out for a little ride with us this Tuesday evening.
She rode my little jump bike to start with because it is the smallest of all the bikes.
It has a saddle that cuts you in half but we didn't tell her that!! He he....
After a few wobbles she finally got into some cycling shorts (joke) (Sorry Lynne).
After a few wobbles she got pedaling and followed us off around the block.
As a newbie to riding, she had no idea of how to work the brakes or gears.
Gill talked her through changing gear but I think she should have concentrated on the brakes first.
First time she needed to slow down (a family of walkers coming the other way) she dragged both feet along the ground and kind of wobbled and wavered all over the place until she had stopped.
The family looked suitably (un) impressed.
Lynne survived the ride and said she had enjoyed it.
She's even planning to ride the unused bike she has sitting in the shed when she gets home.
Quite why she was limping as she left for home? I'm not sure I want to know.
:O)
Be glad that you don't have to give a thought to "how do I ride" as you leap onto the trusty bike and race off somewhere.
I've posted a picture or two to remind Lynne that she actually rode a bike and survived with only one bite in the back of the leg (from a rampant pedal) and a sore backside.
Well done.

And back to spinning.....

Alex came spinning with us this Monday for the first time in many months.
Plenty of resistance on the bike so that it wouldn't run away with her.
I think we all were all pretty nervous for her but she did the spinning and most of the floor exercises and lived to tell the tale.
That return to Chicksands is a little bit closer for her now.

Went over Mardley to look at the new fence...

And there it was in all it's glory.
Council must have spent a few bob there.
Why bother though? Who knows.
The bad news is that Wobbly Knee is not do'able.
No run in.
The good news is that the other slopes and drops are accessable.
They've left enough distance between the fence and the edge so we can just ride around the fence and down into the bowl.
Very thoughtful of them.
:O)

Wobbly Knee is no more...

As the Sol's were sailing the Solent, the Carnival ride went out as usual over Mardley way.
Sadly, the report back was that the council have fenced off all around the edge of the Mardley bowl.
That means that Wobbly Knee drop and all the other drops and slopes are no longer ridable.
A bit sad for those who hadn't got around to doing them yet.
I think it may be time to look harder in that area for new stunts to keep us scared.

The weekend is nearly upon us..

The weekend is nearly here again.
The Sol family are off playing Pirates on a boat this weekend.
The Carnival will be placed in the capable hands of James "Mickey" Michaels for the Sunday ride.
Please remember to rip the p**s out of him throughout the whole ride and generally heckle from the back.
Well........ It's only fair isn't it?
That's what you do to me.
:O)
Have a great ride.
See you all soon.
DB

The Carnival in Cannock.

The forcast for Sunday was for heavy thundery outbreaks so..........
To cheat the weather gods, I left off the mudguards and off we went to Cannock Chase to hook up with Eamonn and the boys.
True to form, we had a lovely dry day and even a bit of sunshine.
Cannock being Cannock, we found a few places where the going was a bit squidgy but mostly the going was good and firm.
Eamonn guided us through some nice singletrack and up some long gravely climbs.
It had to be done to find the next bit of downward trail eh?
The boys, James and Tom had a good ride again.
I think they have both grown a foot each since we last saw them.
It made it difficult for them to pedal with three feet!
Boom boom!
Gill took a good off on some slippy roots and had a roll around the floor.
Then young James put a foot down only it was the side where the hill sloped away.
He seemed proud of rolling 20ft down a hill without his bike.
Another great day at the Chase.
Food after was as good and cheap as ever.
Many thanks to Eamonn for the guiding.
We will be back.

Alex is pretty in pink.

This Saturday was a great day for us.
Alex got on her bike for the first time in 5 Months.
It was a nervous affair with all caution taken to not over extend (bend) her leg.
After 5 mins she was riding comfortably and enjoying the ride.
We rode around the block for about 15 mins.
It's going to be a long road but we will enjoy riding down it.