A bit early but, Mega Avalanche 2008

[MrNuts]

It didnt, but Conor says not to worry as it is all downhill :banghead:




And thats why Conor has been training since Jan then, Eh?;)

[Chris_Comber]

It didnt, but Conor says not to worry as it is all downhill :banghead:


Elbow is well on the mend which was worrying me more than the fitness to be honest

Best of luck with the race.

Probably wont be as interesting as the Sunday Breakfast run, but it will be a nice change of scenery for you :p

[Cotic]

LOL @ Chris

Conor I have full tools, spares, stand, track pump etc

[Conor]

LOL @ Chris

Conor I have full tools, spares, stand, track pump etc

Ok, I'll ditch the socket set and spanners then, just take the essentials. What fluids are you bringing? I've got mineral oil for my brakes and oil for the forks. Also got C02 carts, tyre sealant, hax saw, hammer, HTII tools.

[Cotic]

How much dosh do we need for fuel?

[Conor]

Depends on your MPG. 2500 miles or so at 35mpg for me will cost €470.

For every MPG less you do it will cost you €15 more over the trip.... 5mpg less it'll cost €65.. etc.. etc..

Hence myself and Mark will be driving as economically as possible!

[Conor]

Pete... just noticed you are entered for the Sprint DH race as well... I think you should bring the Shocker and leave one of the 6" bikes behind.

http://www.avalanchecup.com/sprint-oz-en-oisans-les-inscrits-08.html

latest Mega entry list

http://www.avalanchecup.com/megavalanche-alpe-dhuez-liste-inscrits-08.html

Noel and Richard aren't on it...

[chucky]

I got an email from them yesterday, asking me to confirm my attendance, although i havnt heard anything trhough active europe about actually registering.

I've emailed them to see what the score is.

[MrNuts]

45hrs to go

[chucky]

Think im pretty much sorted,

Got spare mech hanger, mech, shifters, gear cables, brake pads, pedals, front an rear wheels cassette etc.

Dont think i'll worry with tools, sounds like there will be more than enough tools around

[Cotic]

Would the Shocker be too heavy for the other trails?

[monty]

Would the Shocker be too heavy for the other trails?

Sure, with all this training you've done, it'l feel like it's not even there ;)

Good luck anyway, Warner's in for a bit of competition!

[Conor]

No, it'll be perfect for everything bar the Mega race course. Everbody is taking a DH biek bar me, because I don't have one.


BTW, just been speaking to Rob... and he's just had a major mechanical in his car and won't be able to make it... he might be able to get it fixed in time but he won't have any money left for the trip!

Absolutely gutted :(

[Cotic]

Ok, the Shocker is going, do I spend £ 50 on a spare mech hanger?

[Conor]

£50!!!??? I take it's a big brute of a thing for that money? Hardly break then?

[Cotic]

Thats my anaylsis, hence I didnt buy one!

[MrNuts]

34hrs to go

[marko]

kevin are you about newcastle tomorrow evening? can i borrow those straps you have for your bike rack? the jobbies that attach onto the boot.

[Cotic]

:D its all good!

[Cotic]

23 hrs to go

[MrNuts]

kevin are you about newcastle tomorrow evening? can i borrow those straps you have for your bike rack? the jobbies that attach onto the boot.

Taking the road bike to France myself next week, so i'll need them. Sorry

[MrNuts]

Just had an idea, you can get them small rachet straps for roof racks, you can put something on one end for the inside of the car and tie the other to the rack.
Newcastle tool centre may sell them, i'll have a look in B&Q if you want.

[Conor]

Taking the road bike to France myself next week, so i'll need them. Sorry

So I can't borrow your bungees then either!!!??

Really kevin, this is very inconsiderate of you!

[MrNuts]

So I can't borrow your bungees then either!!!??

Really kevin, this is very inconsiderate of you!

You can borrow my bungees, no problem as long as i have one or two.

[MrNuts]

Anyone fancy a pint at the percy tonight?
a sort of farewell drink.

[Cotic]

Just finished packing :-)

[Conor]

Anyone fancy a pint at the percy tonight?
a sort of farewell drink.

Love to, but Mark is far too disorganised to take time off from running/packing... if we took him to the pub it would be a disaster.

[MrNuts]

Come on marko get packing, we'll find a pub that sells stella and get u home before 5am!
I've a new job to celebrate

[marko]

i was out last night drinking pints of guiness.

[chucky]

I was out last nite too, although i was driving.

