Summer

Been a while but no one seems to read these much so no gas there

What a cotton-pickin-summer we've had.  I love sport in (almost) any guise but the olympics have been totally amazing and we have done a fine job as a nation supporting the utterly magnificent athletes either as spectators in the park spectators in our homes or as the many thousands of 'games makers'. AKA bloody hard working committed and ever enthusiastic normal everday folk who have made this a memorabler time in Gill Lucy and my life.

There are too many highlights.

We saw sailing, open water swimming and spent an unforgettable day in the olympic park and saw a compelling evenings' athletics.

Lapierre rises

The riding since Christmas (given there was none before!!) has been entirely on my long suffering but loyal Santa Cruz.  It seems to tick pretty much all the boxes always doing the thing when required.  It currently doesn't much like top ring but other than that is great.  If I had half a brain I could sort this out with some new cable and some lube but as you know already this isn't the case...

It seemed that despite the cold the weather was in fact drying out and the trails were great.  Scotland had melted and largely the winter climbing had needed prematurely.  This meant it was unlikely I'd make it there so I sent the Lap in for  a once over.  Dale was to sort the tubeless, new BB, large and middle rings, Crank and chain.  Took a few days and I collected it late on a Wednesday and was a few quid lighter.

Still a ride from 8pm that night was reason enough.  Smooth gear changes and sure steering what a great bike.

Saturday seemed a good day.   Dry and pleasant.  Lee Shickell up for a ride and headed into Pines. just under the bridge on route 6 psssshhh looked down and spun the wheel to try and engage the tubeless.  A very big stick through the trye side and rim.  No success.  Bunged in some air and raced to the shop where Alex agreed  it was a a no goer Dave Watts was about. Great bloke and biker suggested some stuff and offered some tryes.  Fitted some tubes and managed a NPS and MPS route ride.

February made me shiver...

Bit of a cold snap and some local snow made for a few interesting days after the wee Peak climb (not to mention the slippery rides to work!)  All over far too soon if you ask me but still.


I managed a little sledging which all got a bit outta hand and being a fragile 40 something ended with a very painful fractured rib.


Still managed the commute and some riding though.  The commute was more dangerous than the Pines as packed snow became icy on footpaths whereas in the forest it was mainly fairly soft.

4x4 tracks and a temperature inversion en route into Pines

The ride into and around was atmospheric and amazing in every way.  The sound of the forest as the sun set of the crunch of the snow as I picked my way along various tracks and trails and the mist which came and went depending on the terrain.

A couple of the forest vistas

The ride out past the ever present headstocks which further added to the atmosphere.  

Bit of photoshop but
The Clipstone Headstocks

So the rib made riding a bit tricky so just back on it.  Lapierre having a 'Dale' in the Pines and the Santa Cruz is sporting new boots.  The Fire XC's have literally fallen apart!! VERY disappointing as they've only been on 8 years, Schwalbe Nobby Nics have a tough act to follow...


Made a trip to see some mates at the first XC of the season at Hicks Lodge (Parking!!!) which was great.  Took the camera

303 Mr Bradley closing in on 24th place

some shots were great and are on Flickr Mids XC Hicks Lodge,


Looking forward to getting the Lapierre back later this week.


Also looking forward to organising some winter climbing soon....

Peak climb

So for whatever reason 2011 has been a bike not climb year.  Early on it was the nice shiny new Lapierre.  Later it became a bit of a thing about D2D (see previous post!!)


Last year I managed some climbing mostly solo but a nice day out with a severely enthusiastic French dude Charles was memorable.doing Red Gully and a steep ice fall which had formed as a continuation of Aladins.


Anyway, its been cold its also snowed a bit, so my mind has returned to thoughts of mountains and climbing.  The peak isn't the obvious location for winter climbing as its too far south and too low.  BUT... Early in the season snow and prolonged cold can give decent conditions on some bits of the Peak.


Rumour has it, there was snow in the Peak.  Stanage last Sunday was great for snow men and a 5 yo but in the distance Mam Tor looked in winter nick and ukclimbing winter thread showed climbs done here and in Winnats.  I managed to get out Thursday and headed through Winnats to Mam Tor over the summit and descended the main gully. The snow was soft no evidence of neve or ice as its south facing and the sun gets on it real quick.  I looked at the girdle and its a climb I'd love to do in great condition.  The climbs on the whole face are great and the topo by Colin Wells is worth its weight in gold and I'll be doing them alll in time but today conditions weren't up to much.

