Trans Scotland - The Mighty Dinsdale Roars!

The Mighty D puts in a blistering second stage tt to take first place.

texted from The Mighty Dinsdale today:

I've taken the lead!
Showers today but so
far none when putting
tent up - I'll be size
0 in no time at this
rate.getting a little
tired of bogs and extreme
technical trails we
only did 2 days ago.
KB now 21/2 mins per
stage up on Facer.
Shame about Dom!
Are you coming to
MM then?"

Hurrah!

Trans Scotland

KB's diary is on cyclingnews.com

9th in the Vets so far, well done Keef!

Trans Scotland stage three

Tues 29th May: DAY 3 - Start: Drumlanrig Castle - Finish: Buittle Place Farm, Castle Douglas - Length of course: approx. 100km with 2000m of climbing

texted from Paul today:

Midges are out now and
I am their late evening
drinking den. They know
I was 13th yesterday.
Unlucky for me. Where
did all these fast Vets
who weren't in Wales
come from? More fast
Edinburgh blokes. But
today was 110km with
some excellent descents.
But also a few miles
of grey fireroads with
grey skies. Mtb purgatory

texted from the Mighty D today:

110 km today in sunshine!
Time trialist Dinsdale
managed to get lost near
the end last night so the
10km took an hour I wasn't
the only one so those
results aren't counting-
phew! KB beat Facer by
2mins he never listens!

and:

Yesterday, wet, wet,
wet, muddy. Today
sunny, muddy! Time
trial tonight only 3
Vet women, I may come
3rd! Facer and KB will
battle it out in a big
category

Trans Scotland

Write up here on cycling news

And a pic of KB

Trans Scotland stage two

Mon 28th May: DAY 2 - Start: Moffat Rugby Club - Finish: Drumlanrig Castle - Length of course: approx. 45km with 1150m of climbing - special stage (afternoon) in Drumlanrig Woods.


From Paul today 20.44

Another day another bog.
And a hike a bike hill.A
cold north wind keeps
blowing so today i wore
yesterday's clothes and
today's. I was cosy today.
But this evening was the
first special stage.One
section wasn't well
signposted.Julie got lost.A
dry twisty,rooty narrow
technical course.I hit three
trees but only fell off once.
Jack set off right behind me
and caught me quite soon.
I know only so far that I
didn't podium.Some
showers are cold.

I will post results as soon as they are up on the website.


'Julie got lost' ..........The mighty Dinsdale does not get lost, she finds a better way!

Trans Scotland stage 1

Here are two blogs from people taking part in the race: Allan Kelly and the RAF

Paul texted from the sign in yesterday:

Arrived at 6pm.KB and
Dinsdale staying in B&B
Bags half size of
TransWales but will survive.
Food in.

Sun 27th May: DAY 1 - Start: Selkirk Rugby Club - Finish: Moffat Rugby Club, Holm Road, Moffat - Length of course: approx. 76km with 2100m of climbing

Texted from Paul today 20:20:

Hello Belgium.The main
thing is that well over half
the TransScotland riders did
TransWales.Even the same
Italians and other
Europeans.How short
Memories are. Today it
rained.Of course it missed
us altogether again.But
the wind was so strong we
had a tailgail.So a fast
day? 71km in six hours.
Perhaps not so fast. So
what alse got in the way
besides multitudes of wet,
knee deep boggy sections?
Well a mountain for a start.
I have never pushed my bike
up such a steep climb.
Luckily there was no false
summit but there was a
false descent.
It was steeper than the up. I
couldn't stop to get off so I
had to squeal instead.
It was referred to afterwards
as the 'the descent'.There were
wobbly bridges that
two people couldn't ride
over together as the wobble
became just too wobbly. A ride
that put endure back
into endurance.I wondered
which was worse,icy hands
or frozen feet.The first
timed section is tomorrow.

Trans Scotland

The Trans Scotland starts this weekend:here

Pablo, The mighty D and KB have entered this first edition(rumoured to be the only edition)this seven day stage race.

Pablo has been working hard for this race and is hoping to do well in the vets category.

I'm hoping to get reports from everyone during the race.


Itinery:



Sat 26th May: START/REGISTRATION - Selkirk Rugby Club.

Sun 27th May: DAY 1 - Start: Selkirk Rugby Club - Finish: Moffat Rugby Club, Holm Road, Moffat - Length of course: approx. 76km with 2100m of climbing.

Mon 28th May: DAY 2 - Start: Moffat Rugby Club - Finish: Drumlanrig Castle - Length of course: approx. 45km with 1150m of climbing - special stage (afternoon) in Drumlanrig Woods.

Tues 29th May: DAY 3 - Start: Drumlanrig Castle - Finish: Buittle Place Farm, Castle Douglas - Length of course: approx. 100km with 2000m of climbing.

Wed 30th May: DAY 4 - Special stage (morning) in Dalbeattie Forrest - Start (linking stage): Dalbeattie Forest - Finish: Lochhill Farm, New Abbey - Length of course: approx. 59km with 1300m of climbing.

Thurs 31st May: DAY 5 - Special stage (morning) in Mabie Forrest - Start (linking stage): Mabie Forrest - Finish: Moffat Rugby Club, Holm Road - Length of course: approx. 64km with 1200m of climbing.

Friday 1st May: DAY 6 - Start: Moffat Rugby Club - Finish: Glentress Bike Hub / trail head - Length of course: approx. 65km with 2100m of climbing - special stage (night) in Glentress Forest.

Sat 2nd May: DAY 7 - Start: Glentress Bike Hub - Finish: Selkirk Rugby Club - Length of course: approx. 63km with 2300m of climbing.

Trans Germany

When did this happen?

This is the first I've heard of it! TransGermany

Is it one race too far? I'm beginning to feel inundated...I must resist the compulsion to include it on my palmares:-)

The man in the white shoes

I see no mud....only shiny shoes.





Made by Paul Facer, a brilliant and obsessed young researcher working in a textile mill up north. He invents an incredibly strong fibre which repels dirt and never wears out.From its fabric he makes a pair of sidis which are brilliant white because it cannot absorb dye, and slightly luminous because it includes radioactive elements. Facer is lauded as a genius until both management and the trade union realise the consequence of his invention - once consumers have purchased enough material, demand will drop precipitously and put the textile industry out of business. The managers try to trick Facer into signing away the rights to his invention but he refuses. Managers and workers each try to shut him away, but he escapes.

The climax sees Facer riding through the forest at night in his glowing white sidis, pursued by both the managers and the employees. As the crowd advances, his shoes begin breaking apart as the chemical structure of the fibre breaks apart with time. The mob, realizing that his yarn has a flaw, rips pieces off his shoes in triumph, until he is left standing in his socks. The next day, Facer is dismissed from his job. Departing, he consults his chemistry notes. A realization hits, and he exclaims "I see!" and strides off to perhaps try again......

More Ironbike

I found some great pictures of 2005 race here: ironbike

Fast forward website here :Belgian tho' The prologue is around the town, through alleyways and down steps!!

Now I'm a bit frightened!