After riding with Jo off-road on our VOIE TOLLER TMB adventure I realised he was trying to sit down whilst descending. A classic mistake made by new comers. About 4 years ago I had taken him around Cwm Carn in South Wales where he'd survived aboard my Dad's old Stumpjumper. In return for that he'd taken my on a multi-day walk in Snowdonia that was surprisingly fun.
With the lifts closing, a borrowed bike to use and some Queens to see in the afternoon we Montee-ed the lifts of le Tour. Before dropping down the Green Piste de Descent I gave a two minute how-to ride a downhill mountain bikes talk. And then I went...
"Oh its rough on my hands, its dangerous this sport!" He said as we re-grouped about 50 metres down the trail. We did a few laps and he actually preferred the Blue over the flatter Green. He was getting fast on his borrowed hardtail!
With Jo's increasing speed and confidence we where joined by Tom H for more downhilling action. Me and Tom railed some berms and launched some drops on the Red variant. We pulled over to watch Jo come past and into the final jumps on the trail. He went for it! He landed with one foot down and though it was funny for me and Tom to watch he rode 10 metres and rolled onto the ground. He'd got a DMR pedal pin through the shin, 5-10mm's deep! We didn't have a first aid kit (my fail as an aspirant guide..) so we covered it with some duct tape to keep the cow poo out.
Of course with it being closing weekend of le Tour we had to hit up some of the singletrack and we felt like Jo could handle it. Me and Tom blasted some of the corners and straights and hit the huge root garden section at full speed. We both made it through on fantastic lines which was great for the end of season! Jo was pretty dam fast on his hardtail too! He's gona take me climbing one day now...
Every year in the Haute Savoie the local farmers bring out their most fiesty cows for a good old bit of head butting. Farmers from up and down Cham Valley, Vallorcine Valley, the Valais and a few other Haute Savoie villages battle it our to be crowned Queen, Match des Reines! A quality way to finish a hot late September afternoon:
With the lifts closing, a borrowed bike to use and some Queens to see in the afternoon we Montee-ed the lifts of le Tour. Before dropping down the Green Piste de Descent I gave a two minute how-to ride a downhill mountain bikes talk. And then I went...
"Oh its rough on my hands, its dangerous this sport!" He said as we re-grouped about 50 metres down the trail. We did a few laps and he actually preferred the Blue over the flatter Green. He was getting fast on his borrowed hardtail!
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| Jo down the bottom of the Blue |
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| Mont Blanc view |
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| Early launch on the rock drop for me |
With Jo's increasing speed and confidence we where joined by Tom H for more downhilling action. Me and Tom railed some berms and launched some drops on the Red variant. We pulled over to watch Jo come past and into the final jumps on the trail. He went for it! He landed with one foot down and though it was funny for me and Tom to watch he rode 10 metres and rolled onto the ground. He'd got a DMR pedal pin through the shin, 5-10mm's deep! We didn't have a first aid kit (my fail as an aspirant guide..) so we covered it with some duct tape to keep the cow poo out.
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| Tom H |
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| Manning up! Queen of the day! |
Every year in the Haute Savoie the local farmers bring out their most fiesty cows for a good old bit of head butting. Farmers from up and down Cham Valley, Vallorcine Valley, the Valais and a few other Haute Savoie villages battle it our to be crowned Queen, Match des Reines! A quality way to finish a hot late September afternoon:
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