GRAYTHWAITE HALL was the host of round 4 of the PMBA Enduro series, a new venue meant new fresh cut tracks that had plenty effort and man hours put in by Kev's dedicated dig team to give us five awesome stages over a smaller than usual loop but had plenty of hike a bike transitions to the stages leading us to absolute gold !!
So managing to not be into much of a stress Saturday morning having packed the night before it was chuck the last few bits in whilst waiting for me mate Dan who was coming to his first PMBA.
Leaving Whitby and it's fog that's been here for the last 2 weeks it was awesome to see and feel some sun as we pulled into the lovely Graythwaite hall and what a place to set up camp.
Practice
So arriving Saturday afternoon we were allowed to ride practice for a small fee setting out up to stage 1 you got a nice warm up riding along the road before peeling off up a track were you made your way to the first hike a bike.
Meeting another of our mates at the top of stage 1 (Brenki AKA Huck and hope) it was a quick chat and straight into it, dropping on off some rocks it was straight into rocks and loamyness shooting you over a collapsed stone wall and into super tight techy twisty turns with nice drops
Having had a good practice it was time to chill for the rest of the day talking bikes, eating good food and generally enjoying the good vibe
RACE
After picking up the timing chips it was a quick spin and up the first climb to the first stage
Stage #1
Dropping into stage 1 it was straight into some techy rocks jump onto the high line to line me up better for the stone wall crossing before shooting into the woods,for a tight twisty stage this was running fast skipping over roots and rocks managing to hold good speed and loving the dry dusty turns that made a change from slippy wet roots this stage was all about keeping your speed and not making any mistakes having a safe run down this one with only one tree tag I was happy with my run
Stage#2
My second favourite stage this one and what a banger, fast of the start over some nasty rocks before dropping you down a shoot firing you into some techy wooded sections mega fun this !!
Keeping my speed I entered the slightly more open section drifting into the first loose corner scrubbing some speed before launching into a super fast off camber littered with rocks trying to keep the high line just as you dropped down into some loose dusty turns before having to haul on the brakes to make a tight turn, shame that didnt go to plan as a tree helped me stop rather than my brakes, hopping back onto the bike and riding like an idiot I was loose as a goose in the last few turns and hit the finish line with me knee pad round me ankle!!Crashed but was pretty happy with the rest of the stage just loose as and fun as hell :)
Stage#3
Awesome view of lake Windermere to start us off on this stage,after taking in the views whilst waiting in a small que I sprinted off the start over the first few natural jumps into loose dusty turns that had got fairly blown out by now but still keeping speed this continued on before sending you off a drop into some nice fast rutted berms before dropping into the first steep section of the stage, this part having got totally blown out so it was steady in drop off the brakes and hope it grips. Managing to get through that pretty well it was awesome just smashing turn after turn hitting the drop onto the wooden northshore before dropping back into more dusty turns and on to the finish, man that stage was fun
It doesn't get much better riding new trails as steep and techy as these
Stage#4
After a grueller of a push up to stage #4 I was glad to see a few folk waiting in the que taking on some much needed water I dropped 2 gels hoping it would give me a much needed boost.
And a boost it gave me!! Sprinting off the start round the first few turns gathering speed and ohhhh balls right turn !! Missing the high line I tried to endo round but just endode straight into a tree! After a few choice words with myself it was sprint again hitting more dusty steep turns before shooting out into a few fast turns over a small stream and back into the woods bringing you to an awesome finish that took you over a big tree root drop into a sketchy rut that I managed to go high on setting me up nicely for the left hand turn into the finish, loads of dust plooms on this one was awesome watching the other riders hit as I chatted to my mates whilst having a breather, good times.
Stage #5
My favourite stage this one! After another climb back up I was about done but knew that this stage was so much fun id give it what I had left.
Nearly losing it in the first corner over excited it was up to speed in no time over rises and dips before a nicely rutted right hander sending you down the fastest loosest rock garden you could just let the brakes go and just hammer it flat out just enjoying the ride,heading back into the woods with some speed carried from the last section it was down a rocky shute before a sharp right hander remembering not to go through the tape this time! Then it was an uphill pedal through a wooded section bringing you out to more loose dusty open dirt track dropping you down to the bottom of Kevs cyclocross climb !!
Trying to sprint up and getting cramp just at the top, after a dance about I jumped back on the bike and managed to sprint it out shooting down the fire road having a few sketchy moments in the turns before sprinting through the gate onto the grass hauling up on the brakes for the right hand and back on the pedals taking the faster line over the second drop and sprinting to the finish.
Damn what a rush that stage was swwweeeeetttt :)
After 5 hard stages in scorching heat I was surprised to have got 19th place with the stupid tree hugs i'd had but was more than happy to still be in top 20, watching my mate Dan ride in with a big smile on his face tells me he had an awesome time well done mate. Damo had crashed in practice so had to sit this one out, but I'm sure he will be back stronger. Carl Crowley great to see you again young loon your getting faster every time!!! Allan huck to flat Brenkley it was a pleasure to ride with you again and truly amazed at your hucking of the drops and awesome speed throughout the stages well done
All smiles
Another great race organised by Kev and Mike and all there trail builders thank you for you vision and constantly pushing us, thanks to the marshals had some good crack with a few of you :)Thanks again Richard at Mountainbike garage who makes it possible for me to do this.
What an awesome weekend riding with mates and and smashing dusty berms, this is what its all about and why I keep coming back see you at the next one folks
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