So after a fellow FB diva posted that she was going on the 29th September, we used that as an excuse. Against my advice of, wait till after Taff Buggy to book, the morning of the race Darrel booked our uplifts. In hindsight it was a good decision as the uplift sold out by the following day, but the pressure was on for me not to crash on my race runs.
Following the race, it was a couple of days R&R, an XC ride then getting excited about Antur.
Now I'd been disappointed (my own fault) by Bike Park Wales, but Antur Stiniog had no identity issues, its a Down Hill venue, 4 trails; A Blue - Drafft, Red - Wild Cart, Black - Black Powder, and the double black - Y Du. This doesn't sound much but trust me it was.
We got there at 10 and sign on was a simple affair, with Darrel joking about them not having a no swearing rule YET! Once the bikes were unloaded, body armor fitted it was a a very short stroll to the uplift, and a surprisingly short (by my uplift experience) bus ride we were being dropped off at the top. My game plan was to have fun and not push myself, having done that to the extreme the week before so I was starting easy and moving on once I felt comfortable with my riding. Darrel was also happy to hit the blue with me so we parted to the left to the start of the red and blue trails (the 2 blacks having a different starting point). We rolled down the trail and learned pretty quickly that everything was rollable, if a feature was a bit more technical there was generally a rollable bit to the side. The trails had a lovely alpine feel to them with views over the valley.
I spent my first 3 runs playing on the Blue, Darrel had got a puncture so I had fun trying to hit the trail faster and with more flow. Once Darrel had fixed his puncture, we hit the red it's a nice step up from the blue, not massively harder but definitely a step up. A couple of sections I got off and looked at to get my line before rolling them, it wasn't that they were hard, more that the approaches were blind. On the blue track line choice is rollable drop or track, the red step up was that the other option needed to be popped, so I didn't want to hit that line by mistake. I got down brimming with confidence and keen to show Darrel how practice had paid off on the blue.
A run up to the top and Darrel followed me down the Blue, and to my surprise he came off :) now I shouldn't smile but for the 13 years we've been together he's never followed me down a track and come off.
Lunch was a patch up Darrel's grazed elbow and a chat with Sarah and Co, who's kindly invite had finally got us there. Then back on the bus to repeat the mornings fun.
Darrel joined the others on the Blacks while I stuck to the Blue and Red keeping relaxed and pushing myself to go faster. Antur seems great for this, it's the first time I've ever found myself really trying to hit jumps and pop off drops and after a few runs I was confidently getting my wheels off the ground, and not taking the easy lines. I lines I'd had to look at on the red in the morning I was trusting my judgement over and using my brakes less each run.
OK I only stuck to the easier tracks, but without and pressure I was doing what biking is all about, having fun with great company. I really loved Antur, the whole vibe was nice and relaxed, the trails are amazing, long and rough. Darrel's verdict on the Black was; awesome gnarly DH! I'll give my verdict on them when I go back because I'm definitely going there again.
I didn't video much, so here's an edit of my very tired final run down the Blue...
And a few pictures kindly Taken by Neil, please note wheels OFF the ground...
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