Category: Blog

The third of three Cyclo Cross races at Otterspool Park this year and again a fourth place. Not much wrong with fourth place, but it’s just an annoying course for me because:

1. The first race there saw me break my chain on lap one and have to run for approximately 1km and start lap two in about 40th place – eventually finished 7th
2. Race two went relatively smoothly, but I had a really slow start and had to fight to pass people for the first three laps. Eventually got fourth on account of Rob Jebb turning up and Johhny McEvoy being on a flyer – Stuart Reid got me in the finale. Could be better, could be worse.
3. Race three was drier on the ground than the first two which was welcome because of the sticky mud that can clog your bike up. I did a good race (despite a sesh the night before) finishing one place behind Rob Jebb but we were nowhere near Ian Field and Ian Bibby (Trek-SIS) who were cruising round.

Interesting venue, but glad it’s all over for another year!

Matthew and I went to see Whole Lotta Led – a Tribute to Led Zeppelin, last Friday. Where do I start…? Firstly, tribute bands are not a new concept at all, but this is the first one I’ve seen. Secondly, I love Led Zeppelin. I love all sorts of music, but LZ are in my bones, as it were. I’m not going to review the gig too much – principally because I can’t be ar5ed, but it was a good night out.

Main observations:

• Bassist looked like Matthew’s dog, Merlin.
• Sound was pretty excellent – what other way could you hear ‘Led Zeppelin’ play live through a massive PA so that it thuds through your body?
• Drum solos will make a come back.

I like these weekends – where there’s a cyclo-cross race on both Saturday and Sunday, and I’m not sure why I like them. There’s something a bit manic about having to finish a race, wash down the bikes, put them back in the car, come home, wash them down properly, mend them, lubricate them, then get yourself in the shower, so you can do it all again the next day. I usually find ‘cross races fairly nerve-free, but if I’m ever nervous, it’s before a Saturday race when there’s two races in a weekend. It’s got something to do with surviving race one so you can do well at race two, or vice verse.

As it happens, this weekend’s races were both on really old-style courses [for old-style, read ‘crappy’]. Otterspool Park in Liverpool is a lovely place, urban parkland at its best in many ways, but the courses seem to be strewn with gnarly singletrack; slippy roots covered in leaves, etc. Now don’t get me wrong, singletrack is the off-roader’s bread and butter – it’s fun to ride and can be one of the true tests of skills – and concentration. But in a mass-start event like these are, with upwards of 70 riders, it’s not long before the people at the front end of the race start lapping people, and with that comes utter chaos on these narrow woodland tracks. It’s no good for the person doing the lapping or the person being lapped.

Sherdley Park in St Helens (Sunday) was no better – a load of fun to ride but utter chaos to race with so many people ‘in the way’. I loved the twists and turns and hidden bits of mud, but the open stretches of grassland and challenging uphill stretches were too few and too short. There is also a liberal dash of tarmac in the park, but stunningly NONE of this featured on the course. Olde World cyclo-cross indeed.

Still, packing up the car with muddy bikes for the second time in 24 hours for the journey home, you can’t help but be satisfied that you’ve done it all. Two flat out efforts of an hour or so (and in my case, two 4th place prizes that just and so pay the entry fees and petrol money), and yet you don’t really feel tired, you just feel recharged. That’s why I love cyclo-cross, and why these two-in-a-row weekends are so memorable.

Okay so it’s an old picture and it misses out the new rotund drummer, but it’s all i can be ar5ed to find. Quite a surprise for Katie and i to go and see the Wedding Present on Saturday and be blown away after all these times i’ve seen them (think it’s thirteen now). They were shockingly tight, and the audio was just bang on – very good PA, etc.

Helped by over 20 years of ace material, they came up with a set list that very succesfully melded the old and the new. First time I’ve heard them play ‘Go out and get ’em boy’, and it prompted a return to listening to Tommy! They played something from every album and many of these were the first time I’ve heard the songs live. Really made a difference – it shows how thoughtful set lists can help. The almost segwayed first three tracks (Corduroy–Sucker–Blue Eyes) were mind-blowing and it was difficult to believe that the energy could continue at that level. It did.

David Gedge‘s trademarks of ultra-fast strumming and semi-dischordant slide guitar gave the evening a reassuring continuity. Good humoured and at times bordering on funny, David’s comments and jibes showed how relaxed he can be after all these years. He’s got a persona where he looks both comfortable and also very uncomfortable on stage (unlike Terry (bass) and Simon (Guitar) who appear to not even know they’re on stage!. New drummer dude is very into things. Fast and furious, and prepared to improvise his rolls a bit more, it made it feel a bit more ‘rocky’, in a good way.

Final comment: Simon Cleave (guitar) where did all your weight go? You were looking troublingly porky last time i saw Cinerama in 2002 and now you’re a waif of a man. Fell running?

Just how cool is that? Comments below please…. if you can fault this in any way

The top album cover on this page looks a bit like this, doesn’t it? Nothing new in this world.

Mental Drippings diary have a recurrence of an old email set of piccies that come round from time to time and make me laugh every now and again. The pictured one is particularly close to my heart.

Why they needed a new James Bond