MAVEN 1 Posted January 16, 2013 When I was a kid for my birthday I got a mountain bike with suspension from my grandfather who used to travel across the globe (like I do now) It was one of those rare bikes made in US that were used for mountain biking sports. Soon enough, I was mountain biking, uphill, downhill, you name it. Then I went a step further with my friends and we started jumping of ramps, the ramps got bigger and bigger, and finally, we started jumping off smaller cliffs with our bikes and landing in piles of sand bellow. A thrilling experience that nearly cost me my life when on the last such jump wind steered me off, I landed away from the sand, then bounced off like a ping pong ball, luckily for me, I had a helmet (that came with the bike) and I had only scratches while the bike broke in half from the impact and parts shattered all over the place, one could say it saved my life even. Some time after I got my bike repaired but I quit on that extreme "sport" me and my crazy friends invented. I tried skateboarding, skiing, downhill sledge running, etc. Few years ago I was about to try bungee jumping and skydiving/parachuting, but it turns out my career didn't let me as I became overwhelmed with work and had no time for such sports anymore. Perhaps some day I will return to all this cool stuff and try something new, one never knows. The one extreme sport I like lately is base Jumping (wingsuit): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmlAW_1hgT8 What is one or few extreme sports you tried or like? I'm sure there's a good number of you here :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonci87 163 Posted January 16, 2013 My Favourite: Mountainbiking Ironically I didn´t stop doing this because of some crash while speeding through the woods, but because of a car that hit me on my way to work. The MTB is crushed (as well as the car, take that asshole!) and I still didn´t get a new one. I was heavily injured and somehow don´t feel like driving MTBs anymore... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slatts 1978 Posted January 16, 2013 Playing hurling against a team from Kilkenny (Any Irish man will understand ;) ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr burns 131 Posted January 16, 2013 Playing hurling against a team from Kilkenny (Any Irish man will understand ;) ) Is it the thing where you throw iron balls down a normal road, drinking beer all the time? Count me in :D ---------- Post added at 15:55 ---------- Previous post was at 15:50 ---------- What is one or few extreme sports you tried or like? I'm sure there's a good number of you here :) Paintball, if that counts. Wingsuiting? Big NO. Few days ago ServusTV aired a report about a guy who actually crashed whilst going 190kp/h in one of those squirrel suits ... he lived, but the footage alone is enough to keep any sane person from even trying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Messiah 2 Posted January 16, 2013 It's a bunch of sweaty men with big sticks hitting each other. Somewhere along the way they do something that resembles football and rugby and score a goal of some sort in a net of some sort. Weird. I ddid off piste, freestyle skiing, until I got winched off the mountain three years ago, doped up to the eyeballls. Now its about as extreme as sailing and scuba diving these days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAVEN 1 Posted January 16, 2013 My Favourite: MountainbikingIronically I didn´t stop doing this because of some crash while speeding through the woods, but because of a car that hit me on my way to work. The MTB is crushed (as well as the car, take that asshole!) and I still didn´t get a new one. I was heavily injured and somehow don´t feel like driving MTBs anymore... Sorry to hear about it. Well, you understand why I left mountain biking then, though I didn't have to suffer like that (thanks god) Playing hurling against a team from Kilkenny (Any Irish man will understand ;) ) Is it the thing where you throw iron balls down a normal road, drinking beer all the time? Count me in :D---------- Post added at 15:55 ---------- Previous post was at 15:50 ---------- Paintball, if that counts. Wingsuiting? Big NO. Few days ago ServusTV aired a report about a guy who actually crashed whilst going 190kp/h in one of those squirrel suits ... he lived, but the footage alone is enough to keep any sane person from even trying. Paintball is awesome, though not extreme, unless you use modified pball guns :D What's the hurling looking like? I'd like to see a vid lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr burns 131 Posted January 16, 2013 It's a bunch of sweaty men with big sticks hitting each other. Somewhere along the way they do something that resembles football and rugby and score a goal of some sort in a net of some sort. Weird. Eww, that´s not the thing i envisioned. This