Well I went and didn't kill myself.
What a load of tossers in the car park, all in company Mercs, Beemers, Audis, Volvos, Saabs etc. Guy next to me had a bike that was all carbon fibre, and then told me that I'd be better off sticking to the blue as I'd only got a hardtail.
Now the hardtail is my brand new 2010 P7, so I ignored him.
Why was everyone wearing more clothes for 10 miles in a forest in September than I wear for 30 miles on the moors in January. It wasn't cold or windy or wet. Answers on a postcard to….
Did the red and just rode at my normal pace and was back inside 1 hour 15 mins. Felt a trifle let down. It was OK, but nothing more.
Went out again and did the black. No trouble at all on the P7. Took 1 hour 43 mins. The black is a much better route than the red, but I didn't find it excessively technical. Didn't seem any different from some of my XC rides. Maybe I'm a better rider than I thought. NO, that can't be true.
When I got back to the car park, Mr Carbon Fibre had just returned form one circuit of the red. He wouldn't believe what I'd done, saying it was impossible on "that bike".
Will I go back? Think so; twice round makes a good day and I might even get down the rock wall that I missed due to reading the signs wrong.
Thanks for the advice guys.