Mojo Slim

OK. These pictures could be fake, but they're fun anyway.

cyclintom

They aren't fake. Moreover, there are all sorts of places like that around the world. I would think those pictures are from Scotland or some such but I've ridden on similar places in Colorado, Utah and even the Flume Trail in Lake Tahoe has some nasty places where you have to portage across loose rock slides.

In one place in Colorado I had my bike on my shoulder and was jumping from huge rock to huge rock across a landslide. The landslide hadn't completely stabilized and as you landed on these big rocks they would shift a little. It sure made you move across them smartly though.

NOS88

Helmets are the least of what makes no sense. Unless the life of a loved one was at risk, and the only way I could help save them was to navigate such a route would you find me on a path like that. But, then again, I don't walk on tight ropes, work as a steel worker on skyscrapers, etc. Hell, I get dizzy on the ladder cleaning out the rain gutters on my house. I guess helmets are to help keep the head in close to a recognizable state. This helps in indentification when they recover the bodies. BTW, great pictures.

DnvrFox

It looks a bit foggy, and the rocks look a bit damp and slippery. No thanks!

Hobartlemagne 

Do you have any bigger resolution copies of those pics?

That second one would make a great desktop wallpaper!

RockyMtnMerlin

Here's the story to go along with the pics. FWIW I would never ride that clif but i do wear a helmet. If you wonder about whether they will protect you in a fall on the street, just ask Saul Raisin. The site where the story is posted has no better resolution photos. The photographer's site is here https://www.freezefocus.com/ but is currently only showing a slide show as it is being "revamped."



"Our next stop was the Burren, a vast rocky landscape, with little vegetation and miles of cracked rock slaps, which were actually quite fun and challenging to ride. We rode parts of the Burren Way, an old historic route and popular hiking trail. Medieval castles and 5000 year old dolmen and stone circles marked the way, the weather wasn't great, but at least it didn't rain; yet. It was good to get out of the RV and spin our legs through this remote countryside. In the late afternoon we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher, which were for me the main reason why I wanted to come to Ireland. The 600 feet tall cliffs are entirely vertical and the edge is very abrupt. My dream was to ride along the small narrow ledge that was between 6 feet to 6 inches wide and looked like a long curvy balcony without a handrail.

Upon arrival at the Cliffs we had to postpone those plans rapidly. The weather was getting worse and herds of tourists were all over the place, plus the security guy wouldn't let anybody near the edge of the cliffs.

We changed our plans and did a pub crawl instead, hoping for better conditions and luck in the early morning, before anybody else would get there. It turned out to be my favorite pub experience of the trip. In the small seaside village of Liscannor we found 4 pubs next door to each other. Five Pints of Guinness later and after a great seafood dinner and some fresh oysters it was time to hit the second pub, after a quick drink to quench our thirst, we moved one door over to Egans Pub, where locals were playing Irish folk music and the old fireplace was keeping us warm. We were told earlier, that with a bit of luck, "T. O'Brien" pub would open at around 11pm, sure enough the doors were open and 3 characters, straight out of the 50ties, were sipping on some drinks. It was like being set back in time, this place has been around for a long time, but it must have been at least 50 years, since any of the interior, including the suit and tie of the bartender have changed.

Locals warned us of the upward drafts, that blow people off the cliffs - and sure enough the wind was picking up over night. We got an early start, and even the extra strong italian coffee I brewed couldn't clear our heads. Even though the conditions and weather were less than good, this was our one and only chance to ride the cliffs, so we did. It was a rad feeling to ride along the exposed edges and jump over some of the gaps. As time went on we started to feel more and more comfortable and daring. Shortly after we got done it started pouring rain, nonetheless we continued the trail on top of the cliffs, which was one of the more spectacular trails I have ridden. We followed it all the way to Hag's Head. From there we drove to RV to County Kerry in the South of Ireland."

jppe

You wouldn't find me even walking my bike on stuff like that.......

Artkansas 

Here's the original article. https://www.hansrey.com/latestadventures.htm

There is a link to Victor Lucas. Ask him. They are his pictures.
victor@freezefocus.com

I_Bike

You wouldn't find me even walking XX XXXX on stuff like that...

Fixed!

