BPW anxieties.

jamski

So, Im back off to BPW in a couple of weeks, and my usual anxieties about leaving the ground are coming back! Been before and did more than I imagined and had a blast. But one crash on the A470 qualifier at the end of the day has dented my confidence.

Half the red runs were closed before, so hofully they'll all be open. Should anything without a + on the map be doable do you think, how rollable are those? I like leaving the ground on my terms! I'm sure once I'm there I'll get my confidence, but just not feeling it right now.

Thanks all.

david7m

I was there last Saturday, didn't see anything closed but guess it changed daily on weather etc.
Much prefer the flowing ones, with insufficient funds being my favourite closely followed by popty ping and Bush wacker

jamski

david7m wrote:

I was there last Saturday, didn't see anything closed but guess it changed daily on weather etc.
Much prefer the flowing ones, with insufficient funds being my favourite closely followed by popty ping and Bush wacker

Thanks. How are those trails for non rollable features?

david7m

The drops on insufficient funds aren't rollable, but popty and Bush are.

david7m

Roller disco is fun and the huge blue one far right as you come down is great!

JBA

All the red features are either rollable or you can get off and walk them. No shame in that. I'm a firm devotee of wheels on the ground and have no qualms with walking the features that make me nervous.

Do a few of the blues first to get your eye in and a feel for the trails and then have a bash at a couple of the reds.

yonny

For me the blues are the most dangerous. I always take reds and blacks that little bit easier, I expect the unexpected. But the blues just invite you to go faster, and faster, and faster, until..... whallop, injured lol.

None of the trails are dangerous imo, it's the way you ride them that can be dangerous.

billycool

Start small and build it up.

My only crash was on a blue due to excess speed and being the last run before lunch (I was tired and looking forward to my BPW burger). I've even got it on video and still can't explain it other than a sugar low and brain fade. As yonny said, the speed creeps up on you and suddenly you are in a place you don't want to be. Terrys Belly is a long blue, half in the open and half in the woods. You get tired near the end. You can theoretically find little things to jump off on most of the blues.

I'm not comfortable in the air and tried to dispel a few demons last time I was there. I struggled - mainly due to lack of experience/technique but also a big mental block. I'm still working on it.

Popty Ping is rollable and the 3 table tops in a row is a good place to practice but not go full bore. I tried to do some jumpy stuff and just rolled them in the end. My best moment was on Hot Stepper and taking on the big drop off (after quite a while staring it out). We all have little battles to win.

You get no medals for crashing and/or hurting yourself. I love the blues due to the speed and flow (XC rider at heart) but also love to see guys chucking it down the reds. I'd love to be able to do that but it's just not in my DNA!

Just build it up and see how you feel. As much as I'd love to do more jumpy stuff, I'd happily belt down the blues all day.

Have fun and let us know how you get on.