Where has your bike taken you today?

[DJR]

Show me any other jumps with a more dramatic setting than UCTs ones. I must admit, I just passed by on the MTB. They have mostly grown way beyond my abilities as well as my sensibilities. 

[RustyHWR]

Sunday 30/08 - Very cold

[TyronLab]

Show me any other jumps with a more dramatic setting than UCTs ones. I must admit, I just passed by on the MTB. They have mostly grown way beyond my abilities as well as my sensibilities. 

 

Wow, those jumps are in great nic! I have a group of dirt jumps less than 2km from my home (anybody that rode BMX in the early 2000s in the Boksburg area knows about the Bokkie Park jumps) that used to be ridden and maintained daily by the local dirtbags. There was either a massive drop in popularity, or the community got involved in getting rid of the "teenage scum" that would hang around there, doing what teenagers do.

 

In any event, they're still there and still seem mostly rideable, but there's no warm-up line. It starts with 5ft and instantly increases to 8ft tall near-vertically lipped gap jumps with short approaches and very little room between them to get yourself set up again. I took a wild tumble there in my youth when I trained a regular into one of the smaller jumps with 0 experience.

 

I still ride past them from time to time, imagining the Hulkbuster sailing through the air, me doing a monstrous whip aboard it before the middle-aged fear of hospitalization kicks in.

[DJR]

.............

I still ride past them from time to time, imagining the Hulkbuster sailing through the air, me doing a monstrous whip aboard it before the middle-aged fear of hospitalization kicks in.

 Sorry for laughing, but if it will make you feel better, I am laughing WITH you, not AT you 

[DJR]

Wow, those jumps are in great nic! .............

They are looked after mostly by UCT students, but other youngsters jump there and help as well. I think the reason they endure, maintain, build and keep adding new better and bigger lines, is that every year a fresh batch of students arrive with a few jumpers among them. It gives continuity when others graduate and leave.

 

Some years are quieter than others, but 2020 seems busier than usual. During the lock-down, I even saw the jumpers up and about early in the morning before the 9am cut off time for outdoors exercise. Who would have thought jumpers could wake up before noon.

 

It is great to ride past, or train my dog nearby and watch. Often, if I position myself downwind I can smell the herbs that keep their nerves in check.  They are always friendly and good for a chat with an old ballie.

[TyronLab]

No need to say sorry. I have maintained since my days of riding Moto-X in my teenage years that I would have done a lot better at that and BMX if I just either cared less about my physical wellbeing or could just switch off the "what-if" portion of my brain. I've been afflicted with middle-aged panic since my early teens.

 

If I could find someone to guide / coach me I'd absolutely love to clear one of those dirt jump lines, but as it stands the barrier to entry is ridiculously high and my medical savings account ridiculously low (thanks a lot new adorable baby!).

[DJR]

No need to say sorry. I have maintained since my days of riding Moto-X in my teenage years that I would have done a lot better at that and BMX if I just either cared less about my physical wellbeing or could just switch off the "what-if" portion of my brain. I've been afflicted with middle-aged panic since my early teens.

 

If I could find someone to guide / coach me I'd absolutely love to clear one of those dirt jump lines, but as it stands the barrier to entry is ridiculously high and my medical savings account ridiculously low (thanks a lot new adorable baby!).

I also have a "strong sense of self preservation", but despite that the crashes seem to stalk me and jump me when least expected! I've never broken anything from a jump. Always seem to be those "just riding along minding my own business" moments......then BAM........instant heap of broken bones!

Edited August 31, 2020 by DJR

[Spinnekop]

Weekend rides in the city

['Dale]

Weekend rides in the city

 

The Highveld cloudscape, always amazing

[MTBeer]

I love the trails in Winter. Hoogekraal showing off

 

[dannygirl]

Just love the beauty this country holds!

['Dale]

7 bells

 

[capediver]

A few days short of 6 months...back to the office!

[Bateleur1]

A few days short of 6 months...back to the office!

Back to work.jpg

 

That is obviously not Cape Town.  Where is it?

[capediver]

That is obviously not Cape Town.  Where is it?

Doha, Qatar.......

 

and back on track!....

Edited September 2, 2020 by capediver

[daveno7]

After yesterdays intensive rain session etc it was nice to see the sun shining this am....the local rivers can now be called rivers....some great impressive flow around here at the moment...meandering around the mtb routes and sometimes it was either mud or full on streams.....bike doesn't like all this sandy stuff...again took the hardtail out...really enjoying this bike again...