Well every year we give lug a go..the weather has to be amazing and its invite only due to the seriousness of the route.
So this morning, me, Don, ian Sutton, mel, orla, Andrew and his slow friend,Jacksie,Rudolf,Jason and the greg..savage up and down in 3 hours..everything was crispy dry and the wind was horrendous..some deadly crashes from nearly everybody !!
pictures later !!!
Man that felt good..
I knew it was a privilege to be invited along, so even though my legs werent there after yesterday I was up this morning bright and early to join the spin.
The sun was out but I knew it would be cold up top. However trying to stay up with that crowd of superstars I never really had the chance to get cold. I was amongst 2 or 3 back markers and as soon as we would catch the waiting pack - off they would go again. No rest for the slowbies - I guess thats how you get better! Richie was on a mission to do the full route in 3 hours.
Before we got to the top, on the boggy downhill I lost the track for a moment, bobbed along in the bog for a bit before burying the front wheel and exiting over the bars. Leg got trapped between the bars and the top tube, and the back wheel came over and walloped me on the head. No harm done but a bit of bruising. The lads (Don and Mel and not sure who else was there) checked I was ok and then we carried on.
Some slog to the top - especially when the wind is blowing a gale from the side. One gust fired me at least a few meters violently to the right - which is not very comforting when the edge of the mountain is not so far away! :eek:
It was a relief to get to the summit, and Jelly babies were the reward. I was busy fumbling with getting my jacket on in the gale force wind when the group left in a hurry. I had to push to catch them - I know this mountain can be dodgy if you come down the wrong way! But they waited at the start of the descent.
What a descent! some of it I was flying on - the rest I just had to walk the bike down - some scary drops! Fair play to anyone that can ride that full section. Jack had a puncture and as we were back markers I hung on a bit. I reckoned it wasnt the type of place to be coming down alone. the rest of the crew were well gone. At one stage I think I saw the edge of a cliff - about a meter or so from my wheels. I wasn't hanging around to check it out and scare the bejaysus out of myself - but I think it was a big drop!
The spin back down the old track with the corners was great fun. I could smell burning brakes all the way down!!
I was completely pugled after getting back down - I actually needed to sleep. Came home feeling flattened and had to stop in the garage for tea to keep me awake. (Didn't realise Glenmalure is a 120mile round trip for me!) Just had an hours kip, and reflecting on the spin it was flippin awesome! Thanks Richie!
Its some climb up there, but the decent is something else. Greg I expected to be quick down, but Don and Rudolf are nutters. Rudolf rolled past me a few times (on hardtail) when I stopped for a quick walk.
The look on Ronans face as you lot headed down just as we got to the top was classic too!
I was impressed with the Canyon too, rolled nicely over some big drops.
Thanks lads
Have to say I'm in shock after that spin, monuMENTAL, EPIC to the max! The climb just went on forever, no bar breaks, no rest for the tailenders, false summit after false summit. Orla took a nasty spill but got just kept at it, unreal considering she was racing yesterday. I was fooked by the time we got to the top. Don't think I have ever been so happy to summit a mountain. With the happy vibes flowing finally time for some lovely DH, holy smoke what an insane series of flowing singletrack, rocks of death, cliff drops, big holes (one of which got me front wheel), then the switchbacks and the arm pump and the two finger braking. Following Greg was a delight, so smooth, Rudolf was on fire on that awesome Pig despite crashing in front of me repeatedly, Andy was very fast on that Canyon, poor Ronan did not look happy at the end! Just great stuff all round.
Well said Orla, it really was a privilege to be invited on that spin, cheers everybody, one of the best in a long, long time, cheers Richie.
Ok Newsflash, I know you all want to hear this (I jest) but ive been giving it some thought and have now figured out the perfect gearing 24-39 chainset and 12-34 cassette.
Oh and thanks for a mega super spin today Richie and co. Bit of a slog up (think cammara hill side is fully rideable with the right gears!) But the descent was awesome, infact that last fast section was so enjoyable given a chairlift i would ride it all day long. Scared myself a few times and thought no way can you ring your new job and tell them you can't start for six weeks coz you broke your collarbone! So thanks again guys I know for a fact that I would have been still wondering what to do with myself at the same time I arrived home otherwise, Cheers!
yeah..i was aiming for 3 hours alright..I had to go to work !! so I wasn't hanging around..besides who needs a break ? time enough for rest in the grave ... to be fair we were not waiting that long except on the summit but it was flipping freezing up there and i knew we could intercept the Ronan lad on the way back..
3 Hours is an exceptional pace up and down that bad boy. So well done kids..
The climb is something else though.. coming back down the wind was blowing from the East..unusual and savage.
Sutty had a savage crash ..i was above him in the heather and his feet were nearly vertical..
I just had a nice 2h nap too Orla, tired now but delighted I made the effort to go up that mountain, it's one of those spins in the year you can't not go to they are so good.
No scary moments for me but I did have some funny crashes, as always! I think Greg was the only man able for some of the steeper rockier lines, I don't think you can ride 100% of it but he probably got close.
The descent was much easier when I did it on a Slayer but also so much harder to get up there.
deadly spin, had just put the heckler back together so no better place to test the bike than this spin... the climb at the start is just savage. Fair play to all who made it up and down. a great mornings biking.. thanks Richie
Deadly spin, what a descent! Couldn't believe the speed of Don down it, he was flying into blind corners like he knew where he was going!
Max, I'm proud to say I did ride 100% of it, it wasn't all the most gracefull though! Love these big mountain spins, they're the only other place you get to do big descents like that when not in Europe! Can't wait for the Blast down Lug with Helicopter uplifts.