Bluegrass Enduro Round 2 Glencoe Mountain

There are some events on the Mountain biking calendar that really get the senses tingling with excitement and suspense.  The annual Glencoe Mountain mass start race known as the MacAvalanche is most definitely one of them, and for 2014 the Blue Grass Enduro Series had partnered with No Fuss to add a crazy twist to the event.  



This was the 2nd year that Blue Grass had crossed the Channel and took a round of their Enduro Series to the North West of Scotland. The series has decided to break from the typical Enduro format and run their rounds 'blind' over one day, with participant’s racing with no practice...a serious game changer.

If you enjoy challenging yourself to the max then this event is for you. Riding blind down a mountain side over snow, rock and heather is probably the most exhilarating and exhausting thing I’ve ever done, however the uplift up to the start of the stages, meant that lots of energy could be preserved for the timed bits.  The weather was in typical Glencoe fashion, changing from warm sunshine to cloud and rain in the blink of an eye.  

There were 3 timed stages including the mass start. The first stage started off left of the Cliff Hanger chair and blasted down toward the dreaded climb up Creag Dubh, followed by a tiring traverse towards the Red Run down to the bottom of the resort.  I don't know what I found the most exhausting; trying to work out where I was going, picking a line through pieces of blue tape, marsh, snow and spikey rocks, or the climb up the Creag Dubh hill side (I don't think anyone managed to make it up with a bike between their legs) or perhaps holding on for dear life down the Red Run, which seemed to have the remnants of scree from the epic ski season scattered down its rocky routes.  At the end of this run my arms were bulging with arm pump and I was bubbling up inside my full face helmet.  Still, better than pushing the bike down from a puncture like many folk.

As I came to the top of the Access chair for stage 2 I could see some fellow racers riding down what is named 'home run' on the ski map, and wow did it look muddy.  This stage involved a bit of snow riding, and  from my previous attempt  in stage 1, I wasn't feeling too confident. Earlier I had span around and slid feet first down the hill, whilst my full face filled up with snow, blocking my nostrils.  I witnessed the most amazing over the bars moment from some guy who I had been chatting to earlier - he had been convinced to take part in his first Enduro race by his mate and had already ripped his clothes from a tumble.

When I set off, I was immediately happy with the terrain, which consisted of grassy mounds and boggy ditches which could easily be cleared with a bit of commitment and speed. It was fairly fast riding and I tried to pedal as much as I could.  As I approached the snow I slowed down slightly and just tried to let the bike go, it’s crazy when you hit that stuff, like riding into a field of thick porridge. As soon as you hit it, you lose your speed but you also have no control.  It is extremely unpredictable. I managed to remain upright and get my tripod stability on the go and after a slight battle with some mud I was down the Red Run for round 2...and it wasn't any easier on the arms.

Another bike wash, some refuelling and catching up with my ski and biking buddies, this event was just getting better and better.  I had some great chat with Claudia Clement and her husband in the cafe who have just started to get into Enduro racing.  Claudia is coming back from an  injury and was tackling the stages fairly well. Originating from Brazil and living in France they were both curious of the ride-ability of the Scottish mountains.  Claudia stated "If you can ride here you can ride anywhere” and they asked if the trails were typical terrain for Scotland, looking back to the Fort Bill and Inners Enduro it was hard to answer. But pondering on my own territory of Kinlochleven I could see that yes the North West is notorious for its loose rocky trails, after all it’s in the mountains.

I also caught up with the hard tail riders who were sharing some great stories of their adventures, one boy had hit the mud on stage 2 and lost his bike and his shoe.  The marshal responded with the help of a saint and ordered him to fetch his bike while he found his shoe, proceeding to hunt elbow deep in the mud for the strange man’s shoe in order to get him back into the race.  Now that's top notch marshalling!

Back up for the mass start and I was getting nervous, the weather was changing slightly and the push up to the snow  was tough. I had a whimsical moment in front of the whole crowd of bikers and had to ask a young lad, to help me carry my bike into a start position. Well it’s heavy! 

