Going green at The Mafia

So, after hacking our way through the jungle that had set in on the top of the trails, there was only one thing to do: RIDE!
After sweeping all the trails they were rolling fast, with dry trails and just enough dirt in the corners to keep you on your toes.

Ewart on the Big Snake

Ewart sends Mother Bear

The big berm on the Main-line

Sam at the top of the Duel Track

Ewart and Sam on the Duel Track

Me at the top of the Duel track

Sam on the Main-line berm

Ewart fires up the see-saw

If you go down to the trails today.....

....Your in for a big surprise!

Mainly because you couldn't find the trails through the 8 foot high bracken, brambles and stinging nettles.
So Sam, Ewart and I set about clearing the trails. Here's a few before and after shots for you.

The view outside the barns, above the main roll in

and below after clearing

Ewart checks the view from Goldielocks

Looking down the lead in to goldielocks

and below after some gardening

And looking down the trails from the top of goldielocks

and below before we cleared

A quick Trip to Decoy

At work today we had to do a boat delivery to Decoy lake this evening. So Ewart and I thought we'd combine dropping off some boats with a quick spot of biking at Decoy Trails.
There are a few things worth checking out at Decoy, there is the Huge BMX track, there's the HUGE Dirt jumps, and tucked away there are some sneaky bandit run trails through the woods.

Ewart going for it on the bmx track

We started off looking for some of the hidden woodland trails. We found a few, they were all fairly short, but a good laugh with tight corners, slippery roots and poor visibility hacking through the deep under growth! But after a while the heat combined with the effort of pushing back up the hill took its toll, so we decided to check out the BMX track.

This berm was vast, and riding a high line was great fun!

The BMX track is stunning, having fairly recently been re-vamped and re-surfaced. Its a full on world class race track, with enormous berms, step-ups, step-downs, pump bumps and gaps. Even just trying to cruise round the whole track was tiring. Ewart challenged me to a race, but neither of us could make it past the half way mark!!! but we enjoyed sessioning some of the corners and pump bumps.

Ewart on a loose and slippery corner somewhere in the woods!

There is also an area of dirt jumps, the main line through the middle of the jumps is Vast. with lips that seemed to be at least 8 foot high and gaps the looked at least double that. However no one was riding them as they are prepping it for a jam in a couple of weeks, hopefully I'll be able to find the time to go along and watch.

New waterproof camera

Hi There 3Rider fans, sorry its been ages since I last posted anything, I have been up to loads, just not taking any pictures, so I haven't had anything worthy of posting!
Life has a few ups and downs, and as some of you might remember I was burgled a few months back. But it's had a bit of an up side (all be it a rather small up!) but the insurance finally paid out, and we now have a cool new Olympus waterproof camera. I've been itching to give it a proper testing, and I finally got the chance this weekend.
With fuel fairly hard to find we took the short trip down to Ansteys Cove in Torbay. The sea was calm, blue and inviting. So Louise and I suited up and took the plunge.

Louise takes the plunge

The Beach below Ansteys Cove is now a bit of a no go zone. Some landslips above the beach a few years ago meant the closure of the beach, and with the council un-able to find the money the shore it up they have now removed the walk way that used to lead down onto the beach. Its still possible to scramble onto the beach at low tide, but as the tide comes in it becomes very hard to get off the beach!
But none of that is a problem if your wearing 5mm of neoprene, boots, gloves, fins and goggles! Just jump in and swim round!

Just some of the seaweeds to be seen

The water was very clear for the British coast and there was lots to see. Amazing coloured seaweeds, plenty of fish from tiny see through shoals of fry to big Wrasse, and the occasional stone crab.

A stone crab, this one was too small to be worth eating!

The more time I spend swimming around off beaches and coves in the southwest the more I enjoy it. The water may not be that warm but the sights on offer soon stop you worrying about temperature.

Looking out along the cove, The Long Traverse climbs across the wall above the sea, to Sanctuary wall and LQP