Im very tempted to head out tonite again for a bit of craic, but i know getting an early night would probably be a good idea.

[MrNuts]

i was out last night drinking pints of guiness.

And? Your point is?
Hair of the dog and all that:alcohol:


I was out last nite too, although i was driving.

Im very tempted to head out tonite again for a bit of craic, but i know getting an early night would probably be a good idea.

So thats me, chucky and conor. Come on Marko, ur last pint of warm beer before france

[marko]

might go for one pint,just one none of this 7 pints of stella in the percy before we move on to another bar!haha

[Conor]

might go for one pint,just one none of this 7 pints of stella in the percy before we move on to another bar!haha

Yeah... I might drive just to make sure we (or I) don't go on a bender.

Mark, I'm home early today and will be getting a plate printed in Wikis. You still need one?

[marko]

my brother got me one earlier today so i'm 'sorted'!

hoping to kick all the munchkins off our site early today and be home by 5.30.

[MrNuts]

So a pint it is then! You going to lift me then conor?

[Conor]

So a pint it is then! You going to lift me then conor?

WTF? Walk it you lazy roadie ;)

Joanne is coming down later, if she is up for going I'll get a lift with her.

[marko]

what time are we talking here?

[Conor]

8pm? Get some food as well?

[marko]

won't bother with food. i really can't be bothered doing anything in work today!

[MrNuts]

WTF? Walk it you lazy roadie ;)


Some of us will prob get some cycling done before we head out!
Was going to walk, but as your passing my door;)

8pm sounds good, i'll miss BB:D

[MrNuts]

i really can't be bothered doing anything in work today!

Me neither, hence the amount of posts today:cool:

last day today!:D

[Cotic]

Yeah... I might drive just to make sure we (or I) don't go on a bender.

Mark, I'm home early today and will be getting a plate printed in Wikis. You still need one?

Plate?????????

[Cotic]

Me neither, hence the amount of posts today:cool:

last day today!:D

Same here, its inherent with the holiday spirit!

[chucky]

My last day where im working today too actually.

Oh, and when i said i was up for heading out, i dont think it'll be as far as newcastle.

Somewhere more local.

[MrNuts]

Plate?????????

You need either a GB sticker on your car and a euro plate, the one with the blue stripe down one side.

[MrNuts]

Same here, its inherent with the holiday spirit!

No, i'm actually leaving this job and starting a new one next month.:)

[chucky]

They need a plate for the bike racks, as there's no room for the magnetic sticker on it.

[Cotic]

I have the GB thingy, you had me worried there

[Cotic]

WE ARE GOING TO THE MEGA WOO-YAY!



http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/riding/features/avalanchecup_rocky.jpg

[Cotic]

Looks like fun

http://www.doubletruckmagazine.com/issues/dt_006/mediafiles/l41.jpg

[chucky]

Pete - I think i'll slipstream you at the start. You can knock everyone out of the way for me.

Perhaps we should get a snow plow attachedment for the front of the bikes, to push fallen riders out of the way...

[Cotic]

This trip is going to be mega, if you'll pardon the pun :D:alcohol::alcohol::p

[Cotic]

Think I shall take a few magnums with me, got some nice 2006 Carmenere there, will go down a treat after a day in the alps :alcohol:

[Conor]

Think I shall take a few magnums with me, got some nice 2006 Carmenere there, will go down a treat after a day in the alps :alcohol:

Why not just buy it out there at half the price and not have to worry about bottles popping during the drive?

[Cotic]

Why not just buy it out there at half the price and not have to worry about bottles popping during the drive?


I have a load of it here and it is taking up too much room:alcohol:

[chucky]

It'll maybe add to the excitment driving down the road if a bottle does pop.

Pete - The fact that i have said this, means that it will probably happen. BUT i really really really hope we dont have to unload at calais to get the car searched!

[MrNuts]

BUT i really really really hope we dont have to unload at calais to get the car searched!

I take it ur taking something for ur own use then!:eek:

[Cotic]

It'll maybe add to the excitment driving down the road if a bottle does pop.

Pete - The fact that i have said this, means that it will probably happen. BUT i really really really hope we dont have to unload at calais to get the car searched!


