Dalbeattie

Day2 with Toons & co had us scheduled for the red route at Dalbeattie, just around the corner from our lodges (afterwards we found the trail came pretty close to our accommodation down at Sandyhills).

At the start we found the trail builders have generously given riders the choice of taking easy routes around short technical sections - quite unusual. The start (and end) comprises a long, gently twisty but thankfully wide board walk crank through a couple of boggy sections before a steady fire road blat up to the splendid panoramic views atop Moyle Hill. After yesterdays full on technical climbing the fire road was a welcome sight for some.

Heading off around the hillside (site of an old fort) the technical sections start to come at ya. At one point you're concentrating on a techni chute then to be confronted with a wide, open, long drop and Jenni's "whoop"n grin said it all ;) Some enjoyed it so much that they gave it another bash - actually the trail proper cuts back to your right, which was pretty sweet too.

Once around the hill you then get to see the rocky top to the "Slab" which Toons and DDave tackled whilst the rest of us zipped around to checkout the large granite slab that followed. Our dare devils took a half slab along with Darren while us XC peeps pondered their sanity :p

Plenty more lovely singletrack takes you to the Terrible Twins, two slabs separated by a ledge which everyone sensibly bypassed.

Compared to our previous outing at Kirroughtree this trail flowed a little better with a few less technical interruptions, although they still focused your attention. However, as the miles past by tired riders began to make mistakes over obstacles they'd normally clear. Thankfully no major injury's were sustained - just a few bruises and scrapes to attract the midges (thanks Uphilla!).

The final section undulates it way towards some serious obstacles should you choose the "black" options but all were happy to ride by on the easy bits and gawp at the difficult sections. The new Log On/Off section is intimidating but nothing compared to the fearsome Volunteer Ridge. One final, ridable highlight was a long and low log which most managed to wibble their way across.

All in all another great trail that would be great to have locally. Brumster, Baggy, Roger and I all gave it another bash on Monday morning and riding the same trail again was a definite benefit - being faster and safer. I even managed to find a few more alternate black runs, for another trip perhaps ?! While on point Roger managed to endo his rig yet somehow landed on his pins and didn't sky dive over the edge. However he did manage to mashed a brake lever, curtailing his riding for a while.

Darn it, I wish I was back up there.

Route; Tracklog
Pic's
Weather; dry, overcast with sunny spells
Posse; Baggy (XTC), Brumster (Liquid), Chris (Inbred), Darren (Cannondale), DDave (Cameleon), Farqui (5Spot), Jenni (Cotic), Les (Hardrock), Rich, Roger (FSR), Toons (5Spot), Uphilla (5Spot)
Mechanicals; Toons drive train locked up - traced to a loose chain ring bolt (or two).