Feeling festive!

Christmas is in your heart if you have Jesus.

Time with family and friends helps too.

Faith

Faith - one of my favourite words. Can't live without it.

Don't be afraid of death. Be afraid of not living.

Feeding squirrels in Hyde Park

Introduced pest from America but so cute!

Fashion in Paris

Fashion shoot in Paris. This is such a different city to London. Seems older and the architecture is far more ornate and over the top. I did not ride the free bikes. It seemed easier and safer to walk rather than risk the Parisian traffic. We also used the Metro system - the oldest underground train system in the world. That was really good. Managed to see most of the landmarks in one day by doing a bus tour and then walking along the Siene to the Louvre (did not go inside) and Notre Dame which we did go in to, and then up the Eiffel Tower.

Falcons in Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square. Where are all the pidgeons? According to the tour guide on the bus - KFC stands for Kan't find Chicken, :) The truth is that a London mayor banned feeding pidgeons or 'flea infested flying rats' and so there are far fewer than before. The local government also employs someone to fly a falcon around the square every morning to frighten the pidgeons away.

Fully fledged tourist - final visit to the Queen

Final day of riding

Chicksands mountain bike park - "underwhelming" was Joel's word for it. It is in a nice but small patch of forest about an 1 hour from Stansted Airport north of London. Caters for dirt jumpers and 4x a bit better than DH. The DH track was about 400m long - that was it! Not inspiring at all so we didn't stay long. And the 4x and dirt jumps were not as good as Glenorchy. And they charged us 5 GBP each to ride there and there were no other facilities. Not worth it.

Family

On our way out of Scotland we decided to follow the ancestral trail.

Stirling Castle - One of my great grandmother's family all came from Stirling and surrounding areas.

The clan McNab burial ground in Killin. Another of my great grandmothers was a McNab.

Fort William

Do I really have to move off the road?

Fort William

Joel heading for one of the fierce sections. There are some big rocks, drop off and rough roll downs on the top section which you don't really see on the tv/video coverage of world cup races.

Bikes hanging on the back of the gondola by their seats which is quite a good system if you can lift your bike high enough which I can't. Thank God for 6 ft tall sons.

Joel on the fast friendly section at the top of the track.

First class on the Mallaig train

Fort William!! fun and frustration

OK - so here is what all you mtbers have been waiting for! Fort William (which is actually on Aonach Mor about 10 mins out of Fort William) is an awesome track. It has fast flowy friendly sections which are just plain fun and also some frigthening bits that require you ride a bit more fiercely. At first glance the finish looks smaller than you expect but you actually get on the track it is pretty big, as in steep and fast. We had 2 days on the main World Cup track and one day when we did the easier but longer Red Route (that happened because Joel did not have his bike and tried a hire bike which he thought was s@#$) But we did have fun fun fun while things went well.


Frustration -

On our first day we each got in 3 runs and were begining to feel good and have fun when Joel smashed his rear wheel and put a big dint and crack in it. Off to the bike shop - they just happened to have a suitable on order, should have arrived Tues but didn't turn up til Friday!! The lady in the shop sure gave the suppliers an earful when they told her it hadn't even been sent off on Wednesday and that is why Joel got a free hire bike to try. We decided to stay here an extra 2 days waiting for the rim. Today, Saturday we had a good ride but on his 5th run Joel came off half way down, skinned his knee, hurt his neck and broke the visor off his helmet. It was almost the end of chairlifts anyway, but he is a bit sore.

Fun -

While waiting for the rim we had to fill in time with sightseeing so did more than planned. Luckily there is quite a lot up here.

Where are the pics? You say. Well they will come later as this Maccas free wifi is being way too sloooow...

Fine weather - not!

Typical Scottish weather in the highlands. This is Glencoe - spectacular, even in the rain.

Furry friends

Our very friendly hosts at the B&B in Keilder are Millie and her daughters, Peggy and Midge.

Fluffy flyer

No riding for the last 3 days!!! :(

I had to take Joel to the doctor to get antibiotics because a blister on his hand (from riding at Innerliethen) got infected. You wouldn't think something so small would be such a big problem but his hand was so sore and swollen he couldn't even hold the pen to sign his name at the surgery. So there was no way he could grip the handle bars of his bike. It is on the mend now.

Yesterday we did an unplanned visit to York (instead of rding) which was very busy and very interesting. Lots of old buildings and history. We went to the Yorvik Viking Centre. York was once a Viking settlement! Could have stayed there longer.

We only went for a walk in Wharncliffe Woods yesterday and today at Keilder we did a few walks, the forest drive, and went to the castle and the Birds of Prey Centre.

Hmmmm

How dare they tell a girl she can't eat chocolate!!

I was beginning to think they'd done the same thing with mountain biking. 5 days of riding in 3 places and only on the last did I see any other girls riding downhill (There were 3 at Innerliethen) and only 2 or 3 riding xc at each place. There are a LOT more people riding mountain bikes here than in Oz so I thought I'd see more girls. But it seems, that per capita, there are fewer girls riding here in Britain than in Oz. In Australia we usually get 5 to 10% girls at events, here it looks like it might 1%. Not many - what is the secret to getting more girls riding mountain bikes?