The start-up lines were sorted out and the ladies were offered the 2nd line, there was also an announcement of additional bits being included to the Red Run. Once we were off  I opted for running with my bike over the 200M stretch of snow, which seemed to work out pretty well.

With a direct line,  Joe Barnes was first off the snow.

Practicing a running mount proved useful for this race. All was going well until I hit the snow that sent me flying in Stage 1 and all would have been fine if I hadn't freaked out, just goes to show that difficult parts can be all in your head. I had my notorious seat dropper issue and had to ride a large section of the descent with it stuck in full extension.  Heading up to the climb I managed to gain some time back and took over some riders.  One guy behind me was retching toward the top of the hill, adding some quality sound effects to the racing.  I had a good ride down the Red Run, hitting the muddy diversion cleanly whilst a marshal was frantically warning people about a deep ditch which someone was fork deep in. I picked my way around a confused and hesitant biker and managed to get past another 2 riders. Coming up to the finish I was so tired I could barely clip back in, and ended up flailing, feet off the pedals at one point riding some crazy corners side saddle which was really scary - but I saved it to the finish.

I was more than delighted to come 3rd at such a tough race. Hannah and Joe Barnes proved that they are a sibling master team at Glencoe.. and I had the most ridiculous Podium pose ever!

Full results can be found here.

Bluegrass Enduro Tour 2014 round #02 - Glencoe - Scotland from Bluegrass on Vimeo.

Coe Cup - Freeride World Tour Qualifier - Rescheduled

Some days I wake up and the thought of snowboarding just doesn't excite me. Mostly on these days it’s raining or I am damaged in some way or another.  This day was one of them, it was blowing a houllie outside and I could hear the slosh of water as cars drove by.  After I turned my alarm off for the third time I eventually dragged myself out of bed, ready to ride some gnarly line down a 49-degree slope in the mist and rain.   I considered 'dingying' the event - but that’s not cool, and knowing that my hyped up mates were ready to 'give er' I had to give this a shot.  After all the Coe Cup is great craic and a bit of sliding could be just what I need to start my day.

A musician once mentioned to me  "you can only focus on one thing in life to excel at" and on this day it was proven true.  He's an extremely famous musician, so maybe that alone should have confirmed this statement.  Since the start of the Scottish Enduro Series in February and after a small knee injury my commitment to the Ski season had been almost non-existent and I couldn't even remember the last time I had been snowboarding - perhaps the last postponed Coe Cup?? 


None the less, I got my shit together and hauled my sorry little ass up a mountain. I headed straight over to the competition face for a practice run and the first thing I encountered as I peered over the edge of the Flypaper was a crevasse that a mini cooper could quite easily fit into, with room for the family too.  It was nothing short of terrifying.  After a run of 'spot the crevasse' and some catching up with the lassies for some girly banter, I spectated fellow competitors hitting some fantastic lines with double rock drops and witnessed some mega sketchy crevasse jumping, verifying to myself this was a day for others, not me, to be riding crazy shit.  I was craving an eloquent and relaxed slide on the Main Basin, in order to become reacquainted with my snowboarding legs, but I had to dig deep and swallow my fear.  Time was ticking, and with the weather due to change in the afternoon so I dug deep and set off for a another practice run.

A small Crevasse on Rannoch Glades

The weather was very fickle, turning over from zero viz to bluebird faster than the fleeting Onesie trend in suburban Essex.  It was potluck if you had some runs in sunshine or the cloud, and the majority of competitors lingered in the haze until glimpses of blue sky appeared.
 

On my next practice run I decided to go over to Baileys gully.  It was the steepest I had ever seen it, which left me a bit on edge.  To  my right, I spotted a huge crevasse more than 10 feet wide and God knows how deep, and straight below me was another of the gaping chasms waiting to swallow me up.  Warning a fellow boarder who was making what I thought was an unintentional B-line for the monsters mouth, I shouted "There's a huge Crevasse there eh!' and gesticulated to the danger zone,  "YEAH COOL!" he enthusiastically acknowledged and then proceeded to jump round, straight toward the massive thing and ollied right over it  - "THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WARNING!" I shouted back.  At this point I felt way out of my depth.  I was so distracted by the prospect of plummeting into one of these icy pits, I could barely get a turn in, but I did manage to pop over a few of them, after all that was the only way to get down.

