Post by Tarbo on Sept 14, 2010 16:53:14 GMT
That must have been one of the worst four and a half hour rides I’ve ever had 
From the moment we started, I could see the look of fear etched into the faces of those who knew what lay ahead. And it wasn’t long before people started to suffer. Instead of keeping in a straight line, they were swaying from side to side as if they were returning home from a night on the town. Then they started falling as if shot by a sniper, one minute in front of you, the next lying across your path making it impossible to pass. Then those who just could not take any more began throwing up. Grown men just wishing for the end to come into sight. But anyway, that’s enough about the ferry crossing on the way home, what about the Manx End to End ? ;D
There were four of us up for this year’s end to end. Both Martin and myself on our own conventional bikes, and Macca and Alex on their tandem
Yes, you did read that right. Then with Al deciding that he would come over using the entry Mark was selling we had a nice little group. I then found out that another MBNW rider had entered, so with Cherokee and her partner Rob, it made a nice group of seven 
The four of us got there on the Friday afternoon, and after checking into our hotel, went to explore the town of Douglas. After a 5 minute walk around the town centre we soon ended up in one of the local hostelries, sampling their wares. A couple of hours later it was time to make our way back to the hotel for a shower and go out for some food in one of the many pubs that adorned the sea front.. (I’m sure you can see a theme developing here
)
Saturday soon came round, and after tinkering about with the bikes, we decided that we’d find somewhere to watch the football on the TV. Yes you guessed it, in a pub ;D At 3 o’clock we left the pub to meet Al, Cherokee and Rob from their ferry crossing. Having gotten themselves checked in, we decided we’d take Al for welcoming drink, while Cherokee and Rob sorted their stuff out. Well it would be rude not to It wasn’t long before registration opened, which included a pasta part in the lobby of one of the local hotels. Then it was off to the pub to talk team tactics. After deciding it was going to be every man for himself, we then had a few more beers before retiring for the night.
6 o’clock Sunday morning was soon upon us and after a quick breakfast we made our way to the meeting area, where we were greeted by the sight of a couple of hundred people all queuing to load their beloved bikes into the back of five articulated lorries, which would transport all of the bikes to the north of the island. Then we boarded the coaches which were laid on for us. At ten o’clock therace ride started. Being stuck towards the back, it was a good five minutes before we crossed the start line 
Starting from the Northern tip of the Isle of Man the course warms you-up by skirting along the ‘flattish’ North West coast of the Island for about 9 miles. A lovely opportunity to get those legs warmed up and your lungs working before you start climbing across the mountains in the north of the Island. The first climb starts on tarmac but quickly funnels down onto a gravel track. This means that if you’re a strong climber, you are going to be caught up in the hundreds of people who have to push as the ground becomes looser and the gradient steeper In all fairness, most move over to the left to let the people riding through. Others you have to shout at to get out of your way 
Once at the top, it reminded me of the Clwyds with it’s grassy undulating terrain stretching for miles in front of you. You then start your hair raising descent along fast and loose fire road trails, screaming at the dribblers to get out of the way as they painstakingly try and avoid any stone that may be in their way 
Then it’s into the town of St. Johns where you can congratulate yourself on reaching halfway, just the small matter of the second half to go. As you ride over the southern half of the Island you’ll endure another lung bursting endless climb up rocky paths and dirt roads before you have the chance to enjoy ripping up the singletrack through the forests as well as the winding switchbacks on the moorland of Cronk Ny Ary Laa Mountain as you speed into Port St Mary. Now you just have the small matter of Howe Hill, a 15% mile long road climb that drains every last ounce of energy out of your battered legs which leads you to the satisfaction of the finish where you will collapse in a heap and utter those immortal words “I am not doing that again” (Well I did anyway ;D )
It was then to the waiting coaches, which took us back into Douglas, and a well deserveddrink shower at our hotel. Then onto the presentation inside one of the big hotels on the front. After that we decided that we’d earned a few beers so promptly found a bar which served us until our aching and broken bodies decided that we could not take anymore.
Monday saw us all queuing for the ferry, which as described earlier, must have been the worst crossing ever. What should have been a two and a half hour crossing ended up taking four and a half hours. Once off the ship it was straight to the car, dropping Martin off at his house before going into work for a night shift
So our times
Well the overall winner was Nick Craig in a time of 2:57:20
WelshLuke came in at 04:03:54, and I came in at 5:07:44, while Macca and Alex on the tandem caught me in the last 200 meters and piped me to the line in a time of 05:05:50. Al came in at 05:23:35, Martin in 05:28:07 and Thelma (Cherokee) in 06:29:29 along with Rob.
