Sunday 21 January 2007 - Redhill / Oxford Falls loop

For a ride that we do a lot, it's amazing just how much fun can be had at Redhill / Oxford Falls...

We were honoured with the company of Matt P. this morning, who met up with T-Bone, Whisperer and Stephe at 7am parked just outside the gates of the Sport & Rec centre, then joined by Doug and Rees (parking down at the Lake, so as to keep a low profile!).

Set off through Sport & Rec without incident, up the big climb into Redhill, and straight into silliness with a dash down Red Rock (whereupon it became clear that Matt was a competent rider, and all thought of us having a good time being mean to him fell to pieces). T-Bone was showing some early fine form, and must now be in competition with Richard for the "mountain bikers who are actually good but still need to get over it" hubris award (although, to be fair, T-Bone's much less painful than Richard ever was!).



Whisperer and Stephe tried to lead a mutiny - to take the longer route down behind the playground at Lady Penryhn Drive - but it was soon quashed, to be added to the trip some other day when everyone's not in such a rush... So, off we went down Whisperer's singles track...



and then out on to the famed Redhill technical section. Much fun had - T-Bone remaining the only one to wheelie drop the big drop at the end, but at least he had more company riding down the other various trick bits in that area.



Finally, after much general playing about - we headed down from Redhill to the pumping station on Wakehurst Parkway, across the road and up the hill into Oxford Falls. Some good technical work on the far side (climbing the single track to the fire trail was fun!), and then a quick break in the shade for apples and Nana's cornflake cookies...

The ride down the XC track was ultimately led by Matt, at the sort of pace one would expect from someone who wasn't aware that his companions were tired old men (T-Bone excepted!).



Tragically, that rush came to an abrupt end when Matt slid out at the bottom of the XC track on the nasty loose gravel - giving him a very attractive spurting red blood fountain where once his elbow had been. Following extensive consultation on the appropriate medical treatment (ranging from ignorant to dangerously incompetent!) we confirmed that three separate people had a medical kit but had chosen today not to bring it along... ah, sad cases indeed. [And, Doug - no photos!!!]

Despite the lack of decent care, Matt soldiered on and we had a great finish down the firetrail into Deep Creek (with Stephe executing a perfect 'over the handlebars' on wimp rock - burning it even more fiercely into his mind as a guaranteed loser - T-Bone, of course, nailed it).



Scooted along the singe track beside the creek, with much fun and the weather just beginning to warm up.

Pretty well everyone (well, excluding Matt, who just kept bleeding!) was in fine form by the time we got back to the cars - well early, and off to recover many brownie points from spouses and spouse equivalent units.



The full set of photos are to be found here...