Winter Enduro - SPAM Challenge

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

I spent some time at Chicksands when I was detached to RAF Henlow. Used to use the yank gym and bowling alley there. I'd be scared riding behind a wall at the business end of a range if the yanks are firing.....

XTR Joined : 03 Nov 2006 Posts : 286 Bike : Orange P7

Jase
Your bett is very safe !

Very Happy

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

...is it in yet?

SPAM have now posted the confirmed entries for the Winter Challenge.

http://www.spambiking.co.uk/Docs/SWC2007-Confirmation.pdf

Subject: Re: Winter Enduro - SPAM Challenge Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:11 am

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

So who's gonna be there on Sunday?

Me and ?

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

Come on guys don't tell me you haven't entered. Is it just me?

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

It is just me isn't it? Southern wuss's....... !!! Suspect

Subject: Re: Winter Enduro - SPAM Challenge Sat Jan 06, 2007 8:31 pm

HI everyone. I can vouch 4 what L gav has said.
It is grim. Ive done it twice and it doesnt get any easier, but it is a fab way of getting rid of a hangover!

by the time u read this post u would have found out 4 yourself but the only way of finding out sometimes is the hard way!!

what better way 2 start the year?

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

Mud? Mud? It was a mud bath! Now I like mud but that stuff is REALLY sticky and full of clay or chalk as it's also really slippery. I have never had to pull handfuls from my bike before. affraid

I really mean handfuls. At one point at couldn't see my front or rear mechs or the chain for that matter. pale

I looked down and had comedy doughnuts for wheels. I had a mechanical failure 6 miles in, Sad

my rear mech hanger twisted and sheered off after a really bad section of boggy mud. The thing is another rider suffered the same fate in the same area as me at the same time and when we got back to the start one guy was already there and had suffered the same thing only 2 miles in. It took me 90 minutes to do 6 miles (until I retired) of which half a mile was a tarmac steep ascent, quarter of a mile was slippery but not too bad singletrack in a forest but the rest was either open field or the bit around the field all of which was thick gloopy mud that stuck. There were guys running with bikes as it was faster. Everyone suffered and struggled to stay upright. Oh and did I mention it was raining and the wind was really bitter. Madness.

It is a challenge but it's not mountain biking. scratch

XT Joined : 27 Oct 2006 Posts : 194 Bike : Scott FX

Well done graig! you going to give it a miss next year Wink

Subject: Re: Winter Enduro - SPAM Challenge Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:45 pm

So glad I decided not to enter... Smile

XT Joined : 30 Oct 2006 Posts : 190

Hmmm

Jury is out as to whether or not I'd enter next year. To be honest (my shrink would be so proud) I don't like the feeling of the thing having beat me by breaking my (and others) mech hanger. I'd like to go back, do it and say 'Ha'. Then decide it's just too muddy. I have a cunning plan. The queue to register for the pre-entried 50km route was huge but the queue to enter and register the same route was only ever a couple of people long. So..... Surprised

I might keep an eye on the weather and general conditions and register on the day if it looks OK - it's only an extra £3.