So it was a down and up then drive down Edale Valley to check out Back Tor which being more North facing should be better but it hadnt held onto its snow.


Back up to Speedwell and Winnats.  Elbow ridge would be worth climbing as its in an amazing place and snow or not it'll be great. The car park at 3.50 standard charge was a shock so i didnt bother.  Straight up the pass and onto the ridge and boy did I feel the lack of climbing. Not the exercise but the exposure.  It felt high.  Awesome climbing did not disappoint and it'd be great winter tick.

Not so much winter today but still worth it.

Its re-ignited the desire to be out in the hills in winter for sure but given my climbing this year is zilch might be a relatively easy time of it.

January Training


Its always hard being motivated during the dark days of January.  We decided on a great motivator though, we decided to knacker a turbo and inter-cooler on our year old (admittedly second hand) car.  Only the one thousand quid for a new one... plus fitting.


'We' decided to take our time and sort it out in good time.  In the mean time we will manage with the one car, AKA Carl will get about on his bike and Gill will use the remaining car!!

A crap photo but riding in the January sun is just amazing

Thetford MTB Dusk til Dawn

2010 D2D was an epic endurance test of 9 hours rain, heavy rain so quite why I signed up again is a good question.  

My reason? I gave in. To the rain, the mud, the attrition.

Not this time.

Apart from anything else it just could not be that bad.

I was partnered with Rob Upton's Dad Neil.  I was paired with Neil Upton (Robs Dad).  Now I can confess to being surprised a tad.  In 2010 Neil could not hide his err surprise at turning up for a race.  I think he’d been sold one by his son. Rob looked on… avoiding his gaze.  Apparently though Neil felt the same… unfinished business. We sign on 

Upton/Miller it was.

 

Preparation I think was OK events through the summer and in early September I did a100k event in and around the Dalby in 5 and half hours. 6 weeks to go and I should be fine if I continued training. This was plan A.

The next week, midweek ride ended as darkness fell and headed home, straight into a forest gate. I managed to ride home but 9 hours later... a fractured elbow specifically the radial head.  

Plan B, was devised 4 weeks off to let the elbow heal; wake the legs in the week before the event; cross my fingers all would be well...

On arrival the blue sky promised a better ride.  I pitched and saved space for the Upton's but they set up with Chris Rider et al.  Did the lap and felt OK the sun was still shining. The 8 pad sets and a set of disks will do as spares another time.  Ate some more, drank some more, slept some.

As darkness fell however the first spots of rain fell. 

It was 2 hours until the start. 

It still could not be as bad as 2010.

Set out for the start line at 19:30 as I was up for lap one. 

The rain continued but not as bad as 2010.  

The start of any race is exciting, chaotic and full of expectation and adrenalin. Doing this in the dark with 500 other riders with thousands of lumens of bike light illuminating the track and arena.  Worth it for this alone.  The riding was slippery but rideable. Some pile ups and stalling but tried to stay up front to minimise the stop start of last year.  Saw a few boys on the trail.  Graham Gee was hilarious as he nailed a short steep and slippery section where most were pushing and sliding.  He cleared the way shouting some sort of banzai call. Riders dragging themselves to the side as he crowned the rise just as he lost momentum it at the lip tumbling left to take himself and a small stack of riders down the last few feet domino style. All taken in good heart with smiles all around in the true spirit of the race; XC it is not!!

Got back feeling good and Neil headed out on lap 2 whilst I  found my way back to my tent. 

I had prepared a ritual after each lap

1) Eat 

2) Drink (pain killers)

3) Check bike 

4) Rinse brakes and chainset 

5) Sleeping bag 

6) Sleep where possible.

7) New clothes if required

8) Pit

As I got in and as got out of the bag the rain continued...

 Conditions not too bad after lap1

Neil came in looking good but conditions had worsened on the course with more riders cutting up the ground.  Leading teams were flying despite the worsening conditions.


The rain went on.


Neil was great very encouraging as I came in off our lap 3.  He set off into the rain on our lap 4.  


I set off for the ritual.


