Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

Thursday

• Race/race training - MAD Club course - Outside Ticknock car park 7.30pm. Everyone welcome including other clubs! Please leave your cars outside the gate.

Saturday

• Early Spin - Massies and Hellfire - 7am (Shane Lavelle)
• Martin's Fun Ride
  Meeting:- Taylors for 10am
  To:- 3rock - 1/2 way up FC and onto WW - to Woccas - over to wet Tibradden - down Boulderdash - through Pineforest - blast down Masseys trail (conditions in this section are fine) - Taylors (pint of Miwadee and packet of king crisps!..... ).
  Duration:- 3hrs hrs max
  Fergal's gang are more than welcome to join us for the tibradden and boulderdash decents if they like :-) (more bodies flying through the air and you will get to see Ben doing his Spiderman 2 impression down boulderdash!! that's a treat!)
• Fast Sat spin - Taylor's pub at 830am.
  Map to Taylor's pub
  

Sunday

• Connacht XC League, Clarenbridge Co. Galway. Stephen Scrivener will be doing this. Please contact him for race details.
• We're going to do a fairly long spin around Crone and Djouce. Pace will be constant - 'awesome to savage level'. We will meet at Crone car-park at 10am. Map here - http://iol.ie/~imra/map_location_crone.html . If you have a lift to offer then please post a comment on the website blog.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Nigel

0879335403 poloholemint@gmail.com

Race Season Is Here!

The 2007 race season is finally upon us with the K-Capital Cup starting next week (March 11th) in Kilruddery. If, like most of us, you haven't been intensively training since November there are a couple of last-minute opportunities to get up to speed. EPIC will be running another night race in Leadmines this Thursday (handicapped, so everyone has an equal chance of winning). Then on Sunday Round 4 of the Connacht XC League takes place in Clarenbridge Co. Galway. I'd encourage everyone to try a race or two this year - it's an opportunity to ride in different locations, it'll make you fitter and of course it's a lot of fun.

The most interesting injury

a near perfect imprint of my watch on my wrist! Seriously though, i'm very lucky as it could have been a lot worse especailly if i hadn't worn my helmet as i landed head and face first.

Thanks for all the messages etc ... will reply when i get a chance but it turns out i'm highly non ambidextrous so it'll take some time. Paddy

*** EDIT ***
more photos now up here

MAD Treasurer Still Alive

The rumours are true! Paddy, MAD bean-counter extraordinaire, was knocked off his bike in an incident on his way to work last Tuesday morning.

He's in reasonable shape, plenty of scratches & bruises, an ongoing dispute as to whether or not he's broken his arm. It was a nasty enough spill, but could have been a lot worse.

Remember kids, it's a jungle out there. Make yourself seen, always be alert. You might be the most careful cyclist in the world, but there are still plenty of idiots out there who'll try to hurt you.

Maps for various spin meet-up points

Ticknock car park

Taylors pub

Palmers Golden Ball pub

Kindlestown

Yellow House

Gala Shop

I will Exorcise your Demonic Savagery!

Get Exorcised!!!

Your club secretary is assuming the role of Father Damian Karras
from the Exorcist in order to banish impure non-savage spirits
from your mortal souls!
The 'Ceremony' starts at the unholy hour of 8:30 at Taylors on Sat 24th Feb
Father Karras will hear your confessions on the skeleton-rattling Boneshaker.
Woeful penance will be laid upon you if you are suspected of
attending bingo instead of training hard!!!
Despite the obviously evil theme, "zombie bikers" will suffer if they try this one.

Roars of evil laughter!!!!
Arrggghhh - ha ha ha!!!!!

so, there you go now, a nice fast spin on Saturday morning,
I could have simply said that and not terrified people with all this scary malarky
but that's just not the MAD way.....

toodle-doo!!!

Picnic Time

Saturday Screamin' Demon Spin

Give yourself a lash!
1.5hr Screamin' Demon spin meeting at Taylors 8:30am.
Meeting up with the improvers spin at 10am.
Flog yourself and love it.

Weekend Antics

Our planned "intermediate" ride last weekend was cut short by unexpected weather conditions. We'll be giving it another go this Saturday instead. We'll be departing from Ticknock car park at 10am for a ride up over Three Rock and down to Leadmines. This will be a fun spin so you don't have to be super fit, however we will be riding some technical trails (up and down) so you should be comfortable with that. You can find a Google Earth map of the route here.

The fourth and final round of the winter DH league takes place this Sunday. Fergal and Steve are now experienced racers so we expect them do do us proud. The race is open to everyone but a full face helmet is required.

Some of us will be riding down to watch the race and give support. Leaving the Yellow House at 9am (pace: awesome) we'll head over Three Rock to Prince Williams Seat and around the back of Cloon. We'll return via Glencree and Cruagh.

Final Round Winter DH League

The final round of the Winter DH league is on this Sunday. If you were spectating at the second round, i'm sure you saw how much fun it is! This round is in Cloon once again with the same course. There is nothing unrideable on this course. Although there are two jumps, both of these have chicken runs around them.

