Who’s in? Looks like the first stage at least is at Caberston. That will be interesting. Heard talk of Lone Wolf? Not too many closures over at Inners. All the DH trails are closed which is no surprise. Also looks as though they’re using the Taniel hill section which I’m assuming will be a descent. Optional faster route at the very end if you take the mega steep chute into the fire road or the longer shallower one then off the wooden drop???

I’m doing it, mildly scared now everything is wet and slippery again. Signs were up at the golfie at the weekend and a lot of people seemed to be going all the way to the top of the hill so lone wolf could be the one.

Aye, ill be there. Expecting a bit of a mudbath on Sunday 🙁

yep winter tyres are on!

Forecast doesn’t look too bad

http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/innerleithen

The last inners round was wet and other than Not for poofs, mud tyres weren’t necessary. At least it’s warm this weekend.

Lone Wolf was getting some love on the very top section, think it’s had a wee reroute for that blind lefthander round the tree and the rutty bit at the top… So that’d fit. I really like that trail but I’m not good at it… Wonder what else though. Should be good!

If they’re using taniel hill that usually means the alistair lees, then a wee bit of red to the quarry. But I suppose that’s not the only option

(if we’re going to Tyre Chat then I guess I’ll be using default option 1, baron on the front, butcher on the back, works for everything)

I find lone wolf exhausting! Also not sure I can bunny hop that log, I usually get off and waddle over it.

baron on the front, butcher on the back, works for everything)

interesting, I’ve gone double Baron for the first time, certainly is draggy as hell on the back, but so much grip. Tempted to put the butcher on the back now… hmmm. Even the barons were caked up with the mud last weekend though.

A baron on the front?? they are the same width as a string of spaghetti 😯

Popped one on the back as it was sitting on the shelf dong bugger all else. Might regret it though. Might not. Hmmmmmmmmmmm 😀

I was down at inners playing about on the DH tracks on tuesday. They were running so well. Autumn colours put me in a great mood as well 🙂

I’ll be sticking with my trusty Chunky Monkey/ Smorgasbord combo

mactheknife – Member

A baron on the front?? they are the same with a s a string of spaghetti

I used my 2.5 Der Baron for golfy day at the EWS. Grips like a motorbike tyre, rolls like a motorbike tyre 😆 Don’t think I’ll do that for this one! Never got on that well with the 2.25 on the back but it’s a bit skiddy and random on the back I thought. Haven’t a clue why, science probably, love it on the front.

I’ll just quickly mention that this weekends race is the last one that Rich and Helen are involved with as they are retiring :wink:. It’s fairly safe to say that the enduro racing in the valley if not all of Scotland would not be what it is without their efforts over the last few years. If you see them a wee word of thanks and maybe an alcoholic beverage wouldn’t go amiss. The amount of work they have done, along with others of course, is unbelievable and others would have retired a lot sooner. If you don’t know who they are Northwind will point them out.

And if you don’t know me ask Rich or Hels

Going out on a high I hope but it’s a sad day, I’d not do half the riding I do without the IMTBR races, there’d have been no EWS, no SES, and Steve Parr wouldn’t have come to one of their enduro races and immediately afterwards invented enduro 😉 If I was going to try and fill their boots I’d be shiteing it.

A baron on the front?? they are the same width as a string of spaghetti

not the biggest but so much grip! looks a bit bigger on the 33mm rim anyway.

Never got on that well with the 2.25 on the back but it’s a bit skiddy and random on the back I thought. Haven’t a clue why, science probably, love it on the front.

I guess I’ll see how it goes. they are currently leaking a clear fluid all over the floor through the side walls, which is annoying, the Apex version didn’t do that!

Also in for this. Not feeling particularly on my game but I suppose it’ll be a giggle. Rode most of the golfie trails now, but predictably not lone wolf. What’s it comparable to?

It starts off kind of like a steeper version of lower mince baby mince- you know those humps/troughs they made for the tree planting? Just loads of those but fairly straight down the hill so it’s a bit weird. Then some very fast fairly flat singletrack through trees, lovely, then some more of the pumptrack stuff but faster and flatter (for me, hard to keep it on the ground but I can’t double them, so pretty interesting) then eventually gets steeper and rootier down beside a stream with some nadgery bits and some offcamber. It’s cool, and relatively easy on the golfy scale, very varied though- trail of 4 parts. Never ridden it as a full run, always been pretty disjointed waiting for mates etc so not sure how it’ll go as a stage.

It is ****ing miles up the hill though, probably the biggest climb?

(it used to be a mess of orrible ruts up the top but it’s been tweaked recently, which is good because I was useless at that bit, I cannot do ruts)

Aw shucks people. Was planning on setting up with Rich and Deids at marshal point 29 (the Traquair Arms) but have just been informed there may be a much more important role for me. Will involve writing down numbers.

How’s the weather down your way hels?? been pissing down here in Dundee all day. Biblical proportions 🙁

not been down it for a few weeks but the top of lone wolf was a muddy rut the last time I did it.

It is overcast, but no rain so far today. We just put up the Marquee, so I will be dry. Davy the Billy Can is setting up so amazing Venison Burgers are a sure bet !

Provided he remembers the rolls. And the venison. And the gas 😆

Awesome, i usually spend a weeks wages alone on those venison burgers. 🙂

Is there a start time for Marshall point 29? Say maybe 5 o’clock?

I miss the haggis van, although not the pollyjohn on Sunday morning 😆
I’ll be mincing round at the back to make sure everyone is back safe.

leaking a clear fluid all over the floor

like tyre like owner

Good luck jimbo

Steven, I am getting on a bit, so I try not to start drinking before 10am these days !

But yes I think there will be some post-race pints. I was thinking about opening registration on the Traquair after work tonight, early start times in exchange for pints, but that seemed a touch unfair on the non-locals, who all knows what number boards you would all get.

Combining an early start time with a hangover sounds like a brilliant idea, what a shame to miss out.

like tyre like owner

Good luck jimbo

gross! thanks stalky, if I die you can have my bike

I think I’ll be on taxi duties. Besides I think the other two might have seen enough of me this year already. Have a good one.

So, the golf course stages were taped up and ready today.
Might take a head torch with me, it was mighty dark in the trees.

Fancy confirming what they are? Lone wolf as thought? How many stages at the golfie?

Lone wolf and oldschool right from the top with some climbs!

Cool, cheers, huge fan of old school. Just gotta get a new brake rotor in the morning as just discovered mines bent and good to go. Quite looking forward to it now.

no idea what oldschool is but climbs are good for me

The majority could also be called off camber slammer

Bring your stickiest mud tyres – Lone Wolf is, errr, well you’ll see 😀

Oh and PLEASE take time to ‘Big Up’ /kiss/hug/thank Hels and Rich – you really have no idea the amount of work these guys put in to put races on and keep you safe. We have so much to thank them for and they have been doing it for years.

Rich had hair when he started.

Lol

One of these days I’ll figure out that “ideal race prep” doesn’t mean “making a component for the bike at 10pm the night before”. But it is not this day!

well.

So what were the conditions like down there today?