Dusk 'til Dawn 2012

[teethgrinder]

I don't remember anything important. I think they're doing food, but we can always go off route and find a pub if we get hungry. They say it's well signposted.
You start from 9:30 to 10:30, whenever you like.

[teethgrinder]

You two are putting me to shame 

Hopefully I'll get out this afternoon....

I wouldn't worry. It's only a bit of fun. I think this'll be my 3rd time out on my mountain bike this year.
Not sure what I'll do about lights, now my Exposure has packed up. I'll be visiting their stall next week to see if they can fix it.

[trio25]

I'm going to be there, racing in a pair. Hoping the weather improves but mudguards on the mtb ready anyway!

[teethgrinder]

That went well.
Good weather, a good route and I only fell off once and so did bobb. No damage done, allthough I did need to untie my bicycle after my off. I don't reccommend Essex clay as a delicacy BTW
I managed to send us the wrong way at the start, so we ended up starting with the second loop and set off doing it the wrong way around after a later than planned start because of train delays. Ended up catching people all the way around the first loop, spreading dissapointment that they weren't the last ones after all. Amazing how far up the field you have to go before people stop thinking that they are the last rider,
Finished the day off by being the bastard on the crowded train with a very muddy bike which was using the bike space so that a few people had to stand. All in a good day's work.

[bobb]

Yeah - that was really good! You forgot to mention the more-than-hub-deep flood we had to go through! Of course I had to put a foot down when my front wheel sunk deeper and deeper meaning I spent the rest of the ride with a soaking right foot. I soon forgot about it though...

I have already cleaned my bike 

[bobb]

Well gentlemen, after all this time race day night is almost upon us!

I've fettled my bike (new brake pads after noticing there was almost nothing left of them! And serviced front hub which went underwater last weekend).

I'll be getting the train on Saturday morning. I'll have to ride to Witham first (Engineering works. Again) then get to Norwich before heading back down to Brandon. I hope to get there some time in the afternoon. Maybe we should meet in a pub - it will be our last chance of warmth for some time!

It's been getting pretty cold at night, so I'm going to bring tons of warm clothes for the time spent off the bike. I have no idea if we'll have anywhere to sit or even anything to do when we're not riding. Hopefully we'll at least be able to get a hot drink.

I've got lights sorted - 2 x HV1s and a spare Cateye ES-whatever. I've also got 36 spare AA batteries 

I'll PM my mobly number so we can contact each other on arrival.

Bring it on!

[PaulF]

Just got back from my night ride with the LBS, lights back on charge. Looking forward to it

[PaulF]

Bike all washed and ready to go.

I'll be driving over to arrive in the afternoon - I'll have space for a track pump, tools etc. so if you're travelling light I'll have that. I'll PM my mobile number

[Justin(e)]

Good luck - I hope it goes well - certainly looks like fun.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

bobb, I've decided you're not to go. I miss you and I want to skype you tomorrow night, so you need to cancel. *stern face*




























 

[teethgrinder]

Bike still dirty from ast weekend.
No train tickets booked yet.

But I now have some working lights.
Just need to do the club TT anual report, then I can start to get ready.

Should be there at about 4pm or so. I'll go to the cafe in Brandon and phone you if you're not there.

bobb, I've decided you're not to go. I miss you and I want to skype you tomorrow night, so you need to cancel. *stern face*

Don't worry, you'll still be able to skype bobb (whatever skyping is ) We'll be spending more time hanging around than actually riding bikes.

[bobb]

The train on which I am now booked arrives at Brandon at 16:21. I shall head straight to the cafe. I assume it's the one I saw you loitering outside last time?!

[teethgrinder]

Yes, that's the one. I should be on a train arriving at 15:45, so I'll just have to drink extra tea.
You should see my bike outside the cafe. It'll have the big red panniers on. Don't worry, I'll take them off for the race.
I'll phone you if things go pear shaped or if you're not there by 16:45.

Paul, if you don't know the cafe, it's on the main road through Brandon on the left if you're going north.
I think it will probably be quite busy with mountain bikers.

[PaulF]

Paul, if you don't know the cafe, it's on the main road through Brandon on the left if you're going north.
I think it will probably be quite busy with mountain bikers.

Thanks, I'll see you there.

Just loaded the bike in the car and heard an ominous hissing, managed to tear the sidewall and the Stan's did nothing except spray a fine mist of latex everywhere. Spare tyre now fitted, carb loading about to commence

[clarion]

Good luck, chaps!

[bobb]

Ta 

Just noticed we need to be signed in by 18:30, so better not hang around the cafe too long!

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Bobb texted about half nine to say he'd done his first lap.

[teethgrinder]

That was fun.
bobb rode the first lap with all the traffic. We didnt think that many were riding because not many were about at the briefing, but when everyone set off at the start there were several hundred.
I think bobb and Paul managed the slippery mud a lot better than I did. I wasn't keen on having my front wheel slide sideways so much and was very slow on my 1st lap.
The course seemed to dry out a bit and my second lap went much better. As bobb and Paul got slower, I got faster, so we ended up doing laps in more or less the same time.
I don't know how some of the faster riders managed to go so quick. While I slid sideways and nearly hit a tree, someone came past me through the deep and slippery mud without any trouble.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Bobb said he's not sure he'll do it again unless they move it to a more sensible time of year - I get the impression it was very cold.

[PaulF]

That's a minor understatement. It was below freezing most of the night!

Perhaps with hindsight we'd have been more comfortable with dry clothes to change into after each run. Or evens warm camper van...

[bobb]

Just got home! Slowly bringing my core body temperature back up to normal 

[bobb]

Bobb said he's not sure he'll do it again unless they move it to a more sensible time of year - I get the impression it was very cold.

I only said that because I was so cold at the time! Now I'm warmed up - I'm up for it 

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

 

[teethgrinder]

The other teams must have had somewhere warm to go to while we sat in the Exposure (aptly named ) tent.
If I do it again (not unlikely) I'd bring a camping stove and kettle plus other camping stuff.

[mattc]

Sod the weather reports - did you win?!?