Having had the joys of the hospital in Le Mans 2 weeks ago to savour I have to say they treated me very well, a flash of the old blue card, and nothing was too much trouble, care was excellent, and the treatment given was enough to get me through the weekend and back home.

Given the language barrier, obviously home is the preferred option, but 1 handed signing does work even abroad!

Done it twice now so hardly an expert, but loved it both times, the first in 2010 was wet, really wet, but we still had a laugh, last year was great, the lap the atmosphere and a podium in 24 hour teams (thanks to my much faster team mates) made it one of those weekends to remember. sadly I wont be back this year, an incident with a French kerb at Le mans 2 weeks ago resulted in a smashed collar bone, a lovely set of titanium screws and a plate to hold it all together, so for anyone going, enjoy it, have a laugh and behold one of the best 24 hour races you will find.

1079 was my BRCA number! Wasn’t there a Reedy race at Southport too, can remember doing something there bigger than a national, The Worlds warm up at Basildon was a real laugh, the track was the location for the park and ride for the Olympic mtb race last year, I can recall spending a day shovelling hardcore down as the track surface was so wet, and nobody wanted to race! Then the sun came out, the lot dried like concrete and was so fast we had a real blue groove track for once!

great times, and laughs, mostly involving beer, ladies and fathers who were let of the leash for a few days!

Benman, when you next see Jamie Booth, tell him Stylish says hello! he will know who it is,we raced together on the Tamiya uk team in 92/93, along with Steve Haynes, known the old bugger for years!

Clubber youre right about r/c racers turning to mtb, the best mates I have all came form cars, and slowly everyone caught the cycling bug, I was the last in 08.
Quite a few of the old racers still work in the industry and all ride,mostly around the midlands.

Back to the cars, you can now buy replica cars from the 80s, quite fancy an RC10, but I don’t think the wife would be too keen!

My monster beetle used to round the ends of driveshafts all the time, it was running 7 cells and a Tamiya Technigold motor, as that was the done thing in the Tamiya Challenge at the time!

Eden Park was a real car breaker, my best shunt there was at a 2wd national, at speed into the pit under the rostrum, I clipped the apex on the way in but ran wide, when the car came into view, both left hand corners were ripped off!

Although my claim to fame was at the Touring Car Euros in Germany 2006, early days of brushless, and the motor caught fire going down the back straight, cue loads of smoke and laughter, but it kept going for 2 laps, even had a good turn of speed still, it finally came to rest at the feet of a marshall who was too bust laughing to do anything with it..

Brings back memories, in the loft at my dads are the following,

Bolink Pro10 car, Schumacher Pro-Cat, Cougar 2000, Cat 200ec and my Bosscat, last raced by Dave Spashett before he went on to win 3 world titles in one year, The first Tamiya Astute in the uk, and a Tamiya Egress with proper independent suspension, one of 3 team cars built for the uk, and a Tamiya King Cab Nissan with a body painted by Dallas Matheson (In the 80s/90s if you knew r/c you knew Dallas).

favouredimage, I too spent many years travelling the uk and Europe with my dad racing at BRCA Nationals, and the Euro”s, friendships were formed that are still around today.

Southport was an awesome track, really fast and always beautifully prepared. Missed the A final there by 1/100th of a second, trying to recall all the places we went too now, Aire Valley (Leeds) was good, Eden Park was hard to master, but great when you did.

Good times.

Well done Gee on the solo win, you did seem to be flying along. As a local, I have to say that was the best d2d I’ve done, much better atmosphere back at Mayday Meadow, lots of new riders too which is always good to see, really enjoyed the lap lots of places to pass and be passed, some nice little sections to settle in too and all round some great riding by all involved.
If anybody wants to know, the 1st puddle at The Duck Ponds was deep, smelly and not too tasty, I found this out by dropping a wheel off the edge on my first lap while catching a rider a bit too quickly! The resulting splash wasn’t my favourite part of the night.

Looking forward to it now, we have had affair amount of localised rain in the east over the last 24 hours, but by all accounts the lap is riding really well, a few mates went over last night and it was fine.

For those of you using the A11 from the south, the Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills is closed from 10pm this evening, my advise would be to carry on along the A14 towards Bury st Edmunds, and take the A134 towards Thetford.

See you all there.

Riding as part of a 3 man team this year, at the moment the trails are spot on, although I after talking to the guys from Thetford mtb, a few old favourites have been pruned ready for service this year, bits that have not seen wheels for a while too.