Carusoswi

Now, tell me no one has ever fallen while riding there. I'm surprised there isn't a movement under way to protect would be riders from even going there.
Caruso

Digital Gee

I can barely look at those pics!

Monoborracho

Are those parachutes on their backs? Do they make bikes with ejection seats?

cyclintom

It's Ireland where people mind their own business most of the time. Not like the USA at all where busybodies pass helmet and seatbelt laws and believe that they're superior to everyone else.

BluesDawg

Well, I didn't believe it at first. Then I noticed the link and saw that it was Hans Rey. I believe it. That guy can do amazing things on a bicycle.
I might want to try things like that if I found out I was on my way to a nursing home.

cheeseflavor

That's insanity. Speed on a road bike is enough thrill for this boy.

Steve

robtown

I wonder if they're riding clipless.

Blackberry

I just hope they're wearing waterproof socks.

HAMMER MAN

bigger ba!!s than I got.

stapfam

If its Hans Rey- they are true pics.+ the fact I believe I saw something similar to them in a UK mag a few years ago. I used to be a rock climber and with a 600ft drop below the trail- I think I would be very careful. But then if Hans Rey invited me along for a ride like this- I would still be in one of the pubs while he was riding. Still on my first pint to ensure that Drink did not encourage me to go with him------ Anywhere.

gcl8a

The Cliffs of Insanity, that is.

(The cliffs of Moher were used as the setting for the Cliffs of Insanity in "The Princess Bride")

cyclintom

Here some areas where I've ridden.

https://www.gatetrails.com/exhibits/f...il/flume33.jpg

This is part of the Flume Trail up at Lake Tahoe. I haven't ridden there in 7 or 8 years but I seem to recall sections a whole lot rougher than this with a sharp dropoff on the lakeside.

https://www.wohlen.com/mattias/Utah/m...adoriver__.jpg

This is the edge of part of the trail on the Slick Rock Trail. It really does fall abrubtly for a long ways. I have a minor case of acrophobia and it was really hard to look over the trail edge.

https://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/whiterim.htm

Mountain bike riders with good endurance and moderate skills that aren't afraid of heights can do this one.

Outside of Crested Butte, CO, we rode over a trail that went up to 11,500 feet and then dropped pretty abrubtly down the side of a mountain. The trail ran through this HUGE field of Skunk Cabbage which was some 7' high. The trail was almost completely hidden from view but you could see where it was since there were no stalks there, only leaves. So you rode down the "trail" without being able to see it OR YOUR BIKE! and turning 180 degree hairpins at the limit of how sharply your bike could turn at 5 mph for perhaps a mile. Your head stuck up above the plants when you stood on the pedals so you could see this sea of off-green leaves and navigate mostly by guessing. It was SOOOO COOOL!!!!

Taking stupid chances is stupid. But taking chances with risk analysis is really fun as long as you're the winner.

Monoborracho

Potential Darwin Awardees

CrossChain

Any odds on those guys surviving life long enough to qualify for membership here at 50Plus?

**As someone who has hit the pavement and skidded a ways on his head, feeling the rubbing of plastic against road surface through his (thank Heaven) helmet.......I'll keep mine on. A very scary and seemingly long few seconds that was.

RockyMtnMerlin

Tom, estimates from serious sources are that seatbelts have saved somewhere north 150,000 lives in the U.S. since 1975. I for one support manadatory seatbelt usage and do not feel that a) I'm a busybody or b) that I'm superior to anyone else. And as an added bonus, if you wear your seatbelt in Wyoming and are caught going a bit too fast on our wide open roads, you even save $10 off your speeding ticket.

cyclintom

Since 1975 there have been almost 1.3 million deaths due to careless driving. Police have used valuable time and energy blaming the victims of these crimes because it is easier than catching reckless drivers.

With the stupendously misplaced seatbelt laws the totalitarians have found their camel nose under the edge of the tent. Now we are seeing cities and soon states and perhaps even Federal law determining what you will eat or not eat.

How about Federal laws regulating the amount of exercise you must do each day since deaths due to preventable heart and circulatory disease is the foremost cause of death in the USA?

Exactly where do you propose stopping a government of do-gooders? What limits are you willing to put on them?

Are you aware that speeders involved in fatal accidents usually kill those whom they hit? Giving them $10 off of their tickets? Why don't you just applaud them? That has to be a new high in mentally disturbed legislation.