Autumn trails


Autumn is definitely the most picture perfect part of the year, but it’s also the season where days rapidly get shorter and cooler, the nights rapidly get longer, to the hatred of riders all over the world....

When you wake up, even at eight it’s still as dark as night, which doesn’t do anything for your motivation levels to get out there riding. When you do finally drag your ass outa bed, even the cold metallic feel of the key to your shed reminds you of what awaits you outside. However well you cleaned your bike after the last time you used it, it still somehow grinds and squeaks its way out of the shed door. The sound goes right through you making you cringe after every painful rotation, and it almost makes you feel like sacking it off and slobbing out instead, but remember you’ve just gotta grit your teeth and bear it for those first few cranks.
When your chains finally wet and it no longer embarrasses you because you can no longer see the rust that reminds you that sometimes you can even neglect the things you love most in life.
The cool air saps your breath when you make the first ascent, that in summer felt like nothing, but no it’s a whole different ball game. As you get to the top of the climb you start to get the “autumn sweats” that coolly snake their way down your face. Every time you take a lair off you suddenly change your mind as the cool autumn air hits you.
It seems that ‘easy’ Straight across the tops on the road in summer is no more, because in autumn wherever you go I swear there’s always a headwind battling with you.
Your favorite downhill which in the summer that you could hit flawlessly, railing every corner and skimming every rock garden, is now a completely different track. Every corner is a game of death or glory and rock gardens are now hidden, wreaking havoc with your mech. However well you maintain your trails, somehow that slimy, grassy surface mud (im sure you builders know the type) always seems to settle on top making it impossible to grip. The one thing that gets me the most though is leaves. It’s like riding on glass half the time and I don’t think anyone has big enough ‘guns’ to be raking them off the trail 24/7.
There may be many bad points about autumn that shadow the good, such as the perfect conditions for trial building, so come summer you can have it all pristine and ready to ride. Or the picturesque shots you can capture waiting for you round every corner, thanks to this season.
So next time you set your alarm for 9 on a Sunday to go ride, stick to it and haul yourself out of bed and onto the autumn trails.