it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_road_bowling Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derbysieger 11 Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) Biking. I do ~50-60km per day (about 2 hours) if the weather is not terrible and I like to go on tours on holidays. I've been to Switzerland (~1600km tour) a few years ago and I'm planning to make a tour to Italy next summer (2400-2600km). I love mountains and the speed on downhill parts. It's not particulary extreme but when you've tried to ride down a mountain pass you will think otherwise. When you reach 60kph with 30kg luggage on your bike it's getting uncomfortable. Edited January 16, 2013 by Derbysieger Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slatts 1978 Posted January 16, 2013 here's a vid of hurling, Messiah's description is somewhat accurate.. vai3Gzd-ilw Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ProfTournesol 956 Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) Every now and then i go to London and try some local foods, but i'm not sure that counts. Even if that's extreme :lookaround: Edited January 16, 2013 by ProfTournesol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
instagoat 133 Posted January 16, 2013 I enjoy riding. Dodging flying hooves and teeth is extreme, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slatts 1978 Posted January 17, 2013 Every now and then i go to London and try some local foods, but i'm not sure that counts. Even if that's extreme :lookaround: If you go from place to place on a bicycle then could be ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beagle 684 Posted January 17, 2013 I was into free rock climbing when I was 19 back in the 90's but since my weight has multiplied by 1.4 I can't lift myself up anymore ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAVEN 1 Posted January 17, 2013 Biking. I do ~50-60km per day (about 2 hours) if the weather is not terrible and I like to go on tours on holidays. I've been to Switzerland (~1600km tour) a few years ago and I'm planning to make a tour to Italy next summer (2400-2600km). I love mountains and the speed on downhill parts. It's not particulary extreme but when you've tried to ride down a mountain pass you will think otherwise. When you reach 60kph with 30kg luggage on your bike it's getting uncomfortable. Awesome, those are some long tours, must be lots of fun :) About downhill ride with luggage. I once ended up crashing in a fence with minor injuries because my front brakes cut off (they burned off, almost putting my tires on fire) even though I was braking periodically, later on I got different type of brakes installed on the bike I had, but still, it's never a good idea to have luggage on your back while going downhill over 30 KMH, that's dangerous... here's a vid of hurling, Messiah's description is somewhat accurate.. Interesting. Thanks for the vid, it's certainly more interesting than NFL (at least to me) Hurling looks like US Football and Hockey had a baby LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Messiah 2 Posted January 17, 2013 here's a vid of hurling, Messiah's description is somewhat accurate.. [*YOUTUBE]vai3Gzd-ilw[/YOUTUBE] Somewhat? It's a rugby pitch and a football pitch combined into one festering love child, and of the 30 seconds I watched, sweaty men were hugging and touching each other. I nailed it. That being said, there's not enough Scarlett Johansens in the world that would convinceme to go near that game, and I played Rugby (tight head prop, no less) for a decade. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAVEN 1 Posted January 17, 2013 Somewhat? It's a rugby pitch and a football pitch combined into one festering love child, and of the 30 seconds I watched, sweaty men were hugging and touching each other. I nailed it.That being said, there's not enough Scarlett Johansens in the world that would convinceme to go near that game, and I played Rugby (tight head prop, no less) for a decade. Who cares if they are sweaty and touching eachother. Boxing is same thing or even worse, yet it's popular. The "sport" is kinda cool as they are beating sh*t out of eachother with those sticks/spoons over a tiny ball for everyones amusement. You'll care about the sweaty touching thing only if you are gay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Messiah 2 Posted January 17, 2013 I think you missed the cynicall humour in my post ;) I'm mostly trying to wind up Slatts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derbysieger 11 Posted January 17, 2013 Awesome, those are some long tours, must be lots of fun :)About downhill ride with luggage. I once ended up crashing in a fence with minor injuries because my front brakes cut off (they burned off, almost putting my tires on fire) even though I was braking periodically, later on I got different type of brakes installed on the bike I had, but still, it's never a good idea to have luggage on your back while going downhill over 30 KMH, that's dangerous... I love those tours. 