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Saab Solomon Mountain Mayhem, Eastnor Castle

Mountain Mayhem 2007

The weekend came and went as quick as you could say 'mountain mayhem'. It was full of pain, food and plenty of mud. England was one big rain drop when the team arrived on Friday. Yet the sun was shining on the Eastnor Deer Park. Could it hold out for the whole weekend and go against all forecasts?

Friday night was spent setting up camp and chilling out. A can of John Smiths each for the competitors and catching up on the free magazine highlighting the last ten years of the Mountain Mayhem. Some great stories. Then came the memories of previous events for the team from the 2h 30m lap, the dreaded landrover track to the first place run.

Saturday morining and it still wasn't raining. A gentle stroll around the stalls reveiled some quality bargins. A few inner tubes here and energy drinks there and a wonder back to camp to fettle with the bikes. The disappointment was the lack of fifa Xbox game, oh well maybe next year. It was decided by the usual democracy that Joe would do the run and the first lap. When we say democracy we mean the others had all done the run before and thought it was a good initiation being Joe's first Mayhem. Besides Dave thought it might help loose a few pounds!!

After a good sturdy lunch and 2pm soon came round. Yet it was still not raining. There's always a first for everything. Joe was ready and waiting. The team hit the start line only to forget the batton (a stupid slap round your wrist type thing that probably, in the long run, was the easiest to use). A quick sprint back to camp and Joe soon had it on his wrist.The race kicked off with out the big count down. It seemed to take everyone by suprise. The runners set off to amble round the run section. The usual meddle happened when the bikes were collected for the first lap. So the race had started and still no rain.

The first lap seemed quick before the rain started. A quick short heavy down pour just to wetten the track. The course itself seemed an amazing bit of planning. How can a track starting and finishing at the same point have more uphill than downhill. Out of the camp with a long climb and into some singletrack muddy woods. From there it was a sharp downhill through the water trap and back to pass through the camp. Then came the longest climb ever. It seemed like at least 2 miles (even though it wasn't). From the top and a mixture of muddy up and downhill sections into the muddiest wood in the world. Then a snake type downhill and back to camp. A tough 8 mileish course where peddling downhill was essential, somthing no one wants to do.

The order was Joe, Mick, Pete and then Dave. The plan was a lap each and then pairing up into the night stage. It went well. The times were averaging around the hour mark. Then at around 2am the rain came for good and lasted until the last lap. The legs felt the force of the mud. A constent battle to drive the bike through it. Then two laps before the end Dave rode in with a revalation "Mud tyres, they're great". Cheers Dave.

No major stories from this event just a good steady ride with loads of laughs. a steady finish of 61/293. The main learning points were charge your lights to the max, keep peddling in mud and lose some weight.

Sleepless In the Saddle, Catton Park

SITS

The Sleepless in the Saddle has got to be the favourite event of the team. This year the team consisted of Pete, Dave, Mick and Chris. The original team from back in the hay days.

Having had the wettest summer ever the team weren’t optimistic that the rain would hold off. In fact the guess was that the event would be a water logged affair with laps edging the 1 hour 30 mark. How wrong could they have been……?

As usual Dave and Pete arrived first and set up the camp. This year the camp was more like a hotel than a camp. There were three Taj Mahals to sleep in and a very grand Buckingham palace to lounge and eat in. It was marvellous. Everything was close – The start line, water, showers and track viewing points. It was already looking like the perfect race.

Mick arrived on the Friday evening and Chris turned up early doors on the Saturday. The usual roam around the events centre took place with Dave and Mick picking up some new lights. Bargin. After some bike tinkering the time came to line up at the start line and send Chris on the run.

The countdown to the start of the race was a bit of an anti-climax but never the less all teams and solo riders were on their way. As expected Chris came through the run in 2nd place tussling for the front spot with a RAF rider. I’m sure Chris would’ve won over a longer distance. Again a great start for the team. The first lap in total was around the 40 minute mark.

The lap times followed a similar pattern with Pete picking the up the faster laps of around 35 minutes. After the first set of laps the team were still in the top 20. This continued into the night stage where pairs were established to allow some sleep.

Until this point the weather had been dry and warm. However at about 2 am the pitter patter of rain could be heard on the tents. Luckily this was only a mild shower to wet the ground. It made the grass sections difficult through the trees for a short period. The new lights did the job (see a review of them – click here).

Eventually the sun rose and the team were in a healthy 15th place. Some hard work during the morning would mean the highest finish ever in the Sleepless in the Saddle event.