Riding at McDowell Mtn

Sunday we went riding with Micki and John Millikin. Todd didn't come due to his back was hurt, just Andy and I.  We climbed up the mountain...I swear it was a hour and 1/2 of climbing for a small down hill then more climbing.  We did Windgate Pass to Bell Pass.  Once on top of Bell pass, it was a long long down hill. Funny story for you... John, Micki and Andy were at the top of Bell Pass waiting for me... I am a slow climber, but I always get there!  Andy is watching Micki and she puts her seat down for the down hill portion... So Andy thinks to himself, well if Micki is putting hers down then that is telling me, I should too... But does he say anything to me? NO... I'm thinking that would have been a nice thing to tell me.  So we start down the trail and it is pretty steep.  The trail is very loose with dirt and rocks.  I make a couple of the switch backs.  I am stilling going down but my back brake is locked up so I am basically sliding down sideways.  I come to a turn, so I let off the brake to straighten up and almost make the turn when my tire catches a rock and I get pushed against the rock hillside.  I am sliding down, my bike frame is hitting the rocks and my leg is trailing behind, then my handle bars get caught and bam! down I go... at least the dirt was soft... no blood this time... I get up but my front tire is flat.  I start walking down and Andy was very nice and waited for me.  He said, well this was pretty steep maybe I should wait for Brooke to make sure she makes it.   I get to him and repairs my front tire by putting a new tube in it.  We start back down and I am going pretty good, and before starting Andy says, "hey you should lower your seat!"  What an IDEA!    We hit this wash and I was not able to turn but I was able to stop by hitting very large rock.. but no blood!  We get to an intersection and Micki who was already down had started back up because she was worried about us(me),  Looking down at my tire, there was bubble, my tube was poking out the side wall of my tire.  We kept going and got to the last intersection with only a 1/2 mile left to go and POP! My tube was gone.  I rode a little ways on the flat but that was little to slow for Andy. He lowered his seat on his bike so I could ride it and he got on my bike.  That was really a sight... he looked like he was in the circus.  We get back to the parking lot and Andy is ahead of us and he goes to make the turn into the p-lot and the flat tire caught on the payment and bam..... down he went.  He bent his right hand fingers back, got some road rash on this shoulder and even hit his helmet on the ground.    But over all the ride was good.. it was long, but fun.  Some pics of Micki, John and I.