Another morning of spannering saw the fitment of an e-thirteen bashguard to the Nicolai. It's now looking respelendent with it's red Hope hubs and cassette detailing, plus the new Stan's rims. Just need a bit of dry weather and I might even take it out.....
I decided that as the day dried out I had a spare hour and trying to find a long piece of singletrack called "China Pig" which goes off the back of Box Hill had been in my mind for a while. It would also give me a chance to time myself on the "Box Hill challenge" climb, a steep bridleway running from Rykers Cafe to the National Trust cafe at the top. The climb was tougher than I remember from last time and my time of 9.30 won't take a lot of beating (or will it!?)...
From the top I rode round to the Smith & Wesson and entered a familiar bridleway next to the caravan park. Instead of heading straight on the trick is to take the first right and this is China Pig. It's a long and interesting piece of singletrack which gently descends into Juniper Bottom. No jumps, drops, bombholes or berms but plenty of off-camber tricky wet roots hidden by leaf litter. it's also a very natural trail (check out the link to a Muddymoles vid of it from earlier in the year)so quite different to a lot of stuff on Leith. For a short but good ride it would be easy to link with another trail I know which goes over Mickleham way.
Rich
http://www.vimeo.com/4938203
A quick ride through the Surrey Hills with a group of 40 something mtbers who really should know better!
Montar el cerdo de china (...riding the China Pig)
ReplyDeleteThe sun was shining and I had a free day which I opted to fill with some sort of mountain biking activity... Lucky for me I checked the blog before I went out and saw your post, the challenge was set.
I knew the bridleway to the visitors centre so after a quick explore for some jumps near Kuoni (fail) I wound my way to the bottom of the bridleway. A miserable 9:40ish was my best, room for improvement. Need to confirm start and finish lines mind you.
Spent 15 minutes trying to find the start of China Pig – after 2 false starts (There are a few bridleways in that area and the start of CP is quiet well hidden) I eventually found the trail. Within 50yards you defiantly know you’re on it. So it was brakes off and away I go, missing a ride round and nearly careening into a fallen tree, opps. The rest of the trail was very nice, staying relaxed and off the brakes to skim over those hidden roots.
Defiantly worth riding again, nice one.
Mark