Having been 'in transit' for the last few days - and now preparing for our trip across the pond to the US for Iron Crosshttp://www.yellowbreechesracing.org/ironcross/ , it has been apposite for us to remain briefly silent here.
For those who want to see simply 100s of pix and extensive gossip / views about Three Peaks 2008, there's enough to sate any appetite on the official website here:- http://www.3peakscyclocross.org.uk/ so it's pointless to add many more here. (see 'forums' and 'photos' in particular - but also spend some time going through the excellent results pages, courtesy of SportIdent).
Needless to say we would like to say a big thankyou to John Rawnsley, Bradford RCC and everyone involved in any way in the running of the race. It was a real classic this time, run in perfect weather and the course even more horrible than ever. So all the more amazing that Rob Jebb - Wheelbase UK (above) managed to shave even more time off his own course record...
So... what more to add? Perhaps only a single personal tale for the moment.
My CBRC team-mate Chris McBurnie flew in from Saratoga, NY USA to be with us, and finished in an excellent 4hrs 18mins. However to say that the 'Peaks was a bit of a culture shock for him would be a understatement of the largest type. The piccie above above shows Chris pulling in to pick up fresh drinks and food from my wife Bina at Ribblehead (aka Batty Moor). Apparently at this moment he is saying - "What the @!**&%$##@ next?!!" - but of course he's just experienced the horrors of the descent of Whernside - so 'nuff said I suppose.
He was also very impressed with the amount of animal faeces that he rode through - though quite where he found it I'm not quite sure... I didn't see very much at all.
After the race on Sunday evening, we were all sitting down quietly to dinner and Chris had by then recovered from most of the shock. But he was still pondering the sanity of anyone who rode this "Crazy Race" in full knowledge of what confronts the riders - i.e. - anyone who's ridden it more than once. A longish pause - "You know" (another pause) "I guess all you guys are just tough"...
We can all take a bow then... and Chris himself plans to be back next year with another CBRC rider to make up what we think will be the first ever US-registered club to field a full team of three in the 'Peaks.
Off now to fettle my bike for Iron Cross - Michaux State Forest beckons.
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