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Unfortunately, the second tour started badly before we had even arrived! My old flatmate and good friend "Johnny Boy" had an accident on the tarmac section of the Las Lajas trail the week prior to our visit. which resulted in 2 broken fingers. He had an operation to put a bolt through one finger and had his lower arm in a plaster cast for about 8 weeks after that.
If that wasn't bad enough, when we arrived at Reina Sofia airport we discovered that my case was still in Manchester! Nothing we could do about that until the next day so, after getting the keys for our digs in Golf del Sur, we bedded down for the night. We collected the rental van the following morning, I borrowed a load of protective gear to wear and we got straight into another five days of proper downhill action! We met up with Matt, Manu, Juani, Aythami, Eto, Yeray, Peter and the rest of the lads and headed off up the volcano for some seriously fast fun...
See previous report below for more information.
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Our second outing up the rock took us through the town of Guimar and up towards the Observatory, to a spot called La Crucita, at around 2000m above sea level. After unloading all the bikes and getting kitted up, a large group of us set off along a wide, dusty trail that quickly dropped off into the tree line. The upper section had a good gradient and some fast sweeping bends, tightening up through the woods. We all got through this section ok, which was a miracle considering the dust clouds we were creating behind our bikes...
As we got further down the trail the terrain got much rougher, with craggy rocks and sharp volcanic gravel making the descent very loose and slippy. Towards the end of it we reached a couple of interesting shortcuts which we decided to try. The first one was virtually singletrack all the way, with deep ruts and rocks to negogiate, so this wasnt exactly a faster route, but lots of fun! Then on the second one, we launched ourselves down a really steep slope, covered in volcanic debris, whilst trying to keep control of our rigs. After 30 seconds of madness we all slid off the hillside and rejoined the proper trail to continue our route through the countryside.
The trail remained a reasonable width for the rest of the way down, with the good gradient making for some exciting, fast sections to ride. We then had to cross through some land which was part of a Finca (Canarian farmland) so we didnt hang about when the owner's wife appeared looking a little bit annoyed! Once passed the farm, the trail continued until we reached an old road that led us into one of the villages above Guimar. This was great fun as we negotiated the tarmaced streets, concrete slopes and steps through the centre of the village, riding a bit of "streetstyle" gravity MTB and trying not to upset the locals! We ended the day in the same spot we had met that morning, at a garage cafe on the main road. Most of us dumped our bikes and refuelled with drinks and ice creams, whilst the designated drivers were taken back up the mountain to collect their vehicles.
Click here to view video footage of our crazy guide in action!
See previous report below for more information.
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Set in Tegueste, these man-made trails now offer various suitable routes for four wheelers to enjoy. The layout has been changed quite a but since my last visit and a new flat back truck makes the perfect uplift vehicle for our bikes. The first trail we rode had all the features you would want on a trail, with steep, rocky drops, looser gravelled sections, bermed corners and a variety of jumps to try. This is now a nice long trail too, with not much pushing required to negotiate the entire route.
The other trail we used has not been fully finished yet, but offered us an alternative start point on a quite different type of terrain. This top section is made up of softer dust and dirt, with some heavily banked corners to stop you sliding across the trail and into the nearest cactus (ouch)! There was a small amount of pushing required after this as the gradient is very shallow at this point. The trail then cuts across the road in the park, meeting up with the other route at the large northshore ramp, dropping very steeply into the best table-top jump at the venue! This then carries you through a "tobogan style" section of crazy berms and down through the trees into the lower area of the park. There are still some great features along this bottom section too, still carrying a lot of speed as it drops down into the "dustbowl" at the end of the park...
See previous report below for more information.
See previous report below for more information.
The 'Castle to Castle' challenge was successfully completed on July 3rd by Rob Bailey, Paul Martin and Steve Smye of Cumbria. The main purpose of this 320 mile bike ride was to raise money for a 4 wheeled mountain bike for our club. Rob decided to attempt this difficult ride following a lucky escape from paralysis in 2007.
Rough Riderz would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that helped us during our fundraising campaign in 2009. it has proved to be a very successful year! In conjunction with the "Castle to Castle" sponsored bike ride, we held numerous events to help further support our cause. These included such events as a Prize Competition (click here to see a list of the prizes and various winners), an Easter Egg Hunt, a football memorabilia auction, a sponsored walk, demo days at mountain biking events and even car boot sales! On top of all this we also received a lot of anonymous donations, both online and whilst meeting members of the public.
All the monies raised were ultimately used to help boost the funds from the "Castle to Castle" challenge, with a 10% donation of our total going to The Back-Up Trust. This event was also the platform from which we could raise more awareness of the club and the sport, so thanks to everyone that helped and had an input however large or small. In short, we have raised nearly �8000 through our recent efforts, which is actually �3000 over our original target! Thank you again to all that have supported us and/or made donations or sponsorship to our appeal.
