Hit the North.

Well, that seemed to go pretty well. As always it was good to see a few ‘forumites’ including Chipps in his sexy skinsuit, and other familiar faces. And, as always, it was a crackin’ event. Well done Terrahawk.

Didn’t look like that at the finish!

Another cracking event,sliding trough the mud,drifting through the berms and sending it offa the big fade….on my cx bike.
Someone buy terrahawk a beer for me..legend that man.Thanks

It was, indeed most excellent.
Superb course, nice people, good food and a brass band.
What more could you want?

Quite a few mechanicals, due to the ever so slightly muddy terrain 🙂 – counted three trashed mechs, two broken chains, a pair of snapped forks and a slightly damage tree.

AND IT DIDN’T RAIN, WHOOOOOOOO!

Those Ragleys looked very nice, and the 14inch Blue Pig (or ‘ladies bike’ as Brant described it, bloody cheek) fitted nicely. I think that or the Piglet might just be my next frame.

Course was better than last years – the only way I could see to really improve it would be to put a roof on – How about it Jason?

Liked the MTFU graffiti on Hotpot Hill as well, nice touch.

well done to all you hit the northers……….. 8)

anyone who rode, and stayed on at the bottom of the descent where i was station, my hat is well and truly off to you.

And well done to Warren for providing the limted edition posters from his 1940’s printing press!

yeah, another awesome day and a massive respect to anyone riding today. you’re all brilliant.
nice to meet a few new folks too, finally (tony!)…

You weren’t wearing a hat Ton!Missed the Oxley and Richards Show from last year on the death descent,which seemed much easier this time round!

A great day’s riding …what a superb course!

Thanks to Jase and his team for all the hard graft, thanks to Warren for the poster and thanks to all those that raced for making it such a great event.

Sat in the bath with my laptop and a brew!

Brilliant effort from Jason, the marshals, the caterers, the band, the lap counters and the 200+ riders.

Pub tonight anyone?

I’ve got a picture of MTFU hill. Will post it when i’ve put some pants on.

The bath will wait…Empire Strikes Back is on.I assume results will be up post pub-hangover.Might have got close to giving the top 10 a scare this time round….maybe :0}

+99

Great event. Thanks to Jase and his team and all the other entrants who made an impressive field of riders. No thanks for The Somme or the hill at t’other side.

Oh – forgot to mention that cool ambulance quad bike – with blue lights and everything 😉

Roll on the summer…

Pub for me and Mrs. S. tonight – see you there HtS and anyone else that can make The Church Inn, Prestwich.

My first time and I loved it, I will be their next year, bike held up really well, legs are bit sore now.

nice home made curry with a few beers tonight will top a great day

Thanks to all involved and well done for putting on a great event 😀

I didn’t get a poster sadly, but would love one if any are going spare!

Ace event today. Really cracking course, good people, and a brass band playing “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” at the end of lap one. Yeah, you’re telling me!

Anyway, cracking work Terrahawk. As you said to me as I was leaving, “see you next year”. Can’t wait.

Was the guy on the fat tyre ragley ok?

Was he the one who snapped his forks and his seat post?

Medics reported a busted nose and a cut knee. Both walking wounded and neither too serious.

Thanks it was a great event! Just a little muddy!

I think I rode your descent Ton although there was spme squealing and talking to myself going on.

Hoping to get to the pub later, it’ll be a nice ride there.

I’m glad you all liked it. I’ve got plans for next year…but then again I might just do the same thing again.

If anyone knows someone who got hurt please keep me posted.
Cheers.

A fantastic event, big thanks to everyone of the organisers, marshalls, etc and a great bunch of riders.

I rode from the back after filming the start until I was lapped when that was my queue to stopand take loads of photos in all the technical areas which I’ve still to sort out….later

Here’s the start video, can you see yourself?

My first one. Loved it, thanks TerraHawk. Note to self, MUST get mud tires, the front was drifting something terrible over all that mud. All added to the experience though !

Also, thanks to all the marshals and organisers for being so efficient, and all the other riders for taking it in the right spirit.

Took as long to clean my bike and stuff as it did to ride the event 😀

My first ever event of any kind!

Unreal,still buzzing off it! Thanks to everyone who made it happen.

Only spoiler was i lost my cheap decathlon glasses and when i got home and washed my bike,found a massive crack under the headstock and bottom tube 😐

R.I.P

(Anyone got a large frame knocking about?)

Top doo, good fun, well organised, supportive spectators and cracking course.

Getting muddy and feeling sick for two hours has never been so much fun.

