Winterberg .... August 2008 (Mal's 30th)

I was invited to Mals 30th B'day bash in Amsterdam and during the weekend we went off to Winterberg in Germany to the epic Bike Park they have there.



This weekend was part of a road trip for me also seeing some friends from the GR20 on-route, but I have poasted about that seperatly.



I took the S Reg Brava, risky shes an old girl, but as it turns out she was legendry and even took on the might of Mals beast cometh the race day...in total running smooth for 1200 miles this tour...



There have been some awesome things happening to me this year but this trip has to be one of the highlights and I am going to struggle to find the words to authenticate the trip but for me it was mind blowing.



Whilst in Dam we also did the flow boarding at the 'Dutch Water Dreams' centre, what a name...one marketing slip and it would have been Dutch wet dreams ha ha ha..



This was awesome albeit hard, when you bailed you bailed hard well did anyway, whiplash comes as standard and I had the whiplash standard for sure, you need to practice this at least 3 or 4 times, but what a laugh its so wobbly, the smallest error is exagerated fully....but what a trip...we were in a small group of goofy people so we got more runs...a choice day, the we relaxed in the sun at the beach bar with real sand, but we knew the whiplash would revisite us in the morning and it did. Just in time for Winterberg NICE....!!!



Anyway as always the best way to show these things is through picture and video and there is all of that below.



But the thing id like to remember about the Bike trip to Winterberg is the sheer balls I had over the weekend in fact the balls we all had on the day, we basically arrived after a late night out on the beers and whiplah from hell from flow boarding an early start and a 300 mile drive (race), we then had to get the bikes sorted, I had an awesome downhill machine when we were ready we hit the practice jumps which to be fair were to me huge enough on there own.



After a wobbly start Mal then just took us off to the downhill berm run, you cant see anything from the top you have no idea whats coming if you did you just wouldnt bother!!!! but fuck me by the time you hit the bottom and youve emptied your pants out I was awake alright let me tell ya.......the fucking smile on my face was hurting it was that big....and my heart was in my arse....lost and confused but happy to be alive and still beating....



Struth the best safty measure they have there is by default the chair lift to get you back up as that gives you the break you need...seriously after the first run I was on the chairlift thinking what the fuck have I just done, coupled with the fact that when your a group of male buddies your all competing and looking to impress...its a mind blower let me tell ya. Just dont forget lots of spare pairs of pants, and that you have a brake....I was getting air before id even seen the fucking jumps....not good but woooooohhooooooo....awesome..



If that wasnt enough and Mal wanting us not to miss a trick, he sent us all down the bloody race track a at full pelt, what you forget though is that this is winterberg and whilst your trying your hardest to stay ahead of your buddies over the whoops you forget that they stick motherfucking massive table top or 4 in your way immediatly after the berms with no time to react, but you soon wake up mid flight normally way to late IMHO....using the brakes middair doesnt work??? !!!....but my word after a few runs your in the ZONE...and my riding days from back in the day came in to play...time to get serious, then he takes us to the park as if I hadnt had enough...my poor heart was thumping...drops? me, eh what...your having a laugh..your not, your serious....oh ok then....ride ride wobble....fall off drop land...scream!!! - Im 40 surely this will end in tears.....



Thats basically how it worked. by now id got to grips with it and that was only after 3 runs, then to make sure we'd not miss anything he took us down the World Class Black downhill run me what...im old..!!! I dont really remember much about this route except...that once your in your in for good come what may...and the drops and the slamming your wrists get as you drop thud thud thud down drop after drop again again and again...I mean you have a brake so you could use them, but I tried that and I didnt stop at all well not enough anyway...i was just whispering fuck fuck fuck...im gonna die fuck fuck....really im dead...and then you make it and flow out of the end off a little jump and after you check all your limbs work you sail to the back of the lift line, to lick your wounds and to empty and change your underpants for the 3rd time that day (and its not even 2pm yet)...phew...see its hard to put into words...but this is how I remember it.



we carried on untill the last run I even then got a cheeky last run on the practice jumps as they were calling for our bikes back....just couldnt let go could I, Nope guess not...



We all went out for a meal at the local hotel and we were alone, we ate well and drank well, too much for me I think. It was really nice to see James as well...



We camped on site and I slept under me Tarp by me car, I actually got a good nights sleep even though me inflatable mat went flat on me, and the french man had issues... but all good.



The next day we rose early (due to french man again)and knew a more mature approach was needed as injuries my be coming to hunt someone down, well that what I was thinking anyway, we headed off and did some nice Northshore stuff on wooden bars and see-saws, loved this stuff but some of it was high and tricky, but it was all a bit slower, we did do all the same stuff again and I went off many more drops on routes and went faster on things my speed on the berm runs was matching Mals which was a bum twitcher for an old boy for sure but I was there on his arse, next time Mal..next time..



Theres not really more to say except that its something that must be done again and again and again...as Mal siad he was amazed but so happy that we had all -

'STEPPED UP TO THE MARK' on the day.

But then so did he as he went off the highest drop, I guess giving himself a Private Birthday present...awesome Mal.

lastly Thanks for inviting me.....what a memory. TC...

I think I need a Labotomy after that....

Video to come....TC style.