Yesterday the Trainer and I walked one hill too many and didn’t like the idea of our usual Sunday EBC stair training on such a beautiful sunny winter day. Cross training on the bike and the destination of Petty’s Orchard including apple pie sounded a better option.

We started out from the cable suspension bridge at Templestowe. As we rode through Westerfolds Park I thought about why I loved cycling so much. You can meander on a bike, glide, speed, race and coast on bikes. You can sing, chat, explore and be adventurous on tracks off the main trail. The Trainer had said he wanted to do one steep hill off the main track and then rejoin the trail to the orchard.

He also wanted to “forage around ” his words, a MTB (Mountain Trail Bike) trail we had tackled on one other occasion but found it too challenging. This time we tried it in reverse, going down hill. The Trainer reasoned this would be easier for us.

Cursing under my breath, concentrating on staying on the 30 centimetre wide windy track, avoiding ruts, roots, trees and saplings growing right alongside the track while trying to maintain to the right speed between stationary and slow while going down hill was beyond my skills. I started going off the trail, put the brakes on, apparently I must have used the front brakes because I flew off over the handlebars. Hands came out to break the fall, the visor broke off my helmet, saving my nose and my lips kissed the ground.

The Trainer rushed back and picked me up, dusted me off, cleaned my face, checked my injuries, fixed my helmet and twisted handle bars and then suggested we continue back on the same track! Barely able to hold one of the handlebars we rejoined the main trail ,rode slowly to the orchard and returned slowly back to the car.

Some MTB trails are now strictly off limits. Danger man can go it alone.

Bicycle Love