ERC Midweek TT Series Week 8 - Heatwave

26 June 2019

For fans of Muppets Christmas Carol the attached picture will make sense, for non-fans I suspect finding the connection between the muppets and a warm weathered evening in Edinburgh could be somewhat of a stretch. Though being a man who can recite the 'Scrooge' song from a Muppets Christmas Carol, in each of the character voices, it was an easy connection to make.

After last week’s pirating and gender confusion controversies this week felt somewhat talking point light. However I'll give it my best shot.

30 riders raced tonight, well 31 if you consider we had a tandem couple. The collective thrill of having to use a third sign on sheet was palpable, it seems we’re easily thrilled. Well I am at least, when I had to reach for the third sign on sheet that was probably the highest my heart rate hit all evening. I need to get out more.

Bob Marshall was also out photographing so be sure to check out his google album (link at the bottom). I’m sure Bob was thrilled by the array for athleticism on show but I’m sure his interest was peaked by either my Delirium Beer shoes or seeing Lewis ride by with a dog on his handlebars. I don’t believe the dog was responsible for steering, braking or gear changes - I can’t comment on the skill level of Lewis’ dog but I’m just going on a hunch that the dog was solely there for the ride rather than being the front half of a human-canine tandem.

I should probably mention the results, though you’re a few paragraphs into reading this by now you already know what I’m about to say. Yes. Alan was the fastest. I’ve got to think off 11 more ingenious ways to articulate this, yet I do think Alan is off on his holidays soon. Thank god, it gives me a break as much as it gives someone else a chance to nab 40 points.

Alan’s 21:25 was followed by Sandy Waller in 2nd with 22:15 and Paul Griffiths in 3rd with 22:20.

The battle for the fastest Vet 50+ was close again tonight – after last weeks tie, Steve Canney was pipped by 1 second this week by Giles Oakley who rode a 22:49. However as mentioned last week Steve’s tache is worth many points when it comes to ‘Dan’s Discretional Point Giving’

The fastest female of the evening was Lucia Hrnickova with a time of 25:09, Karen McKinlay was 2nd with 28:49 and Catriona Jeorrett 3rd with 30:17.

The road bike category was won by Darren Lindsay of MRCC with a time of 23:56, with Dougal Allen in 2nd with 25:28 and Peter Ellen 3rd with 25:34

Thanks again to volunteers Louis Moorehead, Lewis Hutchinson, Michael Perkins and David Lewendon – who was both on time and didn’t try to imitate Ronnie Biggs this week.

Here’s hoping for more sun next week

Cheers

Dan

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipP-W82XK6-a4vGzRoMw1XepWJIl39Wf2pwsSAiH_cksYYLii6kTUj41axUbaEweUQ?key=dmFFOTBDaFdNZ0hhYlEtcGxRZVFkYkFPNnRjT0ZB