Other than that session behind the Asda in Swindon?
I was in Chamonix for a week with friends from school, but the weather had been very poor. On the single worst day one of the four of us simply didn't ride, and the other two decided to bail as soon as we got off at the midstation at Le Tour. This was understandable - there was zero visibility and howling wind and the lift should not have been open at all. So I set off alone up the chairlift to 2,000m, and was quite nervous as you couldn't see a thing. It was blowing a gale up top but I pushed my bike up the Col de Balme regardless, and onwards to the Croix de Fer, over the border into Switzerland. As I got up towards about 2,300m (I think), the clouds began to part and you could briefly see all the way up the Rhone Valley to Martigny and even possibly Verbier, but the weather was still very unstable. When I got to the ridge at the top I found myself in this sunny bowl about a mile across, but you could see the storm over the valley above Emosson and Vallorcine. The clouds were all moving really fast like flames and the light kept going from blinding to pitch black very quickly! The Col de Balme is normally a very well-travelled, civilised part of the Alps, but on this day it felt absolutely mental. Anyway then the sun came out and there was weird yellow evening light and I began the descent to Trient and got down just as it got dark. Now when it's pissing rain I still get out and ride, as who knows what I'll see.
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I did my first ever trip to the Alps this summer, did a version of the Tour de Mont Blanc in 4 days, which the best, craziest, most stunning riding trip I've ever done. Loved it. I WILL go back.
Riding my local woods on a Sunday morning. Just me and my hound.
Probably my LeJog. At the start of the year. I'd no idea I was going to be doing it and only signed up in April for a June trip 🙂
Mind you, the year's not over yet. I have a target distance to make and I'll be over the moon when/if that happens.
We did an all day alps epic started at 9.15am and rolled back to Morzine around 8pm some of the most amazing riding, stunning view of mont blanc.
The year isn't over yet!
My highlight was riding in Spain's Sierra Nevada at the start of January...I'm going back to a different region in a couple of days though, so we'll see. 😀
Highlight was finally getting my ass to Morzine, and promptly wrecking my bike!
epic of day riding Chatel bike park which ended with a mad traverse after we missed the last lift to ride with a train of about 30 good riders down an amazing trail (on the opposite side of Morzine to the Avalanche DH) through the trees which was steep, rooty, technical and loooong.
smile for miles!
Clearing the 9' gap at Jedi's place at the end of the public jumps and drops course I did there. I was buzzing for two days afterwards. Not been able to look it in the eye again since, but I'm going to nail it again soon.
The sessions I've done with Tony this year have completely redefined not only the way I ride, but the way I look at riding too; it's something that I'll always look back on fondly and be extremely grateful for.
Clearing the 9' gap at Jedi's place at the end of the public jumps and drops course
cool!
Riding more this year than I have in the last 7...
...and rediscovering my cojones
jhw, yep was speechless after it - wasn't able to stop grinning. If you're in to that sort of thing and want to progress, definitely go and see Tony. It's the best investment I've ever made in my riding.
is that 9' down or 9' across? (either is big...)
In no particular order: 😉 The Red and black runs from the top of the Mossettes Near Morzine whilst staying with Flow MTB (best food ever) and any of the Peak Pootles for the fun and people 😀
Three mile smile in Las Vegas....
A road ride from Jerusalem taking in Bethlehem, Massada and Jericho.
Not just the highlight of this year but one of the highlights of my life, cycling or otherwise.
Riding Snowdonia twice on a great November day - the 2nd time catching an awesome sunset and then racing 3 mates down the Llanberis path in the pitch black - the best DH i've ever done!
Got my first trip to the Alps planned for June 12... 😀
The first time I ever did Cutgate looped with some Ladybower action. 35 total miles. Most pleasing last 5 miles ever.
Stopping halfway up a climb, well knackered and half ready to turn back when a huge eagle takes off from the trees to my right and practically clips me with his wing tip and he flys past and on through the woods. That´ll stay with me for a while.
I've had a pretty great year... Ups and downs, lots of little injuries but lots of successes too.
Highlight definately the No Fuss Endurance Downhill at Fort William though. Like the best race ever, combined with the best uplift day ever. A fantastic day out with 150 likeminded bloody fools.
Nothing special this year other than riding more than I've ever ridden before.
Good answer Samuri!!
Perhpas the orton round ride I did in the summer - just a nice ride from a route we were recommended on here, the right ride on the right day. Nothing that special but very pleasant indeed and just what we wanted
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6th place in the expert category at the national xc series at Dalby forest on the world cup circuit
For me it was bumping into Jens Voigt three-quarters of the way up Alpe d'Huez
No that's a nice picture TJ, the best of UK summer riding...
