Bigfoot MBC

First a word of warning: Perhaps we cannot use the Sainsbury’s car park as a meeting point any-more. Today a car park warden wrote Derek’s number down and told him that they will not tolerate non-customers any more in the car park. Derek moved his car.  The warden was still there when we returned. Now to the ride. The weather was brilliant, sunny and windy at the same time which took the bite out of the climbs. After crossing Selsley common Dan showed us the HOTS route which starts with a steep descent at the Selsley end of the long technical single track. We dropped basically to the bottom of the hill and had to pay for it with a gruelling steep ascent which Squiz started with a most spectacular backwards somersault. For the majority of us the climb was the first of many GOAPs. Every time we gained any height, Dan showed us some new variation which always led to some downhill fun with uphill punishment. When we finally reached the hill fort and Dan said: ‘We can go down there’ and pointed at a rubbly descent we all shouted ‘no’. We cycled around the fort on a lower track. From below the ruins of the fortification are very impressive and you could imagine that attackers did not stand a chance. From there the usual loop back. Basically everyone chose a different variation across Selsley common. I have taken a shine to the dips, others preferred the fast grassy descent. I hope the weather will hold. The tracks are simply too sweet.