25-30kph is the normal speed on long tours (80-160km/day depending on weather conditions and terrain) when I'm not in the mountains. The most important thing when you're in the mountains is that you check your brakes every day and have a spare pair with you at all times. I learned that the hard way. On my tour to Switzerland I burned two pairs. Started with a new one, got a new one halfway through (checked the brakes one morning to find that after a rainy day with muddy roads there was nothing left and I didn't have spare parts with me) and needed a new one when I got back home. I wasn't even in the alps, I just followed the Rhine until Basel and then over a mountain pass (~800m iirc) to Luzern, stayed there at a friends house for a week and then back via Schaffhausen, through the Blackforest (beautiful landscape!) and then I followed the Rhine back home. I brake as little as possible in the mountains. You won't find me go downhill with 30kph, more like 45-55 depending on the street and the traffic, just don't do this on a bad road or with a backpack. Seriously, backpacks are a bad Idea if you want to do a tour, your back will thank you if you put the luggage on your bike! This is what I use: http://www.ortlieb.de/_prod.php?lang=en&produkt=backrollerplus two of those + tent, sleeping bag and insulating mat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slatts 1978 Posted January 17, 2013 I think you missed the cynicall humour in my post ;) I'm mostly trying to wind up Slatts. I've heard it all before :p went to see some relatives in Liverpool and was treated like some strange being from another world by his friends when I said I played hurling :p Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAVEN 1 Posted January 17, 2013 I've heard it all before :p went to see some relatives in Liverpool and was treated like some strange being from another world by his friends when I said I played hurling :p Did you end up beaten up badly while playing it? I don't know for you but I'd rather watch than participate. ---------- Post added at 19:01 ---------- Previous post was at 18:57 ---------- Derbysieger, cool stuff. Keep doing bike tours :) Nice pack. Sadly I don't need something like this now as I quit mountain biking years ago :( Now I'm lazy and playing Snooker full reds, US 8 Ball, mini golf, sometimes tennis and rarely ever snowboarding (didn't have the time for past 2 years sadly) those are all relaxed sports, good for thinking and getting to know people. I recommend Snooker whoever likes 8 Ball and Billiard. P.S. You got any videos from the tours? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derbysieger 11 Posted January 17, 2013 No. I didn't take a cam with me. But I think there are some pics of my arrival at my friends house in Luzern somewhere (not in digital form though). I'm looking for a helmet cam for the summer though. I imagine filming a downhill part in the alps is quite something. My plan at the moment is to follow roughly the same route to Luzern and then cross the Alps, visit Milan, Genoa, Florence, Verona, back over the Alps, Lake Constance and home along the Rhine (possibly through France) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonci87 163 Posted January 17, 2013 That hurling stuff is extreme, they dont even wear gloves. What if someone gets a nice blow on his fingers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAVEN 1 Posted January 17, 2013 No. I didn't take a cam with me. But I think there are some pics of my arrival at my friends house in Luzern somewhere (not in digital form though). I'm looking for a helmet cam for the summer though. I imagine filming a downhill part in the alps is quite something. My plan at the moment is to follow roughly the same route to Luzern and then cross the Alps, visit Milan, Genoa, Florence, Verona, back over the Alps, Lake Constance and home along the Rhine (possibly through France) GoPro mount ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slatts 1978 Posted January 17, 2013 That hurling stuff is extreme, they dont even wear gloves. What if someone gets a nice blow on his fingers? Don't wear gloves(most players don't, a few wear a sort of padded glove that only covers the back of your hand), don't wear shin pads(one guy I played with in college got called a wimp for wearing a pair), and helmets only became mandatory a couple of years ago..and most players disagreed with the rule :p Getting hurl across the hand when trying to catch the ball is painful..but after years of playing you kinda get used to it. A few dislocated fingers and here and there but nothing too serious :D @MAVEN I've been in a few scrapes in my time ;) if you mean beaten as in losing well we don't win them all :L Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