Believe me, you will never feel your heart beating so fast or as much adrenaline pumping until you are listening to your start beeps on the opening gate. It is an experience everybody has to try! Espcially in Ireland's Premier Mountain Bike Club!

Please let me know if you want to participate and I can give you an idea of what goes on at these races. All information about the day can be found here: http://www.irishdh.com/2007news/newsfeb07winterleaguepreview4.htm
Full face helmet is compulsary to enter, however, don't let this put you off as lenders are easy to come by.

Please let me know if your interested : stephen_scrivener@yahoo.coDOTuk - 0861653925

Really guys! Would be brilliant to see some more MAD jerseys at this, I know loads of you would love it!!

Steve

Valentine's Day

No spins today. Don't you have something better to do?

Inter-Club Night Race League Thurs 15 Feb

The Inter-Club Night Race League continues this week at the EPIC club course in Leadmines. The race is run on a handicap system so anyone can come along and have fun.

Starting at 7:30 at Leadmines tower/EPIC club course, but we will meet/depart from Palmers Golden Ball pub at 7:00pm sharp to get up there in time to intimidate the competition with 'eye-of-the-tiger' stares and'don't-diss-me-mutha' tough-looking folded arm poses.

Any problems with developing these looks please contact Morgan O'Connell's School-of-Advanced-Psyche-Outs on 1-800-I-pity-the-fool

Hope to see ye there!

Fergal 087-792-7730

The Chairman Writes...

Hello MAD club members, here is a selection of delights for you this weekend.

First off Fergal will be carrying out trail repairs on Saturday, followed by some riding on Three Rock. It's an early start for this one - 8am at the car park.

Later on, Martin's gang of rapidly improving mountainbikers will be taking a ride over Three Rock and down to Leadmines. Despite what Martin says this won't be suitable for beginners, it's more of an easy/fun ride. Meet at the Yellow House at 10am.

The downhill track in Cloon is very waterlogged after the recent snow. EPIC have requested that riders avoid using the trail for practice this weekend.

On Sunday, man-of-mystery Shane Lavelle will be leading a rag-tag group of mountainbikers on a lonely quest around the trails of Ballinastoe. This will suit all of you who like a lie in at the weekend - meeting at Ballinastoe at 2pm.

Saturday morning slavery!

Howdy all!
On the off-chance you are up real early this Sat morning (10th Feb)
and feel like nothing other than some hard physical labour on an exposed Dublin mountain then by all means join my chain-gang of trail-gimps!
I'll be doing some trail repair work up 3 rock for a few hours starting at 8am provided weather isn't too brutal.

There's no one big job to be done - just some small ones but they are scattered about the place. No need to feel guilty if you can't make it because your bed is lovely and warm...no need...no need at all now...
Call me on 087-792-7730 if you can make it, we'll meet at Ticknock car park 8am
I'll also try get a map together to show the locations, when I do, I'll update this post.

bye for now
Mr (slave-driver) Secretary

Cold Weather on the Way

It looks like the icy chill of winter has finally arrived. Blisteringly cold conditions will challenge even the hardiest of MAD extreme mountainbikers. But wait! There's still hope. We have one (and only one) MAD winter jacket remaining (size S) and it can be yours for the bargain price of €88.50. A small price to pay to luxuriate in warmth and comfort all winter long. But hurry, this jacket is not available in any shops! Contact Sean J Downey now (086 335 4576) and you too could be one of the best dressed bikers in town.

Savage night training spin Tues 6 Feb 7:00pm Tickock

Calling all beasts and
non-Savage Garden fans!!!

There'll be an intense spin Tues night up in 3rock,specifically for race training.

Meet at Ticknock car park
7pm.
I'll be parking at Taylors pub if anyone wants to meet there at 6:45.

Any questions give me a shout on 087-792-7730
Fergal.

What's on this weekend

On Saturday the gradually-accelerating Martin will be leading a ride down to Cloon. This will be fairly long ride but at an easy pace so it be manageable for nearly everyone. Make sure you and your bike are prepared (ideally before the ride) and bring plenty of food. There are opportunities to shorten the route along the way if your legs turn to jelly. The return journey will be on the road via Enniskerry. Meet at the Yellow House at 10am.

On Sunday there will be a savage(!) spin down to Djouce. This will leave from the Yellow House at 8.45am. The terrifying Paddy J O'Brien will be leading and he's not taking any prisoners. Expect this one to last 5 hours +.

Finally, mild-mannered mountainbiker Shane Lavelle will be going for a ride around Hellfire and Masseys on Sunday afternoon and would be delighted if you joined him. Meeting at the Hellfire car park at 2pm.

Inter-club Night Races Leadmines Thurs 1 Feb

Starting at 7:30 at Leadmines tower/EPIC club course.
4 fun laps of skill and exertion

Departing from Palmers Golden Ball pub at 7:00pm sharp.

Hope to see ye there!

Fergal 087-792-7730