BB200 - one last thread.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Okay - firstly, I'd just like to thank everyone who entered and especially the 63 riders who managed to make the start on Sat morning. Hopefully this years route provided both a challenge and a few enjoyable bits too ... that was the plan, so hopefully it worked out.

There was quite a high attrition rate, with 23 riders recording a DNF. It would appear that mechanical rather than emotional breakdown accounted for well over half of those.

The first rider to return was Stuart Cowperthwaite @ 1.27am and the rider recording the shortest elapsed rime between setting off and returning was Steve Large who left at 9.34am and rolled back in at 2.20am.

I'd like to thank Taylor for his assistance over the weekend and a personal BIG thank you to Dee ... who was still knocking up bacon butties at 10.30 last night as the caretakers were trying to kick us out

To everyone who came and gave it their best shot - well done. One day, all these seemingly stupid things we do will be written about and you'll be able to bore people to death in the nursing home telling them YOU WERE THERE, so keep up the good work.

[benp1]

Top work all round, good effort for everyone that tried!

One day I'll find the time to do some proper training as I'd really like to give it a go. I guess it'll be when the kids are a bit older

[Mike]

Cheers again Stu/Dee. Sorry i was grumpy last night folks, really needed those bacon sannies at 1030 is was hanging! Didnt get a chance to thank you guys last night and thanks for waiting for us, sorry we were so late back. Always good to see you both!

My hat goes off to AW for getting it done considering things, and thanks to Scott and I for getting me around as id of bailed alot earlier in the day. It was a hard route and although at the time i can honestly say i wasnt having fun ( except for all these SWEET descents you found Stu, I loved those alot!! and some of the pushing )

Taylor and Jase, im gonna join you guys next yr i think!! saying this now i bet i enter next year, i want a blue bag next

Will post some pics up later for those who couldnt make it

Well done everyone who made the start, we all suffered together and fair play to you guys who smashed it too!

[burty]

thanks for everything stu and dee, and everyone else,
my race ended at about 70 miles at the end , when I had to start walking even the slightest gradient ,
felt something click in my knee whilst walking over the boggy hill which got worse.
and managed to warp the rear disc with heat ,
But a big thanks to the urban fox who kept telling me how many more mtrs of ascent we had on each hill

[burty]

are you keeping this route for next year stu

[notinabox]

a quick one, but a massive long thank you to Stuart and Dee. A proper tough course! much fun in the bracken forests! (another story) I've never eaten so many tasty bacon sarnies, sooo needed 'em
was good to ride back in with Rob and Mac, a collective bail but still 155k bagged. An injury free completion next year i hope :)
The guys who were back at the time we were stopping for the night are incredible! hats off to you. hats off to all who had a bash at smashing it :)

til next year's glory................

[Bearbonesnorm]

are you keeping this route for next year stu

All undecided yet Paul ... however, I can say 'same weekend next year'

[johnnystorm]

Will there be a list of finish times?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Will there be a list of finish times?

Nope ... but feel free to talk amongst yourselves

[Mike]

Ill start by saying i did it in all good time then

[Scattamah]

That works, Mike. :)
I was last to finish...don't care about the time...but happy I completed the route.

Greetz

S.

[adjustablewench]

If I'd have known there would be no list I'd have paid more attention to when I started and finished. Guess I was last though :)

[Taylor]

9.45 iirc

[Richard G]

Hmmm... pain hasn't worn off yet and even so I think I've decided that I'd give it another go.

Definitely some tweaks in order for the next one though, especially, but not limited to, a new bike!

[Scattamah]

@AW - you weren't last...you left the venue 10 seconds before me and arrived back 5 seconds ahead.
Spot on Taylor...my GPS shows I was outta the carpark @ 9:46 'n change so 9:45 is on the money.

Cheers to S&D...for all your good deeds over the weekend. Keep them sheep in line now :)

And D - you're right about that lane...it's better at speed.

Greetz

S.

[Mike]

working on the above assumption then i was last! I left with you guys then went back to see taylor about an allen key to adjust my saddle height. U were 2.5 seconds behind me at the end so yeah i take last place id say scott u came 2nd but last!

[adjustablewench]

But if you left after us, coming in with us actually gave you a shorter overall time

[Bearbonesnorm]

But if you left after us, coming in with us actually gave you a shorter overall time

What happens if we factor in the time he fannied about outside while Scott and you came inside ... I'm wondering whether Mike won't officially finish until January

[macinblack]

Well that was interesting...
This was my first dab at this or any such event and I was DNF.
I'm not too disappointed as I learned many lessons, particularly that I'm not as fit as I thought I was, even banking on just plodding around and not kipping down overnight.
Big thanks to Stu and Dee, especially for waiting for us stragglers, knowing that a bacon butty was still on the cards was a big motivator and those brews hit a spot I didn't know I had.
Big hugs to Jurassic Rob and Not Steve for taking in a stray on Saturday night and more so for keeping me going for the last few miles when I was seriously flagging.
I'm going to dedicate an old Neil Sedaka song to Steve - "Bracken up is hard to-do!"

[In Reverse]

Another first timer and another DNF here. Definitely be back for more, might even try it the "right" way round next time.

Met some great characters coming past me the other way though, hats off to you all.

Lessons learnt:
- not to rely on a single GPS/navigation device (mine gave up the ghost on 170km)
- when your water's run out and you get a bit from a stream that's peaty and has bits floating in it, best to pour it back
- might be useful to pack a few Immodium tablets
- and some moist toilet tissue

Another big thanks to Stu and Dee - you've clearly put a lot of effort into all this and it was greatly appreciated.

[Richard G]

I always have Immodium with me on big rides. This time I had to take them in the car park as my stomach was doing somersaults.

[Ian]

I inadvertently started one more "one last thread" over in Trips & Adventures, but for the sake of keeping things more or less in one place, my latest blog post is here:

http://ianbarrington.com/2015/10/12/5th-bear-bones-200/

[Zippy]

If I'd have known there would be no list I'd have paid more attention to when I started and finished. Guess I was last though :)

Hmm, yes ditto.

When I got back, there were 2 other names on the list that finished faster. I then wrote my time and John Russel's time on the list....and then I'm trying to remember who else finished (I think there were 3 riders) and if there overall time was less (I have a feeling it may not have been because Steve was the only person who overtook me)...
Basically I'm trying to work out if I was 3rd or maybe 6th - or somewhere inbetween!

[adjustablewench]

this thread could start to read like a horrible GCSE maths puzzle . . . . .

[whitestone]

this thread could start to read like a horrible GCSE maths puzzle . . . . .

There were crocodiles?