DavidC

muddiest night yet, but excellent fun.....Paul hope your arm is ok, need to practice them right hand turns :-)

well you know what happens when you put big boys, toys, adrenaline and mud together .....
 
Great fun
 
 

Great fun, love that route to Houston! Somehow I manged to get stung by nettles on my face! tingly

Had to wash mud off of mud before I could get to the mud on my bike... Both me and bike hosed down before going in the house. That was madness tonight. Loved it!

Yup David see you there

Absolute cracking course which will be leaf city. Last chance to enter tonight but you might be able to twist the organiser's arms to enter on the day.
 
V40s and 50s and juniors all together so it will be about 4 billion cross riders going for the first corner. I am going to totally dive bomb it and cause maximum carnage and sweariness.
 
Looks like U12s and youths can enter on the day so bring a small person as well. I am taking 3. We need a loan of a 52 or 54 cx bike if anyone has one please. It will be returned spotless and hopefully with the RD intact (i'm not really selling this, am I?)
 
Alan

21/2 hours door to door plenty mud and spills, Allan took us on some secrete trails around kilmacolm that we're " atmospheric " in other words spooky . Bike now power washed and feet up.
 
Iain

Weather was fine, terrain was wet and muddy, company was excellent, had a blast. And Alan saw the light (Couttie is more lit up than Paisley town hall at Xmas) and joined us.

Ah you missed yourself Alex. The cràic was thoroughly enjoyable although there were a few moments of various individuals disappearing into the swamp.
 
Good to see a full house at Das Bagelhausen today. Looking forward to being back in the bunch again!
 
Andy

CX team - weather forecast very changeable but looks like a goer for tomorrow. A piece of planning advice - you might want to remove bottle cages as there is a lot of carrying
And bring spare socks in a poly bag to put on at Bagel basket if you are in the old age frozen foot brigade.

Yes Iain, the views were interesting. The bits we could see in our lights through the rain. Was good fun as always

I think Paul you must be made of goretex, even I had had enough rain and mud. Thanks again Alex for the bike loan.
 
Iain

No worries Iain. Problem with lights is you don't stop when it gets dark. If Paul doesn't have a reason to stop he'll just keep going... Not been that wet and muddy for a long time, but great route. Wonder what it looks like in the daylight?

Road bike for me. You cx guys can sit outside at the BB (assuming you make it!) as you'll be manky if last night was anything to go by.

CX brigade will depart from Castle Semple Loch at 9am assuming there are at least 2 commits. It would be 'not sensible' to do it single. David Cathcart and Alan McLean are mibeez, Andy G a likely so post up intentions chaps. This is a life changing* experience and one to add to the bucket list !
 
*under certain weather conditions this could be changed to 'threatening'
 

A far wider, more uphill track this time. Again, very tough with no respite, but a much better start cleared a lot of the bottle necks. The technical bits are clearly where I'm losing time, closing in until the dreaded tight 180s (of which there were loads) when I'd immediately lose 10 metres or so.
 
Getting better though. 5 seconds separated my 22nd position from 19th position, which isn't a lot over a 1 hour race!
 
Great turnout from the Jets and great to see Alan McLean and Billy in the V50s as well as David B, David C and Paul L with me in the V40s.
 
Magic cake being dished out throughout followed by a few enjoyable post race aperitifs.

Did I mention the beer?

Lots of Wheelers and Jets(great performances) about which was brilliant to see... Billy look great for his first CX race and Alan McLean looked very pro! Alex just missed out on a top 20 place, David C had a huge improvement from last week and looked really strong, Davie B looked to be going well too until the last lap  personally all I can say is I lapped my nemesis although he had punctured and switch to a mountain bike... but hey it still counts ... great day out.... pity about the Rugby

Really interesting venue with views over the Forth and racing cars on the circuit next door. Not the prettiest circuit across windswept car parks but there was some variety including a hay bale slalom and fast gravel tracks. Very well organised.
 
usual charge at the start, about sixth to the first corner then lost a few places to finish about 10 in a pack of 40 or so. I was lapped 200m before the finish which was annoying and missed my own "final" lap. Billy whomustnotbenamed enjoyed his first cross race so much he crashed at the first remount and had the squinty shifter badge of honour.
 
better performance from the Jets with a 2nd, 2nd and 3rd respectively for Hamish, Ellie and Luisa in their categories (correct me if wrong). AND they all got sweetie bags at the finish.
 
I left half-way through v40 race, Alex Baird in top 10 for first few laps, Davie, David and Paul mid-pack.
 
Still sunny and warm in Fife. when winter comes it will be  a shock.

hi, for those of you interested here's a link to a Vernier caliper which should help prevent you ordering a 34.4mm seatpost instead of a 34.2mm.
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainless-Steel-150mm-Vernier-Caliper-Gauge-Micrometer-Measuring-Tool-UK-Stock-/261879026336?hash=item3cf934d2a0:g:c10AAOSwqu9VSr-W
 
Also after my double take at possible missing parts I checked my headset and that particular model does not need a split washer. The bike nerds amongst you will like to know that there is a tapered washer built into the top bearing cover which tightens against the steerer obviating the need for the tapered split washer. Any normal reader should be asleep by now

I will be at Iain's yard at 6.30

Would any of the cyclocross fraternity be interested in doing the murshiel challenge on this day.
This involves riding up to murshiel then on up track as far as you can go. There is then a section of something like 4k where you have to carry your bike through peat bog, it is not rideable and you can expect to wade though ditches up to your thighs. Then join the Loch Thom road at highest point and down into Largs to join rest of groups.
Challenge is to get there before the bunch going round the coast.
 

Thanks to Alan for an excellent workshop. Disassembly and assembly of 2 bottom brackets & a headset and how to survive almost any breakdown. He even had helicopter tape. Simply mind boggling.
That is workshop series done so thanks to Chung Paul and Alan for being so generous with their time and wisdom

only 67th your training is not hard enough, more running jumping and climbing required, and perhaps push ups in the mud!

What a brilliant day out, We definitely messed up starting at the back... I stayed close to Alex for the first laps but slowly drifted backwards after my heart rate went through the roof. Had a few spills trying to make up some time on technical bits(but I am OK Couttie, so no need to worry), Finished 94   but enjoyed every bit if it now that I am drinking a Belgian beer watching the pros do it! Well done to Alex and David on their first CX race. Great to see David B, Emma and Jessica M(Jets) who took 3rd  place in her race! 
 
Roll on next weekend for more punishment