Merida Brass Monkeys Round 2

Merida Brass Monkey's Round 2 - Windmill Hill, Deep Cut

"And there off……" The start of the Windmill hill round deserved a commentary from John McCormick.  The event village sits on acres of pan flat park land.  No need for any start funnel here,  we started in a hundred metre wide phalanx galloping Grand National style for a road cone some way off in the distance.  Turning 90 degrees we accelerated for another cone - staffed by soldier of rank in fatigues keeping an eye on any corner cutting, before funnelling down into the first of the single track.

I was telling myself that this round was just an "experiment", no pressure.  The experimental bit was riding my fully rigid 1x10 - great at this year's 24h races, but only ridden in 40min does, so I was unsure of the ability back/knees to withstand 4h+ of ruts and roots.  The other experiment was a shadow+ rear mech - could it really keep the chain in place?  Taking the pressure off let me make a more relaxed start, keep the enthusiasm bottled and gradually pick off the "grass track sprinters" that had streamed ahead at the start.

We were very soon into woods peppered with banks and bomb-holes that required careful bunched ridding, anyone touching the brakes dropping in to the hole causing consternation amongst the concertinaing pack of riders behind. 

A busy week (Christmas parties!) had left me no time to faff with tyres so I was on my summer/Ashton court set up, Conti Race-kings.  After a couple of dry weeks I had thought that these were going to be fine, until Thursday/Fridays extreme weather warning and inch of rain.  At the start these had not looked too clever alongside everyone's gnarlier Rocket Rons and Nobby Nics.  After a half lap I was able to relax, where present the loamy soil was very light, and the rest was just gravel and sand.  The low torque transfer from my 1x10 set up proved a god send in preventing and wheel slippage, and I managed to clean all the climbs - at some point in the race!

Facilities were top-notch, catering, mechanics, bike shops, trade stands, heated marquee, timing screens and Joolze Dymond's professional photographers roaming the woods doing their magic to get a shot you looking professional!   Hats off to the course designers again, packing in 8miles of continuously testing riding. The 200m of climbing each lap was made up short, steep, gravely or switch-backed ascents, nothing that needed grinding away, I never felt that I had been climbing for too long; the end was always in sight!  

The organisers have certainly got a direct line to the weather gods and as with round one had arranged a beautiful day of low winter sunshine to tint the trunks of the silver birches and throw shadows across pine needles and beech nuts littering the woods.  

The drive home passed through some torrential rain, that confirmed they had got the timing right.

Another great day out, another motivator to get out and ride for the next few weeks.  Thanks to everyone involved.  See you at round 3.

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