The Debrief has had a few weeks off – basically because there’s been no one here to write it. You might think then that it would be back with a bang, and a fanfare, and a heap of great activity. Well, sorry, but no. And it’s the afternoon. Nothing like sticking with tradition.
Up here in the Calder Valley, it has basically rained ever since the last debrief. On the plus side, this has made it feel like the kids have gone back to school and aren’t missing out on any summer time fun. On the down side, it means that those of us who suddenly find ourselves child free for a few hours a day aren’t enjoying any stolen moments of freedom in the sunshine. Stolen moments of freedom in the wind and rain just aren’t quite the same.
Here’s a confession for you: I did not ride a bike this weekend. I did my best not to even go outside. My 9 year old daughter is made of stronger stuff however, and came back from a run saying she’d seen an animal:
‘It was either a deer with very floppy ears, or a sausage dog with very long legs’.
Sightings like this are probably worth getting out in the rain for, however having ridden to work all week in the wind and the rain, my inclination to head out was low (and not helped by watching people riding in Australian dust). Indeed, discovering this morning that my shoes were still wet from Friday, my inclination to head out this morning was pretty low too. But here I am, surrounded by my dripping kit. It’ll probably still be more than damp when I put it back on later, since it’s not yet cold enough to have the heating on.
Anyway, don’t let that put you off the North, or Todmorden. Indeed, it has a great many things going for it – apparently house prices here actually rose when everywhere else was floundering, there is great riding, and there’s a great local food scene too. If you might like to be part of it, we have a vacancy advertised for a Graphic Designer, since our Rob Crayons is soon to be heading off to play in snow instead of mud. We’ve also got a couple of apprenticeship posts available in graphic design and journalism. Maybe you could end up here, writing this?
Hopefully if you do end up here, writing this, you’ve got a bit more to go on than I have. For here is the only team member I have found that has actually been on a bike:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BY5LJYgjaeP/?taken-by=andisykes
Mr Gnar himself, this is a rare shot of Andi with his wheels on the ground. We’re assuming though that he was just on his way up to something huge and jumpy, since he is wearing goggles. Or maybe he also has a snorkel just out of shot?
Chipps didn’t ride a bike, but he did help out at the Up The Buttress hill climb. Torrential rain of course being the optimal conditions for climbing up a 33% algae covered cobbled incline.
The Buttress! The most feared climb in the area. And today, we'll be racing people up it. #upthebuttress pic.twitter.com/nhnZhnENWk
— Chipps (@Chipps) September 9, 2017
Having watched everyone else suffer, Chipps then went for a walk. I’m not sure that rambling really constitutes training for the 3 Peaks.
Trudging in the rain with @makepiece – kind of good (start to my…) training for the @3peakscxrace I guess… pic.twitter.com/0WnJLgU00p
— Chipps (@Chipps) September 10, 2017
And that is it. Yes, it’s a poor show by all of us. We’ll try harder next time.
Lastly, time for a reminder to exercise your right to vote: the Singletrack Reader Awards needs you. There are even prizes to be won for voting, so get yourself over here and get voting.
