EMSSC - slack and super!

Its Monday morning, after the weekend of the EMSS champs. I am very very tired.
The weekend kicked off at 12 midday on the Saturday when "local" riders started to gather at my house in sunny Leicester.
Large amounts of tea, coffee and toast were consumed before everyone turned up and enough momentum was gathered to project us out into the cold January air.
The winner of EMSSC would be decided by my pantented "Disqualify people" method.
So off we went with some riders (not that they knew) already disqualified. There was a 20 or so minute road ride (come on its Leicestershire) until we hit Swithland woods. Some sneeky singletrack, some muddy some less so, and a few stops of photo's and for some people to play in the bombholes/take photos.

Faff.


Gnarly step up


Ian's a blur!


Ian, Keith and Simon.


There was lots of this.


Go on Simon! Jump It! Oh.

After we had a good play in the bottom part of Swithy woods, we headed back out onto the road and rode down to Swithland, to the Griffin Inn, where a "refreshment break" was taken. For refreshment break read 2 pints.

Your Dis-Organiser.


A beer's eye view.

We then headed back to Swithland woods for a play in the top part of the woods and waited for it to get dark.

They "scoped the huck" and decided they had the wrong socks on.

Under the cover of darkness, we entered a certain large Country Park for some cheeky singletrack night riding. At the top of the first hill, the noise that was coming from the back of Mike's bike was explained, his rim was splitting. We continued to climb up to the top of the "monument". At the top more photo's were taken and some whisky passed around. From there its a singletrack roller coaster ride down for about 10 mins and despite simon flatting halfway down, it was grins allround.
We regrouped at the bottom of the "Sherlock" ridge and it was decided that Mike and Roger would bail out here as Mike's rim was looking a bit scary and Roger was struggling with a knee injury (Singlespeeder's knee?)
The remaining riders carried on and took in more rolling singletrack.
At the top of the last descent I proclaimed "Watch out for the ditch and keep to the left".
Simon didn't. He was left unable to walk and looked to have the makings of a monster bruise on his left leg. He said that he couldn't ride back so Mike was called and he and Jude came round with the Landrover to ship Simon and his Bike back to my place.

Get your arse in the Landy and stop whining.

Simon was laughed at by Lou our resident physio on return to Casa Del Lees.
The remaining riders then had a quick ride back to mine, in the falling snow.

Results:
Andrew "Beer" Ludbrook: Disqualified. For being far too competitive (yellow card) and being Vegetarian (Red card)
XC Keith: Disqualified for being from The Black Country (yellow Card) and being vegetarian (Red Card)
Woja: DNF
Mike "Barone" Thomas: DNF
SimonR: DNF
Dan Lees: Disqualified for being Welsh (yellow card) and being Organiser (Red card)
Ian "Placid Casual" Nutt: Winner! Even though he rides an Inbred.

On return to mine beer was drank and chips eaten and Ian received the ceremonial Glove of Love.

Keeps beer cool too!

Drinking stretched into the night/morning...

There was a "feeling rough as fuck" Cafe ride on Sunday morning/afternoon which cleared a few heads and filled stomachs.