For a long time I've wanted to organize a road-trip, because it’s the best way to catch images in all kinds of conditions - sunrise, sunset, night, rain. So, I asked Loic Trouillas to come with me to the Black hills, and ride a famous trail in Southern France. A few weeks later, it was game on. Unfortunately, there was a weather alert concerning rain for our second day out. We ignored it and decided to leave anyway.
We had a cool sunset and night session on the first evening, but it was the last one of the trip.
Day two, we woke up to the noise of the rain and the wind against the tent and it was hard to find motivation to go out. We knew that the rain would continue, and going home at this point of the trip was not possible, so we tried to do something original. This idea was born when we saw the weather conditions, but doing it was another challenge. So, we left base camp, into the wind and the pouring rain.
With this weather, the trail completely changes. The canyons become rivers, the ground sticks and slips, and making speed on a mountain bike becomes really difficult. From my point of view, I’d never shot in this kind of difficult condition and I never played this way, risking the life of my DSLR.
The third day was a little bit less windy but maybe more rainy. We wanted to do a few more images, so the morning was dedicated to do some really stupid ones. I want to thanks Loïc for that, because under a diving mask, you can’t breathe, you don’t see anything and pedaling in a river is not the easiest thing to do. So, we left on the third day after the river session.
To conclude, doing images in these conditions was really hard but really cool! We were not sure if we could do a video at the beginning, as it was really hard to do both photos and video at the same time, both for for me and for the rider. We had to each take a countless number of times.
On the Road Again.
This, is big.Shadows.
Riding the ridge.
FreerideFirst and last sunset of the trip.Night riding on the ridge line, scary.The base Camp on the first evening.
Big mountains, the snow was not so far.Pouring rain.Diving mode.Waterproof?
Watch the complete slideshow of our trip, with more photosPhotos: Jb Liautard, Video: Jb Liautard,
Text: Jb Liautard, Rider: Loïc Trouillas
It's not about the bike it's about the rider !
je dirais même plus : riding or not-raining... that is the question Sir !
Lol had too pal !
And when I mean flash flood it's no joking, In summer after a storm we went to the bridge to see the wave comming: a big wall of black muddy water that can send a car flying.
Ignoring weather alerts here can be deadly, 5 this weekend (inc two childrens). All in cars, trying to pass through water on road/bridges.
www.velominati.com/the-rules/#9
This made me smile, after my 16 mile, ride through the Kent mud, in the heavy rain at the weekend, covered in sh1t, and grinning like a fool.
if theres a sign saying : 'Do not ride here; Enduro riders alert' - we ride there anyway despite the dangers of anything endure related
creeks are FUN!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv5wm-6tBXk