The rain continued.


His 2nd lap was clearly harder, mud was causing plenty of offs and the going was tough for the entire lap. He was tired but we agreed this would be a hard lap. Probably 1am.


I went out with some trepidation but you just need to turn the pedals... Going was as described, very hard lots of riders all over the place and many sections getting washed out.  I found myself remembering parts of the course now, looking forward to the single track hating the sticky fireroads smiling at Vivaldi blaring out in woods playing the Four Seasons but surprisingly I came through fairly quick and Neil was still in the Pines tents.  I went up and gave him the good news, it was his turn again. 


I returned to my tent and repeated the ritual, a change of pads was required.


The rain was worse

The next time in Neil looked absolutely knackered the course had again worsened.  He wasn't sure he could make a 4th lap but he'd done a brilliant job keeping it going.  I tried to encourage him to get some food and a good rest and see how it felt then.  I think it was about 3.30am. I went out on my 4th and so our 7th.  The course was awful parts of it were almost unrideable. Not just the bomb holes  There was a section in the middle third which had started as single track with a rut but now was just a mud filled rut which as soon as the bike was off line the rear wheel disappeared from beneath me.  Time and again I'd skid out.  The gentle climbs were also painful. Mainly rideable but there'd be a dip full of sticky gloop and i'd be off again.  Then I'd get to Vivaldi Four Seasons. Four seasons?? 


It was raining. Really raining.


As I came into the arena Callum and Ade were missing from there tent on the track side.so as I came back in it was QT very few on course and not many in the pit.  No commentary and no tunes to welcome the (fool)hardy.  I hadnt seen anyone I knew for ages in fact I hadnt seen many people at all.  It was 5am thereabouts. Neil wasn't about so I went to the Pines tent.  All was dark.  


There was temptation to give in but I had the ritual.  

 Somewhere in the early hours

I returned to the tent and performed it one last time.  I felt shit but made something hot, drank rinsed the crap off the bike for some reason. 


I set my alarm again. 25mins.


It was raining


I shook myself out of the bag.  Some clean clothes no more gloves though but then I was back out. Heading for the pit, wondering why, why was I doing this again. I enjoy riding my bike; I enjoy riding my bike I enjoy riding my bike. I'm shivering in time with the mantra as I back to the pit to start a final lap.


Still it rained I hadn't felt it for hours all I felt was mud, staying on the bike, turn the cranks and picking a line.


I knew there would soon be some daylight. Surely that  would see a lift in spirits?  As I set off it was still dark but within 15mins I thought I could see first light creeping in through the rain.


As I continued to turn ticking off landmarks as I went considering short cuts and dismissing them immediately.  Not after all this pain am I going to do that.  I was passed like I was a spectator by Andy Cockburn.  Daylight began to illuminate the trail and I could turn off my headlight.  A drier line appeared occasionally. Even the rut became rideable. Vivaldi had finally realised that there was only one season in Thetford for this event and given in.  


From about half way I hoped the clock had reached 8 and the course was closed. If it hadn't I knew I couldn't live with myself if I stopped.  Wishing for the end I could hear the music had started to be played again, the camp was waking from another arduous 12 hours.  8am had come and gone.


I began to look forward to the arena.  I wanted to finish at the finish. In the rain.


I came up the final fire road and turned to pass my tent. Neil and Rob were just wandering to breakfast.  It took a minute for them to realise (kit change) but a great cheer as I passed really made me push on to the line. Ade and Callum did the same.


The rain went on


8 team laps 5 personal and a finish of 19 out of 57 pairs.  I wanted to finish at the end and I did.
It stopped about 8:45 in time for Andy Cockburn to receive his applause with an incredible 12 laps.  


I had a brilliant time and will definitely do 2012 if fit. Neil was great and gave it all. Conditions were grim again. Not, in the end, much different to 2010. It 


Registration opens in March... the rain? Can it be third time lucky or is Vivaldi really right.? Maybe a change of composer is in order, Water Music next year maybe?

2012

First post so I'll not ramble.

I'll post weekly what I've been up to mainly on bike I guess but also other stuff which may be of interest.

When I get out climbing that'll be here too but it seems less of an obsession for some reason.

The next most likely posts will be food or drink related and the odd pic of Gill or Lucy,