Yay for Chrinessa

So friends of mine Vanessa and Chris were here for the weekend, they were over from Vancouver for a friends wedding in Selkirk and we were fortunate enough to have them stay with us. The time we had them pretty much consisted of food, biking and drink. Well, more drink for Chris and I than Ness and Pen as Chris and I were sampling our way through a few different british beer. They arrived Thurs night which was relatively quiet, and Friday monring we went for a local cycle through Stirling University woods and then over to mine woods where Bill Myles joined us...Chris summoned up his courage, and decided to test his resolve by tackling a bombhole, which is a big 20 foot bowl basically. So Chris went for it and conquered it! Ness opted to safely work her way around the bombhole...can't blame her really they did have a wedding to go to the next day! After the ride we all went to a wee cafe for a bite to eat and coffees/beers. Friday night we went for a Thai meal, and it was awesome!! Mr Daniel Sweeney another mate of mine from here in Scotland met Ness & Chris when they used to live here so came out with us. We had a few drinks and then headed over to the Settle Inn...the oldest pub in Stirlng (as far as I know!) for a night cap, and Jen (who lives here now, but is from Vancouver originally) who had joined us at the Thai restaurant came with us for a drink as well...so a happy merry bunch we were....with some of us more merry and happy than others.

Sunday afternoon Ness & Chris got back from the wedding and we had a quiet night consisting of food, beer and Scrabble, where Chris managed to beat me at Scrabble. Ness & Chris were pretty tired from the wedding and lack of sleep since they got to Scotland, so it was an early night...plus we were going cycling Monday morning!!

Glentress!! So Scotland has an awesome network of mountainbike trails. I had a hard decision to make with regard to which trail to take them to. I opted for Glentress which is in Peebles, and we were up at 7am (groan) to head off as it's about a 1 1/2 hour drive. We got there for about 9:30 and hit the trails just before 10am. It was bloody windy to start with but the 30 min climb up to the start of the first proper trail warmed us up! Chris demonstrated his improved fitness and technical ability, and I have to admit I was impressed! Especially after his first 20 mins led to a stack on my Norco Six when he was in the funpark...he hit a double, lost control, gained control, lost control and had a bike tree interaction which looked worse than it was...but did lead to a bit of blood. Ness, not to be outdone kept up at her own pace, and came walking down one section towards Chris and I walking funny. That would be because she stacked on a rocky descent and ground her knee against the rocky ground. So score two for the bloody sacrifice...well score three if you include my doozy in Stirling Uni woods on Friday....where I managed to scrape off huge sections of skin on my arm, leg, and ribs. Vanessa's mom had sent over some bandaids as she knows I'm prone to losing blood on the bike...unfortunately there just weren't enough to cover my wounds.

However, we finished up the ride without too much more incident, went to the hub cafe and stuffed our faces with baked potatoes, a panini, cheese toastie, carrot cake, and a slice of fabulous choccy cake. Mmmm, all good, especially as it was all in the sunshine!!

We got back, and then Chris and Ness packed up and headed down the road....so sad to see them go, but fantastic to have them here!!

They're here, they're here!! Fuelling up for a bike ride.
Tourists, checking out the grave of King James the III
Cambuskenneth Abbey where William Wallace (Braveheart) is reputed to have studied
Guys look it's a dying cow. The cow really was on it's last legs, wobbling everywhere and generally not looking too healthy.

Chris on the Six enjoying the singletrack
Ness shredding the local trails
Vanessa liked the stone walls, there's a stone wall
Chris sucking back fuel before he runs out of juice for his high octane riding style

Chris dropping into the bombhole...whatta man
A well earned Thai meal after a hard days biking eh Chris?
Post Thai food, Danny, Jen, Pen, Chris and Vanessa....
Hey Chris, they do baked potatoes at the Settle Inn...fancy that

So the drink started to affect some more than others...
Isn't she lovely?
Okay, not a great group photo...but with a Sweeney in the mix they never are...
My brother sent us over these lovely articles of clothing...worn much over the weekend...

