Retrobike National Series Rd 5: Tweed Valley ~ AFTERMATH pg7

lord apps ...
been thinking of how to word my apprasial of sir geoff's bicycle
went thru the engineering slant then the flowery prose
in the end i thought id tell it as it is
i caught up with geoff on one of the early climbs ,i complimented him on the bike , and his reply included the words "want "and" go" in it
jeff looks a bit smaller than me , but it seemed to fit fine , so when i mastered the technique of mounting the steed i was off (geoff later gave a demo of the moving off bit)
as an engineer i'm not a sceptic with most things ,including this bike
but i was not prepared for the experience
the nearest i can get to is , you know that time when you've packed up
your rear wheel drive car in the wet field and your trying to get to the exit road slippy slidey no traction type thing
then some idiot in a landy is driving about up and down thing just because
they can ?
thats what the clellands like ,i rode it up the trail a bit then rode over a grassy bit between 2 trails , with no problems , very little body shift is required you just turn the pedals and it goes up ,well anything
the (i assume )chris bell egg rings went un-noticed until someone pointed
them out , obviously done right ,like the rest of the bike
as for speed on it ,well i dont know as geoff wanted it back for the down bits , but he looked smooth and fast on the bits i saw
and the "lovely hill" as he called it ,i missed him out climbing everyone
all in a lovely fella and a cracking bike , i hope you make some more sir

so i met a legend , rode his bike ,and found a new hero
top day out i'd say

mike

A Grand day out

A grand day out!
Hi all.
Thanks for another great day out, made all the better for the pleasant company.
It was great to put a couple more faces to names and to meet some more of our southern neighbours.
It was great to see so many different machines and riders this side of the border, while we do get a few at the macretro meets, I dont think we have quite near the numbers of yesterday.
I myself arrived home around 930 this morning. I left the chippy with the others and made it to Inverness around 12.30am, slept till 5 at a nice wooded information place. Tesco Inverness for fuel and then a cruise up the road to home.
All in all it was a 624 miles round trip, slightly less than John I think.
The only downside was my little spill just before the carpark on the way back, the big dropoff sections were fine, it was a smallish rock step that was my undoing. I had a good turn of speed and could see it was a very small step, there was a rock embedded just past it, and I though left? right? I chose to the right and had around 4 - 6 inches of trail before the edge. I landed to the right but slid and the edge of the trail gave way and down the front end went, over I went on my left side, all I know is when I see I'm about to faceplant another embedded rock and just manage to turn my head to the left. Bang, I can still hear the ringing. Smashed my good Bell helmet just above my temple, blew the lenses out of my glasses as well. Zigzag pulls up just behind me and comes to help me off the trail, its then I realise my left leg is missing some bark and my chest hurts. Thankfully ZZ found my lenses, dusted off me and the bike and good to go. Prognosis to be confirmed tomorrow but they say at the best 1 cracked rib. Lucky really as I have had a few accidents racing dirt track, motocross and enduro back home but I have never had my head 'ring' like that.
I must say judging by the dent and cracked plastic on my helmet that rock would have got me directly on the temple without a helmet.
Anyway, I still managed to wash the van, bike (thanks Rob for the Ninja cleaner! worked a treat) but getting harder to move as the day goes on.
It was great treat to meet Geoff and hear all the reasoning behind each detail on this amazingly capable machine. I didnt get to ride it unfortunatley but I did note that not one person went away unimpressed.
Thanks also, TK for the CB, dont thinkl I got to thank you properly before we left, its very much appreciated and will keep you updated.
Thats about it for me as my camera batteries weren't working so no pics.
Looking forward to next time

looks like another classic ride, love the tales and the pics- your technique is really coming on ZZ very professional looking. Some great bikes on show loved the goat and the Ti fat but mikee's fuji really did turn my head, had not seen that before, loved the honk honk too.

More pics to come

same cleland?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbWuIHESe5M

After a rush to get down to Innerleithen in time ( Funny how the closer you are to a ride i always get the timing wrong.) But it was ok, the kens one of those people that manage to get someone else to fix there bike! Forgot to pick up the camera so no pics. A good ride some familiar trails for me. But i,ve never seem them as wet as they where. But it all added to the challenge of staying upright. Some interesting bikes but Geoffs Clelland definetly stole the show. So i feel a bit embarrassed to be awarded best bike of the day. But i,m sure i,ll look lovely in the Mountainbiking UK lilac top. Watch out there,s a photo about. So you got off lightly there Geoff.
Once i get used to this technology stuff it may even get seen on the website. Though it will take a couple of days to clean it off. Even with my eat my dirt sample.
Not been on my mtb for months. But managed a ride round Glentress today. On a bike more suitable for those trails. But my arse still hurts.
Thanks to the gents that organized the ride. Well it was kind off! We never lost anyone. Hope to make it along to another ride in the near future.
Cheers for the sweetheart stout. I think it went down better than expected.

that last pic is a peach

Heading back through the purple heather... Much more photogenic than the cow pats!










Geoff and Tazio


Brown Knowe break


mikee feeling the climb up to Minch Moor


Ready for the final descent?


Innerleithen red for the final 5 miles











Top of Caddon Bank



To the victor go the spoils - allterrainart wins bike of the ride with his ti-nitrided de kerf

Great set of photos chaps.