# Had a great day over the Cannock today...



## PaulSecteur (5 Jul 2014)

I went over Cannock chase about 3pm expecting it to be busy... and it was.

Loads of people out of all abilities, most chatty and happy to be out. No speed demons that were getting upset with ordinary people being on their race track.

I followed a group of 4 riders, 3 seemed competent, tail end Charlie having a bit of a time trying to keep up. He very nearly face planted on the last rock of the steg before going onto the boardwalk, and then again on the slope at the end of the steg. I offered him a few tips on how not to inspect the gravel at close range, then we went and did the steg again. His mates were waiting at the end of the next section. I hope he did the step downs on the "rock and roller" sections!

Get me, mountain bike instructor!

Some sections were clogged with newbs, some not. If I could offer a tip to any newbs it would be: If you have to stop on the trail - move as far over off the trail as you can. If you cant move off the trail shout "trail blocked" or at least "slow down" for approaching riders, with how the ferns have grown over the last weeks some parts have limited forward visibility.

Despite all this, I matched my fastest time. Sometimes I have a section that seems to flow. Today, it all did. Tomorrow (if its dry) Im havin` the monkey!

Am I being converted to "the dark side"...?


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## MikeW-71 (5 Jul 2014)

Nice one, I guess it just "clicks" at some point and then you wonder why you were ever worried 

During my 7Stanes day, I was happily dealing with drops and rocks that previously had me stopping and summoning courage. Even got the wheels off the ground a few times 

Now I really need a new fork........ More money lol


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## PaulSecteur (5 Jul 2014)

I think today was the first day I really got to grips... with not gripping the bars. Even when it gets a bit hairy, stay loose!


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## PaulSecteur (6 Jul 2014)

Not the day I was expecting today. All ready to go and I get a phonecall. A phoncall offering bacon sarnies...

So I got to the chase carrying a bit too much excess. Not a bad run, but not a flowy as yesterday.

One thing ticked off the to-do list though, do the werewolf drop when there is an audience. 50% wanting to see how its done, 50% wanting to see a faceplant. Hopefully the former got to see what they wanted. Judging by the amount of people there Im sure it wouldn't be too long before someone with a little too much bravado would entertain the latter!


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## Cubist (9 Jul 2014)

Cubester has persuaded me to drive him and his girlfriend to Alton Towers tomorrow. I half toyed with the idea of a road ride in the area, but have decided to take the Mojo to Cannock while they get their adrenaline fix. I've wanted to see what all the fuss is about for a while now, and this look like a good opportunity. I'll probably be there at about 1030 or so, and be able to get a look at both trails. So, Stegasaurus and Werewolf, don't disappoint..........


PaulSecteur said:


> Not the day I was expecting today. All ready to go and I get a phonecall. A phoncall offering bacon sarnies...
> 
> So I got to the chase carrying a bit too much excess. Not a bad run, but not a flowy as yesterday.
> 
> One thing ticked off the to-do list though, do the werewolf drop when there is an audience. 50% wanting to see how its done, 50% wanting to see a faceplant. Hopefully the former got to see what they wanted. Judging by the amount of people there Im sure it wouldn't be too long before someone with a little too much bravado would entertain the latter!


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## PaulSecteur (10 Jul 2014)

Werewolf can be easy to miss, as there is an alternative route.

I think its in the "let loose" section. There is a short section of close berms. Look for the black arrow pointing left.


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## Cubist (10 Jul 2014)

The Werewolf is black? I'll look out for it then, thanks! Cubester has persuaded me to take the Ibis rather than the Soul which would have been my first choice.


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## PaulSecteur (10 Jul 2014)

Having ridden the wolf a few times i think its reputation has been "bigged up" a lot by less skilled riders that havent practiced slopes and drops... you can see imprints of their faces in the mud at the bottom!


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## PaulSecteur (10 Jul 2014)

Could you let me know what you think of the chase, in relation to other trails you have done?

So far i have only done the dog as i wanted to be competent before i tried the monkey... but im getting itchy feet to try elsewhere too.


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## Cubist (10 Jul 2014)

Just done the first lap. Its great fun, nicely challenging without being daft. I would compare it to Degla black if you do all the little black lines. I got in the wrong gear on one of the surprise boardwalks and rode of the edge to a faceplant OTB, just winded but cracked the screen on Garmin . I'm puzzled. I ride bothyh loops but the Garmin is reading 8 miles. Are a lot of ssections closed? Or I i missed a loop somewherre?


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## Cubist (10 Jul 2014)

Cannock is great! It turned out I had missed a turning and just ridden the Monkey first lap so I went round again determined to do both. The FTD has a lot more climbing, and some nice little features, but the best bit is the insane descent at the end, Lower Cliff. I found it fast and exciting on my first visit, and am certain it will be even more awesome next time I go. As it was, it took concentration and quick reactions to get the best line through it.

Hand on heart, I enjoyed it as much as any trail centre I've ridden. The cobbles sticking through the trail surface must be entertaining in the wet, and there was a lot of loose surface material. In terms of technicality it is as red as any UK trail centre, with lots of in trail jumps, boardwalk, rock steps and step downs/drop offs. It rewards speed, except for the bits of home made trail through the trees where the trees bear the scars of the over-enthusiastic. Not a criticism as such, but the surface shows a lot of wear in the berms and switchback sections where braking bumps force you to take a high, aggressive line through them. A lot of people moan about braking bumps, but they just make the trail that bit more challenging.

The design has been done carefully. There is just one drop off that I felt needed a manual lift, otherwise they could all be rolled, and on the second lap, could be rolled with speed. Sme of the jumps put you int the trees if you don't squash them, and there were a couple of really fun sections where you had to concentrate like mad as they throw surprise features at you round blind corners. I really loved the consecutive paved whoops on "are we there yet" and the Devils Staircase was superb on the second run.