A special mention must also go the following groups, venues and businesses that have given us such generous support over the last 12 months; Sellafield Ltd, The Forestry Commission, Whinlatter Forest Park, Keswick Bikes, Cyclewise, The Necessary Angel, The Lakeland Pedlar, Fulwood Leisure Centre, Muncaster Castle, Barney's Print Shop, The T-Shirt Printers Ltd, Aden Tudor Printers, Howarth Austen Solutions, Nuneaton Signs, Matrix Muscles, J McCann, Keswick Mountain Festival, Bull Beck Snack Bar, Patrons of Devil's Bridge (Cumbria), Whitefield Primary School (Preston), Preston Masonic Lodge, Sellafield Snowball Committee, Sellafield Employees Charities Committee, the Holy Family Pensioner's Club (Blackpool), Booths (Keswick), Halfords (Preston) and Leisure Lakes Cycles (Preston). We also thank everyone involved in publicity; Forward (SIA) Magazine, Newsline (SIS) Magazine, West Cumbria News & Star, Whitehaven News, Lancashire Evening Post, The Paper (Tenerife) and The Back-Up Trust.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Robert Bailey, Stephen Smye and Paul (Juicy) Martin for taking on this challenge in the first place. We would also like to thank Mick Butters (their support driver) for volunteering his time to be part of the team.
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The team started their enormous challenge, from Muncaster Castle (in Cumbria) early on the 1st July 2009. After preparing all their kit and warming up for the ride, they set off with cheers and support of some of the locals, at around 7.20am. The summer weather meant they cycled the first leg of the trip in around 32 degrees of heat, which slowed the overall pace a little, but they still completed it in a respectable time and average speed.
However, they mislaid a few miles along the way due to detours required away from unsuitable terrain. The Sustrans maps don't always specify the conditions of the route and 23mm road tyres are not particularly suitable for forest roads (eg. Wark Forest). If anyone knows the "Cinder Track" between Seascale and the Sellafield site, you just don't go there on a push bike if you value your drive train. certainly not a good idea to attempt this with 300 miles ahead of them. So Drigg, Seascale and Sellafield were all bypassed along the A595.
During this first section the riders covered a total distance of 107 miles at an impressive average speed of 16mph. The spent nearly 7 hours on the road, climbing to a maximum altitude of 1250 metres, finishing at Haltwhistle in Northumberland at around 4pm that afternoon.
They started the second day in similarly hot conditions, at 8.20am to allow them a little bit of a lie-in!
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Each day of the challenge was broken down into 3 sections of between approx 30 and 40 miles, with refuel stops in between, so they only had 2 official stops per day! Of course the odd ice cream to cool down and double espressos for extra energy were a very welcome relief, wherever possible.
The stats for the second day meant covering a distance of over 95 miles in just over 6 hours, with an average speed of 15mph. The slower speeds were caused by climbing to a maximum height of 1660 metres, in the sweltering summer sun, reaching their next stopover in Berwick-upon-Tweed at around 4.20pm that day.
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The final leg of the trip began at 8.15am in very wet conditions. This was a welcome change for the riders after cycling through 2 of the hottest days of the summer. The last 20 miles into Edinburgh was made a little easier too as it was down hill most of the way.
Remarkably, the guys only suffered 1 puncture during the whole trip, occurring just 10 miles outside of Edinburgh. They also managed to complete the event with absolutely no incidents, injuries or mechanical failures. By the end of the trip everyone felt a little frayed around the edges and the decision to track down food and beer as soon as possible was unanimous!
The last day covered a total distance of 97 miles in just over 6 hours, with another good average speed of over 15mph. They reached a maximum altitude of nearly 1150 metres before cycling triumphantly into Edinburgh Castle at around 4pm, popping the champagne to celebrate their achievements!
Currently we have managed to secure, at a reduced price, the purchase of a Fourcross mountain bike for the club, so we are also able to fund the cost of safety equipment and training needed from the monies raised in 2009. Our intention now is to have the bike and equipment available and running for taster days in the summer of this year! So keep watching the website and our Facebook page for a list of dates. coming soon!
Again many thanks to everyone for your support and generous donations in helping us achieve our goals so far. We are now looking at fundraising opportunities for 2010 to provide continued support and financing for the club, so any future help would also be very much appreciated!
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I took the time to test the fantastic new man-made installations created at Bikepark Tenerife, in Tegueste, located in the northern-most region of the island. We received a warm welcome from the management at the park, who encouraged our input regarding the 'gravity MTB friendly' routes they are currently developing, to eventually create Europe's first fully accessible facility dedicted to DH mountain biking action!
This is my report on the various trails and locations that I visited, which are all suitable for both 2 and 4 wheel riders to experience and enjoy! After finding an accessible room in apartments on the edge of Los Cristianos, I spent the first couple of days just settling in, enjoying the local tapas and wine bars, and catching up with old friends. Then, on day three I began five awesome days of pure downhill! Along with mis amigos Matt, Miriam and (our expert guide) Manu, we began exploring the different MTB delights that this amazing island has to offer...