The mighty Glentress, after 150m of climbing we had a good view, and a great descent lined up!
Let the descent begin, Chris blasting off downhill.
Ness dropping into the descent...what skill!!
Ness a bit sore...what skill?


Good reason to be sore.

Chris, on fire as he rolls down, and over all obstacles...on a hardtail!!
Chris demonstrating the joy of a log ride...

Scott demonstrating why Michelle's bandaids came up a bit short ;o)

24 Hours of Fun Madness

Penny and I joined Al, Ewan and Bill to form Chutney Powered Mud Monkeys. Our mixed team for the Wild Boar 24 hour mountain bike race. The race was in the beautiful Lake District in the North of England, Penny and I drove down Friday afternoon. We got some beautiful photos on the way down and the way up to give you a bit of a feel for the Lakes if you haven't seen them, or remind you of how beautiful they are if you have!



So how about the race? Well we all did one lap each in the daylight with Ewan doing the running start, then Al taking over for Ewan, Bill following on from Al, and then me and Penny last. Then the double night laps started. Ewan did two and took a lot longer than we thought, then Al went after and took a lot longer than we hoped because his lights died on him! Al unfortunately stacked coming down off the trail in the dark but didn't do too much damage to himself, or his bike.



Bill went out for his double laps, and I followed while Penny just did a single lap. The course was 10 miles long so by this point we'd pretty much all done 30 miles (Pen had 20 done at this point) and we had enough time to get 2 more laps in, and this fell down to Ewan, and Al. When all was said and done we got in 16 laps in 24 hours, which is roughly 160 miles between us all. Ewan and Al did 4 laps or 40 miles each, Bill and I did 3 laps or 30 miles each, and Pen did 2 laps, or 20 miles. We all had a blast and fortunately we had Isla and Fiona there to help out with cups of tea, warm food, and a bit of motivation here and there! We also had a surprise when Emma and Keith showed up to hang out for a bit and do a bit of riding on their own.



It was a great weekend, and even better because after Al's last lap we all went to dinner and had a great meal, then went to watch Seasons a mountain bike film....and Penny and I won a set of disk brakes in a raffle!!



Awesome weekend, and even better because Monday was sunny and we just lazed about packing up slowly and enjoying the sun.

Drystone Wall House, awesome! Check out the stones they used to build the house.

Pretty cool bridge on way out of Keswick

Mountains and Sheep, both are plentiful in the Lakes

Home for the next few days

Wild Boar, the monkeys are comin to getcha - Bill, Ewan, Al, and Pen

Ewan making some last minute adjustments

Ewan getting ready for the run

Waiting for Ewan with a Stirling Bike Club recruit

Bikes waiting for their owners to finish the running start

A blurry Ewan finishing his run and getting ready for the cycle

And he's back....

and Al's away. Yes that' Al in the distance

Next up...William Maxwell Myles the III....also known as Bill

Mmmmmm carbs, pasta, food.....

More food

Another young recruit

Al preparing for another run?

Pen and Fi, what would have done without Fi & Isla? Probably just eaten cold pasta, and been more miserable than neccesary.

Ewan being a cheeky mud monkey

I'm done my lap...who's next?

Keith and Emma show up before things start to go wild

A wild Emma about to pounce

Making an arse of myself....in front of Emma

Pen flying the Aussie flag...and getting ready to head out

Penny going so fast I couldn't get a photo!

Every 24 race needs some nightriding....

Bill in Disco Bike Mode

Al getting up for another day of cycling

It's Al's last lap and team Chutney Powered Mud Monkeys are there to cheer

Ewan chilling out after finishing up his lap and passing off to Al for the final one.

There he is! Al is in the home stretch...

...and he's done, we're done. Let the beer flow!
Zefferelli's home of good food, and a cinema! Seasons was a good way to finish the weekend.

Next morning and it's time for more food!


Heinz makes everything better....

right Isla?

Bill, don't forget to breathe....

Penny deomonstrating why I don't piss her off...she throws things.

Bill putting his foot down

Taking the bikes home...after a fantastic weekend in the Lake District