Ice Ice Baby
January; time to hibernate and eat cake. No-one in their right mind (yes that includes me) would think about racing round the woods for 24 hours, especially not 20 miles north of Inverness. So how come the ‘Puffer’ is a sell out event every year?
The annual trek northwards was looking a bit wobbly as the south of the UK sank into snow chaos. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit a little voice in the back of head saying “cancel, yes! I won’t have to drive for 25 hrs!” Meanwhile at the same latitude as St. Petersberg the mischievous Scots were ensuring that no excuses could be made for not showing up. Diggers, shovels & much local sweating saw the entire 9 mile route snow free, notwithstanding a few ice clad, off camber corners. Speaking of 9’s, in-spite of 150cm of snow in the Cairngorns, the A9 was completely cleared, apparently Tesco won’t allow it to shut!
‘Racing’ got off to a slippery start at 10 am Saturday as 300 people tried to run across sheet ice in cycling shoes. Having conquered the Le Mans start the foolish, sorry, brave competitors were granted with the privilege of slogging through a 20 cm deep trough of slice (ice+sludge=slice). Staying upright was an achievement, let alone riding at a velocity reminiscent of the aforementioned adjective (racing).
Did I mention that it’s dark for 18 hours at this latitude? Oops, most 24 hr races take place in June to maximise daylight riding. The Schadenfreuding Scots have turned this concept on its head leaving the masochistic mtb maniacs with a mere 6 hours of gloom, calling it daylight would be an exaggeration.
So hats off to all of the 450 crazy bastards who drove to Inverness in the middle of the ice storm for 24 hrs of mud, ice and gears. Special hats off and congratulations to Neil Walker & Drew Thomson from Walkers Cycling who piloted their Bionicon Golden Willows to a fantastic 3rd place in the mens pairs.
Brrrr, rather you than me!