In a fit of madness (well, mostly to keep a buddy company) I have signed up for this.

It’s a bit out of my usual Surrey Hills manor – that’s a good thing too, we all need to stretch our wings. What’s the terrain and conditions like over there? OK for a 29er SS?

Yes, I’m actually going to this one! Having said that for the past few Gorrick events then ended up missing them!

Tunnel Hill isn’t it? No major hills, few little short, sharp rises. Not entirely dissimilar to the Surrey Hills frankly. Should be good.

Windmill Hill this weekend. I’ve just entered just to see how I get on despite saying my last race for 2012 was in August!

OK for a 29er SS?

Hope so, as I won’t get a chance to sort out an alternative!

It’s at “Windmill Hill, Deepcut”

I don’t even know where that is, which is a disgrace. Is that proper Surrey?

Anyway it looks like J3 of the M3 will do the job.

Ah right, it’s just the other side of the road to Tunnel Hill, my assessment still stands. You’ll be fine on SS.

Made the first one, having to miss this as wifey appears to have joined the “working all weekends in December” club….

DrP 🙁

Was about to say I don’t think I’ve ridden there but just realised that it’s around the corner from the AYTE course start so it has to be the same forest! Should be nice course, don’t think I’ve ridden there in the wet though

Is it “sort of Swinley ish”, “sort of Thetford-ish” (Swinleyish but flatter), a bit of the 2 or something else?

Yeah taff the forecast is for a bit of rain, but it’s a long way out to forecast accurately for now I think.

I’m not a racer but find my curiousity is prodded and am looking forwards to it.

Dear whippets, the bloke grunting up the climbs on a blue rigid SS Swift, that’s me. Say hello as you pass.

i’ll be there, I enjoy that course, I must remember the small drop which usually scares me! other than that it suits me well. Wet? it’ll be sunny, its a Brass Monkey’s race

http://chris-noble-mtb.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks Chris – should be sunny and there you are in tights, long sleeve jersey and overshoes!

I get cold easily 🙂 not been in shorts for months!

Me!

I’ll be there, probably on my blue 5. If not it’ll be a blue & orange Santa Cruz – think Gulf racing colours 😉

The forecast for Sunday is peeing down with rain at the moment….

Is it “sort of Swinley ish”

Yes.

it’ll be sunny, its a Brass Monkey’s race

You’re kidding, right? Several have been absolutely atrocious!

At least the courses stay ridable.

I can imagine they probably have been, before my time I expect, the last 4 i’ve done have been nice for the time of year

I’m presuming there is plenty of trackside at the start arena to put bottle etc?

Yep.

Windmill Hill – just over the canal from Tunnel.

Lots of roots and short sharp hills. It’s a fairly tight course compared to the other Gorrick routes. Was there a couple of times over the weekend and apart from the odd swampy bit in the valley it’s pretty dry and rolling well.

I’ll be there, my first ever 4hr which should be interesting. May even break out the new bike if its not too wet…

I’m entered in all 3 but looking doubtful for this one. Started feeling a bit rough yesterday and today feel horrid. Have to see how i go by the weekend.

Hi Guys

Just a bit of a long shot but if anyone knows anyone who can’t make this weekends race and is entered in the 4hr 18-39 cat give me a shout I just missed out on entering 🙁 and if we can swap enters over that would great.

Cheers

Harrison

Hi guys

just heard back for the Brass Monkeys guys entries non transferable. Oh well will have to go out and race myself for 4 hrs

Matt, you should have come with us yesterday – this is where we were riding. Conditions were nothing short of incredible compared to Leith, Holmbury and Pitch.
Anyway, have fun. It should be a good event.

I’m in, live two minutes away. The area is in good nick apart from some valley areas. Lots of roots around and hopefully there will be some techy stuff put in. Maybe even the massive up and downs along the fence? Although the steps in those are a bar steward to get up in the wet.

Looking forward to it and hoping to finish much better than the last round.

Good to hear the conditions are ok. Not changing the tyre set up from a mudx rear and captain front.

Do we think it’s as muddy as the last one??

(I am trying to decide whether to leave the trailraker on the front or swap back to my usual minion / high roller….)

I’d suggest that if the forecast rain arrives I’d leave it on.

Ah yes, I had forgotten about the rain.

Brass Monkeys On Facebook seems to think the course was still goo at 13:00 today. Fingers crossed weather picks up. Don’t like racing in tights

Did you look out the window today?! Muddy and mild.

Yes indeed. Hammering down all day in POmpey. Was up that direction and was nowhere near as bad. Apparenty there’s mud but the course is running well. We’ll see…

Good luck to you all tomorrow. Hoping it shorts weather but I’m not holding my breath

Saying 9 degrees and sunny, not too bad! Got Rocket Rons on, sure they’ll be fine.

Well I’m going to miss this. Felt terrible all week and most of today in bed. Even walking upstairs seems a bit of a struggle so riding a bike in the mud for a few hours is out I’m afraid. Bit annoying as I’d per entered the whole series.

Was going to put on a summer tyre but chickened out last minute

Doing the 2hr vets as is the wife, missed round one with a knee injury which seems to be lingering so going to do this no matter what – even if I’m just rolling around 😀

It has been dry at Deepcut all day today 🙂 I did a lap this afternoon in shorts and short sleeved shirt. Not too muddy, just a few puddles here and there, if you don’t want to get wet most of these can be ridden around. I would guess that after an hour or to a lot of the puddles will disappear. In places the singletrack has been diverted to avoid waterlogged or muddy sections. There are one or two soft sections, which I can see cutting up a bit, but these are all very short. njee20’s tyre selection of Rocket Ron’s sounds about right, I was sliding a bit with a Racing Ralph on the front, mud tyres would be overkill.

Not racing myself, but will be there with the kids while my wife races.

Got a captain up front which will be fine and a mud x on the rear. Got no choice in the matter really as found I have the start of a split in the sidewall of the FastTrak 🙁

Cheers for the update. Back to plan A.