Mind The Gap - Grom in Training

Nothing to do with this post, but its been a while since we saw the pic of a liquored-up Tiger Keith, looking like Freddie Mercury.

After a great morning with my daughter, Ella, at the Revolve Willy-Free XC race series, I popped out for a sift around the locality.

I visited the Tawa jump track by the railway station. Was my third trip there. I've been trying to lift my riding a notch, as for years I have just ridden regular XC stuff. I've got a lush Ibis Carbon Mojo now. It really is the swiss army knife of bikes. I've been able to do a couple of XC races and not come last, in addition to getting the confidence to get into more threatening riding than before. Almost beyond XC!



I managed a couple of the quite small doubles which was great. Rob Willis, a very competent local chap, gave me lots of advice and a few demonstrations on how to do some bigger stuff. He sold me the 10ft gap jump into the main berm, much like a used car salesman would sell someone a car which they could hardly afford, and with far more power than they could cope with. I had a few run ins to check my speed, as Rob suggested, then gave it a crack, heart in mouth style, as Rob and a couple of the young fellas watched on (probably baying for XC blood).

After falling of once as I went too slow, then a couple of attempts where I cased the lip and nose wheelied down the other side a bit, I finally popped a few more psi in my fake freerider ball-bag, and gave it more juice. Just about got it. Felt awesome. A real tick on my route to becoming a proper grom.

Thanks to Rob for his help and advice. Now when they start putting big gaps in XC courses, i'll be dishing out the good news to my skinny, shaved friends.

Cheers
Dave