Todays learnings , 29 into 26 doesn’t go ….more later.

MY ROUTE slight alteration to normal , Kenny will provide the “proper” link later

Great turnout today of nearly 40 for the 8th Slieve Martin Slaughter , billed as 4 different ascents of Slieve martin on a bike, although after today it would be more correct to say with a bike . The first lap ( sallys yard/ gully) went well and with a few early birds getting a head start there was not too much hanging about on the top for lap 1 .  Only a few fallers to entertain the paparazzi on the gully even though it was like ice . Mr K tried to tell me he rode it perfectly , meaning he rode it so slow that time nearly stopped , i was able to use a long exposure on the camera to get his photo as he passed by.

Lap 2 Fiddlers , stone ,down ballynagelty . Plenty of thrills and spills here especially coming off ballynagelty . Mr Scullion our resident mechanic and navigator took a travelling party off to badgers claw so when he finally arrived we had all had our tea and sandwiches .

Lap 3 Tunnel , Fern gully . A puncture at the wall put the COC out of action but with Scullion on hand all was well. “I’ll lend you tube no bother” , so while the rest went on to mast i valiantly tried to put a 29inch tube into a 26 inch wheel ( bs was riding a 26) . 15 minutes later when i finally got sorted the rest were in various states of hypothemia/ terminal grumpiness at the mast . A few of us decided that if the 4th climb was going to happen we had better shoot straight down the glen which was just as well as I got another puncture ,fixed only by the good grace of east coast mtb shop who kindly lent me a 26 inch tube .

Lap 4 By the time we got sorted MR K was already back from fern gully and we headed off on the last slog up to second right and switch backs . Daddy Hicks oh so nearly got a clear round but the legs were all tired . Up to mast for the four finger photo after a period of waiting and nearly away when in the distance was the unmistakable helmet of JOD appeared . So back to postions for him and 3 others for a second photo.

Dropping back down we met yet another 4 slackers who had to forgo a cairn photo . Home by the glen , tea , carlsberg , burger and all is well with the world .

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The Eighth Slieve Martin Slaughter is next week ( clue in the title) .

THE FIRST SMS REPORT HERE

Entries vary from the original magnificent seven , to nearly 40 . Its a Fun ( ish) day out , and I’ll say it again , it’s not a race in fact it can be quite slow and often the speedier testosterone types complain . So if you want to race round the route feel free , but do it some other day .

There is no fee , no forms , no insurance ,no sign on , you are entirely responsible for your own safety. As usual only one rule to join us , you must wear a helmet , you can be stark naked apart from that! .

Start at 9am meeting at forrest office.

Lap 1 Up Sallys , Down Gully .

Lap 2 Up Fiddlers ,Down fern Gully

Lap 3 Up Tunnel , Down Ballynagelty .

Lap 4 Up Switchbacks , Down Glen , back of stone .

This route can and will change as soon as someone else tells me its wrong .