Drumlanrig Root Rats Coaching Thursday 30th April 2009

Drumlanrig Root Rats coaching is on again this week for both primary and secondary age groups. The primary group starts at 17:15 and finishes at 18:30 and this weeks session will focus on cornering. The secondary secondary group starts at 19:00 and finishes at 20:30. As per usual, please try to turn up a bit before this to allow time to get bikes ready, sign on etc - 17:00 and 18:45 would be ideal.

For the secondary age group, this week is the second of our led rides in the forest and we have both Graeme Scott and Richard Lord with us. We are planning to cover last years SXC and NPS race route on our ride, taking in the "Black Alders" section of the red route together with the "Up First Down Climb". Please ensure that you dress suitably for the weather and remember to take along a water bottle and something to eat in case you get hungry.

There are quite a few events coming up in May under the Original Bicycle Festival including a fun day at Dalbeattie, Town Centre Crit races in Dumfries and CD, and Danny Macaskill of YouTube fame will be in town. See their web-site for more details. As soon as the OBF is out of the way, we will be on the run in to the Drumlanrig Dirt Crit under 16's race on the 20th June. More details of these events and more will be posted on our blog in the next few days.

Talking of the blog, there two reports have just been added to cover photos from the Newmilns mini DH and the results of last Sundays SXC race at Aberfoyle. Take a look for yourself below.

Race Report for SXC2

The club was well represented at the second round of the SXC mountain bike race series in Aberfoyle. Well done to everyone who took part and to the various support teams.

Cameron Scott, and Jamie and Ariana Willoughby entered the primary schools races. These races were set on a challenging grass circuit and all three riders confirmed their status as a strong contenders with podium finishes in their respective age groups. First off was Ariana giving one hundred percent to gain an impressive third place finish in the P1-3 girls category. Jamie was next to go in the P4&5 group and he put in a fantastic effort to seal second place representing a satisfying improvement over last months result at Kirroughtree. Cameron (left) had to fight hard to hold his place amongst a strong P6&7 field and his efforts were rewarded with a magnificent third place finish.

The senior course was a mixture of tough climbs followed by steep and technical singletrack with a mixture of thick mud and slippy roots. Ewan Clark was first off bearing the yellow number board of the Junior series leader. Ewan got away to a good start and held the lead for the first two laps to eventually finish in second place. Next off was Youth rider, Jack Taylor. Jack really enjoyed the course and finished in seventh place in an increasingly strong Youth line up. Graeme Scott completed the four lap Veterans race to finish a highly creditable twenty fifth.

Photos from Newmilns Mini DH

Drumlanrig Root Rats Coaching Thursday 23rd April 2009 - NOTE START TIME FOR SECONDARY GROUP

This is just a reminder that the coaching is on again this week for both primary and secondary age groups. The primary group starts at 17:15 and finishes at 18:30, whilst the secondary group starts at 19:00 and finishes at 20:30. Please try to turn up a bit before this to allow time to get bikes ready, sign on etc - 17:00 and 18:45 would be ideal.

We will have Richard Lord from Scottish Cycling here this week fresh last weeks mini DH at Newmilns to help out with the coaching. See http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/SCU/mtb/mtb_news_results/20090420_Keeping_it_real_with_Mini_Downhill_at_Newmilns.asp and our club blog (later on tonight) for more details and photos from the mini DH event which was attended by Rian, Jamie and Jack. The next mini DH event will be at Ae Forest on July the 13th and more details should be available soon.

This weeks secondary age group session will be based around the "Dusty's Diversion" singletrack at the top of the first forest road climb. We will re-familiarise riders with the course and then have a steady ride over about 20 minutes to help riders with pacing themselves and riding "smooth", before some timed runs. Next week, will see the return of Graeme Scott and Richard for the second of our trail rides.

Summer Activities Plan 2009

Here is the Drumlanrig Root Rats activity plan for May to July 2009 (N.B. Primary School Age Group Sessions with Rik start at 5:15 and finish at 6:30pm)

Drumlanrig Root Rats Coaching this Thursday

This is just a reminder that the coaching is on again this week for both primary and secondary age groups. The primary group starts at 17:15 and finishes at 18:30, whilst the secondary group starts at 18:30 and finishes at 20:00.

The main activity this week for the secondary age group will be a ride in the woods. This will be with Graeme Scott, who is a Mountain Bike Leader. If we have time, there will be a stop off for a brief coaching session on the skills required to negotiate tight turns. Please remember to take along something to drink, wear sutiable clothing for cycling and the conditions on the day, and to ensure that your bike is in good working order.

Sessions fees are £2.50 per session. Rik is now issuing club membership cards to those that have paid their membership fees. Finally, please remember to look at the Rats Blog on http://www.rootrats.blogspot.com/ for future session dates and other information regarding the Club's activites.

Trailbuilding Report Tuesday 9th April

Our trailbuilding exploits got off to a flying start last Tuesday with nine people and two dogs turning up to get their hands dirty. Thanks to everyone who turned up. We spent the evening working up the Black Route from the Castle to where it rejoins the fire road just before the "Hump with the Stump" and our mission for the evening was to re-established drainage lines so that trail doesn't become a muddy mess when it rains. Rik provided us with guidance on how to drain the trail and showed us his lines over some of the trickier rootier sections of the trail that we were working on.

Our thoughts for the next event are to shift some gravel into the muddier holes that exist on the singletrack following on from "Mini Me". This will be a wheelbarrow job!

Drumlanrig Root Rats Coaching this Thursday and Trailbuilding Tomorrow

This is the first week of coaching sessions for the primary school age group. These start at 16:45 this Thusday (9th April) evening from Rik's Bike Shed in Drumlanrig Stableyard. Call Rik on 01848 330 080 for more details. The secondary age group session runs from 18:30 to 20:00 and once again we will have Richard Lord from Scotish Cycling to help out with the coaching. This will be our second and final week of concentrating on downhill in advance of the mini-DH event at Newmilns.

Please remember that membership fees are now due. Membership fees for the year are U16 £10, adult £20 and family £40. Thanks to the generousity of the Drumlanrig Estate, this includes access to the Castle grounds during times that the kiosk is in operation. Sessions fees are £2.50 per session, but new riders are welcome to come along and have a go for a couple of sessions before joining the club and having to pay.

Don't forget that tomorrow night, Tuesday the 7th April at 18:30 sees the first of our trailbuilding sessions of the season. This will be led by Rik and all are welcome to come along and join in the fun and get an insight into how the trails have been developed at Drumlanrig. If possible, please bring a spade and some gardening gloves together with suitable clothing and something to drink. If you have any questions on this, please give Rik a call.