I do think its getting bigger every year and may end up with a Friday Sat Sunday next year to accommodate

I was pondering similar today. Would have to if they (for example) reintroduced a sportif format, which was dropped from this and I think last year. That would also draw some of the less gnar-rad-tasting riders to an event they could enjoy on its own merits etc.

Am I allowed to say I don’t even remember a tricky chute on stage one without sounding like I’m bragging too much, or was I just not paying attention? Definitely didn’t spot any chicken lines on Saturday (or were they put there on Sunday morning after an incident?)

Is not that steep, but it’s quite long and surrounded by sharp rocks. Also as all 1 is slag from mining is very loose. Depends what you’re used to.

I saw one guy down on it in the first year, face first, just folded his bike up. I was genuinely surprised when he got up.

Yeah. Vetting for Saturday entry?

Maybe. But the Ard Rock is not part of a series. There is no prize money. It’s a totally stand alone event that grew from a mates race and mad cap idea as I understand it. I don’t think the organisers had any idea how big it would get when they started it. That it still has that vibe the first one had in ’13 is brilliant and I’d be sorry to see that change, as I think it would if there were entry criteria.

For a start I couldn’t mock the people who take it very very very very seriously. And I like doing that. Closing your eyes for fifteen seconds and going to your special place when you get to the front of the queue etc.

Though one of them was also quite hung over and may just have been asleep.

They did achieve a distinct self selection of the ridersthis year, and last now i think about it. All marshals I spoke to on Sunday commented on the very different rider type, you’ll never get that 100%.
Also it’s a very severe terrain. And if you haven’t ridden sometbing like it before then it might not occur to you the world contains that many pointy rocks all in one place.

Getting the timing right on Ard Rock, is next to impossible. Interesting everyone seems to have a better perception of it this year. There were quite a lot more riders. Last year there was a quite a bit of criticism.

Closure of the chute was down to a few minor and not so minor accidents very early on. Assessment was made that on average it was out of the skillset of most riders. There was deff a very different rider profile on Sunday.

I think the chute was ok, but the hard right entrance was a bit techy for those not used to that sort of riding, and I imagine threw a lot of people. Have to be honest when I rode down 1 at the end of Sat I didn’t even see the go round. Rode it Sunday out of interest. Not exactly a chicken run… (but I had lots of fence poles tied to my back and couldn’t really turn my head a lot which added a special kind of tech)

Chat with contractors.
Trails are strimmed.
Chain too short!

Nicely put Sir! Living close to a church I just don’t hear it though. Previously the quarter hours have woken me a few times. This time slept right through.

Yes. The guy who does cover versions of songs in the style of Nickelback was invited again. Or just showed up and no one thought to stop him.

Yes squirt wants a bit of time, night before, when you put the bike in the car, or when youset off if, like me, you have a few miles of road before anything interesting.

It does also need setting up properly from the off. totally degrease your chain, apply – backpeddle – leave for a bit – repeat.

If you put it on a chain which has any grease then the squirt will treat that grease as dirt, combine with it, and then drop off.

Squirt.

Because life without cleaning drive chains is heaven.

#deploys the internet.

Yeeeeeeessssssssss. Ahh my ears Thank you so much, i’d forgotten the counting.

Seems pt 2 has fallen from the archive. Must fix that.

Cheers.

EDIT: yeah just found the full track listing, where the hell has that gone, that was ace…

Based on last year i would wholeheartedly recommend Alice Marshall.

Best thing I saw the whole weekend and I only saw it by chance.

Did I get a yell of “Yeah! Dialled Bikes!” from you on Sunday? Thanks – made me grin

Yes you did!

Yeah there was a genny nearby by but that was pretty soft and didn’t run at night.

Shouty marshall at the top of 1, cooked in the sun, but had a great time, the relaxed vibe makes marshalling a doddle and a joy. Interesting selection of bikes this year. Big increase in the hardtails which was nice to see.

If you’re in Masham you may as well head north for a certain enduro race…

Also , head over to How Stean Gorge.

Call in sick for having been knocked off you bike.

Go to interview.

Suck it up, think of the future, and ride your least favourite bike into a tree. Hard – it has to look good.

Make a beer trap. They die happy.

Or leave an area of grass covered in black plastic overnight. Then remove in the morning and all the slugs and snails underneath will *disappear.

*any very happy and full looking thrushes you may see are purely coincidental. But for song thrushes I have a number of square edged proud standing stones around the beds. They make great battering point for thrushes and are often surrounded by remnants of brayed snail shell.

in reality, englandshire has gone full tory and full brexit, so not a hope in hell.

Their tactic of negotiating and taking us to the very edge may be the best plan.

“Every Conservative vote will make me Stronger” or whatever she said… that was quite terrifying.

I think they get water spouts around the Pacific rim.

We get them here.

About ten years ago there was terror and panic in Harrogate when one tore part of the roof off a shed.

true story.

Some of the chemicals that they treat wood with are pretty nasty, I wouldn’t be using treated wood for growing food.

Not wrong. I line mine with either 125micron black plastic, or if I’m out, old compost bags.

Horse poo is little more than partially composted hay.

happy to ride your bike through it then

I’d be seriously considering bagging and it and taking it home for the garden.

Jesus and letters. I’ll accept the letters but Jesus and classical names? that’s just made up to trap people surely.

Tree trunks I’d imagine would want weathering and aging, and possible lining.

I make my own from decking boards.

Well Pateley has great walks, some good viewpoints, things to look at, one awesome butcher, and another pretty good one.

Coldstones cut worth a gawp, Two stoops/guise cliff also good for wandering, Brimham rocks as mentioned.

visitharrogate.co.uk/pateleybridge

Given how things change I can anticipate a time when people put their trees up in November, and take them down mid December.

But my own petty judgement aside I’#m interested.

Those whose tree is up… When does it come down?

Hell No.

Christmas is the christianisation of the pagan festival of Yule; the passing of the Winter Solstice.

You can’t celebrate that until the actual winter solstice.

Our tree won’t go up until the 21st, or reasonably soon thereafter.

A neighbour of mine had theirs up in November.

No Words.

Yep, park at Rawcliffe Bar park and ride and there’s a cycle path pretty much all the way into the city centre – it’s about 4 miles.

And if you park here, there is a super awesome amazballs new bike park being built in the woods by some damn sexy dudes you can play on in the evenings! 8)

We speak English.

https://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow/videos/10154706577841800/%5B/url%5D

Used to be with them but left after a previous pisstake, we’re with Secure Trading now. Seem alright, CS a bit crap but no worse than most.

Neither poppy for me. Will observe the silence, and will happily give to the British Legion.

Stopped wearing it in 2003/4 i think for two reasons. One it seemed increasingly hypocritical at a time of political warfare. Two, it seemed to become a thing there was incredible pressure to comply with, which isn’t respect, its bullying.

That has changed now but I’ve not felt inclined to wear one again.

I have no problem whatsoever with them being worn, put on things, its just not for me, I would feel uncomfortable and disingenuous wearing one.

I grew a hop plant in the garden this year, when I was picking the flowers for a mate what brews beers, I found it utterly covered in Ladybird larvae, many of which got decanted into the polytunnel There will be no aphids in my polytunnel!

HS2 will serve Heathrow.

That’s what he wanted you to think.

You were up against a pro.

And you lost.

A very cunning and subliminal game of “The Travelling Lemon?”

blimey that’s big!

Snif…

Sorry for your loss.

I’m nearer that day than I like to think about.

As you say, you made his little world!

This country has gone to the dogs..

I wish, dogs are smashing…

Its more gone to the parasitic flesh weevils.