Despite the usual fannying about assembling bikes, getting changed etc we were ready and almost first in the queue when the Cwmdown minibuses and trailers turned up. At the top the driver asked everyone if they had ridden the course recently? We hadn't done so for ages so he warned us that there had been a few changes to the bottom section after the road and that all the jump take offs had been re-built making them into proper "senders" that would launch you if you weren't expecting it.

We were sensible anyway and took the first couple of runs very steady. The jumps did indeed have some serious kick to them compared to how they used to be. You didn't need much speed for some air. The other main changes were the chicken run round the road drop being improved and a big berm on what used to be the horrible off camber, loose corner just before the cattle grid. Overall everything is better than it used to be.

We got five runs of the red course in before lunch. However on the last one we were wondering where Baz was for some time. He rolled in looking somewhat battered. His shirt was all ripped and his helmet scratched. He had an over the bars on the big tabletop after the big berm near the bottom. He said he was ok but closer inspection revealed a gash just above his knee. It looked like it needed stitches but Parsley got his first aid kit out and cleaned and taped it up. Baz wanted to carry on riding.

We stuck to the same line down the hill all day and in the afternoon I filmed with the helmet cam.

Stu was having a few problems with his chain device. The chain kept jamming up in it. Eventually he worked out it wasn't the chain device. It was all his chain ring bolts had come loose!

In the past we have found that we had to wait a bit for uplifts at Cwmcarn. We found it quite annoying that they booked 40 people on day passes but that the two buses can only carry 32 people between them. I don't know if they have changed this or if the day wasn't fully booked but on Saturday the service was excellent. There was always a spot. Baz and Parsley retired after 9 runs with Mad Dog and I doing one more before the 4.30 finish.

During the day there was a professional photographer taking pictures. You can check them out (and see if you recognise us) here.

Another days cracking riding in perfect conditions.