Mountain Biking. We do go mountain Biking a few times a year, because I like it so we go. In Summer 2004, each meeting we celebrate someone’s birthday, whether it was their birthday or not, we just celebrated it. It was my nominated birthday this week so we went biking. Mountain Biking is a phrase that actually is a lie. There are very few Mountains in England and those that are there are not where people live in great numbers. Most mountain bikes are owned by people in the towns. Hmmm, there are no mountains in a city in this country so I guess there is no need for a Mountain Bike. Anyway, we went mountain biking but didn't go up any mountains, we did however go off road cycling. So off we went, after the normal panics of pumping up tyres, putting helmets on and stuff like that. The first bit was dead easy, mainly because it was along a tarmac farm track, which heads downhill. Then it was a quick trip across a field or 2 to the next road. Here there was a hint of the conditions - MUD. That was a shock, a mountain bike getting muddy. That’s unusual. Field was quite easy to cross, then we got to a trick road. Roads are tricky things, you go for ages without one then they surprise you and just appear. Another farm track followed this. This track also was tarmac, and downhill. Do farmers build their tracks downhill for a reason? Easier to get home perhaps. Then we started having a bit of fun, a Downhill section. I commented to the Explorers to be careful going down the hill, and not to fall off their bikes. Jamie went the wrong way at the bottom of the hill, scaring 20 Massive cows and Bulls. Never Scare Bulls, they don't like it generally. Then Sam, taking notice of me as he always does, fell off his bike. He did remember me telling him not to its just he couldn't be bothered staying on his bike I think. He was OK, still having the same number of arms and stuff that he started with. When we caught up with the group they gave Sam a cheer and we decided he could be the unit Alasdair (Alasdair is quite accident prone, but he is at University now so we need a new accident prone member) Next bit of fun was a ford. The Explorers are going to Norway at the end of the term so I thought a bit of practice with Fjords would be good, but all we have is a ford. Near enough I think. Riding across a ford is tricky when it has a rocky bottom. A quick ride up hill followed cos you have to after going through a raging torrent of a river. Then riding alongside the dual carriageway. I am not mad, there is a bridleway separated from the road by a hedge, we didn't ride along the road. The because we were at the top of a hill, we should go down a hill which we did. Again Sam got congratulated because he didn't fall off. Hooray. At the bottom of the hill was the river again which we swiftly crossed. On that side of the river was a hill that a Normal castle used to be built on, which we went up to see (walking, I have tried once but you can't cycle up it). Now it was getting dark so we went back to the bikes and rode across a pasture to the wood. This is where Chris fell off, but like Sam he still had all the correct number of legs and arms so we carried on. Another pasture then another road. Went along the road to Yarm when the group split up for everyone to go home. Got home, was Wet from the rivers, Cold cos it wasn't sunny anymore, Tired cos cycled for 1 1/2 hours, Muddy but happy.