Old Gore 2 up 10

When the going gets tough the tough get going!

The weather this week was described a float night, in other words a good night to have gone for course record. I’m not so sure as I defiantly felt so breeze on the way back. With partners selected, we had a few solos lead out, with only just a slight discrepancy in abilitys! First out of the traps was Mike the Post, did he know something the rest of us didn’t as he still had his mudguards and saddle bag on. Wobbley Bob wasted no time in his persuit of him looking very fast down the hill, showing he may have got his down hilling Mojo back.

The next person to come down was “Crouching Tiger Tony”, which I thought odd at the time as he was meant to be riding with “The Destroyer”. He was, Tony & The Destroyer have very different lines and abilities down the hill, and “The Destroyer” was some 50 metres behind after only 400 metres! The instruction to Tony was “don’t look back, see you up the other side” oh how he was going to get his own back for dropping him…

Most friendly start had to go to the Tandem, waving like the folks on the Titanic as she set sail tinging the bell for all their worth. Out on course one thing became very clear to me, the difference between a 12 & 11 tooth sprocket on the rear. Cookie dragged me down the hill at insane speeds, with the final lefthander taken at 40mph. At this point I got a turn on the front, one of the few! The turn was reached in 9:35 minutes which may have accounted for the slight redness in my face but our quarry of Harwood & Fallon were mere seconds in front, could we catch them?

At this point was where the wheels started to fall off, I dreaded passing The Spinner & Animal just before the top of a hill. To make thing worse, HR had just hit 94%, which meant I had to have a polite word in Cookies ear to just back him off a little. So far so good, we had lost nothing to the 2 in front, Hr was dropping back down. Marcle was just pain for me, with our arch rivals just starting to pull away up the end of the straight, at the same time passing Burke & Hare thinking they were really struggling. Everything focused on the last climb, The Enemy knowing how I struggle up the climbs gave it some beans. As we ascended the climb, poor ol Mike was frightened out of his skin by the expletive coming out of Cookies mouth trying to make me go quicker. I was ok as Cookie was using a language I did not understand. The shouting continued going right up to the finish which made everyone look to see what was happening down the hill. One thing was for sure, I had got the best out of Cookie as he looked a broken man as we went over the line, in the process just taking top spot by a mere 16 seconds, the hill almost costing us. They had climbed like angels but just not enough.

The rest I here you ask?

Burke & Hare did just enough to take 3^rd spot, but must be very disappointed with the time, only seconds quicker than on a solo night. Steve W. & a partner he’d never met before must have worked really well together especially as Steve was not going to ride as he thought he’d had a hard day at work. As I work with him. I know it not to be true!

Surprise package was “Crouching Tiger” & “The Destroyer”, who got the best out of him in the process Scalping The Spinner & Animal. This feat made Tony very very happy, to the point he collapsed on the side of the road in great distress almost talking to some one called Huey. Last of the pairings saw Dave P drag his brother around showing much brotherly love in the process.

The Tandem pairing appeared to have had a grand ride in the country, only spoilt by a lack of suitable gearing for the flatlands spinning out most of the ride. The Wobbly One put in a very respectable time, probably wishing Happy Taylor had turned up being his partner from earlier in the season. Mikes choice of the mudguards could have been the wrong shout.

Thanks this week goes to Steve Millard Scud launcher 1 & Wayne Mason Scud 2 with Earl Smith Scud 3. Bill Reay was your turn master. Julie did the timing with Earl eyeing my car up and spotting the riders as they came over the line.

Rider/Riders of the night this week Went to “The Destroyer & Crouching Tiger Tony” for a pairing that got the best out of each other.

Next week We defiantly need a turn marshal and a second time keeper. Am open to volunteers, give me a shout asap.

We are at Walford with a 7:30 start

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.