Tread Skills 101 : Track stands and Chocolate Foot

19 Feb: I’ve signed up for mountainbike 101 skills classes.  Well I really need them. I read up a bit about the course and kinda meet the pre-requisite of needing to have ridden my bike for a couple of months beforehand. I’ve also ensured two other things … one that I’m not alone – I enrolled 3 buddies to do it with me, and also I know that 2 of them are just as novice as I am. The fourth partner in crime is Gerhard, and cos he's guy this is just to keep us girls company and so he can do the 201 and 301 courses where they show you the really hectic stuff.

Well poor Aussie Jeff and Sean ... they've got the 2 Mulley girls and their WBB Grems.  There were lots of chirps from the peanut gallery and I am wondering if I'll ever remember anything they've told us today.  This is where the chocolate foot comes in - it's your predominant foot basically.  Thanks Jeff, I'll never listen to Deacon Blue's Chocolate Girl quite the same way :)

Look ahead

After an hour or so of theory and familiarising ourselves with bikes generally we head out on to the grass and have to a do track stand. Well this is ridiculous! Never heard of anything so silly and impossible.  Ride your bike then stop and balance - no falling off.  See this is why I am never getting cleats.  That would make it beyond impossible. I cant do this so I dodge the instructors. 

Finally we're off on the different routes. We spend a bit of time practising going through corners : look a head, brake before the corner not in the corner, outside leg down, find the apex .. or something. There was  something about the apex.  It was all pretty good fun. 
  
Off to the next spot ... they too don't have a clue about Lisa Friendly stuff and take us down this steep hill .. Oh.My.Soul.  My heart isn't in my mouth ... it's out of my body shaking quietly somewhere.

Small group

Off to Ewok, which we all know I can't do.  And Sean is so calm and patient, slowly riding behind me. Waits while I dismount to walk over the first of my 3 real obstacles on the route.  Then I'm back on my bike and two twists later I'm off as I cannot do this root drop off. No way Jose! Then back on the bike. The real killer is to do this roll down off a bridge. I walk it twice.  The 3rd time round I think ok I'll give it a go. I just get to the bottom and am a bit too heavy on the front brake and am flipped into the bushes.  Pretty scary, but ... my WBB has foolishly decided to ride pretty close behind me and so as I am lying there half in the bushes and half in the middle of the track he's pulling on his brakes to avoid running me over.  He's a way better rider and so naturally is completely able to avoid me and doesn't even fall or anything.

Tired family

 I definitely recommend this course - they're very patient. And I actually do remember quite a few things.  It was a great morning out.