Fish

Yes - it had to be done, after all we are in the home of fish and chips!

It was not the best I've had - that was in Devonport in NZ.

Fantastic view

Fantastic view at Innerleithen after the fog cleared.

Fear and fun

"I feel like a British soldier going to Afghanistan - totally unprepared" said one of the blokes on the bus going up to the top of the Innerleithen trails in southern Scotland. That pretty much sums up how I felt on 3 of the 4 trails there.

Tight, steep, twisty, rooty, rocky, in the trees all the way down the track, unlike anything I'd encountered in Oz.

Friendly

Bike rack in the lounge in Wales and a beaut bike shed in the back yard in Scotland.

Fun, fun, fun!!!

2 days of riding at Cwmcarn - perfect weather! Great views! 20 minute shuttle drive. Steeper, longer and faster than Forest of Dean (but not as hard or long as Glenorchy back home) Lots of fun!!!

That's me on the start ramp

Biggest castle in Wales at Caerphilly

First ride

Joel at Forest of Dean. Lovely pine forest trails, a few steep sections, lots of rots, lots of fun!! Great uplift service called Flyup Downhill. Search for them on Facebook and check out the latest ed of Dirt Magazine - apparently they published my email to them about coming to the UK. The chap running it was telling everyone about us being there!

Tintern Abbey - circa 1269

First royal visit

Knocking one of the gates of Windsor Castle - oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. Worth visiting even with the crowds. I reckon every Englishman and his dog and kids and overseas visitors was there!

First accident

A shop manikin fell foward on to the floor in Melbourne International airport when I hit her with this lot. Embarrassing! My excuse is I was watching a small child who I did not want to run over. 30 hours later we arrived at Stansted in England.

a few fwords to celebrate

I feel like one of the Father's favourites! :)
It weren't for Him and for mountain biking I wouldn't be so fit at almost 49, and I wouldn't be going on such a fine, fantastic, fun, full-on, far-out, fabulous foray to far away places!! Woo hoo!!

Follow me full-on

Full-on British Road Trip

25 days, 19 days of riding at 12 locations (2 with chairlifts, 5 with uplifts) and the essential touristy stuff too!! Click on the links for more info.

7-8 Aug. - long long journey to the other side of the world
9 Aug. - Pick up van and drive to Wales. pay our respects to the Queen at Windsor Castle and check out pretty English cottages and country side along the way
10 Aug. - Unpack the bikes and put them back together to ride at Forest of Dean with uplift from 2-9pm! yes - it will still be light until about 10pm
11-12 Aug. - Cwmdown riding at Cwmcarn, in the forest with uplift service
13 Aug. - Drive to bonnie Scotland
14-15 Aug. - Ride Innerleithen downhill - full on! one of the best known downhill rides with uplift
16 Aug. - Visit the Queen in Edinburgh. She's got another castle there. Ride at Glentress forest, near Innerleithen (a laid back ride - pushing up hill if necessary)
17 Aug. - Driving down to Sheffield region in England to ride in Wharncliffe Woods, World Downhill Champion Steve Peat's winter training ground (that is the claim on the website)
18-20 Aug. - Kielder Forest on the border of Scotland and England. Lots of riding and red squirrels
21 Aug. - Downhilling at Ae Forest (with uplift) and then driving to Roy Bridge near Fort William in the Scottish highlands
22-26 Aug. - 3 or 4 days of chairlifted downhilling at the famous Fort William world cup track on Ben Nevis, and also at nearby Glencoe. One day of rest on a day trip to Mallaig on the Jacobite steam train. Gotta squeeze in a visit to Loch Ness too
27 Aug. - Not looking forward to this day - a long drive from the north of Scotland all the way to the south of England to Shillingstone, Dorset
28-29 Aug. - 2 days of uplifts and racing at UKbikepark
30 Aug. - Chicksands Bike park, north east of London. No uplifts but there is a Thai restaurant at the top! Pack up the bikes, drive to Stansted airport to drop off the van, and train in to London
31 Aug.-1 Sep. - Pure tourist stuff! Sightseeing London. Must visit the Queen again at Buckingham Palace - we're old friends by now!
2 Sep. - Day trip to Paris! Taking the high speed train under the channel. I want to ride a free velib bike to the Eiffel Tower.
3-6 Sep. - One last lunch in London before the very long long long journey home

14 days to go!!

25 days, 19 days of riding at 12 locations (5 with uplifts and 2 with chairlifts) and lots of essential touristy stuff t00! Itinary coming soon.

Four weeks

In four weeks from today I will have landed in bonnie England!