With my competition run came the sun and I started to feel lucky.  I decided to do the same line again, as it was crazy steep, and the whole crevasse factor could gain some extra points before it flattened to a natural booter I had spied, with potential for some spinny action to impress the jusdges at the bottom.  I dropped in again spotting the crevasses but I left it too late to traverse back into Baileys and completely missed my line!  I spent the next part of my run trying to work out how to get back onto Baileys or find things to hit that didn't send me into oblivion, and by that time my run was almost over.   Doh!!!!!

Unfortunately I didn't get another run as the weather closed in and I was so annoyed with myself for not committing to dropping higher onto Baileys that I sulked in the cafe for a bit and then headed home.  At least I got to grips with conquering my fears of crevasses.
 

Sporting a goggle tan will only get you noticed.

I snapped out of it pretty quickly when I discovered my friend Katie had won the ladies skiing competition!  Later I found out that I had made 3rd place for the snowboarding girls.

It was a challenging but fun day and I was really pleased to find out that out of the 6 ladies who made it onto the podium, half of them were over 35 and mothers, proving that the older ladies with responsibilities are still up there!  I know the other mothers through the Glencoe Ski Club Junior training, and we meet fairly regularly on the hill while our children ski in the club together, on occasion helping each other with our kids. 

Ailsa Clark, last years winner and fellow mother, came 3rd in the women's skiing.

In reflection I considered the importance for me as a single parent to remain involved in local sport clubs for the social and  physical benefits.  Glencoe Ski Club has given me an opportunity to  engage with other skiing parents, as well as my daughter to meet with her wee pals.  The social opportunities and avenues of support that arise from these groups meetings allow for unique and specific friendships for both parents and children. This is definitely something the Glencoe Ski Club Training has provided, making the club training specific for children to develop their skills and allowing the parents to meet and ski with each other.



A week later I went back up the mountain with Katie determined to take on the Flypaper for the last day of the season, and watched Katie attack Baileys with ease and flow - that girl can ski!  Later whilst on the T-bar I asked her if she thought the Coe Cup competition had brought on her skiing? She thoughtfully replied that in prep for the comp her participation in more physical exercise such as cycling and fitness classes had really improved her agility and strength, helping her to turn on the steeper terrain, along with her fitness so she could ski harder and for longer. 

There are definitely no more excuses for me then...

End of Season Selfie with Katie

The Coe Cup - UK's Freeride World Tour Qualifer

Anyone who has engaged in or overheard a conversation regarding the 2013/14 Scottish ski season may have got wind of descriptions like "dumping" "caked" "buried" "stacked" "too much snow" "filled in" and or "amazing conditions".  Is it true that Scotland is having a season of "too much snow?"

Photo courtesy to Glencoe Mountain

Whilst driving back from Edinburgh the week leading up to the Coe Cup.  I observed that the normally rocky and gnarly East side of Glencoe Mountain seemed rounder and less extreme than I had previously remembered.  A round bowl like feature with a few scattered black spots had replaced the 15+ foot size rocks that normally protrude from various places.  Where have all the rocks gone? I at this point was hoping for the usual conditions of +10 and rain, followed by a Western warm wind that acts like a hair dryer after the warm shower.  This may just let the rocks awake from hibernation.  Who am I kidding, at 49 degrees the competition face of the Fly paper and Baileys Gully are terrifying enough without any rocks.  



Lots of snow may be the talk of the season, but little attention has been publicly mentioned about the incessant and persistent low cloud that has sat on the Western hills for what seems like since November.  I have actually adapted a theory that a new generation of bat like skiers have developed in the young children who rip around the hill as if ZERO vis is only a slight hindrance of not being able to recognise your mates on the T-bar.

