Ballinastoe Beginner's spin

Sunday I had actually planned to go on a spin around Djouce to prepare for the K Capital Cup 3 next weekend (try and find some of the trails that could possibly be used in the race), do some fast descents on ExTeeCee, section GC and do a few drills on the fireroad. The weather was great when I woke up, sun shining, dry etc.... but I wasn't. I don't know if it came from something I'd eaten the day before or from being soooo cold from the ride in the rain on Saturday (not the best idea when you've got a bit of a cold already), I was sick. My stomach was twisting and turning until I threw up. Then it was just feeling like having a semi flu and I stayed in bed with a lemsip. Grrrrr - and the weather was soooo nice outside!!!

Following my training session I was to take out a few friends on a beginner's spin. Yes, I do take beginners out. One of my girlfriends had came back to Ireland for a visit and another girlfriend, an offroad virgin, dared to take the plunge, so I had set up a beginners spin to go and try the Coillte created Ballinastoe mountain bike trails. And I woulnd't miss that! All lemsipped up to the eyeballs, I made it out and we were joined by 2 more guys from the club.

Three happy ladies in front of Lough Tay

Off we went and followed the markings for the trails and had a blast. Got some adrenaline going, created some scary looking bruises (see below), enjoyed the view over Lough Tay, hammered down some flowy, swervy singletrack, climbed around trees (a whole new meaning to "Caution - heavy plant crossing") and our first timer girl did so well, she was faster than some of us who chose to recover from a hangover by going mountain biking (no names named ;)).

Some of us suffered more, some less, for me it was a relaxed tootle (mind you, with that bug of mine I couldn't have gone that much faster, especially when the paracetamol started wearing off) and a reminder of when I started mountain biking, the first time off road and I was soooo scared! But, it seemed that our first timer liked her first spin offroad - even if it meant collecting some bruises and cuts (my legs used to be covered in them, but now I crash sooooo much less) and she said she'd consider coming out again (after her cuts and bruises have healed, however).  Wohoo - my mission of dragging more girls to the dark side - ahem, I mean to convince more girls to take up mountain biking - almost accomplished :)

Beautiful bruise to show off ;)

Some more pics of the spin can be found here.