(not that I'm counting)

Flying with bike

This will be packed very very carefully when getting ready to fly off to the UK. This is my brand new fabulous "Black Beauty" which I picked up from the bike shop yesterday. It is a Giant Glory 01 (Give God the glory!) I can't believe how excited I was! I felt like a kid again getting my first bike! Then I took it for a ride and got bucked off, over the handle bars, complete with grazed left knee and scratches all down my right shin! Wonderful fun!

Five weeks

Five weeks to go until Joel and I fly off to Britain for four weeks!! Yay! Escaping the dark freeezing Tassie winter to go ride in up to 12 places around Wales, England and Britain. Yes, we are taking our downhill bikes with us. That is the first challenge of the holdiay as I've never flown with a bike before. I'll be posting details and photos up here so please follow us!

Forgetfulness

One thing I love about mountain biking is that when I'm riding I forget how old I really am. This is me with my 3 month old grandaughter, Ruth.

$4000 - is what I have just committed to my brand new Giant glory dh1 bike. A sleek black beauty should be turning up at my lbs in a week or so, but then I have to wait for new lighter springs for front and rear suspension. Why do even small sized bikes seem to be set up to great big heavy men riders!

Faith and fun

MY EASTER

Friday - redecorate the house, riding
Saturday - visit from my Grandma, riding
Sunday - lunch with the family, riding
Monday - (tomorrow) hmmm, might go for a ride

Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for my wrongs and coming to life again to give me a chance at eternity, and for giving us a reason to have a four day weekend! :)

Fun in north west Tassie

The new mountain bike club in north west Tasmania, which I am a part of, now has it's own website. Check it out at www.ccmbc.com.au

FLU

Flu - I hate it! Only worked one day this week and no riding at all!

Last weekend - came third in the state downhill champs against 2 of Australia's fastest girls who beat the granny-to-be as usual but that's just fine as we're friends and had fun just hanging out in the back of Leigh's combi drinking and trying to stay cool. It so freakishly hot and humid for Tassie. And I got a pb fastest time in my seeding run - finally beat the 10 minute mark by 35 secs :) Fell off in my race run :(

This weekend - probably won't ride but will rake an XC track to help out with a 6 hr race and promote our new club, the Cradle Coast Mountain Bike Club at the Big Burnie Bike Day.

Just had a fantastic week of riding with more females than ever!

Sunday - 2 female friends (and their partners) flying down paloona - my local - fun, fun, fun - best day I've ever had out there.

Tuesday - made a new female friend visiting from Victoria - took her riding at Stubbs

Sunday - new friend and another girl went racing with me at the new Wyena 2 track (with around 40 boys) - awesome fun!! Fabulous track!

Fun in the dirt sure makes up for the franticness of work at moment! Lovin' it!!

Taken out by a shuttle drive - didn't see that one coming

Far out - it's a long way down Mt Wellington in Hobart on a bike and even longer up the mountain in a bus.

Last weekend I competed in the very first Wellington Super D race.

Mt Wellington is the spectactular mountain overlooking the city of Hobart and is a favourite for walkers, site seeing tourists and mountain bikers. The views are fantastic!

The Wellington Super D race started not far from the top and finished in the Glenorchy mountain bike park - over 800 vertical metres of descent. It was about 15 kms or more (I think) of loose rockiness at the top with some rewarding flowly single track at the end and three f&%$*in' hard uphill sections in the middle. I'm sure poor Frenchie, who was sitting on his quad bike behind me for quite awhile must have been thinking "F*%&@ I hope the old girl's not having a heart attack" as I leaned over my handle bars waiting for my breathing to return to a controllable pace and hoping not to puke as well so I could push the downhill bike up the hills. But I made it down the track twice on Saturday with no falls. But the shuttle got the best of me on Sunday before the race. I had to pull out, and get out of the bus half way up the mountain to avoid throwing up all it and the rest of the boys. I am prone to car sickness if not driving but didn't realise just how sick i was getting.

Thanks to Frenchie and hopefully the Wellington Super D will become a regular event. It has the potential to a fun, fantastic, fast, full-on fitness event - I just don't know what to do about the shuttle sickness...

First roadtrip for 2010

Just returned from an awesome mtb roadtrip on the big north island of Australia - 2 1/2 weeks of driving, riding, friends and fun!

First stop - Melbourne to visit number 1 son and very pregnant daughter-in-law. Fun but we fried in 40+ degrees.

Followed by - Adelaide, where the weather was kind, the National Championships track was tough but fast and fun, and I came first in the Masters Women class.

Back - to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road - fabulous scenery

Then - Mt Buller - 9 runs of fun on the chair lift accessed track

Finally - Shepparton - Round 2 of the National Series - First in Masters Women - freaking harsh track, 43 degrees of heat on Friday, and then high 30s, but still fun. Faeces - bird shit actually - all over my poor little car as I did not know that the lovely gum tree I parked it under on the first night was the night time resting place for a flock of galahs - lovely birds but they sure can pooh!

Friendly people. Thanks to Mack and his father for the photo of me at the champs in Adelaide.