the oldies do Dyfi :) 10th Feb

[weeksy]

At the weekend coming the boy was booked in for Dyfi bike park. I wasn't booked as i was just going to do early 5am start for the lad and then chill in the van all day.

But instead of that @Couchy and @crust have jumped on the bandwagon and both are now booked, so we're in a Premier Inn for a beer and bollox the night before as well now.

I'm excited

[Flux]

I'm supposed to be going to CYB with friends for a day peddling, if it falls through I might bring a different bike and join you.

[twids]

Pretty sure I drove past you @weeksy this morning about 09:30 going the opposite way across the new bridge at Mach! Hope you have fun, we were on our way to Aber for footy matches.

[weeksy]

Not impossible matey. Maybe 9.20? We went over it about then

[Flux]

So how did the oldies get on at Dyfi?
I made it to Cyb (only 2nd time I've been there) did the beast and really enjoyed it, nothing beats Dyfi though..

[weeksy]

It was awesome matey. I'll let @crust so his own write up. But I got to ride some different stuff than usual which was great. The lad was lapping with Dan Atherton which has to be like a wet dream for teenagers doesn't it

[crust]

Riding the E-bike in FOD I've been enjoying tackling stuff that was pushing my comfort zone, meanwhile vids of Dyfi keep popping up in various feeds. I've watched a few and thought, I reckon I could ride that.
A bit research revealed there's a couple of Red trails there which I should/could/may be able to ride, so in the spirit of 'fuck it, what's the worst etc' and if not, I could always scoot over to Coed Y Brenin trail centre and ride that.
So, I broke the news to Weeksy that I was in and let the prep begin, book into Dyfi, Premier Inn, purchase helmet, give the E-bike a good check over.

Originally Couchie was in on his E-bike, so it made sense to take mine so we could bail if it was too sketchy and ride locally, sadly he had to bail so the convo changed to - "do you want to borrow James' Privateer?" Erm, Ok.
Friday PM, drive up, Premier Inn blah blah.
Sat Am we roll into Dyfi and its wall to wall downhill people, sign on and queue for the uplift. A long drive up to the top and it's get real time.

Roll off the top and it's straight into steep rocky down, notices of STEEP DROP, big fast berms and jumps (most of which were rolled, though airtime was had - small airtime). Weeksy stopped from time to time for me to catch up. Down to the tree line and into the woods, riding down a two or three foot deep gully which twisted turned steeply down, with the occasional drop or jump. Then out into a fast, very fast straightish downhill rocky, gravelly track with low jumps, some 'jumps' < I say jumps, in James' world they're jumps, in Weeksy and mine's its - OMG its will I even make the top of the take off ramp.

Run one over and - I'm alive, yay.

A brief rest and off for run two, a different start then join the previous one half-way down. SKETCHY, some steep rocky descents, fast berms, jumps etc. Join the first trail and knowing whats coming up was survivable a bit more speed was carried and both wheels were leaving the ground occasionally.
Buoyed on by surviving we decided to try another trail, a chat with James' team-mate waiting for the uplift was, "meh, it's alright, nothing scary to worry about." Off we go and it's ok until Weeksy stops to look at a drop, I stop, EEK, push back up a bit and nope, no balls. So I walked the bike down
Walking down I looked left and there's a huge Oakley logo with a wooden drop take off point at the top - ten or more feet high, landing on the steep slope - only a complete nutter would ever even think of doing that - See crazy boys vids, they really don't do it justice - he's certifyable.
Back on the bike and off we go, some more steep downs. Then we stopped, wrong line, back up take different line, not lined up properly the front folded, skidded and time for a lie down.
Pick up bike and off we go, more steep downs and into some huge up-ramps for jumps, time for lunch.
After lunch we did the first trail again, whilst I went faster the legs had gone, tiredness was setting in. Time to call it a day.
I sat out Weeksy's last run and sat in the cafe area chatting to a couple of the fathers.
Dyfi - what a place. Very well organised but equally very laid back.
Was great to see Dan and Rachel Atherton mixing with everyone, chatting and riding with different people, signing autographs, having photos taken. There's not many sports where kids can hang out with their heroes, multi time world champions, ride with them and generally hang out.
I'll definitely go back when I'm fitter.

[weeksy]

Well, on the 17th March anyway

I'm really pleased you enjoyed it mate and was a pleasure to share more riding adventures with you, we've had many over the years and this was up there.

It's 100% a big boy pants place to ride. But we survived mostly and came to fight another day

[Couchy]

Gutted to have missed this. Still unsure I can ride much of it but have a credit note now so gonna have to

[weeksy]

Gutted to have missed this. Still unsure I can ride much of it but have a credit note now so gonna have to

I'm not sure when that's going to be for us in truth. We're back into racing again from this weekend so most are taken up with that. There's the 16/17 March but you can't do that one. We'll try and think of some plans matey.