::yikes::::yikes::::yikes::::yikes::

[papasmurf]

I take it ur taking something for ur own use then!:eek:

Baldy & I drove a LWB Sprinter over one year and they asked us can they check the van. They got an almighty shock when they seen 20 DH bikes & 1 BMX (Ben Reids) and a load of luggage. We got an even bigger shock when they asked us to strip it out for inspection. With some Northern Irish charm we convinced them that I packed it all and could they satisfy themselves by checking a few bags of luggage.
Yeha on our way, that was an almighty brilliant trip. :D :D

[marko]

if you bringing drugs empty the oil out of your forks,place drugs in air tight bag inside fork leg and the replace oil.

[chucky]

Well i was meaning more for the hassle, not the presence of contrabands, however it means alot to me that people are so quick to mention drugs in relation to me.

Remember, im chucky - not speedfreak :p

[MrNuts]

OOh, low punch;)

Had my car stripped out whilst coming back from france in 1992, not a great experience.
All they found was a wet tent, clothes and 10 crates of beer:alcohol:

[MrNuts]

if you bringing drugs empty the oil out of your forks,place drugs in air tight bag inside fork leg and the replace oil.

The voice of experience?:confused:

[Cotic]

Right is everyone ready?

[Conor]

I've no time for the pub tonight lads! Too much to do!

Kevin, sorted with bungees btw.

[marko]

i have sorted nothing.

[Cotic]

I am away to get full ;)

[chucky]

Pete, what time did i say i was meeting you at 6.15?

[Cotic]

SMSed ya

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yo6uar&outx=800&quality=70

[barry_kellett99]

I was Jealous last year, and I am Jealous again this year.

Maybe Next year I will wise up and come along.

[marko]

i'm soo excited! :D

[Conor]

Finally ready. Glad I tried the bikes on the rack tonight, tight fit!! Should be a quick fit in the morning. Mark, got a couple boot lid straps for you. Might be worth bringing a couple spare bungees as well.

[Conor]

I was Jealous last year, and I am Jealous again this year.

Maybe Next year I will wise up and come along.

Do it. You will love it.

just look at this weather forecast, it's enough on it's own to convince you!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4344

[marko]

i have two bungies with me holding the bikes good and tight so think that will do. those boots straps will make sure they are proper tight!

[chucky]

See you in the morning, lookin forward to a nice fry.

[barry_kellett99]

Do it. You will love it.

just look at this weather forecast, it's enough on it's own to convince you!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4344

To be honest, only for the fact I am so tied up for leave and money with the wedding and honeymoon coming up I would have been there this year.

[Cotic]

All set, few hours kip and we will be reet

[RobS]

have a good trip you guuuuys!

[Cotic]

See ya in Oz!!

[Speedfreak]

Well i was meaning more for the hassle, not the presence of contrabands, however it means alot to me that people are so quick to mention drugs in relation to me.

Remember, im chucky - not speedfreak :p

You may keep your scrawny ass in France now boy! lol

I don't take drugs...alot! lol :p

[Speedfreak]

Oh, have fun you lucky d*cks! lol :D

[MrNuts]

Are you there yet?

[Cotic]

yes we are

[monty]

nice weather?
Pretty darn crap over here :(
Hows the riding?

[MrNuts]

Well??????
We were promised updates and this will have been your 2nd days riding!

[Cotic]

Riding is amazing, mega qualifier well hard, so far Marko had a stack at les Deux Alps and I have burnt out the brakes on two bikes ffs, great fun though!

[chucky]

Hell yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chucky]

Anyone who hasn't been to the alps with their bike is missing out big time!

Decents so long, you have to stop half way down, must dash now to the chairlift to 3000m.....D

[MrNuts]

Luck Bar-stewards

[snowfun101]

Anyone who hasn't been to the alps with their bike is missing out big time!

I'm gonna do the Transalp Challenge next year! Not sure I can wait that long, I might explode!!!!!!!

[mprules]

Is it the same quali course as last year with the crazy cliff berms near the top?

[Cotic]

The Shocker spat me off this morning in the seeding run, saw stars for a few seconds but picked myself up and managed 147 out of 200.

Spent the afternoon in Alp D Huez trying to get bits for Conors bike, it is fecked ...

[RobS]

nice one pete, hope yous all get a good run for it tomorrow.

[MrNuts]

Spent the afternoon in Alp D Huez trying to get bits for Conors bike, it is fecked ...

