Ditchling Devil. 7th June

[jefmcg]

my fault

Not your fault that I didn't have breakfast, or grabbed a bun at the very convenient waitrose.

It is the fault of the piggy riders who ate their body weight in cakes.

Still, after 2 cakes and a packet of crisps, all I needed is 2 slices of fairy bread and a game of pass the parcel, and I'd be 8 years old again!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Not wanting the full value riders to miss out, I abstained,

Is "full value riders" a euphemism for trundlers? In which case that's me, and your abstinence was appreciated.

I was flagging a bit at Chiddingfold. The cake I had was made with allspice, and washed down with a cup of sweet black tea it did me a world of good.

It really was a great day out - my best day's cycling this year and I was impressed by the sheer numbers of people who had travelled to the controls to hand out cake, make butties, stamp cards and so on. Not to mention the generosity of the garden party hosts at Upper Beeding. So many thanks to you and your fellow volunteers.

 

[jefmcg]

Is "full value riders" a euphemism for trundlers? In which case that's me, and your abstinence was appreciated.

Yup. You pay for 13 1/2 hours cycling, you should get 13 1/2 hours cycling. Those who rush around quickly are just throwing their money away

I am a full value rider, too. Finished a 300km with 2 minutes to spare, a 400 with maybe 12 minutes in hand, and succumbed to the inevitable 490km into a 600. So I know the importance of that bit of cake, or bacon butty to keep you going.

My control buddy hadn't had any cake, so he got a slice of victoria sponge even though there were only a few things left.

Our control was (wo)manned by someone reasonably local, a rider doing the audax who stopped for a few hours to stamp cards (!!) and me, who rode from near the start reversing the route to the control, and then followed the last of the riders to the pub. The cakes were entirely organised by local ladies, who apparently live in a different century. Who can go home, and come back a few minutes later with tins of more homemade cake??? Anyway, they really enjoyed themselves, and said all the riders were very polite - so I guess we'll be back there next year.

Edit: Oh, I said "we". Stamp cards for 4 hours, and I start getting all proprietorial.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Yup. You pay for 13 1/2 hours cycling, you should get 13 1/2 hours cycling. Those who rush around quickly are just throwing their money away

I see. Looking at it that way means I threw away an hour and three quarters riding, or about 12% of whatever the extortionate fee was. (£10 I think)

My excuse is that I was having my dinner cooked for me that night, so I had to dash round in such an undignified rush order to get my free evening meal.