Its a long long time ago. So long that my old GT LTS was my regular bike. We’re talking more than seven years here.

I’ve gone over to my cousin Tom’s house, somewhere near Hindhead in Surrey, and we’ve gone out for a play on our bikes. We having an ace time, blatting down hills, darting up singletrack, generally having a good time. We’re buzzing!

We’re bombing along this bit of track, no wider than my handlebars. There’s trees along one side, and a small rancid ditch on the other, full of thick, dark, gloopy “water”. There’s roots growing straight across the track. You can see what’s coming can’t you?

All of a sudden my front wheel makes a sideways dash for the stream. There isn’t a single little thing I can do to stop it. Before I know it, I’m lying on my back in the steam, looking back at my bike, which is stood upright with the front wheel wedged into the ditch. I’ve somehow managed to complete a 180° somersault into the stream. Pure genius.

Just thought I’d share that with you.