Turf Zone – EastOfEast
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. So is regret. With hindsight, I regret not bribing master bicycle repairman Scott at MuttsCycles to knobble turfer Hodge’s bicycle which was in for repair. I should have known that “Hardcore” Hodge would take all those neutral zones in the Mayfield area of Dalkeith. Zones I was aiming to take this morning. Grrr! That’s 1000 points lost I would have had towards my Roundpointer-75k medal. However, one must put these setbacks to one side and also thank Hodge for “clearing” the zones in Newtongrange for me to take back again. Thanks, Mike. I think you’re a cool dude really!
The quest for all those Roundpointer medals continues. Yes, all eleven of them, including the Roundpointer-1M, Roundpointer-2M and Roundpointer-3M. Not entirely sure how I’m going to manage those three almost impossible beasties without an infinite improbability drive on the bike but I’ll think of something. Yesterday saw me sitting around 55,000 points with today’s efforts turfing both Newtongrange and Mayfield bringing me to a very pleasing 65,000 points. And that leaves just another 10,000 for tomorrow and the Roundpointer-75k, less if I allow for overnight PPH additions. But the more points the merrier, as I intend to continue for the next medal after that, the Roundpointer-100k.
The Mayfield area of Dalkeith is not the most attractive areas for turfing. Essentially one big housing development, it was built in the 1950’s as overspill accommodation for workers in the local mining industry and the houses are, shall we say, typical of such developments. It does not help that the whole area is built on the side of a steep hill and planning a practical route taking the zones is challenging. Perhaps the main reason why the zones are all still sitting at 185 points/1 PPH. Mayfield zones do not change hands very often.
While I would love to be able to “collect” all eleven Roundpointer medals, I have to be realistic. The Roundpointer-1M, Roundpointer-2M and Roundpointer-3M medals might as well be on the moon, such is the likelihood of yours truly attaining them. And, while I’m lucky enough to be retired and have the free time, I just don’t have the energy, stamina or the legs to put in the hours required. To see what those hours actually are, you only need look at turfers who bring home over 1 million points in a round. That equates to 8 to 12 hours bicycle turfing each day taking an average of 30,000 points a day over a 35-day round. Hard going. More tomorrow.
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