Black and Blue!

That's my thigh right now! Yep I took another tumble (ok two) Sunday whilst out on the trails riding my bike. All I can say is it's a good job I love it! We went out to Rowher and took off on a 3 1/2 hr ride. Went up the mountain run, which honestly I find pretty easy now and then over the top and down a triple blue run called Bouquet Trail, totally twisty turny and rocky, which leads to another series of trails at Drinkwater flats (where do they get these names from?).

Me at Drinkwater Flats

Did some trails around there including this HUGE steep downhill one which I amazed myself at! I think the thing was that these hills kinda creep up on ya sometimes, and well I didn't have time to think about it. Kicked it into first and just let the engine brake me on the way down, but DANG look at that hill! (it was actually steeper than it looks here!)

I Conquered the hill! Yep I rock!

This was my first outing to Drinkwater flats, but I have to say it ROCKS! Love the open feeling on this side. The trails seem much better too. Not so many big rocks trying to jump out and get ya! Now we just have to figure out how to get to this parking area from the main road, well... ok we just need to find the main road that leads to here!

Ready for anything after the hill!

Naturally this whole thing wasn't a loop like last week, we had to reverse and go all the way back cos we were in a completely different area entirely. I was not looking forward to the Bouquet Trail uphill but was willing to give it a go.

First problem was when I took a bad line and ended up doing a wheelie up a rocky part (again , this is not the first time!) and got into trouble. Ended up splatted by the bike. Honestly I'm not even sure what really happened, except that the bike ended up coming down on me, and the kickstart dug in my left leg. A feat in itself considering its on the right side of the bike! My eyes smarted big time! Some choice swear words were uttered, and Bob sorted the bike out whilst I limped off to see if I could walk (I could).

Second tumble I had involved crest of a jump thing, why they put these things in there is anyones guess! Apparently they are to hold back the dirt to stop corrosion - likely story! More like Di traps! Anyway I was going a little fast, came over the crest/jump and just kinda fell off the edge. A handy dandy bush stopped me and I fell. Bob came to my rescue again cos I couldn't get the bike up back onto the trail. *sigh* Good job he loves me huh? My knight in... dirty and dusty blue (and green and black) armor!

Dusted myself off and got back on the bike. Bob saw I was ok and continued on. Started off ok, then I realised I had problems. Initially I wasn't sure what but I was putting the bike into neutral from first (instead of second). Oh yes that would be because I couldn't GET into second! Yep I'm riding up a mountain for the next 5 minutes trying to get Bobs attention whilst trying to figure out why I have no other gears. Eventually got him to stop and apparantly the last tumble had bent my gear shifter. Bob bent it back though. And as I was still on the bike whilst he did, I'm not counting it as a "getting me out of trouble" scenario! As far as I'm concerned that was purely mechanical! So I made it the rest of the way up Bouquet with only a few minor wobbles.

All I can say is THANK YOU (insert diety of choice) that no-one else was on that trail! Seriously I may have wet my pants if I'd seen another rider coming the other way! It was soooo narrow that I doubt passing for me would have been an option. What I cannot understand is that this is a triple blue? I did triple blues last weekend (and some single blacks), and yes I fell off BUT they weren't nearly as tricky as this triple blue! Apparantly not all triple blues are created equal!

Sign for Bouquet! Yep NO ATVs! Way too narrow for an ATV!

The narrow trail, combined with twists and turns and the dang ROCKS! Ok no not rocks BOULDERS would be more accurate. Then the erosion barrier things (jumps if you ask me!). TRICKY TRICKY TRICKY! But... DONE!

Took a short break at the top, then headed down to the Rowher side and back to the truck. Unfortunately by this time my thigh was killing me, remember the kick start dug into me during my fall? Well I got changed and I already had swelling and the blue of a bruise coming through along with a nice 4" scrape down my leg.

That was Sunday. I am now the proud owner of a HUGE bruise (still swollen too) on my thigh. For some reason in almost the EXACT place I had one earlier this year when I fell off at Gormon (Hungry Valley). Very black and very blue, with a lovely shade of purple thrown in for good measure.

Until the next trail adventure!