2013 BMORC Bash

Well - firstly I must apologise for not posting this up sooner but I was so emotionally overcome by the ride on Sunday that I have only just stopped shaking and been able to put my thoughts into some sort of coherence.

Once again a bunch of crazies headed eastward out of Woodford along the fabled Oaks fire trail toward Glenbrook. This was after quite a lot of chit chat at the trail head but these conversations were put on hold until the next regroup. Fortunately Chuck only had to wait 19.5 seconds as Trim's bike, the winner of the Best Bike Brand Award literally had a hissy fit with the air in his rear tyre deciding it wanted out and it wanted out now.

Out with the spanners (no quick release on this baby as well as no quality, no strength, no good engineering practice and no regard to lightweight design) and the wheel was off, new tube inserted and carefully inflated to a precisely calibrated pressure to prevent the tyre separating from the rim and we were off again.

Tim was taking no chances on the Project bike (more appropriate would have been "Basket Case) riding steadily through the first rough section.

At the BMX track it was time for Chuck and Miggle to try some OTB action but they made it through unscathed. Some other riders who had been ahead of us decided to turn around at this point - I wasn't surprised as who would want to risk their lives sharing the trail ahead with us?

As we arrived at the Circles, the Achilles heel of these old bikes - seat posts and seat clamps needed some attention on a couple of the machines. Thankfully they all made it t through the ride intact unlike my GT Timberline in the inaugural bash - nearly lost some important bits in that incident. I often wake up in a cold sweat dreaming about that one.

Onward again to the next challenge - the tricky roll down at the short cut track followed by the Man vs Bike run/ride challenge. Miggle, Dutchy and Gilbo all handled the course with the aplomb of seasoned veterans. Everyone else decided discretion was the better part of valour and looked on. Chuck managed to beat Dutchy in the run/ride challenge but I think there might need to be some drug testing carried out by the relevant regulatory body (as soon as I work out who that is)

Up to the top of the hill and on to the mono comp - I think I cheated by starting after the line so I reckon Dutchy takes it out.

More drama as we head down Redwire, not only from us but from the soon to be non-couple on their first mountain bike ride. An uneventful trip to the Helipad for a regroup, refuel, more gas bagging and a paparazzi-like frenzy of bike photography.

On to the downhill section of the ride - I can't comment on what was happening up the front as I was on a Strava run - aiming for the slowest time of the day for the section down to the gate. It was a difficult to win with Trim's tube preserving pace and Tim's innumerable chain drops but I managed to roll in last at the gate. WooHoo!

More bench racing and on to the sniggle - following Gilbo as he pinch flatted over a nasty rock which I just managed to avoid behind him. A temporary repair and off again, leaving Gilbo to find the road where he found out just how temporary the repair was.

A fairly uneventful run down the rest of the technical section to the car park where Gilbo got his tyre fixed properly and we found out that the bikes the soon to be non-couple were even worse than all of ours put together.

One Last causeway KOM challenge and back to Glenbrook for some pies.

Thanks to Char and Stephen for coming out on the tandem and putting up with our start-stop antics.
Hope to see you all again next year.