Home, after 2 long days at Cannock on BC duty, walked 19 miles, had 2 bacon rolls, didn’t drink enough, thought the milkshake I had was warmer than my coffee, and generally pleased with how the event ran from a Comms side.

On arrival Saturday, did the usual course walk, from this I can usually get feel for if people will enjoy it, half way round I wasn’t getting a good feeling, crossing track left by the harvester was pretty bad, then you’d come across a bit that would make it fun again, then there was the mud and slop, and I didn’t really get a positive vibe, today with a combination of wheels over it, warm air and sun it seemed to have improved by a huge amount, riders seemed happy enough, and the gridding was smooth and nobody was left standing around, time for a BEER or 2 now.

Had an invite for a walk/look round the Thickthorn National Venue last night, only 10 minutes from home for me, so hopefully it will be on my National Appointments list next year as Commisaire.

Having a small knowledge of the are, it will be rolling and fast, along the lines of Henham if you’ve been there for MSG events.

First Winter Series Round went ok, apart from a bit of cramp towards the end, which im putting down to no rest on Saturday as id been on my feet all day at a careers day with my son.

First full Thetford Winter Series for me since 2015, all down to a combination of post injury recovery, being a tart and falling out of love with xc racing, and really looking forward to it now.

2019, will do a couple of MSG Eastern Races, to dust off the Xc bug, a 6 Hour Solo somewhere, and hopefully if they want me Commisaire Nationals again and some regional stuff, other than that im going to ride my bike and enjoy it…

Not sure I can get away with a new bike though….

Had a Scalpel Si Carbon 3 now fro 18 months, that was a replacement for a Flash 29er, its a great bit of kit, yeah the Rear Wheel is dished off centre, It has a Lefty and might just be a touch heavier than some but its mine and I love it!

Lefty, feels great its stiff light and really smooth, if you look after it won’t let you down, its funny I never seem to notice mine going through the travel range in use….

The Carbon 3 is also great spec for the money, Si Cannondale  Cranks, XT/XTR Mix and Crest Wheels, I changed the grips and the discs and went riding.

Kryton57, im home now from MSG @ Henham, if you were travelling from the West or the South you most likely would have come across some snow fall on route, the venue itself was hard packed, frosty and riding very well im told, I spent the day in my grey kit as Commissaire, and can confirm, the Easterly wind off the North Sea was freezing, a couple of riders quoted -3 on there Garmins in practice and to be honest it didn’t lift all day.

The MSG team as usual laid on a great event, the only thing being missing was the Burger van which was snow bound in Essex! but everyone made it through.

Time to warm up now.

Indeed vehicles are another plus point, the Unimog being my particular favourite, just when you think its stuck, it comes through and gets there!

The Industry is all in love with the Transit now, On the gang we had some great trucks, from a Leyland Roadrunner Box Truck through various Cargo”s, all of which had a purpose built body for the all important Tea kit, even doubled up as overnight accommodation more than once.

We have a few John Deers ATV”s great on big shutdowns for getting kit around, although to my peril I found they don’t float well, managed to bounce one out of a rut and into a dyke nose first on Blythburgh Marshes while doing an Hv Shutdown to replace poles, one of the Linemen ran over, I thought to offer help, but it was just to get a photo for his instagram account…..

all the best with your application.

Its the only job I know where you look forward to bad weather! rain/wind/snow the lot bring it on, my wife gets concerned if I haven’t got myself on extra standby when the weather turns!

One of the other perks, is that in severe weather you get to travel the country and Europe helping people out, in my career I’ve known colleagues to be sent to Europe, all over the UK and even Jamaica! so its always an option. Some of my best memories of being on the tools were in 2006, the winter flooding in Carlisle saw us spend a week in Northern England/Scotland saw some fantastic places id never been to before. One village we went to near Shap was great, the locals were not only pleased to se us, but also did an article for the parish magazine of our Team, which also made the local paper, somewhere I have a copy as they sent one down.

If you get in you won’t regret it, and as I tell our younger guys now, never turn down training, watch, listen and ask loads of questions.

30 years in the industry and as much as its changed its still a great place to work, team work and challenging conditions are all part of the life.

I started as an apprentice in metering but escaped onto Engineering and never looked back, 33 Linesman/Jointer and Live Line before I took a job in the office. Now an Engineer on New Connections for UKPN, and still get up every day looking forward to a challenge.

yes its a corporate world now where keeping the lights on is lost behind hours of countless meetings and crap, but the 3 main trades are as they were when I started.

Our New recruits are shown how to climb a pole, and given the chance to try, build up a service joint and take a look at different types of switchgear, the last few years we have taken a few people on as Trainee Linesmen and Jointers and had some good people come through, with ages ranging from 18 to 53.

good luck, and hopefully youll get to do what is a great job, whichever way it takes you.

Now the Open Category has gone at nationals, it will naturally fill up the other races, almost a quiet year for me at the moment on BC Duty, just 4 MSG Rounds, Sherwood National and The National Champs at Hadleigh, its a different take on racing but one I do enjoy, and find quite rewarding.

good luck to all in 2018, and see you on the start line somewhere!

