We Came, Saw & Concured!

Photo: Evan Welsch. www.evanwelsch.com

Scree slopes and bikes might not be everyone’s usual ride outing but it sure is fun!

With base camp at the bottom of the mountain we sat around our lakeside fire nervously sharing stories of what awaits the following day. Had this ever been done before? Seemed to be the most repeated question. It was certainly fair to say there was a high amount of anticipation in the group which was later made easier with a night cap or three. We woke early and headed up the mountain with our 4x4 access.

“See we just ride down there, it’ll be sweet” I remember saying. But as the drive up continued we began to relise the what looked like small looking pebbles were no smaller than a basketball! Oops what have I got the team into here!

We left the truck when it couldn’t get us any higher and endeavoured to summit the mountain of rocks ahead of us. We all scrambled our way to the never ending top with bikes being hung, slung dragged up behind us. Shortly after getting our breaths back at the peak began the horror and realisation that we still needed to RIDE back down this mountain! The rocks looked smaller on the next slope so we walked along the exposed ridge line to find small rocks that weren’t the little pebbles they looked like from below but certainly more realistic than the boulders we climbed up on.

There wasn’t really much we could do but look straight down the barrel of our scree shoot and pretend it’s not so bad. Walking back down would probably end up harder than riding down so a way I went. Leaning back and looking a head. Brakes are virtually impossible on this stuff so you’re completely in for the ride. Not knowing what was over each brow but hoping for more scree and no big rocks.

I made it and god did it feel good! Will I do it again? Yes please!

Dan