Turf Zone – LasswadeKirk
First some good news. Yes, it’s that time of the year again, the TURF Ultimate Region Fight 2024 is fast approaching, coinciding with the start of Round #171 on the 1st September, running all the way through a whole five weeks to 6th October. Around a dozen teams usually take part and our very own Fearglas has put the call out for team members on the Team Scotland WhatsApp group.
Rules for the challenge can be viewed here. So, of you fancy a challenge, a whole heap of fun with some merry banter thrown in for good measure, then please sign up before 2300 hours on Thursday 29th August. Go on, you know you want to and Team Scotland needs you! Even of you don’t want to actually join the team, you can still help support our efforts by clearing zones and so on.
Turf Zone – PoltonMill
I haven’t taken part in any of the previous fights, other than the 2024 Week of Madness, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Looking forward to this event, feeling fitter than I have previously and also have my new ultimate turfing bicycle, the Ribble CGR SL, which I must admit has been modified slightly to suit my needs. I’m also thinking this might be a good opportunity to try for that Roundpointer-750k medal I’ve been dreaming about and the El Staminatore medal is also very enticing, that’s 200 takes in 24-hours. Hope this will fit in with team orders.
When I finished last night holding around 250 zones, I’m thinking Greed-400 might be possible tomorrow depending on the level of losses the next morning. You know how it is, the temptation is there, the goal possibly withing reach if you act now. Then you think do I really want to spend another 4 -5 hours cycling today when I just know that I’m going to lose a bunch of zones in the Penicuik area to the locals? Which is exactly, and as expectedly, what transpired. A total of 36 zones gone by early morning.
Turf Zone – MelvillePark
That means I now required 186 zones for the Greed-400. And to be honest my heart wasn’t in it today. My best bet for zones would be East Lothian, all the zones between Musselburgh and Post Seton, more likely to hold them long enough. It’s also Sunday and there tends to be more turfing activity today. Anyway, one medal to keep for another time. So, on to Plan B, ticking off those lonely zones along the River North Esk between Polton Mill and Lasswade, zones still sitting at neutral and just begging for me to take them.
First stop zone PoltonMIll, and easy take right beside the road. Next, across the bridge for a right turn to follow the River North Esk downstream for our next zone, MavisbankHse. And this was where the fun began. The path along here used to be fine graded gravel but winter floods have washed out all the fine particles leaving only larger heavy gravel and a lack of any maintenance is apparent.
Turf Zone – MavisbankHse
My last trip down here was on the Surly Ogre shod with 3″ tyres. It was a good test for the Ribble with its 40mm road tyres. The steep climb up to the zone was also a good test for the Ribble, which managed it all surprisingly easily, somewhat to my own surprise. I seem to recall this steep climb always being a challenge on previous bikes, a real puffer, if you know what I mean. Today, I was hardly out of breath at all.
After that off down river taking zones Mavisbank and MrKevock, climbing those bloody awkward steps up to zone Wadingburn and zooming along that quiet back road for zone LasswadeKirk. Next, though Kings Acre golf course for GolfWatchCCTV and an encounter with a grumpy golfer driving a golf buggy who clearly thought I should not be there. I gave him my best smile and a cheery way. Grabbed a few more neutrals including MelvillePark, WalkLasswade and SpotTheDog before heading for home. And there was a dog but it wasn’t called Spot. It was called Sansa. The owner must be a G.O.T fan. Back soon.
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