However, two people who deserve a mention are Cheri Mills, a name not familiar with most of you, but a local girl from Wrexham who has been out with us a couple of times. She was the first female home in a time of 03:55:09, who puts her secret down to banana butties and ginger hair ;D
And finally, I was speaking to a guy in our hotel who was from Mynydd Isa, I motioned this site and he said he was a member, but doesn’t come on too often. He goes under the username of Cuberider, and he got round in a time of 03:52:32. Not too bad for a guy in his fifties
To all of those that were thinking of doing it, but couldn’t be bothered. You missed one hell of a good weekend
Anyway, some pictures that sum up the weekend
And if this works, a little bit of fun in the sun on the I.O.M. prom ;D
www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=127507803964727#!/video/?id=100001165239331
Just waiting for next year's registration to open now
Finally, thanks to Al, Alex, Macca and Martin for a cracking weekend ;D
From the moment we started, I could see the look of fear etched into the faces of those who knew what lay ahead. And it wasn’t long before people started to suffer. Instead of keeping in a straight line, they were swaying from side to side as if they were returning home from a night on the town. Then they started falling as if shot by a sniper, one minute in front of you, the next lying across your path making it impossible to pass. Then those who just could not take any more began throwing up. Grown men just wishing for the end to come into sight. But anyway, that’s enough about the ferry crossing on the way home, what about the Manx End to End ? ;DThere were four of us up for this year’s end to end. Both Martin and myself on our own conventional bikes, and Macca and Alex on their tandem
Yes, you did read that right. Then with Al deciding that he would come over using the entry Mark was selling we had a nice little group. I then found out that another MBNW rider had entered, so with Cherokee and her partner Rob, it made a nice group of seven 
The four of us got there on the Friday afternoon, and after checking into our hotel, went to explore the town of Douglas. After a 5 minute walk around the town centre we soon ended up in one of the local hostelries, sampling their wares. A couple of hours later it was time to make our way back to the hotel for a shower and go out for some food in one of the many pubs that adorned the sea front.. (I’m sure you can see a theme developing here
)Saturday soon came round, and after tinkering about with the bikes, we decided that we’d find somewhere to watch the football on the TV. Yes you guessed it, in a pub ;D At 3 o’clock we left the pub to meet Al, Cherokee and Rob from their ferry crossing. Having gotten themselves checked in, we decided we’d take Al for welcoming drink, while Cherokee and Rob sorted their stuff out. Well it would be rude not to
It wasn’t long before registration opened, which included a pasta part in the lobby of one of the local hotels. Then it was off to the pub to talk team tactics. After deciding it was going to be every man for himself, we then had a few more beers before retiring for the night.6 o’clock Sunday morning was soon upon us and after a quick breakfast we made our way to the meeting area, where we were greeted by the sight of a couple of hundred people all queuing to load their beloved bikes into the back of five articulated lorries, which would transport all of the bikes to the north of the island. Then we boarded the coaches which were laid on for us. At ten o’clock the
Starting from the Northern tip of the Isle of Man the course warms you-up by skirting along the ‘flattish’ North West coast of the Island for about 9 miles. A lovely opportunity to get those legs warmed up and your lungs working before you start climbing across the mountains in the north of the Island. The first climb starts on tarmac but quickly funnels down onto a gravel track. This means that if you’re a strong climber, you are going to be caught up in the hundreds of people who have to push as the ground becomes looser and the gradient steeper
In all fairness, most move over to the left to let the people riding through. Others you have to shout at to get out of your way 
Once at the top, it reminded me of the Clwyds with it’s grassy undulating terrain stretching for miles in front of you. You then start your hair raising descent along fast and loose fire road trails, screaming at the dribblers to get out of the way as they painstakingly try and avoid any stone that may be in their way 
Then it’s into the town of St. Johns where you can congratulate yourself on reaching halfway, just the small matter of the second half to go. As you ride over the southern half of the Island you’ll endure another lung bursting endless climb up rocky paths and dirt roads before you have the chance to enjoy ripping up the singletrack through the forests as well as the winding switchbacks on the moorland of Cronk Ny Ary Laa Mountain as you speed into Port St Mary. Now you just have the small matter of Howe Hill, a 15% mile long road climb that drains every last ounce of energy out of your battered legs which leads you to the satisfaction of the finish where you will collapse in a heap and utter those immortal words “I am not doing that again” (Well I did anyway ;D )It was then to the waiting coaches, which took us back into Douglas, and a well deserved
Monday saw us all queuing for the ferry, which as described earlier, must have been the worst crossing ever. What should have been a two and a half hour crossing ended up taking four and a half hours. Once off the ship it was straight to the car, dropping Martin off at his house before going into work for a night shift
So our times
Well the overall winner was Nick Craig in a time of 2:57:20
WelshLuke came in at 04:03:54, and I came in at 5:07:44, while Macca and Alex on the tandem caught me in the last 200 meters and piped me to the line in a time of 05:05:50. Al came in at 05:23:35, Martin in 05:28:07 and Thelma (Cherokee) in 06:29:29 along with Rob.
However, two people who deserve a mention are Cheri Mills, a name not familiar with most of you, but a local girl from Wrexham who has been out with us a couple of times. She was the first female home in a time of 03:55:09, who puts her secret down to banana butties and ginger hair ;D
And finally, I was speaking to a guy in our hotel who was from Mynydd Isa, I motioned this site and he said he was a member, but doesn’t come on too often. He goes under the username of Cuberider, and he got round in a time of 03:52:32. Not too bad for a guy in his fifties
To all of those that were thinking of doing it, but couldn’t be bothered. You missed one hell of a good weekend
Anyway, some pictures that sum up the weekend
And if this works, a little bit of fun in the sun on the I.O.M. prom ;D
www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=127507803964727#!/video/?id=100001165239331
Just waiting for next year's registration to open now
Finally, thanks to Al, Alex, Macca and Martin for a cracking weekend ;D
