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@smiff
had a great time on saturday. did the induction and then stayed on for the novice training session.
used my own bike - stuck some B123AAs on and swapped my 19 tooth sprocket for a 15 tooth one then found that my wheel was hanging out the back of the track ends and had to take 2 links out of my chain which is annoying as it means i can't swap gears easily... will have to get a 2nd chain with magic link i think. was nice to be on my own bike with familiar pedals and saddle etc... the deep drop on the 123s took some getting used to.
when i arrived i got to see some of the intermediates doing their thing - adoubletap, nny, jaygee, digger, spaghoops, cliveo and a few other familiar forum faces. i look forward to being able to ride with you guys! steve adoubletap was kind enough to give me a few tips before my induction. apparently what he does is stare at the rider in front's arse rather than their back wheel... or did he say seatpost? i forget now.
the induction with donut!, crabtree and the forumenger on the felt (you were at ride east - i forget your name mate) gave us a taste of riding on the track. the novice training was then a good chance to get some laps in and start to develop some skills. there were even a few fast* bits when the coach let 4 of us at a time go off the front to catch up with the back of the bunch (there is a proper name for that...) who would have thought riding round in circles could be such fun? thanks to rpm and the other coaches.
there was one crash, but the guy got away with just grazes and bruises. i bet he is sore today... he carried on riding though - fair play.
not going to be able to make it next week due to southend ride but am planning to go down as often as possible over the summer.
riding around for the rest of the day on 48/15 was interesting... especially when after riding to campberwell with hamsandwich, katie p and friends for a baguette and for hamsandwich to drool over his new frame in edwardes i got nearly all the way home before realising i had left my giro ionos at edwardes (not used to having a helmet to look after). luckily it was still there and i whizzed back over to collect it. made it up gipsy hill to crystal palace at the end, although but my knees were not happy about it... a few guinnesses (guinni) in the sun outside the westow house was just what the doctor ordered.
nice day.
*seemed fast to me anyway!