Hill Climb

Only 8 people turning up for the hill climb this year but some strong performances put in.

New chap Keith and Max using there size advantage to take 1st and 2nd with Fallon not far behind.

Graham having a moment of maddness (sorry Graham but its true) decided a pull TT bike, disc and all would be the way to go!

Young Matt put in a great ride beating many that are are much faster over 10 miles, just wait till he gets some clip on bars for his road bike!.

Handicap 10 - This season's last 10mi

Very sadly this was the last seasons 10. The evening had a little wind but for me personally felt pretty hard. Someone no doubt will point out that the boxing day 10 is actually on this years schedule!

Being that this was a handicap, every year there is a ringer!

I can say this without hesitation as I've been one of them in the past. Changing out box rim wheels for a disc and a deep section come the last race of the season.

Now this years winner, did it even better. He went to a full TT rig and aero helmet and but in a bloody good effort! (Okay no disc, only semi aero wheels). Fair play to Max who managed 19:56 on handicap! No doubt some fast times from Max next season.

The handicaps working pretty well as most people coming within a minute of each other.

With the usual timers away other people stepped in.

Many thanks to Tim and Sam for doing the turn, Fallon for pushing off and Sammie for doing the timing and working out the handicaps at the end.

Tomorrows event is the long hill climb up Cat's hill. Remember we don't meet at walford for this, its at the Bishopswood village hall. Heading out of ross on the Walford course, after kerne bridge take the next right (please dont try and turn into the bus stop!). We park in the public car park just outside the hall. Sign on at 6:30ish for a 7pm kick off. Oh and when i say long hill climb, its not that long, as it takes about the same time as getting to the turn at Lydbrook when doing the 10 from Walford :)

We won't be retiring to the Rowing club, so I expect we will end up in the Prince of Wales. Check with the people at the event to be sure!

Final Old Gore

There’s an old saying, whilst the mouse is away the cats will play or something similar, and that’s what happened last night. With so many away and possibly the threat of rain putting a few off, it left the door wide open for my first win of the season. Well actually left the door wide open for Harwood. The wind was close to gale force 10 making the return home an absolute nightmare, but by the same token not helping 100% on the way out. Dave gave it all the beans out, but once he’d caught me backed off a little, but then again it could have been the wind slowing him! New 2^nd claim rider Adam must have put a huge spurt on in the last 4 miles as I could see him up till that point, Oh how I hate hills….

On his new TT bike, complete with aero helmet Max put in a serious charge to show what new kit can do to times, just wait till he gets used to it. He was only about 20 seconds in front of me on Marcle straight coming back, but he too must have dropped the hammer down in the last couple of miles and up the climb. Taff look out he’ll be very close to your scalp. Tonking Tony was very happy with his ride knocking 46 seconds off his PB, not bad considering he’s not been out for the last couple of weeks. Jennifer this week had a big smile on her face afterwards, as she was not happy with last week’s performance. As we all know Old Gore is much harder than Walford, but even so finding 50 seconds on last week outing. Mike the Post found the evening tough, only excelling up the climb. Gerald also found it tough going but this week was rewarded by passing Mary just before the final climb. Mary was not despondent as on an evening where most had gone slower she’d only lost 2 seconds on her season’s best. Must have been all the training in the last 2 weeks.

Thanks this week go to John Hall, James & Tom Wilson at the roundabout (Tom only cheered me, did anyone notice?), Peb for pushing off and the 2 Julies for timing.

Rider of the night this week was easy, this week it’s Maximum Attack Suff, great ride.

Next week is the final 10 of the year, The Handicap 10. Be early for a handicap, Will and Sammy are in charge. At present we have no turn marshal and lots who want to ride, do we have any volunteers?

The week after is the Long hill climb I’m sure there will be more volunteers than riders for that one as we only need 2 timekeepers.

Don’t think the end of the season is nigh, we have The Vintage Tankard coming up scheduled for 2^nd October, we are hosting around the Marcle circuit.

