Joined: Oct 19, 2003 Posts: 1,033 Location: CHCH - Not England
Posted: Thu 31/May/07 7:53pm Post subject: Pikeys, 3800km, Rain And Mud
Since last report I've been all over the queens united kingdom. From out wales way and all the way up to near ft william scotland. Its a high point of cycle racing, you get to travel alot and meet some wicked people.
A few weeks back I entered in a Dragon DH series, practice was going to be short so I made sure I Left London at 4am so I was first in the inherently long ques that come with a London DH race. Sure enough, trusty ol tranny got me there in record time so i was primed for some tap tap tap full slideways skidders. To make a long story short, third run I wadded my tihs up after just nailing a section i had walked back up to get right... always the case, I was mentally High fiving myself for a mint line when a large rock thought NO HIGH FIVE FOR YOU and punter goes down. I was generally in good health and spirits but the Lowers of my forks gained an air conditioning vent. Race over. I was back in london by 2pm for a barbecue at my mates place. Possibly a good thing as last year the pikeys were shooting air guns at the racers. Go wales! 600km driving.
Next up was the Scottish nats round deuce. Back up to scotland in trusty vazza again, this time i picked up Scarlett from St Helens as she was hanging there with Nigel Page after Vigo. She was just a co driver as her bike wasn't available for riding, good to have someone along for some more KM's in the tranny.
I turned up early doors at a place called Dunkeld. On the way up in the morning from Edinburgh it was absolutely ssiping down, well sideways, it was also really windy. Hmmmm, rocks, tree roots, torrential rain and howling gales. I could hardly wait.
Lucky enough, the rain had paused and the wind was intermittent. Practice was interesting. This track deserves the reputation it has of a 'Mans Track'. No tihs, if you've ridding Chch nationals top rock garden, well its 2minutes of that, in the rain. It gets a bit flat at the bottom for about 25seconds, total required pedal strokes - 15. Massive testicle requirement - above average. At the end of the day I had a rough idea on some lines, and the Lahar was laughing in the face of every other bike there. Race day dawned good weather, it had rained again overnight, but I think it rains in this place every night so no prob. I had a average 1st race run, and an improved 2nd race. Managed to pull a third, behind Joe Barnes and then this other ginger Fergus lamb. Joe is a ripper on home soil. He deserved a good win. Happy times. Total Driving - 2000km
Last weekend was British NPS at Ae Forest, this track was pretty gay. It had a mint top section for 20secs then went into some 5inch pinger dead flat pedalling, finishing with a nice little off camber for another 15 sec. I wasn't a hard track and a few were saying it was far too easy. The quality of the field was good. Peat, Athertons, Minaar, Lehikonen, Rennie, Beumont. It was good to see these top fellas supporting the series. Makes for fast racing. I was riding alright, the weather was wet on and off. Tough decisions on tyres as there was alot of rocks. Liv had arrived on friday so I had number 1 support crew which was good for advice. Seeding on sat I had a muzza getting loose coming into a little double, turned into a sick no footer to seat plant. Whoops
Race day was rain, sun, cloud, rain sun rain. I had an alright run, but my huck to rock garden line that i thought everyone was taking jacked me for the corner after and i went bush whacking. Lost a few seconds there, but no real drama. Ended up 25th out of about 40 odd. You really have to pin it to get a result over here. Its good times and another 1200km.
Harriet Harper arrived on Monday, so today we're all packing up the Vazza for Champery via Begium(beer, waffles and birth place of fries, also Jean Clade Van Damme) Happy times, world cup in switzerland in 10days. Primo! Take it easy out there.
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