Mad Jack 2013 - By Micky T

MAD JACKS Audax 2013

Cycling to earn your beer for the awards dinner could be easier  !!

However as this seems to be a must on the Audax calendar, the fact that it is the same day as the dinner and generally rubbish weather seems to make it more appealing for me.

Fortunately the weather was kind this year.  Rob, John and I meet in Uckfield at 8 for our Standard Audax Procedure ( 19 mph ride over ). 

Lots of Wombles milling around , John Mankelow, Sam Ramsay , Chris Hough , Red Leader Mark Winton , James Ryan joined us after a car park meeting , and Treble Hard Tony arrived a little later.



Photo taken and off. Splinter action straight away - it is a course that you try to go at your own pace with all the hills - but boys will be ...
JM, MW , JR & MT were towards the front - Rob waiting in the car park to let us have a start . Lost James and Mark with a puncture I think just before the first of three controls in the middle of Battle. Rob had now made his entrance and found a fast friend to play with .

We set off again and John's rear-mech started playing up . Up Brightling in the near sunshine and met Midgo doing hill Reps for fun . Rob was waiting at the top as his friend didn't want to play anymore and it was back to Battle . John was not having a great bike day and punctured , then to Dolhem Halt ( like that name ) with John's gears getting worse. The top half of his rear sprocket could not be engaged and he had to resort to using the 39 front ring ( which is practically unheard of ) Fairlight was even more of a struggle .

Back to Battle -  again - and the long way it seemed to Hailsham .

Quick coffee and chat with Andy and cycle home.

I have to say I am used to being very well fed on this Audax - but this time with no Dave Hudson I was a little unprepared and blimmin hungry . The loops back into Battle were a bit repetitive . But it is
a good testing route . My Garmin said 2600 m plus of climb !! And as always good to be out and having fun.

It was on the way home that I really felt it. John was now down to the 11T rear sprocket and  we were struggling to keep hold of Rob's wheel at Halland . I said good bye to John who was heading north . Rob was a flashing red light in the distance. I now had well over 100 miles on the clock and limped home on the 25 course back to Fairwarp. I consumed as much as possible in 5 minutes before I could take my shoes off.

Quick bath - one for me one for Isaac - and off to win raffle prizes at the dinner.

Cheers to all Wombles Mad Jacker's