Can't watch that video yet!
Long, hot days and dry and dusty trails that started right outside the back door. 500m climbs and 20km descents, good company and good beer.
Oh, I met TJ this year and binners. How's that for highlights?
2 months in Whistler. Probably the best summer of my life. Kind of wish I could've stayed for longer but things have worked out very well for me job-wise back home so I can't complain 🙂 Want to go back next year but doubt I can afford it til 2013.
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& a cheesy one of me posing at the top
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Closing weekend, one of the last runs of the season:
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Highlight for me in Whistler is Crank It Up then cutting across to one of the double blacks and finishing on GLC medium drop (didn't feel comfortable going for the large this time).
That's what I'm talking about
Whistler for me too, same as the three previous years.
samuri - MemberOh, I met TJ this year and binners. How's that for highlights?
That was a grand ride out as well. Especially meeting up with this motley crew
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Any ride that involved me having fun.
That's pretty much all of them then.
slainte 😀 rob
Whistler for me too, same as the three previous years.
It's like crack, going through major riding withdrawal at home 😆 mtb seems rather pointless back in the UK (at least in the east midlands) after being there, especially as that's all I was doing all day every day.
Riding cyb in April this year and I hit a sweet spot for a couple of hours. I felt like a riding God. It didn't last long. 🙁
Nothing really sticks in my mind, so they've probably all been pretty good 🙂
Doing La Marmotte which was my hardest and best day in a bike ever.
After a silly mistake, fracturing my skull twice, bruising my brain front, side and back, some bleeding, a month in hospital in January and not working for about 3 months. Doing this again in April felt pretty dang amazing.
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Maratona dles Dolomites.maybe a tad warm though.
Doing trans-Provence, not brilliantly but still just doing it.
where is that Coogan? Looks special. Sorry to hear about your injuries...
Two days stick out for me.
Taking the good lady and my then 9 and 3 year old boys to the trail centre at Castleward. A combination of a great family day out (sun shone and everything) and zipping around some new trails was joyful in the highest.
Second would be this day. Bringing the camera is a fine excuse to session bits of trail, and on a dry day Cavehill is hard to beat. 😀
jhw it was 9' across, 3' down - I've never done anything like it but I'm going to make sure that I'll do more of the same, and push myself more
Trans-Alp from Switzerland to Italy and back again this October. Not just my best ride of this year, but the best trip I've done on a bike in any year. Can't wait to go back!
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jhw - it's Gypsy Glen. Right across the road from Glentress. Great wee trail.
Doing my first century (in old money) in March was good but that was topped by my favourite mountain bike ride thus far in late July - down Glen Etive and the shore of Loch Etive, through Glen Kinglass and then return via the West Highland Way. 45 miles or thereabouts, perfect weather and great company.
For me it had to be riding the Nevis Red and DH course up at Fort William back in August... and also growing the Cojones to run the Shredder road gap down at Ae Forest this month....I actually ran it twice... what a BUZZZZZ that was... 🙂
Doing the Black 8 challenge at Les Arcs with plenty of time to spare, in lovely damp slippery conditions. 😀
I had great times in Cham' and Les Arcs this year, but highlights for me are unexpectedly ace rides found from my front door. Life is good, and I am thankful 😀
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Max Exposure 80 mile night ride on the south downs way. First long enduro, first proper night ride.. feeling exposed, unhappy, elated, strong, weak as a kitten, also at one time a little scared lost on my own in some forest after a wrong turn lol. Truely an epic it was.
Became a dad at the end of 2010, so getting out with my mates on a Wed has been my real highlight 🙂
A day at Superbagnere in Sept weren't bad though!
Started riding again after 10 years off and i've even got the missus into it too 😀 best thing I've ever done!
Riding wise had to be the week in Dartmoor and Exmoor the locals are very lucky
coogan - MemberAfter a silly mistake, fracturing my skull twice, bruising my brain front, side and back, some bleeding, a month in hospital in January and not working for about 3 months. Doing this again in April felt pretty dang amazing.
I'm already counting down the days until will close down the Alps in 2012 8)
Crap year for biking at home so the highlight has to be my work trip to Phoenix Arizona.
Worth getting up at 4am to catch the shuttle runs on South Mountain and chase the GnarGnar trails locals (brilliant folks and fantastic trails).
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Or solo biking through the Sonoma desert at sunrise.
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Speaking of Sunrise... sunrise trail at Flagstaff was awesome.
