Vallelujah

is my next race

who else is going

forecast says no rain for the next 10 days

better pack the semislicks and suncream then

Not this year. Would have had it been at Yair again but not fussed about it being at GT. Trails were running superbly at the weekend and another 10 days of no rain would be perfect

Moi.

No rain for the next 10 days is quite feasible, but then expect a deluge of biblical proportion before the event itself kicks off.

expect a deluge of biblical proportion before the event itself kicks off.

It’s usually bone dry practice then biblical rain overnight rendering practice pointless

I’m going too. Hopefully be slightly less muddy than last year, although being based at glentress this time that shouldn’t be difficult.

Dry weather but gale force winds is traditional.

My first Enduro.
Never ridden natural trails in Peebles either.

Trial of fire.

I’m in . I really enjoyed it last year at selkirk so was a bit disappointed but if the course is as fun as the last king of the hill it will be a great weekend . The last email said the last stage will finish I’m the event village so I am assuming it is the final descent on the gt7 course which is a great bit of trail .

I am assuming it is the final descent on the gt7 course which is a great bit of trail

I’m guessing that local knowledge is going to be king. Ah well.
(not that I’m hoping to do more than not crash and not come last and beat a couple of my mates)

Im in but seriously unfit. 1st enduro and i think I’m going to struggle.

Bob, is Yair worth exploring?

Bob, is Yair worth exploring?

Definitely. Only been twice but it was brilliant. I loved the race stages last year

Yair’s kind of fiddly to explore, mind. Some awesome riding up there but I’ve still not figured out how to make a ride of it.

I’ll be there in some capacity, either riding or helping.

We are off up on the Friday, Abigale and her boyfriend Ed are racing. I have another foot operation on the Thursday.

You will be able to reconise me as the one in a pot and surgical stockings.

It cant be as wet as the Grizdale Enduro in January, Abigale is still drying out.

Is it ok to race in normal helmets or are full face compulsory

Trail helmets are fine for tweedlove events.

Me and OH are down for it too.

I’m in. Missed out on it last year so missed the Yair mud slide.

An unfortunate withdrawal for me – didn’t realise it was on Easter Sunday 😳
Enjoy all – will be belting in the Tweed with a bit of dry weather.

I wasnt going to bother with vallelujah this year but just been informed my other half is going to home to Belfast that weekend so tried to enter and on the waitlist :/, hoping there may be some new off piste trails than the usual Gt off piste

Anyone know what to expect? How many KM do I need to be fit for? How many stages?

The king of the hill last year which started at glentress to was about 25 miles . There were 4 stages and 2 big climbs plus a couple of smaller climbs to get to the stages .

I’m in. Really enjoyed the mudfest last year ?

I’m in, really looking forward to it! Will see you all up there

groundskeeperwilly – Member
Anyone know what to expect? How many KM do I need to be fit for? How many stages?

budget for 20-25 miles and 4000-5000ft of climbing.. you wont be far away at that

Really? Thought this was billed as a mellow enduro, a bit less intense than others….

Last year it was 16.5 miles with 2900ft climbing, although that was missing a stage due to high winds. The last two Scottish Open Enduros (also Tweedlove) were,19 miles / 3,500ft; 24.5 miles / 3800ft.

Only more mellow than the International, it can still be a big day out

Thanks lucky7500 and legend. Looks like I misinterpreted it a fair bit (as have others I’ve been speaking to!)

The old king & queen of the hill used to be quite a mellow enduro, I really enjoyed it, I’ve not done it for two years and I think it’s maybe a bit more gnar now.

That first round of the SES looked proper nuts though…

I’m there doing First Aid. My honest advice to you is to not hurt yourself, or, if you do, check it isn’t me bodging you back together administering first aid.

I think there might be one or two surprises, cant see this myself but have just read that work is currently ongoing on Trail Fairy Plan for Vallelujah,the quagmire from the mast, It was a waste of time at the EWS and cant see it being much different now, about 6 inches deep in mud from top to bottom and personally I havent been down it since, I did ride it before EWS right enough and it was excellent, maybe a bit to Gnarly for Vallelujah but who knows :/

the old king & queen of the hill used to be quite a mellow enduro

I think they’ve been pretty consistent to be honest.
2013: 23 miles/4500 ft
’14: 19 miles/3500 ft
’15: 24.5 miles/3800 ft

Every year I look at it and think it’s harder than the last, but it never is. Last year was perhaps a bit more technical than previous years, but even back in 2013 with Cademuir in there was plenty of challenging stuff.

Also worth bearing in mind that the road section can be quite a chunk of that too depending on locations used, last year was paved footpath between GT & Inners, previous to that on the road between GT & Cademuir.

Well forecast is saying no rain between now and then 🙂

Im still taking my shorty tho!

I’ve just put a shorty on the front – hopefully that’ll keep the rain away 🙂

Re trailfairy plan/b side- it’s been on the to do list to essentially rebuild it ever since EWS, but there’s been no urgency to it, I’d be very surprised if it’s in the race, it needs a fair amount of work to stop it turning to porridge when it rains. Could be wrong though. As Fabien Barel said to me, it’ll be a good trail when it’s finished. (btw, it was delivered to the spec requested!)

(*this is the royal we, I might stay in bed)

tenacious_doug – Member

I think they’ve been pretty consistent to be honest.

2012 was a far easier course though- hardest stage was broon troot. Don’t know about length but it wasn’t physically that hard. 2013 was a big escalation

(it was berm baby berm/electric blue, broon troot, spooky-shallow-rave-hitsquad, then the fort descent IIRC. Oh and 2 bastard timed climbs!)

2 bastard timed climbs!

😯

Should be another really good one again! The trails I think will be used are really good. One of them is up there with my favourite trail anywhere, especially when ridden in the wet.

Wont be venturing out of the camp site assuming my foot op goes to plan next Thursday. Leaving all the climbs to the young ones.

@alexsimon, If I remember rightly, there were 6 stages and you dropped your worst 2 from your overall so you had the option of just dawdling up. Pretty interesting format actually but I can’t remember how the maths really worked, since some stages were like 2 minutes long and others were huge.

Quite like rules like that – gives it a tactical aspect and maybe a bit of a leveller.
I’m just looking forward to fresh trails tbh!
I haven’t done an event since ’92 🙂

Here just now. Running lovely. Zorro, trail fairy, zoom or bust and janets brae all out of action because of forestry work though they may open up for next weekend