At least you had the best of the conditions, this morning would have been nasty for staging a fight back. Not been too Langdon for a couple of years and enjoyed the day, great too she a lot of new and old faces racing at MSG.

A couple of people broke chains so you weren’t alone. All the best for the winter races.

Kryton57, that was me on the whistle today at Langdon, I quite liked the cheer you got when you did get rolling, kudos for getting your head down and catching riders on a tough lap

3 is the main isolator for the domestic supply, 4 is the isolator for domestic heating via box 5, (neutral comes straight from the bottom of the cut out/ main fuse)

Hope that helps.

r8jimbob88 I recognise that kit, I was the Commisaire doing grinding over the weekend, although it was slightly cleaner when the race was started. The rain on Saturday was awful, I can only compare it to Sherwood 2 years ago for similar levels of grimness….
Sadly, the rain wasn’t the only water I saw that weekend, a broken cold water valve in the b&b meant I had a flood at 4:30am on Sunday, making it a long old day with the best part of 300 miles too drive home…

Fair play too James and the Nutcracker Team, they put in another great event.

Had my first in 2003, was small enough too pass and that was nasty, fast forward too 2012, had a scan 6mm stone in the right, 11mm in the left, operations planned too have them lasered in turn, a week before the large one made a break for freedom, it didn’t get far, and neither did I….Hospital, weekend stay, drugged up on morphine and it settles down, at this point we discovered by the medium of anaphylactic shock I’m allergic too Codeine….

A week later I had the first op, all went ok, had a stent fitted, went home, in a week later for the stent removal, an experience I had too repeat twice, not at all pleasant but no choice….went home and felt ok, then without warning I was rolling on the floor in agony, “drain back” Into the kidney was more painful than the stone, didn’t sleep for 4 days and was sick over and over again….

I did get too watch all of London 2012 though!

2017, another forming on the left, so really looking forward too the next episode…

Drink plenty, pee lots and I was advised Cranberry juice is good…..

I’d like too see Maxine Marrotte get a win, but fear it’s going to be a Schirter/Absalon show, last weeks races were boos, looking forward to watching this weekends events unfold, after all the Monaco GP will be rubbish.

It was intriguing watching the different overseas teams and there approach to gels at the recent Hadleigh International, as Feed Zone Commisaire (it was really cold too) i had a good spot to observe the various techniques and approaches.

Each time the riders came through bottles with gels taped on were offered, in the elite races most riders took a gel on Lap 2, along with bottles of water, laps 3 and 4 tended to be a mix of water/energy drink, but quite a few took bottles with flat coke in, usually on the penultimate Lap, depending on race duration.

At the end of the race, we did a seep of the feed zone and cleared up what can only be described as a lot of crap, bottles gel wrappers and these weird toothpaste tube things that contained a nasty smelling black sticky goo, that no doubt came out looking the same as it went in.

2 busy weekends coming up for me, Hadleigh first for the UCI Junior and Elite races, then a long trek North for the Nationals at Aske, this Commisaire lark goes down well with the wife at times!

So if anyone’s at either event, pop over and say hello, I’m likely to be the mildly stressed one in grey……with biscuits.

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/mikeharker/UK-TropheeinSWLondon1E.jpg

My dad used too co drive in this once it went into private hands, great little car. Light, quick and noisy, embarrassed quite a few more powerful cars on rallies…

Great pics, been the last 3 years running a Formula Junior Matlock, with my dad and friends, I just love the fact you can wander about and get up close too some fantastic machinery.

No better sound than a Cosworth DFV being fired up beside you.

Evening all,

Just a quick well done to all who raced at Cannock yesterday, was there as part of the BC team and I have to say considering the course was tough, hot and hard to overtake on I thought the behaviour of riders was very good.

having been on duty at Dalby and Cannock I have to say we have some strong talent coming through the ranks, both venues threw up some great racing through each category.

Hopefully I can come back next year and do some more.

Could only make Friday this year, was helping my dad with Formula Junior Mallock U2, car went well on Friday, class pole and in with the rear engined cars, then decided to go bang in a big way on the last lap of Saturdays race.

Was impressed by how many people wee there, so can only imagine the Saturday/Sunday was packed out, great cars, driven hard and easy access too see and drool over.

Spent the weekend at Hadleigh as part of the Commisaire Team, so I got to see the best xc racers in the world, so it was a win win weekend!

Looks like the Elite Men’s race could be interesting on Sunday at Dalby…….

Can’t wait.

Just home after a great day at Sherwood, a fog bound drive up this morning wasn’t the best start to the day, but all ok in the end, great too see so many racers out, who looked like they were enjoying themselves, some really good rides across the classes, back too the flatlands of the East for me, but hope too see many of you out on the race courses again.

And well done to the Sherwood Team, keep it up.

Good luck too all at Midlands xc tomorrow, I’m Commisaire for the event, looking forward too the day, just not the 5am start and 3 hour drive!

