This week's fun- Otterspool.

[dan_bo]

Good course, should be quite dry looking at this weeks' weather. Hopefully they'll be sending us UP the mur de Aigburth (cobbled climb) not down it. that point in the season when the weather turns cooler as well, with a fresh wind blowing off the mersey. Looking forward to this one.

 

[ohnovino]

I only live up the road from there, so I'll try and get down to watch. Forecast to be f-f-f-freezing though

 

[sittingbull]

....should be quite dry looking at this weeks' weather....

Over 90% of the grass appears dry, some areas are "squelchy" and it's waterlogged at the far end (from where this photo was taken today). I don't know whether the course reaches this far end (furthest from the road).

 

[dan_bo]

Over 90% of the grass appears dry, some areas are "squelchy" and it's waterlogged at the far end (from where this photo was taken today). I don't know whether the course reaches this far end (furthest from the road).

hahahahaahahaaaha.

worst i've ever seen it. should be good! vino- i'm the fat bloke in black. green bike.

 

[ohnovino]

That was a fun day out. Really impressed by everyone taking part. The two leaders were a class apart, but even the guys at the back were keeping a good pace.

 

[dan_bo]

Good pic vino. Was you the smiley bloke with grey hair?

That was indeed excellent fun. I've never bermed a crosser before! Also, it was lovely and dry. Fast. Days like today really remind you why you do it.

 

[ohnovino]

I was the tall bloke in a big black coat and scarf, wrapped up warm and thankful he wasn't wearing thin cycle gear! I was surprised how dry it was actually - the ground seemed to hold up well. Looked like there was a good tailwind along the main straight.

It's not something I ever would have considered doing before, but it looked such good fun that I could be tempted in future. There seemed to be a great camaraderie between the riders too; lots of them seemed to be taking the mickey out of each other on the way round, and the leaders didn't seem bothered by having to lap the slower riders.

 

[dan_bo]

The atmosphere at the races are usually jovial, especially when the weather is like today. There can be a couple of the fast lads- particularly the younger ones- who forget their manners when it comes to overtaking. No need. But other than that, there's very little snottiness. And it's a great excuse to try and improve your riding! See you next week at the beacon eh?

 

[VamP]

I was the tall bloke in a big black coat and scarf, wrapped up warm and thankful he wasn't wearing thin cycle gear! I was surprised how dry it was actually - the ground seemed to hold up well. Looked like there was a good tailwind along the main straight.

It's not something I ever would have considered doing before, but it looked such good fun that I could be tempted in future. There seemed to be a great camaraderie between the riders too; lots of them seemed to be taking the mickey out of each other on the way round, and the leaders didn't seem bothered by having to lap the slower riders.

Reminds of this year's Hogg Hill race when a couple of the riders collided and got so entangled that it took them quite a while to get back up - as the rest of the field came past them the cry went up '' ahhhhh, it must be love ''

Cyclocrossers are the friendliest cyclists

 

[Christopher]

Next race at Otterspool is the Geoff Bewley memorial race on Sat 10 November. Hope to see y'all there. I will be in a gaudy short-sleeve Red Rose top, number 45, riding either a blue Dave Yates or a white Tiwanese Pinarello.
Dan, what does 'bermed a crosser' mean? Haven't bust your frame again have you ?

 

[dan_bo]

Next race at Otterspool is the Geoff Bewley memorial race on Sat 10 November. Hope to see y'all there. I will be in a gaudy short-sleeve Red Rose top, number 45, riding either a blue Dave Yates or a white Tiwanese Pinarello.
Dan, what does 'bermed a crosser' mean? Haven't bust your frame again have you ?

nah they just sent us round a (felt like) near-vertical section round a tree- shelling peas on an MTB, bit more....involving....on a crosser.

 

[Christopher]

Geoff Bewley memorial, Otterspool, 10 November:
Did this race on Sat but really struggled - could not seem to get any real speed up or deal well with the conditions. Finished 105th - not happy with that but if I ride like I am afraid to fall off and walk the climbs then that is what the result will be. It was a lovely sunny day, very little mud on the course. Perfect really, not even so hot we sweated. No falls but that was due more to timidity than the conditions.
First race for three weeks - was comparing notes with other riders after and we agreed that you really need to race week after week to get in the right 'zone' to do this. Riding the climbs might be exhausting but it is much slower to walk them - I kept trading places with a rider that was slower than me on the technical stuff but as she rode all the climbs she passed me many times and was really the better rider.

 

[dan_bo]

At least you had a ride eh chris! I can't even pootle down the shops at the mo! Stick at it you'll soon be back.