Got myself around Ae today in 2 hours 40 mins. Pretty slow I guess for a 24km ride but fitness is still an issue so just had to take it slow.
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The initial singletrack was flowy as always, and I was really taking it easy on descents such as The Face where I wiped out. Seems to be some new singletrack since I was last there, but it seems quite rocky and I remember there being a bit more woody singletrack towards the end but before Omega Man.
As I am still quite tired, I didn't really get the most out of it, but loved the berms of The Edge, and other big berms apart from The Face seemed to be holding out well.
There were quite a few rocky sections of singletrack that you had to ride over as opposed to the smoother earlier track where your bike could just roll and roll with little effort. I guess maybe a full suss would have been a bit more comfy, especially on my back.
Obviously I rolled down the final jumps, and used my brakes a little too much so I didn't have quite so much fun as someone who likes and is able to get airtime on all the jumps and table tops etc.
Not too sure I will rush back, even though it was a good day out. If I am feeling up to it will have a go at Dalbeattie on Thursday, and then hope maybe to join Forge at Mabie on Saturday, with Innerleithen that I have never ridden and Kirroughtree assuming I am getting my fitness back next week to look forward to.
Have you been to drumlanrig yet? well worth a look.
Yep - the last time I went was winter and I found even the red quite tricky going. Will deffo have another go in the dry sometime in the next couple of weeks where hopefully I wont be slip[ sliding around so much 🙂
Try the Darkside at Mabie! But carry a few spare mechs, bashguards and bones 🙂
ooOOoo - there's an element of NooOOoo about that scenario for me. On Saturday I fell off the northshore on the red route there which tells you all you need to know about my balancing skills! Didn't fall off at Ae though which was lucky as it was a fair drop in places.
Fair enough...there's 4km of the stuff there....I'm still recovering 😥
Heh
I met only one chap on my ride and he was probably early 20s. Caught up with him and his Dad in the car park who had been doing the blue route. This chap said his Mum and Dad had been riding, but accidently got onto the Omegas Man (for those who don't know it's the final descent full of drop offs, jumps and table tops). He said they didn't know what had hit them but they somehow made it down.
And yeah, although it was a Tuesday, there were 3 lads going up and down just the Omega man. This chap did a jump but had to brake hard as they were just stood there in the middle of the run I think planning on walking back up it and not along the parallel push-up track. Some people have no sense or thoughts for others at all huh?
Luckily by the time I got there they had seen sense and were going up the right path, but they were all dressed up in the gear and I was a bit embarrassed as I was rolling down the chicken runs and even making a hash of them!
There were a few places in Ae such as the end of the nothshore where it looks like it's a sheer drop so you stop but then at the last minute you see there is a slope or line that's rideable but hey ho - I really can't afford to break myself right now.
I rode Ae for the second time on Saturday I loved it, the first time I went there it was a disaster due to diversions, I really like the place, it is quite rocky but found some good flow in some of the sections which kept me smiling, I also liked them loos sketchy berms, I like the remote feeling you get from the place. I'm looking forward to another trek there.
Dalbettie can be a bit of a challenge if its raining and/or your tired, but fun all the same. Ive rode it a few times. The last time I did it which was a couple of months ago, I tackled it in the rain with a cold and ended up over the bars and on my back, I came home with a broken rib, Its not put me off though, it was just a wee reminder that I need to watch what I'm doing 🙄
Simon if your looking for some flowey single track you must get your self down to Kiroughtree, you really want be disappointed, it's my fave of all the stains, the red is fast and flows, The Black trail is very doable too, the black took me about 4 hrs on my own, I was totally burst at the end but had a grate day 😀 it's well worth the trek, ive never found it busy. enjoy
I really like Dalbeattie Simon, especially if you go with John Henry and ride all the wee local knowledge trails!. Kirroughtree is a cracker, I'm not going to say it's better than GT, but I personally enjoy it more.
FWIW I think that Drumlanrig is better in the wet, when it's dry (admittedly not too often) it's just not got it's edge.
Panic not, I am up in Dumfries for another 2 or 3 weeks with nothing to do but ride. I've ridden Kirrie before and looks like I could be going with Forge not this weekend but the one after 🙂
Hi Simon
Had a short blast round Mabie last night with forge and 2 of my workmates. Cycled out & back adding 14mls tho. Showered, walked down to the gym, met wife, had a couple of Newc Browns 😆
Eric struggled a bit having been on holiday for 2wks and having had his hand in plaster for 6!! Did well tho. Mark had a comical puncture. We had stopped to wait on Eric and as he(Mark)was checking the pressure of his front tyre his back one exploded!! he did nt realise it was his tyre. Thought it was someone shooting rabbits!!!
I`m working both this and next weekends 😥
But holidays on 18th Jul 
Cheers Trekster - I saw your other email - let me know about next Tuesday. Will prob do Innerleithen on Thursday then the weekend with Forge at Kirroughtree
