Easter Weekend

I love Easter, everyone is happy and excited for the long weekend! And of course the Chocolate :)

I had a very busy weekend, cut short by work on Monday though but it was still good. On Friday I chaperoned a house party! That was great! My sister Amy offered to keep me company and we had more then a few laughs! I didn't drink (much to Amy's distaste!) I was driving to Ryan's in the evening so I decided to stick to red bull and had FAR too many of them - would have been better off drinking with the way I felt the next day! Caffeine overdoses are nasty!

2 of 6 Redbulls !

Amy and I made good use of each others company to keep entertained - card games, lots of food and chocolate and music to act like specials to! haha I even practiced my push ups :)

Amy before she got really merry!

My push ups

Was a good night in all, didn't get to Ryan's until 4am though, not the best way to start a very active weekend! Amy had a great time though!

I woke up Saturday with a nasty caffeine hangover! Still, we headed over to Kilvey hill - another first!

Saturday

Kilvey Hill

Kilvey Hill is a downhill course in Swansea (where Tredz test downhill bikes apparently). We had no idea if we were in the correct place when we parked up, but had all day to find out and the sun was shining! We headed up a lane with a gradual incline. Just kept going up and up until we came across a group of kids doing an Easter hunt and we asked the organiser if we were in the right place, luckily she knew the area well and directed us to the top. 

Pond, the Easter hunting group we asked for directions

My second black route

It took no more then 10 minutes to get there. Wasn't too much of a struggle (I was happy) The course looked very steep as we had to get off the bike in order to get them to the top - couldn't have ridden all the way up.

Looking down from the top - really doesn't look steep but it was!

We did the course 3 times and it there was sooooo much to it, each time seemed like a completely different place. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I smiled the WHOLE way down haha. We did the full course first - supposed to only take like 3 minutes to get down so wasn't a trek. We then did it again on a completely different route and it was amazing - so smooth and comfortable. It was pretty much a mossy terrain all the way down with very few rocks. And thirdly, we decided to take it in sections and practice on certain parts.
Ryan practiced a few jumps at the top.

The whole course was brilliantly put together, even though it is so short, it has so much to it!

These steps were so frightening at first, they are the easy option - to the right is where the jump is.

We spent a while here, Ryan liked this bit and he then decided to train me on it haha, he wanted me to do a jump so I tried and tried and tried! I realised my problem was me breaking too soon on the way up the hill, I couldn't seem to get a lift off the ground. I eventually did, and it felt great - oh...apart from losing my grip on peddles and smashing my head on the handle bars when I came off haha

My awesome first jump and not to awesome fall

But I really wanted to do it and kept trying! It amazes me how different the kind of riding I am doing to what Ryan is doing. Yes I can do the course, but I pretty much roll over the jumps and lifts - not much skill involved in that - it is surprisingly difficult to jump the bike - I came to the conclusion that I am too heavy and my bike likes the floor too much!

This is how it is supposed to me done!

Nope, Ryan isn't all that perfect - he also had a tumble, with the bike ending up on top of him! Poor him, was soop funny though! 

His pedal got caught on a rock and the bike flipped over him. He has come away with a very sore leg and unfortunately no photo/video to go with it - I felt too bad at the time! But here is where he fell, just before this step is a large stone in the ground.

Bit of perspective of how steep it is

I really did liked Kilvey hill - it has sooo much to offer and the day can be as long as you want it to be as the course is so short, also doesn't get boring when you've done it a few times - there are so many sections. The area is also very beautiful, whoever built the course took a lot of time making it what it is.

A wooden log made into a chair halfway around the course

I hope we come back here soon, there was no one else doing the course on Saturday, which surprised me as it was a beautiful day but it was quite nice having it to ourselves for the day.

Easter Sunday

Forest of Dean - Pedalaway centre

We haven't been to The forest of Dean for a very long time, I always loved biking in the forest of Dean as the blue course is fun, not too hard and certainly not boring. Its a beautiful location and a lovely day out. 

Pedalaway bike centre is probably one of the first few centers Ryan and I started cycling at and we really like it, people are friendly and it always has a buzzy atmosphere. We have only done the Verderers trail which is a blue (family route) with the odd red section thrown in. 

Verderers trail

We haven't done the Freeminers yet but I'm sure we will next time we go.

My legs were a bit tired from Kilvey Hill and Ryan has his leg injury, so we just took it easy. It was a nice day out though. I didn't take any pictures this time, too tired and not interested - I stuffed my face with sweets on the route which made me feel lethargic

Monday

I was back in work today but as I mentioned previously, I am starting my running back up this week, so went for a short 20 minute jog, it was nice and refreshing - not too hectic. I stopped for about 5 minutes in a field to do a few push ups and stretches. Its so nice the evenings are lighter now, gonna have to make the most of them and do it more often. More on my running plans to follow.