| - Paul Cummins |
| - Steve Smith, Gran Fondo Pinerello |
| Travel problems, hangovers, old age and new blood feature in the 2011 Marmotte |
Although a reduced YRC field participated in this years event there were also two new riders taking part. Mike Bates and Ian Hook rode the event for the first time this year, Ian riding the full course but over 2 days whilst Mike rode the Mini-Marmotte. Both riders swearing to come back next year and ride the full course in one go. Two previous riders, Steve Smith and Pete McGowen decided to ride the Gran Fondo Pinarello instead, you can read about their adventures with Migel Indurain later. The flight day coincided with a proposed general strike by various Public Sector workers, travellers were advised that delays and cancelations would be likely at airports. Not taking any chances, Alastair Pickard, Mark Hunter, Mike Bates and Mike & Dave Dixon decided to do the journey by car instead. So these finely tuned athletes were sat in the bar on the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry at 5.30pm, and they were still there at 03.00 the following day. The good news was that all the Worlds problems and politics had all been sorted out in this late night brain storming session, the bad news was that the hangover was so severe that it still affected Mike Dixon's race time 2 days later. The event itslf was in windy conditions but this did not stop Alastair Pickard and Paul Cummins riding PB's. Alastair rode 8.22 and Paul 8.30 (for the full ride). Mark Hunter, Mike and Dave Dixon were all a bit bit slower than the previous year, Mike Bates and Ian Hook also finished their events successfully. Mike Bates rode such a blisteringly fast official time for the Mini Marmotte that it either means he will win the Marmotte next year, or that his official time didn't take into account that he had set off 2 hours ealier than the official start time. Next years event has already sold out, it closed it's web site after receiving more than 6000 entries in just one day. Anticipating this a dozen or so YRC had entered as soon as the site had opened, so next year there should be more stories to read about on this page.
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| Mark wishes Mark good luck for the event |  |
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Dave tries to remember the night before |
| Puncture mended |  |
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Ill be quicker next year with my Campag electric groupset |
| La Marmotte; Doing it "The Saga Way" by Paul Cummins |
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There's no doubt that attempting to do La Marmotte can bring it's own dramas and excitement (see other accounts of strikes, last minute changes to travel plans and feats of derring-do in ferry bars) but for those of a more nervous disposition -or of advancing years - this article describes a different approach.
Whilst stories of glorious struggles against the mountains, the raging heat and French bureaucracy might spark the interest of some club members and lead to an ever-growing number of Yorkie Marmoteers; others may find that it all sounds, well, a bit uncomfortable and perhaps too exciting by half.
I'd like to reassure those club members not given to "that sort of carry on", that it is perfectly possible to suck any spontaneity or thrill-seeking from the Marmotte and still get round.
Granted, the most exciting part of any "war stories" you may have to tell will revolve around the difficulties of obtaining semi-skimmed milk in France, but for those already mentally pooh-poohing "The Saga Way" might I suggest it's worth pausing to consider the compensation of being able to take your own tea bags and an almost unlimited supply of HP beans??
So it was that, with this life-sappingly methodical approach to life in mind that me and Sharon towed our trusty caravan to Hull for Saturday's 18.15 ferry to Zeebrugge.
Once aboard (and armed with the Guardian and reading glasses) the evening beckoned. And so, after a nice meal in the onboard restaurant (pre-booked on-line of course; only the foolhardy leave these things to chance) it was off to the pictures to see the latest from the Meet the Fokkers franchise. With breakfast safely booked it was time for an early night in order to be ready to disembark at the crack of dawn (well 9.15am I think).
A minor collision of the offside caravan wheel with a P & O pallet whilst disembarking gave us enough conversation to get us past Reims, thus leaving us with only a 3 hour silence to our first overnight stop to negotiate.
Having pitched up at a nice site near Langres on the Sunday night, we had a nice cuppa, read a bit and went to bed.
We did the same thing on the Monday near Lyon (obviously without hitting a pallet on the way though, which, to be quite honest, made it quite a long day conversation-wise).
We arrived in Bourg D'Oisans on the Tuesday before the Marmotte and made another cuppa once we had pitched up. We had a read and went to bed.
Nothing happened on Thursday.
I registered on Friday and it was around this time, when I expected to feel a sense of excitement but nothing happened, that I began to have my first doubts about the methodical approach to life and wondered if I was missing out on what I believe it is fashionable to call "fun".
Any growing doubts were quickly brushed away though on meeting up with the other Yorkie Marmoteers at registration. Some of those "fun-loving" scamps looked as if they had been kidnapped by Somali pirates rather than caught a P&O ferry. We went back to the caravan. We had a cup of tea, read a bit and went to bed early.
I did the Marmotte on the Saturday.
It all went pretty well with me deciding to keep at the same heart rate all the way round. Keeping everything the same on the bike all the time meant that this was like life off the bike but at a higher heart rate.
We drove home a few days later stopping, naturally enough, at the same campsites.
Whilst it is fair to say that La Marmotte can be done without undue drama, life is full of unexpected surprises, even for caravanners, as we found out when we were ready to disembark at Hull!!
Just as we were ready to tow the caravan off the ferry we realised that the Volvo (what else?) battery had been flattened by something we had left on in the caravan!! P & O staff quickly used a portable jump-start pack and said it happened on every crossing so we drove off the ferry on time without delaying anyone. Still it's one to tell the grandkids about.
The only thing I have learnt from the whole trip is that if you are going to use the camera self-timer it is best to take the manual with you (see attached photo). I can't believe I left the camera manual at home, but that's me all over; just a crazy fool on life's great adventure.
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