Well done to everyone who braved their way around the Brazier yesterday
I think we were represented by Tomsk, Sister Carol, Tippers and Jiberjaber. The latter two ECE'd it and in Tippers' case this meant the successful conclusion to RRTY x2.
It should of course be noted that the legend that is DL was probably doing an equally gruelling session on the rollers with a windmachine turned up at full power.
For me the ride ended earlier than expected. I am beginning to think the problem may be my unlucky top. The first time I wore it I fell in a pothole and now an early bath on the ECE to the Brazier.
I duly turned up at Tipper Towers at too early for a windy Sunday morning o'clock and we set off into the wind. It was all going well until Tippers uttered the fateful words, "well, we've got an hour and a half that should be plenty of time to cover the 25k to arrivee". No sooner had he said this than my rear tyre started to deflate.
I can only excuse myself by saying that I felt under pressure to get on with things and not make Tippers late for the start of the calendar event but somewhere along the line I managed to put the wheel on incorrectly
As soon as I got back on and turned the pedals the chain kinked and the derailleur bent. Cue me searching out tools and chain links while Tippers got on with the actual repairing. With a bent derailleur and a chain missing too many links, I had to make the decision to abandon and pedal home with the gears I had left. I felt doubly bad that not only had Tippers patiently stayed on to help to the point where he was under serious time pressure, but also he was continuing on his own anyway and might as well have just abandoned me to my fate. Thanks Tippers
Assuming the parts turn up on time, I am hoping to persuade the Hustler to join me in riding the Horses for Courses on Saturday to tie in with Tomsk's helpers ride. After all, when you are definitely not doing RRTY like the Hustler and me it is important that you fit in a few fun rides that happen to be 200km long.
On the subject of tyres, as I explained in the pub last week, I have even less patience than Tippers when it comes to tyres. I have some Durano plus tyres on order with the other parts and these will be replacing the Michelins that were on the bike on Saturday. The Vittoria Open Paves that I have on the Flyer have been very good this winter but I know that when they get to a certain mileage they just give up.
