robster82

Chung, I mentioned to you last weekend I'm out the night before so unable to drive the morning of race, I'll do my best to pedal down and lend a hand.

Robbie
Think Charlie ( KOM) more appropriate

Hear Hear Jan enjoyed that tonight cheers lads

Hopefully, need the points...I mean training.

Not me this week. Primal Scream in a rainy Kelvingrove beckons.

Aye

Firstly, my legs are sore, very sore! But nothing compared to Paul and Alans.
 
My intentions today were to meet the men on the second lap and kill myself for the team, I think I achieved that.
 
Paul and Alan, simply an incredible effort! To sustain that speed, over those hills for 112 miles is ridiculous! Well done to both of you, enjoy your celebratory beers.

2017 Double Arran Challenge........

2017 Double Arran Challenge........

Just realised Andy also completed the double, many miles solo as well! Wow! Well done.

Firstly, my legs are sore, very sore! But nothing compared to Paul and Alans.
 
My intentions today were to meet the men on the second lap and kill myself for the team, I think I achieved that.
 
Paul and Alan, simply an incredible effort! To sustain that speed, over those hills for 112 miles is ridiculous! Well done to both of you, enjoy your celebratory beers.

Was a great day out although a bit disappointed too. Starting to struggle by the Lochranza climb then going through Lamlash the second time my head went quickly followed by my legs. Probably a sensible choice to chuck it but it does mean unfinished business!
 
I may need to take over the clubs Arran obsession now that Paul has got the Arran Triple Crown (the single, the 56/50 and the Double) - like George says he'll be feeling like Alexander the Great not having any more lands to conquer!

Just to add a wee note. Today was completely amazing with a totally disciplined pace line meant that we maintained a steady speed over lap one. Alan was and is a total legend the way he took spells but to be honest you have to say exactly the same for Paul and Jan. There were a few dark moments the first being turning into the wind at Lochranza. I was paced up and to my surprise we KoM'd Pirnmill to Brodick despite the pace up the climb and the headwind into Brodick.
 
Second lap and with the energy in Paul and Alan and the arrival of Robbie you could tell the DA was on. The climb out of whiting bay saw my second moment of darkness. The combination of wind, sharp hills and nasty transitions put me in the red and I knew I was done. Imagine my surprise when reaching Lochranza it was still 50 minutes and 15 miles to the boat. I gave it absolutely everything I had left and even seeing the boat pull out as I arrived felt more like a victory than a failure!
 
Thank you Paul, Jan, Robbie and Alan for an unforgettable day!
 
Andy

Just realised Andy also completed the double, many miles solo as well! Wow! Well done.

Firstly, my legs are sore, very sore! But nothing compared to Paul and Alans.
 
My intentions today were to meet the men on the second lap and kill myself for the team, I think I achieved that.
 
Paul and Alan, simply an incredible effort! To sustain that speed, over those hills for 112 miles is ridiculous! Well done to both of you, enjoy your celebratory beers.

So DA is done. Sigh of relief, you don't have to read all my DA punctuation mince any more. Until we do it again.
 
Alan McB and me were the lucky ones who achieved immortality but it was most certainly the result of tremendous teamwork, the likes of which only happens on very special days. I was a particularly lucky recipient of the teamwork, as was Alan but he just did not need it as much as I did !
 
So me, Alan, Jan and Andy did a brilliantly smooth first lap. Very even workload and very smooth changes. Alan was doing longer pulls but very importantly not faster just longer. Thanks to my gals who planked our stash to save us a few seconds. Iain Carvill also joined us on ferry to do a single on his own.
 
First lap was a fast one with the excellent teamwork and perfect conditions. Just as well as Alan had a front wheel puncture which we changed toot sweet as we were not for losing his horsepower.
 
End of lap 1 we were getting into the stash and just about ready to leave when Robbie came floating up to the bench. This was the first Angel I saw today. His fresh legs were very welcome and even though we were pretty gubbed by this point, I have to say he was flying. And I guess that was after a nightshift which was likely the reason he did not make 7am ferry.
 
So in the early part of the second lap Jan was over extending so shouted us to go on. He then did the ultimate team duty, more of which later. About 15 miles into second lap Andy had a bad spell and tailed off, but it was temporary, more later. Myself Robbie and Alan then horsed it up the east coast, well Robbie and Alan did and I dabbled with the notion of spells.
 
Turned round into the long climb at Lochranza into headwind and Robbie, somewhat understandably after doing a power of work on the second lap, tailed off a bit. Alan cantered up the climb with the bit between his teeth and soloed on for the last 12 miles to achieve immortality. I plugged my way up then then down the descent and was going up the rise before the last 8 miles or so which by this time was a strong headwind and honestly I was at point of stopping and getting a bus. I was cooked in every way. Then I saw another angel, Jan had rode round in reverse and proceeded to drag me in a state of delirium for the last 8 miles and give me jellies and generally ride at the only pace I could manage. Made it back to ferry and thought to myself if I was to stop cycling tomorrow then I would be happy with my cycling life. Relief beyond words to stop the pain.
 
Robbie then rode in and caught the ferry to complete a very impressive single as he spent a lot more than 1/2 the lap on the front, and we had to ask him to scale it back a lot of times.
 
Meantime Andy had rallied and also rode the full double, which means he rode about 40 miles on his tod. What a trooper. He rode into Brodick as the ferry was floating out !
 
Speaking for myself, there is no way I could have done that without every one of the guys contributions today. Thank you all immensely for making a dream come true.
 
Need to spend some time now thinking up a new challenge
 

Just realised Andy also completed the double, many miles solo as well! Wow! Well done.

Firstly, my legs are sore, very sore! But nothing compared to Paul and Alans.
 
My intentions today were to meet the men on the second lap and kill myself for the team, I think I achieved that.
 
Paul and Alan, simply an incredible effort! To sustain that speed, over those hills for 112 miles is ridiculous! Well done to both of you, enjoy your celebratory beers.

Tremendous Ross well done

I'm definitely up for a trip, preference would be May sometime, with sun and climbs, ideally an iconic one.....

Excellent run yesterday by Loch Tarsan, the C11 climb followed by a brief rest and relaxation at Otter Ferry. Well paced run up to Strachur. The tearoom was welcoming to us! Run down towards Dunoon we finally got some rain. Alan and Alex did some massive efforts on the front.
 
One very aggressive driver trailing a large boat got angry as he passed us. Sounding his horn and veering in towards us. Fortunately Alex and Alan got his number plate and we saw him later at the Dunoon chandelry unhooking his boat.
 
Apart from that eejit it was a great day with an overall pace of 18.5mph. Good effort to all! Great to see Ian back in the bunch too!
 
Andy

Hopefully, need to get back down to 5 stone.

Not me - DA training camp in Spain. Near Moi training country. My good lord it's beautiful.
Alan-I know I was wnding you up about man flu but sanity prevailed, we need you fit and better for DA so hope you are better.
Robster, hope all went well, might even beat you up the clune before you lose that 200g you have put on ! ?
Watch that Andy, stronger than he looks, clearly been training for DA,
Have a good one chaps.
By the way Jesus, if you beat my strava time up C11 I will buy you a crate of beer of your choice. Ps you are going to regret beating me in that intermediate when I was recovering from a triple heart bypass and hip replacement. For ever

Hopefully, need to get back down to 5 stone.

That you up to 5 1/2 stone??