By and large, everyone looks out for everyone else, everyone has the same sense of “aren’t we mad?!” so having actually gone there, you just get on with it.
Never experienced Mayhem or any enduro before this weekend..
The conditions were grim, the campsite was a mud fest and the course, ah yes, the course………… that was something else entirely;
Mud, water, woods that inspired fear and challenge in equal measure, climb after climb, lots of random comments and so much more.
Did my first lap at 3pm and forgot how many times I had to stop and clear the bike as couldnt move, got chain suck twice in the same place but different lanes, but somehow still managed a pleasing 1hr40.
Then after a few team laps it came round to the evening and the heavens opened. The rest of team retired to drink beer and eat chocolate and for some reason I ventured out at 10.30pm in the driving rain and blowing wind – having never ridden at night before.
To be quite honest I loved it. I was covered in mud, wet and could barely see/ stand up/ ride or all of those. And although the clock said otherwise it felt like I got back to the main arean in no time at all…getting back to a time of 2hrs. I actually enjoyed it more than my first lap!
So much great cammaradie and good spirits it really kept me going and helped deliver a sense of togetherness that made it for me.
Thanks to all those that spoke back to rider 879, and to anyone and everyone who plugged round and made it to the end…
hats off to you and wear that medal with pride – WE DAMN EARNT IT!
