Fat Lad Wants to Know...
What's your favourite bit of trail? Not ride, but your one two or three hundred yard stretch of dirtly nirvana that you would put into every ride if you could.
Thinking of this I was torn between the incredibly twisty bit of heart racing singletrack on the Long Newmiller ride (Wakey boys and girls will know the one) and the trail I've plumped for below.
So I present to you:
The Singletrack That Ribbons Down Through Birkby Brow Woods.
Coming off the edge hugging drudge of the farmers field its a short but steep back wheel dragging left turn in. Right out its off camber exposed and rooty. From Autumn to Spring those heart stopping roots are carpeted with leaves handing your balance to fate. Head on and the trail turns right and back downwards, the track splitting round the topmost tree. Head right for the chicken run or left for the small but concealed drop. Downhill, speed picking up now the trail swings left momentum carrying up the small incline sneaking between holly bushes. Down again and the trail widens: left for the big kicker, right for the gentler take off or middle for the more sedate rider.
Speed well and truly picking up now the trail turns upwards for the last time, the roller coaster almost over. Hit the last section that requires loose but determined handling and your over the last smattering of root. Sharp right and it's time to get the arse over the rear wheel as you plough over the small rock section. Roll into the fire road and share the collective grin.
So what's your favourite section of trail?
I'm throwing this out to a few of you out there. Post it up on your own corner of t'interweb. I know I'll read it when it lands.
Over to you guys:
Juancho - For the Florida Perspective
Grooving Fungus - For the Asian Perspective
The Old Bag - For the Poetic Perspective
TCA - For the South of Watford Gap Perspective
Jeff Kerkove - For the Guy Who Trains Damned Hard Perspective
Big Worm - For the Other Florida Perspective
Fat Lad (about to head waaaaay north for the week)
posted by Fat Lad @ 9:45 PM
3 Comments:
My favorite trail is called Songbird. It's more of an advanced novice trail. The trail had a former life known as Mad Cow (after the cattle/beef disease a few years ago). IMBA came in and helped reroute the trail, and they did an outstanding job. I'm having withdrawl from it because the "park" it's in has been officially closed for over a month due to a forest fire in the area. Hopefully access will be allowed soon. So onto the description.
As you enter Songbird, you have to climb ever so slightly. A few turns and dips here and there. Again nothing too technical. The trail follows the contour of the hillside wonderfully and in the spring you are surrounded by green trees and other green ground cover. Occassionally you will spot deer grazing nearby. After a bit of climbing you ride a flowing section that takes you deeper into the property. There are a few short uphills and quick downhills (nothing too steep). There's an awkward left hand turn where the new trail meets the old. After this there is a narrow, usually dry stream crossing followed by a short section of rocks. Not long after this you pass a huge rock on your left then pass between a fallen tree.
After this the trail becomes a downhill run. There is a nice berm after a 90° right hand turn where you can catch some air. If you ride this section slowly (and it has rained) you can hear a stream below as it cascades over some rocks. After the berm you climb slightly before making a right and begin the twisting, but flowing descent (again not steep). The trail runs very fast when conditions are good, and you can really pick up some speed as you cut through the trees. The trail comes out to an old fireroad which you can fly across then head up to another sharp right hand turn followed by a sweeping left that returns you to the main fireroad.
Hopefully I'll be able to get some video clips of this trail once the area is reopened! It's hard to put into words how a fairly easy (techincally speaking) trail is so much fun!
There are many fun trails in the same "park." Weird names thought: Arrowhead, Tuck-a-way, Comet, Schoolhouse and others that were directly in the fire: The Gauntlet, Trough, Buck's Rut and Hi-dee-ho. One of these days I'll fool around with my other blog and finish the trail descriptions. Meanwhile, I'm going riding!
Don't stop the running, dude. It'll get better, trust me. Run biking trails- easier on the body.
Peace,
Brian
Where is the Lad? He's gone missing. He must be playing XBOX 360 MTB games or something.
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