The Night Rider

I went on my first night ride on Sunday night. After mucking about with the bits and pieces, and getting my bike all set up, I found this totally alien to the normal bike riding I am used to during the day. I only rode the out and back at Terrey Hills, as I wanted to keep the first ride simple. Some observations I made about night riding:

- The Ayup lights I use are lighter in weight than I thought they would be. I really did not notice I had them on. And you certainly do not feel the weight of them as you move your head from side to side. Possibly this may be more noticeable for those folks with larger lights.

- I did not learn that much yet on my first night ride, as it has only been 2 hours. But I did pick up some things about technique. You definitely do need to alter your technique to some extent. This was mainly taking it slower through the corners, as you can't see all the undulations of the trail (i.e. sand, rocks, camber, etc). You also need to be more careful flying over water bars. Those things can bite you quickly if you don't concentrate.

- The sensation of speed is much more, as I logically think to myself the pace can't have been much slower than in the day, but it definitely FEELS faster. You must look pretty funny when you're night riding. Your eyes would be as big as saucers.

- Riding at night is good for stamina. As there is no temperature heat from the day, you don't warm up like normal, don't need as much to drink, and I somehow felt stronger in the legs. I guess a night ride does not take as much out of you.

- Due to the more limited visibility, you feel like you are riding in a tunnel. Your lights cast a glow like a corridor in front of you, and the sides of your vision are all but forgotten. It may be a similar sensation to working in a mine shaft. It was funny. At one stage, when I was just peddaling along at walking pace, some moths were flying along, trying to keep up with their mobile light source. They were soon left behind.

- You hear and see lots of wildlife on the trail. During the day, all the animals are away sleeping, but at night they are everywhere. Our group must have seen about 15 animals that night. Its nice to know that their environment has not been totally destroyed yet.

Anyway, I will continue to get up some more kays. Will do Manly on Thursday and somewhere else on Sunday.

Does anyone know some good advice for riding technical trails at night? Is it simply a case of "slow down?"