(Clockwise from left: the gradual gravel climb to the top of the 3 tier, Diane and single track, Diane after her endo, Mary's scratch on the back of her ankle)
It's hard to believe that we are already wrapping up summer. Although that does not mean bike season is being wrapped up!! After provincials I took a well needed few days off the bike to find fresh legs again. I also took this opportunity to convince a couple of my friends to give mountain biking (with climbs and singletrack) a try. Diane and Mary were great sports. I'm not sure if they realized what they were getting themselves into but they were up for the challenge. I picked up Diane around 9:00 a.m. Monday and then swung by Mary's to pick her up. Our destination was Malden Park. I knew Malden had alot to offer for their first time. We did a lap around the perimeter of the park and went over gearing and breaking. We made our way up the gradual gravel climb to the top of 'Mt. Malden'... no problem! We then ventured through the singletrack. All went well.... until the one of the last stitches of single track and let's just say it sort of 'fell apart'! I was leading them down a gradual singletrack downhill, Diane right behind me and then..... well she wasn't there. I hear her shout "Sue, my tire came completely off". I instantly started to giggle as I ran back toward them. Yep there Diane was laying in a picker bush, Mary standing behind her with not just a tire in her hand.... Diane's whole rear wheel had come off!! She experienced her first endo!! I was impressed! Not so impressed that her wheel had come completely off, so I quickly put it back on and we were on our way to the final set of singletrack. We got through the quick little climbs and headed for the gradual off camber downhill...... I was leading again, came to a stop to wait and could hear, "Are you okay?" So I went running back only to find Diane on the ground again. The bike on one side of the trail and her on the other. Yep, my giggles set in but this time I reached for my camera. I snapped a couple of pictures and then realized I should ask her if she was ok! The fact that she was still smiling gave me no need to worry. Her leg got a nice bruise from the tree and her knee a small scrape. I was truly proud of her. Endo #2 in the books! As the ride was coming to an end we went up a paved road, only to have Mary's foot slide off her pedal and whack her in the back of the ankle.... another giggle from me. I guess part of being a mountain biker we see many wipeouts, bruises and scratches so this is their welcome to mountain biking! :o)
We had so much fun and I can't wait to take them out again. They were real troopers! Their new marks on their bodies were brag worthy and it didn't take them long to show them off!!
Cheers,
Sue
Please check out the team blog, updates on my teammate Jason Lummis are posted. Thanks!
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