GNAR Bikepark
Yeah me again! Been a while since I've been on here with a bit of a gap between races, I've managed to fill it with a race in scotland and trying to get some training /riding in whenever I could as work had been mad.
So after the usual banter of getting the the lads organized for meeting up for the race all week it was good to arrive at a field in the middle of nowere and have a good catch up with everyone.
GNAR bikepark was our host for round 6 and what a nice area to be above a small village Low Heskett, heavy rain being the only downer of the day.
After catching up with everyone it was decided that we would practice in the morning hoping for dry weather so after sampling some fine grub at the local pub it was a few beers and some banter before an early nite .
Practice
So after coffee and some porridge it was on to practice! Man this place is loam heaven! Riding sections flat out managing to keep your feet on the pedals for 2 wheel drifts is awesome sooo much fun with plenty of roost, heading up to stage #5 for a practice on the gap jump I had met up with Mr gas to flat/huck n hope Allan Brenkley, heading down we stopped and had a look taking a quick push up the hill I got in position before peddling flat out! Just before hitting the lip I hear
stop rider!! oooohhh shit, no time and no brakes as I was in the air !!! Landing a good 10 ft past the landing I had over jumped it and ended up collecting another rider and bike sending me in a tangled mess down the hill. Not a great start to the day haha checking he was ok I headed down the bottom of the hill.
On stepping off the bike it was clear I had smashed me ankle up so one of the lads headed for a medic, after an ice pack and some good banter it was back to the van to get it strapped up and grab some scran before race.
Stage #1 Magic Bus
Short stage to start things off but sweet loamy fun with the track quickly picking up speed taking you through some fast sketchy turns before tightening up at the bottom a fun and fast start.
Stage#2 Elementary
Slippery start to this one with a few small jumps to clear to keep your speed up leading in to some berms as the speed started to increase it was down to the big drops missing them and taking the left hand line for maximum speed hitting a small drop flat out firing you into the finish! short, fast, loose with alot of sketchiness thrown in :)
Stage #3 Get to the chopper
Another banger here with fast loose turns fairly slippy in places before sending you of a drop where you gained warp speed before hitting a big log drop that kicked up yer back wheel if you didnt give it it full commitment!!
Roosting some loam
Stage #4 Gasoline Alley
My favourite track this one! Similar start to the others before dropping in steep and hitting the most awesome berms that just begged you to rail them faster hitting a sweet hip jump on a corner and a few drops again it flowed so well this stage with maximum fun had by all
Stage #5 G.A.P
Gonna be honest here mint track but after crashing on the Gap jump in practice I
wasn't keen on hitting this in race! After heading up to top of stage #5 we were told that the track was red flagged as there was a rider down! Never a good sign, air ambulance called for! so it was time to work as a team with all the other riders and clear a way through the forest so that the medics could access without any issues.
Get well soon Ian !
So racing was back on sprinting out of the start I was feeling a little nervous coming into the gap jump I scrubbed off some speed hitting it nicely and landing no issues before heading into some off camber turns littered with roots and a few peddly flat bits dropping down into the steep bits and firing into the finish.
Stage #6 PMBAby
So as we had raced all the stages 3 times our group had gone for stage #6 to start things off . Being the longest stage it had a bit of everything thrown in with off camber, roots, drops and sweeet swwweeet loamy berms and a big drop to finish things off nicely you could hammer down this flat out 2 wheel drifting just hoping you tyres had enough grip as you hooked up in ruts, awesome !
So thats it! GNAR bikepark SMASHED IT, and what an amazing day railing ruts and roosting loam. Again Kev and Mike have added something new to the scene, 6 stages raced 3 times was mint and gave us all a mega day out excuse me mind if I have maybe muddled up some sections haha, thanks guys
Big thanks to the Medics for sorting me foot out and obviously the amazing job you did looking after Ian
Thanks to the marshals for all the heckling its always appreciated haha top banter :)
Another set of cracking pictures from the photograthers again you lot make us look great thanks
Can't thank Richard at Mountain Bike Garage enough for the support this year, my Empire took some big hits but came out unscathed bar a bent brake lever, another top 20 result slotting into 14th place after a big crash on me last lap I'm pretty happy going into the next round sitting 11th overall at the minute.
Until the next one folks
Pete
