The journey from small guy to teenager...

[MingtheMerciless]

Sounds like a sabbatical holiday to me

[weeksy]

7am, sun still coming up, we've been on the road since 5 to miss the incoming rain.

IMG_20250223_070638 by steveweeks59, on Flickr

[weeksy]

We're currently in a massive dilemma with European stuff.

If we go to the Euro Champs there's a 3 week gap from the 4th to 23rd Aug for the UCI/Conti race. That's a bit on the long side to be staying down in France really, both in terms of expense and also work-time. I'd need to WFH for some of it for sure otherwise i'd be getting sacked lol.

I thought it was all going to be really easy at the UCI/Conti race gives UCI points. Which made the decision really simple. However it transpires that the Euro Champs also gives the same UCI points. (Not that i'm convinced he'll score points in EITHER, but maybe... maybe).

There's a tonne of complexity with who's going to Morzine in regards to his mates and riding buddies. There's also a likely trip to Italy for an IXS race which is not far from Como as well as all the UK racing going on.

As a parent i want to give the boy every chance possible and do everything, but you've got to be realistic sometimes i think.

[Mr Moofo]

Can’t you WFH in foreign places like the civil service ?

[MrLongbeard]

2 parents, 2 weeks each, job jobbed.

[weeksy]

Can’t you WFH in foreign places like the civil service ?

Yes but accommodation ain't free

[Count Steer]

Book them, if he doesn't score points at the first one, cancel the second.

Incentivisation.

[weeksy]

Well, it seems we're driving to Spain for the Euro Champs, then Les Menuires to practice, then Morzine for family stuff, then Les Menuires for UCI race. Leaving 30th July, going back 26th Aug.
Nutters.

Who needs money anyway

[weeksy]

https://www.ixsdownhillcup.com/en/race/ ... rt-william

Entry is in for the IXS race at Fort William. Obviously a place we know pretty well and we'll be there for the National DH as well as the National Champs this year.
Winning an IXS gets you a World Cup wildcard... but lets be honest, that's not the realistic goal

[weeksy]

As always we've had a bit of a minor change in there due to Wonderboy having a bright idea.

We're leaving the Euro Champs site on the Monday morning now and driving to Pal Arinsal Andorra, with the reason being that there's a World Cup DH track there and it adds on only an hour travel time total. He'll spend the day riding the WC track, hopefully surviving it and then we'll head up the coast towards Montpellier and stay in an Airbnb on the way. Then complete the journey to Les Menuires the next morning for a few days practice

[weeksy]

Pre Season shopping time
Galfer Maven pads 2 sets
Kryptotal Super soft
Argotal Super soft
Gazebo carry bag
Inflating mattress

Still needed
More tyres
Pedals

I think that'll be us sorted after that really until May/June

[Mr Moofo]

As always we've had a bit of a minor change in there due to Wonderboy having a bright idea.

We're leaving the Euro Champs site on the Monday morning now and driving to Pal Arinsal Andorra, with the reason being that there's a World Cup DH track there and it adds on only an hour travel time total. He'll spend the day riding the WC track, hopefully surviving it and then we'll head up the coast towards Montpellier and stay in an Airbnb on the way. Then complete the journey to Les Menuires the next morning for a few days practice

Arinsal is where I split my lip in half when my ski had pinged up in the air and the edge landed across my face. 2nd day of skiing
It was like a fishes gill just hanging there.
Anyway 8 stitches later with next to no anaesthetic- as the medic wouldn’t wait and it was good to go. I went out 3 nights later, and came back with only 4 stitches. And I have absolutely no idea what happened!
I trust their medical empathy has got better!

[weeksy]

As always we've had a bit of a minor change in there due to Wonderboy having a bright idea.

We're leaving the Euro Champs site on the Monday morning now and driving to Pal Arinsal Andorra, with the reason being that there's a World Cup DH track there and it adds on only an hour travel time total. He'll spend the day riding the WC track, hopefully surviving it and then we'll head up the coast towards Montpellier and stay in an Airbnb on the way. Then complete the journey to Les Menuires the next morning for a few days practice

Arinsal is where I split my lip in half when my ski had pinged up in the air and the edge landed across my face. 2nd day of skiing
It was like a fishes gill just hanging there.
Anyway 8 stitches later with next to no anaesthetic- as the medic wouldn’t wait and it was good to go. I went out 3 nights later, and came back with only 4 stitches. And I have absolutely no idea what happened!
I trust their medical empathy has got better!

I hope we don't find out the answer

[weeksy]

Well the weekend was interesting as always. We hit BPW and the boy was out with Hattie Harnden again as well as a few fast juniors. He was the quickest but that was to be expected and he seemed to have a lot of fun. Part of the plan was to hit Boomslang (new track) for a lot of it, but he ended up doing what they all wanted and hit pretty much all the black trails instead but did hit Boomslang before the end.

The day went excellently apart from a slight bit of play in the back end (AGAIN !!!) which i diagnosed as a lower pivot bearing but possibly a top shock bushing... However it ended up being both !!! lol. I fitted our spare shock to test which removed the top bushing play, but highlighted there was still a pivot bearing on the lower pivot that needed sorting. Arse. Neither are particularly tricky or time consuming so about 45 mins all in and we're golden.

But he's really loving the Session still and despite a long long chat with Hattie yesterday about belt drive bikes, i see us still on the Session for 2025.

This is the part where it all goes very wrong though as due to work reasons i can't do both events in France/Spain as there's too long away and WFH in a different country isn't allowed... Bit of a bummer for him, but we'll sit and chat later today and see which event out of the 2 is his preference and how we do things from there... I'm pretty gutted about it, but i can't change it so we have to accept it and move on.

[Nordboy]

Sorry, I might well have missed something. Is he still doing stuff with Katy? Or has he now moved on from her coaching? And where has Hattie come from? Or is she working for/ with Katy?

Coaching plans going forward? Any changes happening?

[weeksy]

No worries. He's still doing plenty with Katy yes and still an 'apprentice' for her at times in his quest to become a coach.

Katy arranged a day out with Hattie and since then him and Hattie have arranged a couple of others as she seems to be in a similar situation to us with not having a lot of fast people to ride with, so as we're not a million miles apart and they seem to enjoy eachothers company they'll continue to ride together.

They're all out later this month for BPW on a Pro's day, which both Hattie and the boy are invited to (as is Katy)

No changes at the moment with anything really, there are things that come and go at times, sometimes we have options, rides, bikes, teams, but staying with Katy has been our plan and until something more 'right' comes along, that's what we'll do until she tells us she doesn't want us

[weeksy]

A lovely dry FoD day today

[Skub]

I winced at the 'no gloves' first vid.

[weeksy]

I winced at the 'no gloves' first vid.

Good point. He usually does, that was late on, not sure why they were not present

[Skub]

I winced at the 'no gloves' first vid.

Good point. He usually does, that was late on, not sure why they were not present

Spur of the moment stuff. I've done it on the H1,thrapping around the locality with no lid. It's ok when it's ok.