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Bacon Butty Power Rules in the North Downs

Alli Northcott / 06.12.2007

As my race partner placed the third pint of good Surrey cider into my hand in the Peaslake hostelry on Friday night, I paused, but not for long … with family (1 x husband, offspring and two dogs), some friends of mine from DH3 (hash) and Andy, a mate who wanted someone to race with the Dynamic event was set to be quite a sociable event.

After leaving sunny Plymouth, we’d been treated to wild weather over the Plains of Salisbury and it got worse as we entered the rain swept commuter land of the southeast. By the time we’d located the hidden village of Peaslake we were needy of some refreshment! Friends arriving for their first ever AR race later that evening, added to the excited party atmosphere and it wasn’t until 1.30am when we managed to tuck ourselves up in our little vans for the night!

And so it was ... when the alarm went off at 7.00a.m and the familiar sound of racers arriving in the car park stirred me from my warm sleeping bag, I arose, far too close for comfort to the front end of one of my dogs and in dire need of a little help from Flossie’s kitchen in order to get me going.

In the light of day, the village had a typically “quaint� English feel to it, tucked into a small valley and surrounded by forest. The race base was situated in a fantastically warm village hall which fooled me as I wandered around in a t-shirt only to freeze as I went outside to check my bike ... so what was I going to wear? The forecast had looked grim, but actually the blue skies overhead and the sniff of mildness in the air looked promising.

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