HONC 2013 Aftermath

Clearish and dry start to the day just a touch on the breezy side...

Was very windy! Had to pedal hard to get DOWN one section!

Overall, very good though, not too Hellish! Should have been called Wind At North Cotswolds, maybe they could try that next year?

1615hrs. HEMS just gone over my place in direction of guiting. Hope all is well with the ride.

Hats off to all today. It stayed dry but the wind!

Did the 50K - good fun but hard going in places with the wind (and mud!), the organisers did we'll with the route I think, really well signposted given the last minute changes.

Great to see all the RetroBikers respect to all those that completed the 100K.

Took a couple of snaps;





Look forward to next year

EDIT: Dave - I noticed some urchin had written obscenities on the boot of you car

Nice one everyone, I sadly bailed off the 100K when it got to the point where I could only push the bike 5m before the mud clogged. The bike I borrowed only had 10mm clearance from the top of the tyre to the crown of the fork meaning I had nothing but trouble, peddling downhill just to move finally did it for me, I knew it was time to jack when I started swearing out loud. Managed 46k in the end and some nice navigation to get back to Winchcombe.
Last I saw Matty and Dave were going strong on the 100k, respect - the wind was a pain in the arse to.

Got back at 12:30 to find the first finishers of the 50k

Got my 100k wings but what a nightmare it was, hard going after the split all the way upto feed station and didn't get much better had a full meltdown over Cleeve hill common on the crosser when at one point think I was actually shouting at the rocks to stop belting the saddle up my arse!!!

Great to see such a fantastic turnout

P.s I won't advise on conditions next year!!

My E stay bike was a great choice! No chain suck. Struggled from lack of traction in places but not really from clogging from mud.

Meh...

Mud... road... mud... road... mud... road...

Repeat ad nauseum and add a 'wind' every fourth rotation.

I've never had to pedal on so many downhills before just to keep moving.

Good to see quite a few retrobikers out on course today.

Credit to everyone who managed the 100k, really tough day today. After the two plasticine mud sections (just like Mayhem '12 for the mud fanboys) in the first 17 miles felt really quite tired. Fortunately made it to the rest stop, forced down some of the mystery cake and made it to the end. As some noted rode the crosser today which would quite good, although with hindsight putting 6 bar in the tyres was a bit much. And the clearance on the forks was sh*t.

@daj - glad you made it round, looked a little jaded on that 2nd section
@matthew71 - hope you made it to the end, that climb just after I saw you was a brute. I'd agree 18 miles with a 2 hour pub stop is much more civilised.
@Gus - DID YOU MAKE IT?>??!?

Did the 50km and really enjoyed, it I only saw a couple of retro steeds, but my favorite was the red Saracen e-stay that I presume was someone form on here. But that wind, it was horrific in places.