Well i just stumbled on the dates and locations for next years SES.

Pretty impressed. Dunkeld stays in but in October this time. Pitfichie is a new one and i have never ridden there, plus Innerleithen is back. Really excited about this.

Me too, glad Inners is back in the series and Dunkeld will make a cracking final – was a tough opener to 2016 series!

Not fussed about Pitfichie or Dunkeld in October, not that it every really dries out. In for the rest though

I’m still a bit enduro’d out 😆 But will probably do Pitfichie just to visit and see what’s there. Tempted to head back to Fort William too though they seem determined to maximise the risk of weather disruption for that round… I think the others I’ll just wait and see.

The fact that a ride that popped up in my Strava feed last week replaced the ‘Pi’ in Pitfichie with ‘Shi’ doesn’t bode too well for that location.

Slightly disappointed not to to see bigger changes to the lite/short course option. Would be nice to see a ‘mincer’ category that gives a full distance, but replaces the two most technical stages with easier ones.

Slightly disappointed not to to see bigger changes to the lite/short course option. Would be nice to see a ‘mincer’ category that gives a full distance, but replaces the two most technical stages with easier ones.

So they’d need timing equipment on 2 extra stages? Don’t think Lite has anywhere near enough subscribers to make that work.

I’ve heard good things about the riding around Pitfichie from reliable sources. Think it’s on my list

So they’d need timing equipment on 2 extra stages? Don’t think Lite has anywhere near enough subscribers to make that work.

Yep, there’s some additional overhead for sure.
May be a bit chicken and egg in terms of subscribers.
I know I don’t want to ride a short course, and I know i’m not skilled enough and/or have a big enough pair to ride the hardest stuff. Would doubt i’m the only person in that situation.

I have however just ordered my first knee/elbow pads, so surely have just increased my gnar rating for next year 🙂

If anyone wants to play at Pitfichie before the event, give me a shout. It’s one of my local trails.

There’s not a huge amount there just now – so quite excited to see what they’ve got planned.

There’s not a huge amount there just now – so quite excited to see what they’ve got planned.

As was I when they announced Largs in 2015. Thankfully the idiots who were organising that debacle are now long gone, and trails are improving all the time….

I know I don’t want to ride a short course, and I know i’m not skilled enough and/or have a big enough pair to ride the hardest stuff. Would doubt i’m the only person in that situation.

That is pretty much me to a tee. I’ve done a fair few SES’ now and enjoy the long day out of the full-enduro but struggle on the most technical/slippery stages. You could argue most people struggle on the most technical/slippery stages but it seems to particularly slow me which is frustrating.
Wouldn’t want to do lites as would be done in a couple of hours and don’t want to appear to be entering lower class to aim for podiums… Tricky one.

I think because of that I’m probably going to ‘retire’ from 2017 season. But having said that come the time I’ll probably say, “maybe I’ll just do the local ones” which for me will probably cover Fort William, Pitfichie (always good finding new trails) and Laggan…

I’d have ae in there instead of inners, nothing against inners, but there’s plenty going on over that way.

Spread the love.

Boardinbob, not wanting to go to Dunkeld in October is a bit odd. It’s my main area for riding and i think it was at its prime this year about august-october. What let it down last year was running the race in March. It’s way to early in the year for any all natural venue especially one with steep valleys where the sun does not get to until at least April.

Glad inners is back. Love that place.

Jemima, I took a year off from racing this year to focus on other things. Mainly do some guiding qualifications and basically enjoy riding my bike away from any competitiveness. Now I’m absolutely hankering to get stuck in again. If you are not feeling it for whatever reason then step away for a while and ride for the fun of it again. 🙂

step away for a while and ride for the fun of it again

That’s exactly it. Especially when you consider a). the cash budget and b). the time budget.

For the same amount of digs money, diesel, food and entry fee and a weekend away I could do a long weekend in Torridon or something like that. So I think that will be the focus for next year – back to the wilds 🙂

not wanting to go to Dunkeld in October is a bit odd

I was there last Monday and Pink Floyd was absolutely lethal. a run of good weather but still treacherous. Same goes for the stuff around the DH trails.

Newtyle side holds up well

Quite excited to see pitfichie on the list as it’s one of my local rides but just wonder what new trails to expect. It’ll also be good for the existing red route as it needs some major repair work to it in places. No doubt the DH track will get used given it features in the SDA races.