Photos.

http://www.sportsunday.co.uk/

Page after page of crashes from sheet 15 onwards 😆

Great day out, once again. Thanks to all marshalls and TerraHawks organisational skills. My wifes first stop on the way home was to Cooksons to spend her winnings, funny that it ended up costing more… Not sure I will be allowed to sit around all night in Ed Oxley donated ‘undressing’ robe. Won for being the muddiest rider left in the crowd, thanks for the cheers 😀

Arrh, thanks to the organisers and all the marshals, top stuff. Will be having nightmares about the endless slog across that boggy field…

First timer to Hit the North and 2nd ever bike race, Thanks to Mr Sparkle for mentioning it, oh and driving! torn my new pants when i fell off, bugger! better get sewing! brilliant route and race. Cheers

My first solo bike race, absolutely loved it, atmosphere was superb, great course lads, you lot are bloody hero’s.

Followed Johnclimber on his snow bike for the first lap, you did really well on that mate, must have weighed a Ton.

Speaking of Ton I noticed no advice on line choice, he must have been having too much fun watching us all fall off 😆

and those pork butties were spot on.

count me in for next year.

well done again lads and thanks.

Anyone find a pair of clear Oakleys in the car park? Absolutely gutted. 😐

Really good route, as for the MTFU, i thought it was a dislexic and he had spelt MUFC wrong, also the marshall at the park bit at the old stables, he shouted right to a rider, and the rider shouted ok right and carried straight on instead of turning right, absolute classic.
the mud and more mud was well slippy just to try and walk on, the band where excellent, typically northern, and as for the organisation and marshalling, absolutely top class, big thanks to the sponsors , organisors and the riders.
Pictures up soon.

Excellent event, felt really good until the last lap when I had to fall off due to cramp in both calves. Have had to endure a shopping afternoon round Leeds….not good.
Can we still get posters, I had to leg it home (after paying Brant who kindly subbed me money for an inner tube..two punctures BEFORE the race started!) so missed out on the prize giving.

Going to lie down now

I personally think it was all too dirty. I hate dirt, me.

I’ll sort something out re posters. The ones Warren printed for today are proofs- the real ones will be of a much higher quality (but will also cost money).

Not loads of money though.

Joy Joy Happy Happy

it was well cool, even though i did the last two laps with 3 gears, none of them fast!

OK you lot there are 307 OK to good pictures from today for any of you to help yourself to.

Here are my 13 favorite edited shots of the day.

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1 Fun[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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2 Nearly[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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3 Mud[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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4 Jon[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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5 Chipps[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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6 Nearly[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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7 twinklydave[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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8 Guess Who[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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9 Chipps’s Floating Bike[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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10 The Start[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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11 Nearly There[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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12 Blow[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

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13 Hello[/url] by Johnclimber[/url], on Flickr

All I ask is please help yourself to any photos but for EVERY photo you take/use please put a quid in the next Mountain Rescue collection box/tin that you see. Deal?

If it’s a deal then click here. Just don’t forget a quid a shot.
Find the photo you like – Click on Actions – View All sizes – Choose the size you want – Right click – Save Picture As….

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25655510@N02/sets/72157626032377994/with/5438629681/

I didn’t even TRY and ride down towards Ton today, having not managed it once in the previous editions on my MTB, there was no way I was going to try it on my CX bike. Did see one CXer manage it though.

And yeah, all the above thanks to Jason and the team goes from me too. Best marshalls had to be the mum and daughter team by the motorway just before the climb back up to the carpark, chanting and clapping every time, class.

edit oh, and pic 9 up there, not Chipps floating bike, actually my arm poorly centered in the photo 😉

I buzz off that race 🙂

It’s daft…I mean, it’s ‘only’ two hours, yet it’s always epic. It’s in the middle of Manchester (well, kind of), yet the course is technical, swoopy, fast and has unrideable climbs. It comes after the ‘cross season and well before the summer race season, yet is always fully subscribed and it’s soundtrack is a brass band, yet has a rock and roll kind of feel to it!

Well done to everyone involved, everyone who raced and everyone who helped out – it created a masterpiece. 🙂

It’s a top day out. For ANY biker who likes off road and has a good bath or shower at home.

Machismo moment
[list][*]Rode 5 out of six times down the muddy shitey ‘post’ climb (someone dismounted right in front of me… honest)[/*]
[*]Rode 5 out of six times up out of the stream crossing (ditto)[/*]
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It was hard on the thighs though – and this from a 3 peaks lover. That last run up to the ‘gardens’ was so painful.

This is the race. This is the hour. These are the men. And ladies.

Well done all. Seems to exceed high expectations (but let’s have 1-2-3 on the podium next year – not those junior under 40s)

This is the hour.

You should have at least finished though. 😀

let’s have 1-2-3 on the podium next year – not those junior under 40s

Where were you in the overall?

A cracking event today, a big well done to all riders, marshals, organisers, caterers and other associated hangers on.
A handful of pics below with more, including a blog post, on my website[/url] or my Flickr Stream[/url]

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