With regard to entries, have you e mailed direct to see if they will take a late one? I know numbers are down on previous years, so might be worth a punt.

My riding buddy was racing in the Formula Junior event, pole in the front engine class was somewhat ruined by a persistent misfire that my Dad (Car Builder)just couldn’t cure, between them they saw the pit garage every day all day, and didn’t get to watch a lap of any of the races!
He was hoping for great thing’s, after finishing 2nd at goodwood last year, but no luck at Silverstone either.

I didn’t think there was much wrong with the food, they just seemed a bit chaotic in serving it.

I didn’t bother with the jump,my last 24/12 ended up with me on my arse on a bbq after an incident pulling a wheelie out of the campsite hairpin, so my team mates banned me from anything like that this year.

Did anyone else spot the big log beside the trail on the run after you dropped through the gate from the last field, it was there on one lap round, then gone the next.

I forgot to say, hats off to all the solo riders, and get well soon to all those who took a knock along the way.

I enjoyed it for so many reasons, the lap was ace, maybe the weather helped, but at any time in the 24 hours people were happy, I tried my best to give warning when going past, and gave a cheery “keep it going ” as I went by. had a chat with a chap in RAF kit on Saturday evening as we headed towards the straw bale gap, and we both agreed the atmosphere was ace.

Cant say I had any trouble with arrogant riders, if someone wanted to come past I gave all the room I could.

Nearly had a big off on the roots by the river in the early hours, bike and body were miles apart at one point but somehow I stayed on! but the highlight for me has to be that, With 4 good friends, I got to stand on the podium (grass) after finishing 3rd in 24 hour Open Teams, happy to admit my co riders were faster than me, and I held them back a bit, but we raced as a team and turned out the best result ive ever known in any xc race ive done, although knackered, im still grinning like a fool……….

Im riding for the above mentioned Revel Outdoors Team, my 4 team mates are racing but im the steady part of the troop!

Did it 3 years ago and cant wait to go back, although stunts in the camp sit will be strictly limited to skids this year after my wheelie went wrong and I crashed into a bbq……

have fun everyone! and don’t forget to smile…

Naff rider, you’ve found my dads photos! Not sure if he has uploaded them all yet.

Loved it, really nice lap and flowed really well, lots of places to pass and be passed. If people were cutting the course, they’re cheating themselves.

Only bits I didn’t like we’re the soft grass bit near the end and going up plumb buster, next time can we go up the gravel hill…..

With a torch, but I will most likely be out turning it off anyway….

Busy on the 14th, but have fun all, Thetford is good fun if you the best bits, nice and fast and the cafe at BCP is always busy.

8 hour pairs at the Enduro for me, riding in my Revel Colours, Most likely be found behind a black Honda Crv boiling the kettle..

8 hour pairs for me and a mate, and I can happily report, Thetford is bone dry and smooth at the moment….

Large would be my suggstion, I’m 5″11 with a 32 inside leg and a medium was too cramped for me.

I rode it on friday afternoon, and it was damp in places and dry in others, fast and flowing and really enjoyable.
just might have to go again one afternoon this week…….

Once it’s here pictures will follow, it’s down for Monday delivery, which is a pain as I’m back at work, sadly the supplying shop is only a mile away, so I can certainly see an afternoon site visit coming on…….

Few little bits to be done when it’s home, just to add the personal touch, and then it will be ready to race.

And I have to say thanks again to kongman 28 for the help.

It’s in transit, which is good, but it won’t be in the shop until Monday, so I can’t race it on Sunday…..But finally it’s in the uk and by this time next week it will be mine…..

Don’t worry about results and an old bike, I figured I work hard, and should enjoy the benefits of something new for my move jo too veterans…..

Let’s hope so, spent the winter on the road bike, as the ministry of fun and finance insisted I flog bikes to fund it! So lots of turbo time, and it’s my first proper go at the vets category in regional races, I’m just hoping what I have done will justify it, but if not I don’t care it’s mine, all mine……

Call from shop yesterday, bike now delayed until late march! The 5th time the date has changed, come on CSG rattle some cages and get some stock for the uk.

By the time it arrives, the 2014 models won’t be far away…..

You could try a Cannondale Scalpel, order it now and you might get it next year…..

