Over the last years this here site and us as riders have suffered at the lack of spare time going about. My getting more into building motorbikes... Times getting harder... Money getting tighter... People working longer... Folk getting older... Kids... Family... Illness... And the huge, gaping hole my brother's broken back ripped open into our collective psyche. But we're all getting back on track and touch wood, so is he. Some of us are expecting our first kid - shout out to Scorpion-Frank-Sidebottom-Tommy-Dick-Fingers!! (you're not gonna know what's hit you son) and so may be in for even harder times.

But regardless we're managing to see steadily more time on the bikes again - which has now expanded to take in a lot more trail riding. More time on the bike = good thing. Downhill is .... ;) So, over the coming months, as we slide down the tunnel into winter, we shall be hopefully sharing more good times on two wheels here and filling up our central repository for good times had!! Coming up soon we have a ride out with Manimal, mine and Gaz C's 40th (that's if our hips don't pop out before we make it!) which includes rumblings of finally getting to Kirroughtree and of the Marthrone Roundhouse again.

Sketched in and on the cards are also the Kielder Enduro Downhill. Lee Quarry. Lady Bower reservoir. All of which should be making their way into the ride guide section (I've been trying to get something like that up for years and it's about time I got'er done). Other plans include a section on who's who in our ever growing family of ChainSmokers.

Watch this space... You never know. Something might happen!

Me and the boy wonder hit Adel again - after the last time we had an impromptu mess about before an XC session and I came over all queer at the sight of some dusty table tops running through the woods... So this time fully kitted up with a cheaper than cheap hard tail build. Man... the bike felt f*ckin weird. I've been spoiled... But I'd also forgotten how much of a grin you can get from getting through a pack of jumps smoothly. First time I've ridden a hardtail in years and after tweaking my ankles the first time I came up short - no give back there at all...

I wondered if this gnarled tree wasn't too old for this shit and started to remember why I'd gone over to full suspension - buggerd wrists and knees! But after some perseverance and a few more runs it all started to come back. Buzzin. Rob wasn't so sure and was pining a bit for his bouncer but I'm a born again jump bunny. That 24seven Gack frame is the best 36 quid I've spent in ages. Can't even get a DH tyre for that these days. Don't get me wrong - downhill isn't dead... Just good to mix it up a bit innit.