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and lastly some sunset action in Sedona,
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Next year will be better.
coogan - Member
After a silly mistake, fracturing my skull twice, bruising my brain front, side and back, some bleeding, a month in hospital in January and not working for about 3 months. Doing this again in April felt pretty dang amazing.
ChunkyMTB - Member
I'm already counting down the days until will close down the Alps in 2012
Pow!!
Stood at the top of Pic Blanc at 8am on Sunday 10th July with 350 likeminded idiots for the main Mega race.
All again next year 🙂
My highlight was watching Elfinsafety having a little set to with the rubber floor in a children's playground on Saturday. He's being too precious to allow the sharing of the video with the forum, though. 😆
Whistler as ever was pretty damn good [url] http://mountainbikerides.co.uk/video/17-whistler/388-whistler-bike-park-august-2011.html [/url]
But I've enjoyed all the riding I've done. The fact that the local clay was the driest it's been for years and stayed that way for so long was very pleasant.
Realising this morning that I only bruised my shoulder, rather than fractured it, when I fell off the end of a drop in Steyning Woods yesterday, doing exactly what I'd been taught not to do by Jedi not three weeks before. Dropped like a stone I did, and I can't decide if the pain or the embarrassment is worse
O
Oh, and descending the Doethie Valley with all the Shoreham crew in full sunshine, less than 2 hours from a pint.
Great year.
My highlight of my MTB year was finding the sweetest singletrack trail on my first day exploring the Dordogne and managing to work in into almost every ride.
Getting about a dozen non riding mates out on a nicely rolling ride round the White Peak with a pub lunch half way and seeing them all smiling even though totally shot at the end was brilliant too. I thought they'd never smile again after the steepest climb but a few minutes lying on the grass at the top under a cloudless sky fixed them.
Miss FBJ jnr lifting her feet for a split second on her balance bike for the first time was awesome. Her wanting to go to the playgroup Christmas party on it this morning despite the snow outside was magic too. Think she's getting nicely hooked 😀
For me it was bumping into Jens Voigt three-quarters of the way up Alpe d'Huez
The bloke at 0:23 in your vid looked pretty excited to meet Jens also 😉
I've a few highlights in 2011 the ones that standout are
Taking part in MM & Bonti 24/12 as part of Team Bullheart
The Big Bike Bash
Night riding for the first time
Plus riding with friends old & new.
It's been a good year for me with no major injuries & my remission continues
Mine would be finally doing a complete offroad coastal circuit of the Isle of Wight in a day. (well as much offroad as I could, some bits of the coastal path are road). About 75miles as well, so my biggest ever single ride too.
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London to Paris in 24 hours with a group of good friends.
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Well it was the high and the low, and then the high again. Very emotional journey but one I'll never forget.
Bristol Bikefest for me - just had a brilliant day. In many ways the riding was incidental as I spent it with a great group of people and there was a great vibe/banter and some great results (not by me I might add...)
Sam, that's a great effort - I can't decide whether I could commit to doing it in 4 days. 😆
A weekend of welsh riding, snowdon and coed y brenin in the company of some good uni friends:
snowdon:
http://video.mpora.com/watch/ZBpBXu1jn/hd/
it's Gypsy Glen
note to self, really must make an effort 😳
Big Bike Bash with my kid
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+
Team Bullheart @ MM (Although Bonty 24-12 was better for the riding)
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first commute after my collarbone healed. first night ride around swinley.
Would agree with Dez on the MM and BBB great events but for riding. The weekend in Purbeck in the summer:
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2nd highlight was achieving my goal of completing the Isle of Man E2E
Having taken 15 years of biking, it was my goal to get back into shape and complete the E2E
Managed to get a top 100 place as well
Bring on next year!
manualling from the start of the first re-patched section of tarmac to past the second on my road in the dark.
The first ride this summer, after an injury in the spring requiring reconstructive surgery and being told by my consultant I'd be off the bike for 12 months. The Chilterns had never looked so good.
[i]For me it was bumping into Jens Voigt three-quarters of the way up Alpe d'Huez[/i]
Allthepies wrote: The bloke at 0:23 in your vid looked pretty excited to meet Jens also
Yeah I thought of editing that out but left it in for comedy value
i couldn't pin it down to one 🙂
Not that wild stuff, but I'd been riding it less than 2 months when I did this - my first "proper" off-road and I amazed myself by nailing this descent first time.
For me doing the whole of the SDW in a day, long day in the saddle but made bearable by the wife and kids meeting wave home made banners towards the end.
Five amazing days on Skye and Harris in glorious sunshine (when we were there it was hotter than London).
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/43603735@N00/5689293147/ ]IMG_5561[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/43603735@N00/ ]Kenneth Pollock[/url], on Flickr