As for the Werewolf, it took me a couple of goes to get down it as I like to roll into stuff like that, and the turn and the constriction made it interesting. I doubt I would win any prizes for style and grace, but I got down it without face planting! There are bigger and steeper drops dotted around the red trail but the context of the trees makes the Werewolf the tricky bit.

@PaulSecteur , go ride the Dog next time you go. If you can ride the Monkey, then the Dog is not much of a step up in terms of technicality, but it is great fun. Keep your wits about you on Lower Cliff, it has some bits that would catch the unwary, but its all rollable.

Oh, I nearly forgot the Stegasaurus. It's a rock garden with a pretty obvious line through it that on the second run I simply pointed the bike and battered down it. It's fun, but I was hoping for something a bit more challenging. I may take the Soul next time I go, but the Mojo meant I was pretty much on the money today.


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## PaulSecteur (10 Jul 2014)

@Cubist 

Im glad Cannock entertained you! Sounds like you had fun. I think you may have the trail names mixed up, FTD is the inside loop - the one that starts at birches valley, the monkey is the later extension trail that you go left at the end of "high voltage", through a section then down the devils stairs. The monkey being the one with the lower cliff decent at the end.

If it weren't for the trees and the limited run off the werewolf would be a non-event, having it confined makes it interesting - especially on Saturdays when it gets some spectators there.

How did you like the newly re-surfaced "son of chainslapper"? just after the camping site? I think of it as the change section from hard work to the fun stuff. Its short, but sets the mood for the last sections...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg4keGXcBbQ


Let me know if your coming this way again, If you don't mind waiting for me to catch up I would like to see how experts ride my trail!


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## Cubist (10 Jul 2014)

PaulSecteur said:


> @Cubist
> 
> Im glad Cannock entertained you! Sounds like you had fun. I think you may have the trail names mixed up, FTD is the inside loop - the one that starts at birches valley, the monkey is the later extension trail that you go left at the end of "high voltage", through a section then down the devils stairs. The monkey being the one with the lower cliff decent at the end.
> 
> ...



I'm no expert! You'll be waiting for me at the top of all the climbs (I'm a fat arthritic fifty-year old). And, yes, I have muddled the trail names. Son of chainslapper was great.I'm a big fan of flowing bermed sections. I also enjoyed Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

I'll be back with Cubester. It would suit him down to the ground. I'll let you know and we can meet up.


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## PaulSecteur (10 Jul 2014)

Cubist said:


> I'm a big fan of flowing bermed sections



If you likes chainslapper you might like this place...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpg_8T8oNNk


Location:

https://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=52.529512,-1.964471&spn=0.005561,0.008454&t=h&z=17

Its not worth making an effort to travel to, the trail is about 3km, but if you happen to be passing with a bike with you its worth a look.


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## PaulSecteur (13 Jul 2014)

I had an off today. All my own fault through not paying attention through the first section... caught a tree with the end of my bar and down i went. Luckily i had knee and elbow pads on. I wasnt padded up yesterday and felt under dressed.

I did do werewolf drop... first time in the wet for me. Pretty much the same as when its dry.


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## Motozulu (15 Aug 2014)

Great to read a first timers view of Cannock! I've been riding it for 3 years now and you do get a bit blase. Some of the unofficial trails are even more fun IMO but that may be just because it's something different for me to do. Cannock is a great place to just take off and explore away from the Dog and Monkey.

Paul, Cubist, would love to meet up at Cannock for a bimble around with you - just shout up!


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## Motozulu (15 Aug 2014)

By the way doing the Dog and Monkey as one big trail is known as doing the 'Donkey' by the local yokels


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## PaulSecteur (15 Aug 2014)

Motozulu said:


> ... known as doing the 'Donkey' ...



In all the time I have been over there I have never heard it called that.

Although in some rural areas "doing the donkey" does have another, more literal, meaning!


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## Motozulu (15 Aug 2014)

Only in Walsall!


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## Motozulu (15 Aug 2014)

So Paul...doing the Donkey this weekend?


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## PaulSecteur (15 Aug 2014)

If it doesnt rain i might.


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## Motozulu (15 Aug 2014)

Forecast is good tomorrow - can't ride till Sunday though and will probably do the cheekies as the weekends just get too busy for the Donkey - let alone the fact there is a race on and a big part of the Dog is diverted.


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## PaulSecteur (17 Aug 2014)

Had a crap day yesterday.

With half the dog being shut due to a race I thought this would be the day for the monkey.

At the start of last week I had a bit of a stomach bug, and didn't really sleep well all week. I did the first few sections of the dog, then took the split off to the monkey. Up till then I had felt ok, but a bit uncoordinated. The lung buster finished me off. It felt like the beginning of what I think "proper bonking" would be like - arms and legs having a tremble, and just no energy. Not the usually cardiac hill feeling of "I have just used a lot of energy". Just nothing in the tank and the fumes weren't going to keep me going. I bravely decided to turn round and head for home. Kitbag hill took many stops, and zig-zak was very slow.

Not even one strava award, not that I was expecting any. Im going to stay off bikes for a few days, then try a local loop on the road bike.


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## Motozulu (17 Aug 2014)

Paul sometimes your body knows best and you have to listen to it. I didn't go out today either which means last ride I had was Tuesday gone - the longest this summer without a ride, but I just wasn't 'feeling it'.

Sometimes having a short break is good. I'll be out again probably tomorrow night after work if the weather isn't too bad and I'll be fresher for the break.

Like I said on another thread if you want company for your first go at the Monkey (advisable IMO) give me a shout and I'll come around with you. I'm no boy racer or Strava warrior and enjoy a sociable ride.


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