Guiding in the Mournes...

"First track guiding was an excellent experience, as someone who had never mountain biked before it provided an excellent insight. I found it quite challenging but a lot of fun. The effort put in physically is more than repaid when coming back down the tracks which are exhilarating and the scenery was excellent. We even saw a reindeer! Mountain biking is an excellent way to get fit while enjoying yourself! All levels of fitness can participate, Glyn was supportive and realistic of everybody’s capabilities and we all had a great day!"

Catherine McLaughlin, Derry.

First Tracks airtime dirt jump course...

When I first took up biking a few years ago I was under the impression I’d be able to jump and wheelie and do all sorts of stunts within weeks. How wrong was I?! Three months after I started biking I had my first injury going over a jump no bigger than a kerb. Time to rethink my plans! I became a cross country rider, and loved it. I thought there was nothing better than pedalling up a hill to come back down the other side, maybe over a small bump and being able to lift the front wheel up a few inches. But as your riding progresses so does your confidence. So I booked myself into one of First tracks jump days. Body armour and big bike in tow I headed off to Newry to meet up with Glyn and a few other wannabe air merchants. The day started off with building up some confidence on small jumps and doubles, and you were never pushed to do anything you weren’t keen on, but a bit of peer pressure and Glyn giving you plenty of pointers can do wonders for your riding ability. By the end of the day I had jumped higher, longer, bigger, and been in the air for longer than ever before, and more importantly I have the pics to prove it! Glyns relaxed teaching style really made the day, and somehow he has improved my riding. I’d recommend everyone to go to one of his teaching days… you will learn something new, no mater how skilled you are already!

Chris Elliot, aka Sham.

Ladies only Downhill coaching day...

3 outgoing young ladies made their way to Bigwood, just outside Newry for a day of downhill mountainbike coaching. The weather was perfect and trail conditions where just right. All of the girls had some experience mountainbiking (some more than others) but by the end of the day they all showed a lot of improvement and had a lot of fun doing it. As you can imagine it wasn’t all biking and there where plenty of chat breaks and Sylvie’s home made sandwiches went down a treat at lunch time.

Until recently most girls thought that mountainbiking is to dangerous and only for the extreme. Well now most of them are catching on and realising that mountainbiking has to be the most fun way of staying in shape and getting out in to the countryside away from the pub. Well at least for a while!!

Southern Extreme..

Clasnacrona Downhill coaching weekend.

6 hours of trucking and 137 songs later the First Tracks wagon rolled in to Skibbereen at the extreme southern tip of Ireland. Rebel racing’s chief Richard Thornhill was the man with the plan and the welcoming hospitality.

On Saturday morning we woke to heavy rain but nothing else can be expected that time of year really. We headed for Clasnacrona, the venue for round 7 of the irish nps in September.

The plan was to ride the track that the Rebels had been working on over the winter to see how it holds up and also do some coaching with the locals.

With uplifts provided for the weekend the runs where banged out. Not so many turned out on Saturday due to the weather but for those who did took full advantage of  the coaching and lift access. The track held up well all day and the rain probably made things a bit more interesting.

Sunday morning and it was still raining. Being the raw men from the south the full squad turned out including the lads from Killarney. 25+ riders turned up and keep er pinned until long after every stitch of clothing was drenched.

By the end of Sunday afternoon everyone was done but everyone still had a smile on their face and that is what it is all about. The track was cool, the craic was great and the kettle was always warm. Did I mention that it rained!!