Wednesday night was the second RFDCC Junior MTB Time Trial held on the FODCA/Free miners Trail at Cannop. The race was over a distance of either 1 or 2 laps with the fastest lap counting in each category. Several lads of our Ross dads took part.

They had an entry of 24 children ranging from 7 to 14 years of age. The most hotly contested category was the 9-11 age group with 15 competitors. Tom Wilson came top in the boys with a time of 22.07 and Ella Church was first girl in 33.47. The fastest ride of the night came from Under 15 category winner, Ashley Hutchison, aged 13, who completed two laps, his best being 19.29. The Under 9 boy’s winner was 7 year old Alastair Cook in 32.18 and the Under 9 girls winner was Lily Crowley, aged 7, in 33.26. James Cook rode around in 26:08 finishing 13^th overall, second in age group.

Tom is 1st left side, next to him is Alister

Penultimate Walford 10

This week’s event was the penultimate Walford 10 of the season, which means there’s only one left which is the Handicap 10. Will, you know what I’m going to ask for that night!

Conditions were slightly gusty making the outward leg a little more difficult than usual, but on the positive side you did get a push to the finish. Cookie took top honours this week just squeezing (he is a big lad) into the 21’s. Turbo Will was not 100% happy only improving a tadge on his previous time on Walford, but there must be something wrong when your time is so similar to Old Gore!

Fallon was the opposite being very pleased with his time and in the process giving Jwoooooones The Steam a drubbing along the way, who himself gave me similar. Just to add insult to injury Dave P snuck past me by a second, so Tuesday is my last chance to put him back in his place.

A close eye should be kept on Taff the Chair as he’s slowly closing in on everyone, only a matter of time before someone cops it. Millie just about held back the next wave of riders with Ian Smith still coming to terms with his new bike.

Adam Spector on holiday from a North London club gave his road bike an outing to a very reasonable time on our course, having met our club ride on the Sunday who gave him the invite. Good to see Wayne back out even if he’s not completely recovered, not a million miles from his best time! Max was on a mission this week, to go sub 28 which he did. This he wanted to do before his new machine breaks cover next week. Clive C put in a steady effort, but will need to do more training next year to keep the peasants at bay.

A strange night the next 2 riders were the first of 2 ties of the evening. Tom who was disappointed with his ride and Ziggy who was delighted (PB) just held off Come Try it Rider Walky who too was very delighted, this week again giving a whoop as he finished on another borrowed bike knocking a minute dead off last weeks efforts. Young Fallon JNR was another jubilant with his first time under the golden half hour marker. How much more can he chip off before the end of the season?

The second tie of the evening was between another come try it rider Louise Hart & B.C. Bill Reay (looked shocked by a lady coming so close to scalping him). Hopefully we will see more of Louise as I think there’s a lot more to come once she gets to know the courses. The second North Roads rider Jennifer Hill crossed the line using a monster gear, saying afterwards that was her chosen style mashing the last 100 metres. Gerald once again volunteered to bring up the rear of the field, but on a technical note was not last!

I said it was a strange night, this week we had 2 punctures. How often does anyone have a puncture let alone 2? Charlie Iron Horse Bowden was first only getting to Vention lane. Dave H was the second, who blamed poor Cookie for scaring the air out of his tub at the turn by shouting at him from 200 metres away. Now for anyone who’s not heard Cookie shout at 200 metres away, without looking you would swear he was 2 foot behind you.

Thanks this week goes to John Hall who was persuaded to go to the turn, Bob Ryan for balancing everyone at the start before launch and the 2 Julies, Suff & Stephens for timings.

Rider of the night this week is Louise for a cracking first effort.

Next week is the last Old Gore of the season.

In the Cardiff 100 miles 50 today(bit of a mouthful) we just failed in the team prize when Clive Chappe needed to finish in 1:57:00 to clinch it for us…..

Cookie destroyed the field in 1:47:20, I did a 2:06:55, with Clive in at 2:22:52

On 18^th & 25^th August we’re going to need some help running the events. Julie & I will not be around. We have some help but more will be required!!!

Monday will be the last supper for the Jwooooooones family before they go to America, when we’re going for a curry. Give me a shout if you fancy coming along.