Down in the South Pacific winter has turned the corner, and the days are slowly getting longer, but it’s still winter. Bike rides may be wet and cold, but they can still be had with a bit of cunning and accurate scheduling.
Twice last week we sneaked out late in the day because our mate had a couple of images in his mind that needed to be enacted. One of them turned out really well first pop, and will be revealed at the photographer’s discretion. The other looked like it might improve with a return visit. For the view that he wanted the photographer had to go far off the beaten track. To be where he wanted me I had to go a fair way back up the trail, and completely out of sight around a ridge. We tried yelling, and whistling, but in the end we had to use our phones to communicate when to go.
For two evenings we lapped out the little section he had chosen, in a sort of intense interval session. Riding down involved three pedals, a really nice corner, two pumps and a skid. Returning for another crack at the elusive image was an only-just-rideable anaerobic sprint that lasted about 15 seconds. In between efforts we stood in a stunningly cold breeze while we waited for a pesky cloud bank to move out of the sun’s way, so the entire scene would light up with in a warm sunsetting glow.
The idea was to capture an ordinary rider in the middle of a golden moment, and the image at the top of the newsletter is the result. I think G nailed it… just looking at it makes me want to go riding. The reality was completely different, with bone-chilling cold and possible damage to my kneecaps from repeatedly grunting up the same bit of trail.
It was fun though, can’t wait for the next time G needs somebody in the frame who can’t do tricks.