Not more mechanicals conor?
Thought u had it all sorted before you left

[marko]

the trails in france are scary fast, body armour saved my ass :)

totally wrecked but that was the best holiday i have ever had. mad thunder storm which lasted from 7pm-7am friday night/saturday morning. There were rumours flying about that the mega had been cancelled. So i decided to stay in bed as i was just about fit to breath and it was horrible outside. Danny was the only one to venture out for the mega. He spent 3-4hours in the lashing rain, freezing his ass of until the decision was made to run the race from a lower level at 10.30am. (he left our apartment at 6.30am) There was complete mayhem as the lifts were closed and no-one knew what was happening. The best word to describe that storm was savage

[marko]

have just sat down there and thought about how mad the week was. the riding that we done was crazy, i mean 5 days of flatout downhilling, big berms, big jumps and silly drops. The pounding our bikes took was unreal. Conors frame is basically in pieces, dannys brand spanking new Glory is not new anymore!!!haha Petes shocker actually looks like it has been ridden and Chuckys rear shock resembles a pogo stick. My trusty old Scott lost a front brake, headset (thanks to a monster stack) and has more play in the bottom bracket than a chick in the playboy mansion. Noels Devinici sounds like an old woman getting out of bed in the morning!haha i don't think we have one straight wheel among us.

Now for the riding:

well Alp D'Huez has greatly lifted is game this year. The trails are much flowier, faster and technical than last year. The freeride park has been beefed up with 3 lines of tabletops. The biggest set was sweet beyond belief :D smiles for miles as they would say. The sprint course was flat to the mat with no let up at all. The other trails had been given a clean up and a lick of paint and rode sweet as!!!!

Les Duex alps:

Where do i begin?? First off french double black scares the feck out of me, hanging on for your life isn't a cool look! Also huge jumps into massive sweeping berms are the ticket, i'll have some of them in tolly good sir :) In fact the place was soo good we spent 2 days there. The red trails there are awesome with everyone spinning out in top gear. Just make sure you don't hit a switchback completely pinned and end up doubling them up, french ground is very very hard as is the stem on your bike. Les duex alps seem to have added way more jumps on the trails and i give them a huge thumbs up for that. Even better i will air hi-5 them for adding tabletops to berms style jumps!

The English:

Always seem to feel the need to look at lines and stand in the middle of the track. Seriously when you are pinning it down the sprint course and round a corner to find some doosh standing in your way anger is sure to follow. Or in Noel and my case we made up our own line to avoid them, almost via a huge cliff........epppp! Next please don't stand on the take-off of a jump talking about how to 'hit' it.

Quotes of the trip:

1- i want to look up her canyon and see what she had for breakfast
2- 'oh my god those lads just cleared the fun box' posh english after we done a train over the fun box
3- Women think i'm queer
4- yes lad
5- she has some jimmy wabs on her
6- give us a lick of your slider
7- i wish i knew how to quit you (stolen from brokeback mountain)
8- shovelling away at her



To conclude:

French beer is cheap, french trails are smoking, french women are hot, body armour rocks!

Should also say fair play to Pete as his riding progressed something else with everyday. He also brought countless amounts of laughs to the whole trip.

[barry_kellett99]

Pictures?!

Especially of the mangled bikes.

Conor told me I should go on my Meta. Dead on by the sounds of it.

[Cotic]

Thanks to everyone, I will have happy memories of this trip forever, pics to follow later.

When I sit back and think I actually get scared how hard I was riding that shocker (hard for me), oh and yes body armour saved my ass too :-)

It is amazing how hard the French trails are on a bike, 3 days in France is like 1 year in Tolly

[marko]

pete that shocker has never moved quicker with you on board! :) Hope you were that sowing machine ya were telling us about.................

[chucky]

Heres a few of my photos:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v316/captainchucky/mega%202008/

[Cotic]

Class

[Speedfreak]

Are your bikes worse than mine now!?? lol

[marko]

thats silly talk james!ha

pete get all them bad boy photos up asap ;)

[Conor]

Just in. Sorry for not answering phone or replying to texts...

1. My bike needs a full re-build.
2. I need new (non-fox!) forks.
2. I need a new helmet (so does Joanne... thieving scum!).
3. I need a diesel car (thought I'd never say that... but then again I managed 37.1mpg though GB today)
4. Epic/MAD guys are the best lads in the world.
5. Next year I will qualify in the top 40 in my heat and will get a top 150 in the main race.

[trailfox]

Flip sake!:eek: I take it it was rough then :)
How many usually race it connor?

[marko]

conor we horsed it through france 90+ the whole way and my mpg was still way over 50 :)

get the photos up Pete!!!!