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So our first trip meant an early start for a 25 mile drive up into the mountains in the south, to find the beginning of my favourite trail of the trip. From San Miguel we joined the tourist road through Vilaflor, Spain's highest village (around 1400m above sea level), and continued up towards Mount Teide, into an area known as Las Lajas. At such an altitude the view over the clouds, of Tenerife and her neighbouring islands, was absolutely breathtaking.
We parked above the pine trees (the Corona Forestal), on the edge of the volcanic basin, just a few yards from the top of the trail. We unloaded all the bikes and got ourselves kitted up for the short push along the trail to the first main descent.
The upper section of the trail is wide and gravelly, with a good gradient and some tight, twisty bends to tackle. Our descent became gradually steeper, with bermed corners, and with ever-increasingly rougher terrain. Towards the end of this section we found an interesting shortcut on the wide looping trail, which we decided to have a go at. So we turned off the trail and bombed down the steep slope, littered with loose volcanic rocks and stones, desperately trying to keep control of our bikes. After a mad 30 seconds of what seemed like riding down a bed of marbles we were relieved to rejoin the original track in one piece!
The next stage of the ride took us into the pine forest with more twisty bends with the track covered with pine cones. The gradient was good throughout this section, with irrigation pipes occasionally cutting across our route and creating some good small jumps on the faster sections. We stopped and found some shade for a quick drink and a breather before tackling the two small ascents on this route. This gave us a moment to really appreciate the sights and sounds of our environment, with the refreshing smell of the forest and clean mountain air.
As we fired out of the edge of the forest the track became faster and rougher, with some steep drop-offs and a mixture of good natural jumps. The further we got the dustier it became as parts of the south coast came into view. Along this last section we passed a number of fincas (local farms), and encountered rockier ground bringing us through the final section which gave us a really interesting selection of different corners and jumps to overcome. Here the rough stuff ends and the tarmac begins! We rode down through a small village, and after about a mile or so of fast downhill and hairpin bends we finally reached Los Olivos in Adeje. Time then for a butty and beers!
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The next day of the trip we drove north to La Laguna and headed into the mountains once more! We parked up in the clouds at Las Lagunetas, an area 1400m above sea level. We had coffee and doughnuts in the nearby bar whilst chatting with some local motocross riders before kitting up, and hitting this heavily forested trail.
Popular with both MTB riders and motocrossers, this wide and woody dirt trail took us through the spooky fog created by the clouds. A good gradient meant plenty of speed, and the compacted earthy surface gave a fairly smooth feel to the ride. The top section features lots of wide corners, some of which had great natural berms. The tighter corners were equally as fast but more technical and included obstacles such as tree roots, fallen branches and the odd jump.
Coming out of the mist, we came through a small clearing in the dense woodland. Here the trail's terrain changes. In this second half of the run, the ground becomes drier and dustier, with plenty more good bends and a great series of jumps. Underground water pipes again provide an interesting variety of lumps, bumps and jumps to test the abilities of any rider. This excellent track ends as you enter the village of Agua Garcia. Happily the end of this route brought us within a stone's throw of another good bar. Result!
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Set in Tegueste, the excellent man-made trails available at Bikepark Tenerife are well worth a visit during your stay. Whilst some of the trails remain unfinished, with more planned, there are still many sections currently suitable for gravity MTBing. When I arrived at the park I was met by the owner Zeno, who kindly provided a quad-bike for my uplifts after showing me the three sections of suitable track.
The first route I rode is actually designed for beginners. It's nice and wide, but still has some very good features. These include several table-tops, sections of northshore, bermed corners, and small dirt jumps. Some alterations to this track are planned in order to remove dangerous obstacles and flatter sections of the terrain to make it easier for anyone to ride.
I also rode another track aimed at the more experienced rider. This is a great trail for both 2 and 4 wheel MTBers. For me, this trail was the most fun, as it was the best match for my level of skill. They are currently working on linking the upper section of the park to make the whole of this trail gravity MTB-friendly. As a result I had to set off from a spot in the woods about 2/3 of the way up. Despite this, I found the whole route fast and exciting. Narrow sections of woodland, hairpin bends, rocky and heavily bermed corners, and a series of table-tops and dirt jumps made this ride a real adrenaline rush!
The final route I test-rode was the section designed for expert riders. This black run incorporates parts of the current hardcore trail already being used. The plan for this unfinished track is to re-route gravity bikes around the narrower parts via a different path, to avoid dangerous obstacles such as very big drop-offs and narrow northshore sections. In the interests of safety, I felt it wise to ride this track with caution, however when the gravity MTB alternatives are finished this will give any rider a big buzz!
Whilst we have not yet had the time to check out the following trails properly, we understand that they are all good, wide natural routes for gravity MTB riders of all levels.
- Observatorio Geofisico to G�imar
- Los Organos to Puerto de la Cruz
- Las Mercedes to Santa Cruz
- Cruz del Carmen to Taganana
