MTBcut's Joe Barnes has been on an EPIC summer road trip that started some time in June, shortly after the Fort William World Cup. He's just crash-landed back in the UK with a van full of smelly pants.Team MTBcut are supported by Straitline Components, Nuke Proof and IXS Sports Division.
Find out what he's been up to recently in his latest excursion:
It has been a while sine the last report and a lot has happened. Last time we were stranded in Chamonix with a broken van and races to be getting to. Long to short we got spannering on the van and fitted a new water pump in the sports centre car park and made it to the next race in Alp D'uez (Oz) the following weekend. The next few weeks passed very quickly, racing a Euro DH cup, 2 world cups and lots of gid single track decents.
The trip definitely picked up on the arrival of Fergy baby and the lure of the drive to Sweden. The catch phrase of the summer (f*ck it boys we're going to Sweden) was about to come true. We finished off Val Di Sole World cup and driving down the road were in two minds, throwing in ideas of just going to morzine down the road of going home. "f*ck it boys were going to Sweden"
I am not going to lie, the drive was not to pleasant. a good 2100miles of straight trucking. A good chance to test out the new air conditioning pipe for the tranny through hot Germany and then over the ferry and the remarkably Scottish like drive through Sweden. After a night and large bonfire beside the baltic sea we headed over to Are for the Maxi Avalanche enduro race. After catching up with some friends we got set about learning the race course. Its a different style of practice to DH, looking for over takes, protecting inside lines and then just knowing your way down as well is good. The track was great fun with a good mix of singletrack and open rocky sections. After some rain and general autumnul conditions the track was pretty muddy. In my Quali run I was sitting good in 2nd when my mech hanger pulled of in a rut and i had to walk it home to 10th. not ideal for my grid position the following day. In finals I fought through the field and was making the pass for 4th after Al stock crashed but then his bike caused me to flip over the bars and my brake lever to snap off. The race was one disaster for me but was a great laugh and practice for the series next year. Fellow "Dudes" man Liam man had a great race to finish 9th for his best result this year.
The last week has been a highlight for me, after a couple of days freeriding it up in Are we hit the road to Norway and have generally just faffed about for a week. Driving until we see a bridge then getting the dig depth test stick off the roof, giving the water a prod and then hucking it. Doctors orders for the knee stop me from the good ones but as chief stick man I still feel required. We have ridden some sketchy Norweigen walkers paths and had a good fire of an evening. The weather has been pretty mixed and the van has started to smell a bit (not that it didn't before) but we are making the most of the last week away and have just arrived in Hafjell bike park for a weekends riding before the truck home.
Almost forgot to mention, a scooter has been obtained and we no longer have to walk anywhere anymore. Yes
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