Crashing, digging and riding

We have had a few rainy days here in the north of Sweden. When everyone else was either at the EWS in the Tweed valley, the Canyon enduro series in Falun or chilling in Finale (yes, I'm looking at you Spook!) I was hauling boxes from one apartment to the other. Very inspiring. Adding injury to insult I managed to crash like a bag of potatoes on my afternoon ride on saturday. In a feeble attempt to punish the trail I took the blunt of the force with my clenched right fist, which then promptly swelled up. I managed to tear up and make blood stains on my new Maloja gloves as well.

Come Sunday my hand was swollen but more or less functioning. Good thing, since there was digging to be done in Bygdsiljum Bike park. If you have never been there (as one might expect since it might be the smallest lift assisted bike park in Sweden) it is a gem. Trails range from the usual bikepark-style bermy jumpy jobs to some really awesome steep rocky awkward and technical, probably the most difficult and technical trails in any bike park I have been in Sweden or abroad. The hill is not high, but they used it well.

Equipped with shovels and a lot of dirt we reshaped the flow-trail after winter had taken its toll. Holes were filled, lips were built and landings were shaped.

Digging team getting ready for some post lunch shoveling. Photo courtesy of Nisse

After more or less a day of shoveling we started the lift and got some laps in, mainly on the more flowy trails in the park. Good fun, and nice to actually do something useful for a change. Unfortunately, the big bike is out of commission, waiting for a new crank set. However, the Five is really capable for being a 140mm bike, a great geometry andquality suspension by Bos (where did I put the coolaid again?) makes all the difference. Of course there is not the same margin for error as on a full on DH bike, but if one can just keep it tidy it's still a damn fast bike.

Trying to log a bit of air time on the newly reshaped flow trail "Banan". Thanks Anders for pushing the button.

Chased down Mosquito. Again, Anders behind the lens.

And today, a bit of work, the more digging and more riding. Yay!

Thanks for a great day guys, see you on the trails!