Just a stones throw away, north of Birmingham is Cannock Chase. Considered by many as one of the best trail centres the UK has to offer and its not hard to see why, we became hooked straight away. It all started on our very first visit… on my completely rigid mountain bike. I watched as the full suspension as hardtails passed by heading for the trails contemplating whether I should be doing this? Then I just went for it and tagged onto the train of riders hoping for the best! This was a completely different riding experience, one that got the blood rushing with excitement and I haven’t looked back since. Starting on Follow the Dog, this trail is marked out extremely well. It is a complete red trail full of some amazing singletrack, lots of work for the legs on the short and sharp hills but it’s the fun flowing descent complete with rollers, berms and a couple of small drop-offs, which keeps you coming back for more.
After several trips up the chase and mastering follow the dog on my rigid mountain bike, my arms and wrists hated me! Boy did I feel every bump and drop, it was time for the upgrade!
Finding my place in the mountain bike world and finally getting the upgrade I had wanted for a long, long time was like all my birthdays and Christmas came at once and I went for a Whyte 806, hard tail. After having the bike for a week I headed for the chase first chance I got. Riding the trails on a decent bike definitely put some fun between the legs. This bike was easy riding feeling comfortable in the saddle, I felt I could really throw it around. In my opinion the perfect trail bike. Using the gears and loving the one-by for the hills and flying round the berms. On this bike, I have a new found confidence and am loving every minute of it. Smashing through the technical sections, rock garden and drop offs. Finally feeling like I can keep up with the boys, it was a good day and I was in my element. There was only one thing for it… cracking open the ceremonial beer that I had kept safe all the way round the trail.
It felt good to have shredded the trails I love on a bike I love, I dubbed the… ‘The Whyte Stallion’ over a bottle of abloc. The perfect unfiltered blond beer, naturally rich in proteins and vitamin B, added Alpine Minerals making it a great refreshing recovery beer which is made specially for biking. Sharing this bottle with the boys celebrating the first proper trail ride on the new bike was a perfect end to the day.
With my new found confidence I am hoping to hit the Monkey Trail next time and tackle the famous ‘Devils Staircase’ and finally getting a piece of the ‘Pot of Gold’ Watch this space!
The only question is what beer to bring? … we may just have to give Beer Yetis other recommendations a try.
My Bike Adventure 
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