Mmmmmm..................Gate.

So it's Saturday morning(Oct. 30th)and Tim, Dean and I decided that it was a good day to ride. Of course, when isn't a good day to ride? We all met in the parking area around 7:30 and started to push. We decided to hit The Gate for a warmup, and then we'd go over to Platinum.

The Gate isn't what I would call a good "warmup"trail. It is tough. Skinny after skinny after skinny. It has seen a lot of maintenence in the last few weeks though and that is the reason we decided to hit it. It started out good. There is a new gap section in there so Dean and Tim sessioned that while I watched. They're too big for me right now. Then on to another skinny section with a drop on the end. The drop is about 5ft and I was wanting to try it today. Well, Tim walked on the plank to have a look and one of the stringers holding the planks up broke. Guess I won't be trying the drop today. Oh well. We closed the stunt and then rode out.

Up to Platinum we went. I was hell bent on trying a bunch of sh*t today. I did, but let's just say I paid for it. The first gap after the rock face is one I think I can hit. I tried the run up to it twice but didn't feel comfortable either time so I rode around. On to the next one. Also one I can make. The run up is a little sketchy but I thought I'd have a go. Just before the launch my tire slips on the trail and sort of throws me at a small stump sticking out. I hit the stump and am off my bike flying through the air before my bike has even left the launch. I whacked my leg on the tranning and rolled to a stop. I believe Tim has a picture of this. It hurt. A lot, but I plugged on. Shaken now, but not stirred. I watched Dean and Tim do all the huge stunts until we came to the gap that I had hit a couple of weeks earlier. Off I went to hit it again. Faster this time than last. I hit the launch a little left and in mid air my arm hit a tree. Thankfully it wasn't a big hit and didn't throw me off balance or anything. I had too much speed and missed the trannie all together, but landed Ok and didn't crash. I then watched Dean and Tim do the Six Pack and the Roller Coaster drop and we headed off to Giant Killer.

Dean had to get home so he took off on Tim and I. Jerk.

Giant Killer was good and I finally did that drop about halfway down. It really was rather easy and I can't believe it took me so long to do it. That phsycological wall is always the hardest one to get by.

Hoots was good. I finally cleaned the rock face on it. I've been trying for a year. Dean showed me the line on the way up and I hit exactly where he told me to go. I rule. After the rock I decided to hit the small gap up next. I've never done it so this would be the first time. I went in with not even close to enough speed and crashed big time. My second huge crash of the day. Tim explained that it is a good thing as it means that I'm actually trying sh*t. I suppose, but man does it hurt.

We got out of Hoots and decided to avoid Shotgun today and headed down the skidder. On the way down we saw Rich and Ewan heading up. We stopped and chatted for a bit. It was my first meeting with Ewan and it went Ok. He didn't seem like such a bad guy. Hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to him in the future a little bit more.

Tim offered me a Coke in the parking area, but seeing as how I'm cleansing, I had to decline. I look forward to my next ride which should be in about two weeks time. I can't wait!