Old Gore 2 up 10

The Old Gore 2 up is a good tough course to find out how good your partner selection was. The fast out, mountain type terrain finish needs team work which means 2 out right fast riders will suffer on the hill, likewise 2 hill climbers are going to suffer like dogs on the flat bits. There is however an exception to this rule! It goes by the names of Earl & Leyton. Earl may be very fast on the flat but his natural habituate is courses that undulate. Leyton also loves the hills, which ensured their first team win taking the prize money. Oh sorry, spent it already on my wheels!

Hot on their heels was The Cookmeister and Dave H. If ever there was a teaming that looked out of kilter, this was it. On the positive side, I have revived an old award for Dave. Yes folks, tonight’s winner of “The Face of Pain” goes to Dave Harwood. I seriously thought I was going to be riding through his stomach contents up the hill to the finish.

Next pairing through also looked a little ragged around the edges. Apparently, Fallon had forced the pace out to the turn only for Will to light it up the hills. This was the point at which Will heard a little squeaky voice politely asking him to just ease it off very slightly. The pairing of Sammy the Missile and myself also had slight issues, with Sam not quite as brave down the hill, then finding he couldn’t get top gear as I dragged him out to the turn at 30 mph average. At this point I may have overstepped the mark by then inducing him to make the same sort of squeaky noises Fallon had been making. WobblyBob and Alan sounded like they had enjoyed their experience with Alan’s quote of the night being “that boy’s an animal! “.

The teaming of Simon & Andy was disorganised chaos! Prior to the start they had already worried Earl by telling him how they were going to wash the floor with him. Everything was going to plan until Andy was running late with no petrol, struggled to find the start. Then it went from bad to worse for them. They failed to go fast enough. I think you boy’s owe Earl an apology…..

I was expecting big things from “The Animal” and James “The Spin Dryer”. The plan should have been Clive did the work out, James home. The problem was later tracked down to Clive’s back tyre, or the lack of it. It would appear James did not want to ride behind with the amount of canvas showing and whipping him in the face. I must mention at this point, even Mike said he would not have used such a worn tyre.

The Destroyer blagged the easiest ride of the night looking fresher afterwards than before starting. On the other hand, his partner Sharky looked messy. How can anyone sweat that much?

Dream team pairing of Mike and Gerald worked well. Gerald was in charge of the speed, Mike the climb to the finish. They seemed the happiest of all the pairings.

Mark “Taff no Mates” Lavington decided to do a solo, not wishing to drag, or was it slow anyone down? In the process he managed to do a PB and was very pleased with his effort. Well done, you got a couple of votes for team of the night. This now leads me into Rider, Team of the night. This was close between the winners and Sam & myself. Over many beers later, the consensus was Sam & I were "The Riders of the Night", primarily down to the time we knocked off our best times for the course.

Thanks this week to Julie timing, Mary & Peb for scaring everyone pushing off, only joking!, and Bill at the magic roundabout.
Next week we’re back to Walford. Note 7:30 start. Wanted, a turn marshal. I have one but if I use him it means I will have to sell my soul.

Forest event is their 15-mile hilly meeting at Shortstanding

For those that have not heard, Ross won the team prize at Ludlow. Wobbly Bob also scooped prise money there. I told you it was a fast course.

This Weekend we were again close to the team prize money. If Cookie had done a 48, it would have been ours for the taking. As it was Cookie won the event, which made him all emotional and happy.