I've been following the thread on the
forum about the black route at Glentress with interest and occasional disbelief ;-) but for a while now I've been thinking really I should have a crack at the time trial myself. Up until now I've only ridden the route with others and we've always made sure there has been plenty of time to have a chat, eat lots of flapjack, admire the view from one (or all) of the many shelters and occasionally session a hair-raising bit if we're feeling very brave or stupid. Average time for the route - a conservative 3.5 hours, not very impressive compared with the sub 2 hour brigade but always good fun!
I'm on holiday for a couple of weeks and with almost perfect weather I decided today was the day for the BIG ATTEMPT! The bike was working more or less, I'd packed the Jellybabies, decided against shaving my legs (or wearing lycra) and eaten my Wheatabix - I was ready! On the drive there I decided there was no way I was going to beat the route record from the forum, but if I could ride it in anything under 2 hours 30 mins I would be very pleased with myself.
I started my stopwatch as I passed under the trailhead sign and I was off! Although I thought it's probably quicker not to ride the wee rocky bits on the way up to the Buzzards nest carpark I couldn't resist - why is it that when you overtake someone right before a bit like that you then don't clean the section? Or is that just me? LOL. I also discovered I'm quite competitive and whenever I see someone in the distance I feel the need to catch them. This happened quite a few times resulting in my average heart rate being about 180 - woops, maybe not sustainable for the whole black route. I backed off once I'd passed the free-ride area packed to the gunwales with uber-cool big-hitting types wearing their baseball caps sideways and their jeans round their knees.

I had a good run through the next few sections, although I still haven't figured out how to clean Russell's rock without smacking my chainring, I know there's a gap but I just can't persuade my wheels to go through it while keeping my feet on the pedals! I made good time up to the first shelter reaching it in exactly an hour. I stopped to get something to eat and look at the view (I can multi-task!) Then set off down Brittany Spears, I love that wee section, but not the climb up to the aerial - booo, there's one steep bit that kills me for the whole climb! However once you're there it's all downhill - he he he! The boundary trail had lots of puddles as usual but I didn't see them, not because I was going so fast, more down to wearing shades - couldn't see a thing in the woods LOL!
I reached the top of the Deliverance descent at 1 hour 30 mins and was feeling pretty good. I had a blast on that descent, I didn't use to like it on my hardtail but now I have my full sus I think it's great! Or I did right up to the point I came round a corner and was faced with two loose rocks (boulders!) right in my line. What is it they say about not looking at the things you want to miss - it's so true! One minute I was grinning about how good the trail was, the next second I was doing a superman impression. It was a good crash, my left hand was cut through my glove and very sore, my right arm had gravel rash and there was grass sticking out between the rim and tyre of my front wheel - I was impressed my tyre still had any pressure left as I run tubeless. Still, everything appeared to be working and after putting some more air in my front tyre I was off again - all be it quite a bit more cautiously. I decided to cut back onto the red route after Ewok village, partly because my hand and wrist was so sore I was having trouble changing gear and partly because I'm scared of the wormhole LOL.
I'd kind of given up on my time trial, but checked my watch at the Tourist Trap and was surprised to see the time was 2hours 20mins, I could still make it! Suddenly my competitive spirit kicked in again, the pain ebbed into the background and I pushed for the finish! I love the last red section and rode as fast as I could. I popped out onto the fireroad at the bottom and checked my watch - 2h 29m 45s - aaagh I wasn't going to make it! I sprinted back to the hub, just my luck there was a guy walking (?) his bike along the bit just before the trailhead - get out my way! Can't you see I'm in a hurry! And I finished in 2hours 30mins and 20secs - gutted! Oh well, there's always next time :-)