There's no need, but feel free to donate a couple of quid to St. Luke's Hospice at http://www.justgiving.com/richardcoleman-taylor

Dropoff, have also emailed you the details. Sorry to mess you about with editing posts.

Cool. Here're the details they emailed to me:

Dear Richard Coleman-Taylor
Your rider number is 102

Sunday 2nd August 2009 at 10am from Wheddon Cross.

*Wheddon Cross Fete
You are more than welcome to come and join the fete on Saturday afternoon.

* Camping
If you have booked a pitch, we are using the same field as the Marquee and Start this year. Please wait until 5pm to drive in and put up your tent as the Wheddon Cross Fete will be in full swing until then. There is no need to go after your ride as you can camp Sunday night as well.

* Pasta Party
If you have booked for the Pasta Party this will take place in the Marquee on Saturday night starting at 8pm and ending at 10pm. There will be a bar.

* Registration
Registration will take place Sunday morning between 7am and 9.30am. You should receive a text message with your rider number on Thursday 30th July which you can show at registration, or print the 1st page of this email and bring it with you. You will be given a tag to attach to your bike. There won't be the turn by turn guide as we have supplied in previous years as the route will be well marked out.

* The Route
Please go to the website from 26th July onwards to download the route. It is available as a GPS download, a map in PDF format or written instructions to allow you to overlay it onto your own map (use Ordnance Survey OL9).

Regards

Exmoor Explorer Team

Hope your friend enjoys himself. Looks like there're some decent sections on the course this year.

Anyone?

My first and last solo24. Got really bored by the end of my fifth lap and only did a few more as a consequence. Much more fun as a team member when you can really attack, rather than stroll around.

Thought there was also a lack of decent singletrack descents, but that's my taste and not everyone wants the same as me. I'd say Cottage was the only part of the course that really made me smile.

I've booked my place but I'm not sure I can be arsed.

I'll also be riding around Newnham for 24-hours. Soz.

I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep like my Grandad, rather than screaming in terror like the passengers in his car did. 😉

It's been dry, sunny and breezy in Devon today. Perfect for drying things out. Hopefully it'll continue like this through the weekend.

Love some of those vintage adverts.

TJ, I have a clinical interest in smoking cessation. Give me a call on 07966 914462 if you want some advice (although I'd rather you not do so at 2am when you're desperate for a fag).

That'll be next May then.

It's all about tapering. Maybe go out in the morning but go a little easier than you would have done the night before (not that I really know what I'm talking about).

Just looked at them. He's not overweight, just cuddly. Sam looks loads bigger while the other one looks the same.

Are Certini replacing the whole wheel, rebuilding or just replacing the one spoke? Let me know if you need those brakes back.

Nobby, we did the 24/12 as a team last year and the blokes camping next to us were doing 12hr pairs. They looked absolutely knackered by midnight. They did a single lap and switched. They reckoned it might have been better to have done a few laps and then had a decent breather. It's gonna be my first solo24 and I'm just a little bit nervous about it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/13

Nor me, especially at around 7pm when all the shooting ground staff have gone home.

Both the forecasts I looked at were for Plymouth, not ND. It's absolutely chucking down up here at the minute and I'm supposed to be taking a bloke from Holland out over Exmoor in a couple of hours. Quantocks, methinks.

just had a look at two weather forecasts that are saying sunny all day Saturday and Sunday. It pissed down 'til mid-morning Friday last year and was lovely and dry by the start of the race. Maybe we'll see a repeat this year.

I've never ridden a race that didn't have good weather. Maybe my anti-jinx will continue.

I'm gonna be up that way in September and was gonna ask the same question. Does anyone have any gpx files for some local singletrack? Doesn't have to be too tech as my wife will be coming.

As far as tyres go, all the lads I ride with in Plymouth really rate Bontrager mud-x for wet stuff. The mud down that way doesn't get too sticky, although 1000 riders over the same bit of dirt for 24hours may change this.

If it dries out, I'll be running Maxxis Crossmarks, stays damp and I'll be sticking to the Kenda nevegals I've got on at the minute. If it gets nasty, might think about a proper mud tyre.

All the climbs from last year were on pretty solid ground, so it's only for the descents that you'll need super-grip.

Payday on Monday. Be glad to then.

Aren't my friends simply smashing!

TheMolland, give certini/specialized concept in Saltash a ring. They normally have a few demo models of decent bikes knocking around. I had my bike nicked just before my stag-do to Afan, and they said they'd be happy to loan me one. As a shop local to Plymouth, I'm sure they'd be happy to help if they can.

Captain, JulianWilson was sporting the same hideous/eccentric (you choose) Mint Sauce jersey on Saturday. Just wait 'til you see the Kraftwerk number he reserves for racing duties (it's the matching red bibshorts that finish it off really).

I was berated for my sleeveless 'YMCA' jersey last year, until everyone realised that they're actually a good idea on the hottest day of the year. Doesn't look like it'll get much of an airing this year though.

I got an email the other day saying you get a fiver off if you pay with paypal.

Or maybe some hellfire raining down and global floods and plagues and stuff.

Funny how none of this has happened for a couple of thousand years, or ever really.

In a perhaps more realistic comparison, you would probably have paid about £600 for that bike 2-3years ago, which is quite a jump but we all know the reasons why.

I like lightweight shiny things on my bike, but it's time we perhaps started buying what we need and not just what we want.

Steel hardtail with a deore/X5 groupset anyone?

I don't have it, but I am on the pandemic rapid response team for Devon. I don't get a porsche or even a blue light for my van though. 🙁

Spooky, don't suppose you're giving the female entry away? My missus fancies a bash but we're well skint.

I have a Giant Defy 2.5. I swapped the FSA triple for a Tiagra double and find the ratios fine. I live in North Devon which has considerably bigger hills than Surrey and I've had no problems. There are a few 1:4 climbs on some of my training routes and I can get up these so long as I'm out of the saddle.

Forecast says dry Sat-Mon, then raining again from Tuesday onwards. I have to say that every race I've ever attended has had cracking/scorching weather, so hpoefully my weather charm will continue.

Julian, are you still on for some Quantocks tomorrow?

Still pissing down in North Devon. Might bring a snorkel, just in case.

Gut tag.

I'll be going riding somewhere around this way on Tuesday. I've sent you an email about it.

It's been absolutely chucking down in Devon for the last 20hours so it's probably pretty horrible there right now. Unfortunately, the forecasts I've seen are showing rain to continue next week too. However, The soil around Plymouth tends to not get too sticky when it's wet, so it could be worse.

If it does remain wet for the next week, some proper mud tyres might be a good idea. All my Plym riding mates use Bontrager mud tyres in the winter for local riding. If it dries out, Nobby Nics would be an ideal choice for Newnham.

I'm doing the 24hour solo, so I really hope it does dry out.

Managed to prise it off with a knife. This was so much easier when I lived in Plymouth and got Fatmuthahubbard to do all my fixing.

Ummm, can't get the samller spacer off now.

Am I just crap?

2 screwdrivers = how easy was that!

Thanks, chaps.

It's the prising of the covers that I'm struggling with. I don't seem to be able to get the leverage that you can against the cassette body on the rear.

Nope. Afternoon tea break.

If you want someone to decide for you, I'd say the 5.

The course is open for practice laps on Friday. Why not do at least one on each bike and see which you prefer?

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO GO 😀