And this is exactly what the weather had brought to us for the 15th and 16th March, Coe Cup day. Moreover, the "too much snow season" has also brought with it, a strong and consistent air current that "impedes walking".

Low Vis at the top of the mountain

As usual, Glencoe Mountain and the excited Coe Cup competitors enjoy a challenge. This year being the most popular, the event was sold out and with a field of 7 other Female Snowboarders and 13 female Skiers, boasting an impressive 60% increase in female competitors from the previous year. Proving that including the event in the Scottish Freeride Series maybe paying off, along with bringing in some International skiers as a Freeride World Tour Qualifier.

The standard of female riding is generally becoming really high, more and more girls with solid stances who hit big booters and pull off sweet tricks are coming out of the woodwork. Even though this is my third year participating in this event I had some tough competition.   

So after a crowded and energetic competition briefing and some safety talks, we had the all clear to head up the Access chair to rendezvous at the Spring run to checkout our prospective line choices.


Heading up the access chair I start to realise "I am totally in the mood for snowboarding today!" and I’m going to have fun no matter what, as my Canadian friends would say "Just give er!"

However as we queued for the Poma button tow we were informed that the lift status was pretty bleak.  Another hindrance from the "too much snow" season, the lifts are being buried in the snow on an all most daily occurrence, much to the despair of hill maintenance crews around Scotland.  Still there was sliding to be had and all the competitors started to session the blue beginners slope.  Myself and Mr Buwert, challenging ourselves to find patches of grass to ollie over, 180's and riding switch, until enough was enough and like all the other competitors we decided to start hiking up the hill.






At this point I find my good ski buddy and extremist of all extreme parents, Muzzz Small, she had good foresight to attach her skis to her rucksack, and was all smiles. I also found Classy Lass Lesley, who runs the Ski and Boardroom shop next to the base cafe. Both lassies bubbling with banter and Coe Style.  On our hike, we meet many fellow Coe Cuper’s in a similar way of walking like Frodo and Sam’s journey to Mordor, but they were in a slightly more perilous and dooming environment than our misty and windy conditions.  It wasn’t long before we found a common ground and met up with the majority of competitors. 



And as soon as we arrive, there is banter and chit chat bouncing all over the place, within minutes some skier guys invite me to participate in a mass start race, and I quickly move around spreading the word.  

We are directed down to the judging arena, and in a spontaneous but effective way we decide to slide down one by one or in small groups, each one of us, showing off some of our cool moves; from flowing techy carves, to Ollieing (if thats what its called on ski's) a large spread of rocks or pulling of 360's. And with the tricks came the applause of the crowd. We were a great bunch of snow loving Scottish partying skiers and boarders.  A unique feeling of pride sits with me knowing that only Scotland could have so much fun during a postponed competition in the mist, while mother nature blows a houllie. 

So at the confirmation of the competition being postponed to a later date on the 26th April, due to the Sh*t F**K conditions" the mass start race was on, and after a few photos and some media PR. We were off, and from the start point to the top of the access chair, I did not turn once.  I actually adapted the lowest stance I've ever had on my board and hoped for the best, and the only person I could see who I was never going to catch in supreme tuck for speed mode was Muzzz Small, who did indeed make it to the Access Chair first! Well-done lass! 

A great way to end the day. photo by Peter MacKenzie

So that was that, but no it wasn’t.  As I sat at the base cafe with a beer in hand chatting with the “weedgies”, (the name given to Glaswegian Glencoe regulars) who were sporting a bottle of Mescal and giving some West side humour.  A group of Skiers and boarders made their way down the Creag Dubh shoot, a really steep shoot with a crevasse at the top. It was fine viewing - i tell ya. That would of definitely added some Freeride edge to the day –“I’m going do that tomorrow” I said.  Manana, Manana eh!

So until the 26^th April the Coe Cup still belongs to last years winner and local Freeride hero Dave Biggin, I reckon he still has it in him to win it for a third year.

Please let the sun come out and snow cease for the time being

Skiers in the mist