So on the 5th and 6th of October I had my first experience of Farmer John's mtb park... what an experience it was. This was the weekend that I would knock myself out, do a drunken night race, as well as join the hecklers on the rock, and as we all know... it's shirts off on the rocks!My mate Tristan was kind enough to drop me, Hannah Escott and Emma Whitaker off at FJ's with the camping gear while he went to pick up our bikes. Unfortunately this meant our bikes didn't arrive until after the practice runs for the Sunday race. Me and Hannah walked the track while Emma got a couple of runs in. The track looked pretty gnarly with a fair few guys being thrown by some lethal roots.
Once the practice runs started for the night race we headed up in our costumes (myself dressed as a glam rocker - guitar and all) to get some runs in. My first run was pretty unstable, and was really unhappy with it. I decided the best way to approach the first small drop was to pick up more speed before it. As I started my second run I pedalled up to the drop. Next thing I know medics are asking my to lift my leg so they can take away my bike to assess my injuries. Had no idea I'd been knocked out till I realised Tristan who was in the queue behind me to start was there. Luckily no more than some bruises but took a huge knock to my confidence. Lucky for me Farmer John let me race by leaving my bike at the bottom of the drop and I had to run to it. Obviously this set my time back a fair bit but it was all for some fun.
In between our first and second runs myself, Emma and Hannah decided to join the hecklers on the rocks, possibly the most fun I've ever had and of course, our tops were off (sports bras were left on, it was freezing!). By the time our second run came me and Emma had near polished off a bottle of Jack Daniels. Still, we went for it. I crashed three times in the same berm then gave up and pulled my bike off the track in fits of laughter.
From then on is a bit blurry, pretty sure I had fun though.
The next day came and I decided racing would not be in my best interests, the track was too difficult for me and I wasn't ready to face drops yet. I cheered on my girls before a nightmarish journey back to Scotland. The fall did not put me off racing. If anything I am more determined to get better and get tackling drops.
