If you ain't tryin' new challenges you ain't nuthin!

1st June 2003

"This is not a race - I repeat this is not a race" shouts Phil of Phil and Jerry's Awfully Big Adventures a.k.a. Rough Rides as I line up in the Kington Leisure car park. However, it feels like a race as firstly the fit looking guys jostle for the front and secondly as Phil shouts "Go!" it seems like the whole of Kington has turned out to witness the 560 or so like minded individuals wind their way through the streets and up the road past The Royal Oak, the last pub in England towards the Welsh Marches.

The instant climb has been designed to string out the field and despite the lanes being busy, this seems to work as I don't get involved in any hold-ups.

I am part of the eight strong "Dialled Bikes" team together with Mike, Keef, Paul, Huey, Sue, Chris and Rav. Despite starting together I have decided that the only way I am going to get round this route is to go at my own pace and I start to pass the others as we head up the 426m climb towards Hergest Ridge. Luckily, we had a chance to do this the previous evening and so I have an idea of what to expect.

I am wearing a laminated postcard advertising this site and I soon get a number of queries from other riders including an oblique approach from a guy who turns out to be the infamous Mark Deacon from mtb-wales. Wherever he is, you know the famous Andrew J will be too and he introduces himself for a quick chat before they move on.

A quick pause at the crest just past the small band that are playing to take a couple of photos and I am on my way again. The first grassy descent is fantastic with plenty of time to check which line you want to take. Through the village of Gladestry, turning left towards Hengoed takes in some more road sections including a frighteningly fast descent where the speedo touches 45mph. A sharp right catches some out and we soon hear a rumour that someone clipped the kerb and ended up with really bad gravel rash plus a broken collarbone. Keef isn't far behind and also manages to maintain his record of crashing on every outing as he fails to hear the 'loose gravel' warning (he still maintains that they shouted too late). However, the pain is dulled as he realises that it is a rather attractive female who comes crashing into the back of him (ooh err missus).

Skirting around the edge of Bryngwyn Hill there are inexplicably huge puddles of smelly, skanky water that seem oddly out of place in this fantastically sunny week. Very few are packing sealskinz and my feet are squelching for the next few miles to the water station.

I am carrying a half-full bladder so I don't bother stopping and pass at least 75 riders as I head out onto the second loop. From here, the route seems endless with a mixture of road sections, gruelling off-road climbs, short, sharp descents followed by open moorland crossing.

My tanks runs dry suddenly on a short road climb and I pause for a few minutes to take on a powerbar and to wash it down with water. Keef has got fed up waiting for the others and passes me. I rejoin him at the top as he shares out his malt loaf with all and sundry. We ride on together for the next few miles. I am amazed at the number of riders I recognise who have already passed me once as they pass again. Must have passed them at the water station and I am reminded of the parable of the tortoise and the hare.

As Keef and I pull into the food and water stop at the halfway point we quickly agree that we have enough water and don't fancy the food that is on offer so again we pass about 100 riders who are milling about. The first part of the brutal climb out of the rest stop has to be pushed by 99.5% of riders including us but eventually takes us to the 455m Cradle Rocks.

More moorland crossing including some areas that have been deeply rutted by 4x4's. I get stuck in one rut and a rider laughs as I curse repeatedly as I haul myself out. Just as we get to the edge of Red Hill I bonk again and have to stop for more fuel as Keef carries on. Five minutes later I restart and am soon encouraged as I recognise the muddy pools although my feet are wet again!

A girl starts chatting to me (orange Giro lid, Southern hemisphere accent) and this passes the time as we plough on, encouraging each other as we pass each other repeatedly. A brief pause to take on water at the final stop and from here there is plenty of encouragement from the marshalls "only 3 more checkpoints", "just one more hill after this one" etc. but my riding is getting decidedly sloppy and this is proved as one guy goes past me shouting "had enough mate?" - yes, I bloody well have. Onto the climb back up Hergest Ridge. This is hard but manageable knowing you are so close to home.

I am still amazed at the number of people going past me who look much fitter and much less worn out. I encourage myself by thinking "how come you are only passing me now?". A quick descent and into the lanes again to the finish. I see Keef lazing by the roadside having already finished. I came home in a respectable 5h 45m with Keef beating me by 30 minutes (and 8 years) - well done mate. The rest of the team come in about an hour later but the best news is that we win the keg of ale for the team with the highest number of finishers before 6 pm.

A great day out, really well organised. I didn't look at my map the whole way round. I'm not sure endurance events are for me but I certainly enjoyed the experience.

Click on any of the pictures for a larger image (some of them may take a while to download).

Here are some details of the route taken from Huey's GPS:

- Marin Rough ride route profile (zipped)

- Marin Rough ride height profile (zipped)

- Marin Rough ride - Huey's speed profile (zipped)

	Web www.diaryofamountainbiker.com

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