[marko]

lads get all the photos up asap! :D

[Cotic]

Pics uploading now

[Cotic]

First batch here

http://specialsphotos.fotopic.net/c1545476.html

more to follow

[Fiorelli]

Some photos here if you choose megavalanche and type in your number:
http://www.photobreton.com/
....for those of you's who did the quali and/or mega ;)
What were your numbers, mine was 1643?

[Cotic]

Joanne, you are hot!

[Conor]

You're a smooth operator Pete, real smooth ;)

[Cotic]

Oops, too much wine

Had a bit of a winefest last night and with that I am as smooth as silk ::yikes::

[Cotic]

Bought the pro pictures off photobreton

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y605nh&outx=800&quality=70
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y605ng&outx=800&quality=70
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y605nx&outx=800&quality=70
http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y605ni&outx=800&quality=70

[Speedfreak]

You look like a hardcore angry biker ripping up the trails Pete! ;)

[Cotic]

You look like a hardcore angry biker ripping up the trails Pete! ;)

LOL I was lit!

If I could just get used to letting go of the brakes in time for next year! ::yikes::

[Cotic]

Just in. Sorry for not answering phone or replying to texts...

1. My bike needs a full re-build.
2. I need new (non-fox!) forks.
2. I need a new helmet (so does Joanne... thieving scum!).
3. I need a diesel car (thought I'd never say that... but then again I managed 37.1mpg though GB today)
4. Epic/MAD guys are the best lads in the world.
5. Next year I will qualify in the top 40 in my heat and will get a top 150 in the main race.

What happened the forks?

[Conor]

twisted, at the crown I presume. The axle just doesn't want to go into the dropout at all, takes a fair but of effort.

BTW, do you have my race plate from the Shocker?

[marko]

got photos off photo-breton, some excellent ones they are too! :)

[Conor]

look at this big cry baby!!

[Cotic]

twisted, at the crown I presume. The axle just doesn't want to go into the dropout at all, takes a fair but of effort.

BTW, do you have my race plate from the Shocker?

I have the race plate, did the forks get twisted in the smash?

[Conor]

No idea. Might have been the nose dive at the end of the sprint race, but there were that many crashes it's hard to remember which one it would have been. They may well have been bent before the trip. Going to drop them in with Steve to see if he can see any damage. They look fine to me, but it's hard to measure a 1-2mm twist in a fork.

What are my chances of them being repaired under warranty? ;)


I'll maybe call round on Saturday morning for the race plate, have to head Ballymena direction anyway.

[Conor]

Bits that I can't find after the trip:

1. My Torch. Not too worried about the torch but it's got 4 expensive rechargeable batteries in it!
2. Stanley flat head screw driver.
3. Sunglasses case

That's all I've noticed anyway. Anybody got any of that stuff?

[chucky]

Dont think i've any of that stuff, although i remember you using your torch the night before the mega on the balcony trying to sort your bearings - not that this helps now of course

You got many pics of the trip to put up?

[Cotic]

Conor, that is in the post.

[MrNuts]

Pete, i see the training paid off before the mega!;)

I want to heqr qll the crqic when i get home

[Conor]

Cheers for the race plate Pete.

Found torch, was in the pocket of my shorts FFS!

Only thing missing that I half care about are two GP rechargeable AA batteries. I think I leant them to somebody but can't remember. Anyway, wouldn't mind them back whoever has got them.

Chucky, did the Chalet De Neiges people ever take anything off your credit card??!!

[Conor]

can anybody remember the web address of the guy taking photos in Les Deux Alps?

[Cotic]

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/

[Conor]

found them

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/album/1271/07-10-jeudi/page_2

photo 6162 05 - 6162 09

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/gallery/1271/6938679a6e78602c03bae6d7b6becf31_2.jpg

[Cotic]

Do me a favour and see if you can find mine?

I was there two days remember........

[Conor]

photo 6162 10

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/gallery/1271/ec89ca2cfd8ca0b50c2b50f504776774_2.jpg

this pic of danny is class

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/gallery/1271/4ec1139fd9320d022411729fe033028b_2.jpg

[Cotic]

Is there another one of me on the Tuesday?

[Cotic]

Got the other one, just bought them both

[Cotic]

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/gallery/1265/25a401a508cdd9addc2655f850b18fb9_2.jpg

[Cotic]

Heres Chucky

http://photo-2alpes.phot-online.fr/gallery/1265/618a485391686375345c02c504d3b29e_2.jpg