A year on the sidelines for me in 2016, injury at the last MSG and a few stern words from the surgeon have seen to that means I get to don the BC hat at several MSG rounds, the National at Dalby and the Junior World Cup race at Hadleigh.

Good luck everyone, and if you’re at Dalby see you there.

Running 25mm Conti GP4000s on my supersix with no issues, 2012 frame so same as yours.

Looking at this for next year, currently nursing a smashed up shoulder so off the bike for a while, I’m wondering if anyone has used it with a Tacx Flow, Garmin Speed Sensor and Ant + Adaptor for an I phone with good results, I don’t really want to go down the but a power meter route at the moment, I know it would be more accurate in the long run, but as a starting point I’m curious as to how people find it in use.

I was one of those to have the plate removed, broke my clavicle in June 2014, Surgeon had no option other than to take it out in March this year as it was making the skin very stressed and thin at the tip above the collarbone. No issues after either operation, healing was ok and was happy for me to get back on the bike.

Broke it again 3 weeks ago, making a proper mess of it this time, start of fracture was through one of the original screw holes, and knocked the top 40mm off in a wedge shape, now sporting another plate and 8 screws, different outcome this time, the plate has to stay in, Surgeon very much of the opinion that by this is the best option as the bone is weak and won’t take.

Been advised to take at least 6 months off the bike, as movement limited and very sore, and risk of further damage is high, this has led to a huge amount of boredom and 3 shiny clean bikes…

The Chinese opposite the Church in Attleborough is good but I can’t remember it’s name!

Made it to 42 with jousts bumps and cuts, then broke right collarbone badly, did 15 months and did it again, bigger mess 2nd time round, really popular with the surgeon who did the repair!

The Bird in Hand at Wreningham 5 minutes from Wymondham, or Sugar Beat at Swainsthorpe, about 20 minutes away from Wymondham…

Broken Collarbone….again…

Broke mine June 2014, plate and 6 screws fitted and was ok to ride after 6 weeks, (on the road) didn’t give me too much trouble and after 10 weeks could ride the mtb again, had the plate removed in March and has given me no issues at all, movement all ok, strength took some time to build but all was good until 2 weeks ago, broke it again, tip of bone back to original break line (wedge shape) and now plated back together, surgeons described it as “a mighty fine mess”.

No idea when I can ride this time, hope to find out more this week when I go back, initial words from the doc are not for a long while, and at best only on the road…….bugger……..

2015 has been a big year for Thetford Forest, many of the trails that have been used for years and were nicely bedded in have gone due to harvesting, leaving an awful lot of fire road, and short sections of singletrack.
I only live 30 miles away and a 9pm finish seems crazy to me, how do they hope to attract riders from far and wide when the finish is so late on a Sunday? D2D used to bring people in from miles around but I can’t see the same happening here.

The Thetford MTB team have all gone onto other things and the events they ran are no more, which is a shame as D2D was always a great event even in the wet.
The G8 guys who have taken over the dates seem keen but are doing some strange things in my opinion, not 100% sure if they have ever run an MTB event, they have form for moto cross and triathlon, so it will be interesting to see what happens over the winter.

Really enjoyed it, first time there and after changing categories due to illness happy to come home 13th in the teams class, great course lots of laughs and the whole event was so chilled.

really looking forward too it,not riding though as im part of the Commisaire team for the first round, early start and 2 long days ahead, so good luck too anyone riding and see you there.

As much as I enjoyed it, I’m of the opinion the event is now a shadow of previous years, which is a shame. It seemed quite quiet out in the trees in the small hours, you could travel a fair distance before you saw another rider.

The lap was ok, flowed reasonably well but spoilt by the new section of horrendous bumps near the finish, pointless really as it just became a slog towards the end.

My only gripe was the insistence of the use of high powered flash guns straight into your eyes in Singletrack, just what I don’t need when I’m tired and trying to pick my line.

Good luck to everyone going this year, it’s a great event, after a while you almost forget it’s a bike race as it’s so social!
A few of my mates are going, but I’m missing it, after being the tactically slow member of a 5 man team last year and finishing on the podium, I’m gutted I shall miss it, a clash with the Silverstone Classic isn’t helping, and being off the bike with a recently broken collar bone and buggered shoulder isn’t helping…

Hopefully you will get some favourable weather, lots of laughs and some great memories!

I took on a French curb 3 weeks ago and came off second best. Broke my right collarbone, grade 3 separation of the shoulder and split the good part of my collarbone back to the rib cage area, had it all plated and pinned 2 weeks ago.

Been back for my first checkup, had X-rays and seen the surgeon, who congratulated me on the mess I had made, it gave him the chance too show his trainee what can happen!

Currently signed off for 6 weeks, in a sling and have very limited movement, and constant pain, being allergic to anything other than paracetamol isn’t a great help either, but I can laugh about it, watch the tour and chill out for a bit.

The mere mention of getting on my bike too him, drew an intake of breath and the words “don’t even think about that for weeks” seemed pretty real, not even had a mention of physio yet, but when I do, I think it might be a bit grim.