Currently experiencing there amazing customer service first hand, reported a fault 3 weeks ago, all they were interested in was replacing my router! After more calls telling them it hasn’t changed they admitted a fault, then had to wait 10 days for an engineer as they forgot to book him, and he turns up, says “yeah, you got a fault on the bt line” not my problem, and buggers off, talk talk then forget to escalate it, so this evening I enjoyed my 30 minute rant, still not working, but I felt better……

Now waiting on a succession of BT engineers to turn up and do nothing….

Even if you lodge an official complaint, they do nothing…

Rubbish…..

The council have 28 days from the first report to repair it, if they have not done it you can claim, otherwise it’s the small claims court, I had a similar incident last year in Norfolk, which ended up with me having to replace all the bits that broke..
Luckily my insurance covered the broken wheel, frame and fork…..

Not going near the usa, want to support my lbs, plus if i have an issue, they are there to look at it for me….

current bike has XTR, and never had sram so figured it was worth a try, might regret it, might love it, but it can always be changed in the future……..

nice, I’m on a bit of a budget, the ministry of fun and finance wants a new kitchen, so I went for an f29 2, spec equals my current bike, so I’m happy.
The shop had one of the first scalpel ultimates in, and It wasn’t to my taste if I’m honest.

Pooley, which model did you get? I went for the 2 as I can wheel it out of the shop and ride it without the nagging thought that I need to upgrade bits, as it’s going to be my xc race bike….

My LBS has 4 flashes and 2 scalpels of various specs due at the same time! A lot of kit for a small independent shop…

I just hate waiting, I don’t do patience…..

Well the minsitry of fun and finance, insists i sell bikes to fund this purchase! so the Whippet has found a new home, and the anthem is with me until the flash arrives, but by then a few hours of overtime and a busy christmas will change her mind…

The bars on the dale are 700mm wide, i can see the hacksaw being the first thing they see, and it was really the Lefty that sold it to me, it gave so much more front end feel than anything ive ever tried.

I was one of the many who didn’t think I would like anything as much as my 26″ anthem, but a test on a Cannondale Flash 29er ruined that! So much so after battering the Ministry of Fun and Finance for weeks I have one due in the New Year……..
As she has insisted I sell a bike to help pay for it, I figured I needed a better spec than planned….

Might regret that choice for a week or two.

Yep, 2 months off at the start of 2012 following a cornea transplant, got back on the road bike (no bumping around on mtb on docs orders for at least a year) then just as i start to find some form of fitness, i get bi-lateral kidney stones, had 2 operations on the right side in the last 2 weeks, and have the same joyous operations to look forward too starting tuesday next week, so off the bike again……….

Plastic insulated cable is used now for both Lv and Hv, many years ago there were various types of Oil impregnated cables and oil Filled/cooled cables, but these have gradually been overlayed and made redundant.

If you are planning on doing major work on your land, dont even enter into a wayleave agreement, as at some point the cable will either be in the way or disturbed by on going works, its probably not worth the hassle in the long run.

ESQC is what the companies have to adhere too, if the cable does not feed you, the company would be hard pressed to make you pay to move it in future.
At our old house, we had a 3 phase cable run directly under the house to 6 others that were behind us, didnt know it was there as it never came up on any searches, but found it on plans at work ( luckily i work in the industry).
When you deal with the wayleaves department at the power company, make sure you speak to the most senior person, and also ask them to meet you and an engineer on site.

As an aside, where are you in the uk?

I take it you have looked at the ESQC regs to find out about if the overhead cables are up to standard? There are many types of cable used for these types of services, and the regs dont tell too much about them other than safty clearances and minimum heights etc.

With regard to any cable being put underground to feed others, the supply company, have to abide by the fact that, in the event of a fault they must take all reasonable dteps to ensure that day to day disruption is kept to an absolute minimum,also any groundworks undertaken, are tightly controlled, and the site must be returned to its original state.
If you agree to let them install anything on your land, insist on it being placed in plastic ducts, with the joint holes excavated off your property if possible, then if anything happens in the future, they can pull in new cable without entering your land.

after riding it, i came to ther conclusion that if i had to have just the one bike for the forest, that would be it……..

oh well heres to dreaming of 6 numbers coming up..

I have a funny feeling Shumacher could be on the podium tomorrow, and Mclaren make it through turn 1 and let Button/Hamilton both go for the win.
Grosjean, looks like ha has settled since his last stint in 2009, and with all the attention on Kimi over the winter, he has just got on with it.
Had the run down on Qualifying this morning, who went to pick up our daughter, and had coffee and watched the last half an hour with her friend!