Two Races and a Cover

Jun 21, 2012 by Hannah Barnes    No Comments    Posted under: Events, Photo Shoot, Racing

The last month has been action packed! It’s been so busy, and so fun!

At the end of May I went to Tweedlove Bike Festival in the Scottish Borders. I raced the POC Enduro there. There were 6 stages, and you could drop a stage. It was so hot and sunny, and the riding was amazing… dry, dusty and fast!

The first stage was a timed climb! Straight out the start, then up a long steep hill! I felt physically sick after that! Maybe it was all the gels I’d eaten. The stages were cool, all trail centre riding but really good fun. One stage was natural and techy so that was my favourite. It was such a fun day of racing and riding, a really cool event and the weather was amazing! I finished 2nd after local xc racer Katy Winton.

I stayed around for a lovely chilled week of riding and hanging out with friends. There were other cool things happening all week… a road crit, dual slalom, and Strength in Numbers on the big screen!

I headed back home which was nice, it’s always good to be home! Vanguard Conversions fitted an awning to my van, I love it! It will make summer van living so nice. 

I was in the shops and saw Cycling Active magazine, with me on the cover!! Boom! I am riding the new Orange Carb-O. That was a really fun shoot with Andy McCandlish. The weather really was amazing, I am not just stuck on a nice blue background! I’m really stoked to have a second cover, on a road bike this time!

Then it was the Fort William World Cup again! I love that weekend! It’s cool not racing for a change and getting to watch the action and catch up with everyone I haven’t seen for ages! It was great showing old and new friends around our secret local trails, and having a breather from the action and crowds! My team mates Joe Barnes and Fraser McGlone did great too! Bonus!

I did three night shifts in A&E which practically killed me. Meanwhile, Joe built me up a really cool mini downhill bike, an Orange Patriot. I’ve not done much downhill at all, so it will be really great this summer doing more of it. 

I headed to Innerleithen for the IXS Downhill European Cup. Now that I have a sweet bike for it I thought I’d give DH racing a go! It was so muddy, and rained pretty much all weekend! The course was so fun to ride, and it got better throughout the weekend.

There were three big wooden drops which I found pretty scary, and I had quite a few crashes. Jess was so nice and encouraging!! I saved the biggest drop to do the first time in my race run, nothing like a bit of pressure! Haha.

Jess Stone took the win and I finished 4th Elite, so I was pretty happy! What a weekend!

On the way home Brook and I cruised to Edinburgh, with the subby blaring, to check out the Red Bull Mini Drome which was cool!

Time to hit the road for home again!

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