Sunday 15 November 2009
Dromara Trail Quest League Round 2 [Daft Eddies]


On Sunday 15 November 2009, Dromara Cycling Club held the second in their series of popular Trail Quests raising funds for their chosen charity, the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.  The headquarters for today's event was on the Strangford coast at Daft Eddies restaurant.  Thirty-five teams from across the province had pre-registered to take part with additional teams signing up on the day.  The participants gathered in the car park just a short distance from the restaurant and were greeted to a stunning sunrise over the picture postcard lough.  

With almost perfect conditions for cycling the first of the teams set off at 10:31 am armed with a map of the area showing 29 marked locations, an answer sheet and a pencil.  The task was to reach as many markers as possible within the allowed time.  There was only one team with juniors at today's event, team "Castle Espie Crew" and they chose  to complete the 2 hour event.  All the other teams set off to complete the course in the allocated 3.5 hours.  Route choice was the first test of the day with teams having to decide on heading north along the coast almost up to Comber or south towards Killyleagh.  Many of the teams who did not know the area had expected the it to be relatively flat but they were in for a surprise when they met the undulating terrain around this coastal area.  Unlike the previous round which had metal markers to find, the locations and questions for this round were very much based on a particular feature of that area, be it the number of posts on a quay, the words on a sign, date a school was built or make of a padlock etc.  The 79 riders were lead on almost a tourist trail around this picturesque area and the clear blue skies and light wind really set off the landscape.  

The nature of the course was such that almost all of it was road based and therefore teams spent a lot of time covering large distances on their mountain bikes.  It wasn't all plain sailing with teams encountering large puddles, punctures, broken chains as well as taking the odd wrong direction.   Team Bikedock Belles had a puncture but couldn't remove the tyre and ended up leaving one of their bikes in a hedge then doubling up on one bike to get back to the finish.    

Team "Who the fox is that" made up of Paul McMinn, John Ruddell and David McCann, made all the right choices today achieving 370 out of a possible 460 points, missing just 6 of the 29 markers.  They were 30 points ahead of their closest rival, "Average Joes" made up of solo, but well experienced orienteer, Paul McArthur.  Third was another team of orienteers Jon Kay and Julie Murphy, team "The Maryland 2 rides again" with adventure racers Taryn McCoy and Paul Mahon, team "No frontiers" finishing fourth fifteen points ahead of last weeks winning team "Retro Grouch".  Well done to all teams.

Once the answer sheets were handed in the participants were able to enjoy the hot soup and roll provided by the hardworking staff at Daft Eddies restaurant.  The bar area was buzzing with the conversation from the teams sharing their experiences of the day.  Many thanks to the staff in the restaurant for their hospitality.

A big thank you to Dennis, Alan and Stewart for setting up and running this round of the trail quest series.  The teams were very impressed with the excellent weather that the guys organised as well.

The next round will take place on Sunday 6 December 2009 at Dolly's Brae in Ballyward.  See website for details www.dromaracc.co.uk.



Photos and report by Martin Grimley
 











Getting ready to go









The results of round two were:

3.5 hour event

Rank
Points Team
Riders
1 370 Who the fox is that? David McCann & Paul McMinn & John Ruddell
2 340 Average Joes Paul McArthur
3 337 The Maryland 2 ride again. Jon Kay & Julie Murphy
4 330 No frontiers Taryn McCoy & Paul Mahon
5 315 Retro Grouch Glenn Cobain & Mark Forrester
6 310 Muddy Bums William Mulligan & Liam McGreevy
7 270 Nocturnal Martin Mc Mullan & Richard Campbell
8 255 Last Minute Thomas Michalski & Paul Manton
9 250 Dazed,Lost and Bewildered Stephen Heasley & Niall Cochrane
9 250 Mummy's Special Boy(s) Alan Richardson & John Richardson
11 240 Retired Retro Attenders Andrew Wilson & Paul Jess & Neil Megarry
11 240 Soda Racing.com Ricky Greer & Steven Stewart
13 230 The Joyriders Chris Magowan & Gavin Magowan & James Gilpen
14 227 Give it a go Barry Tinnelly & Peter Grant
15 220 Ride it like you stole it ! Craig Bell
15220Bikedock BellesJulie Watt & Andrea Harrower
17 210 Motley Crue Neill Currie &  & Davy McClurg
17 210 Blind Zeppelins Ross Galway & Martin Grimley
17 210 Inbetweeners Glenn McFarland & Phil Cardy
17 210 JSR Racing Jonathan McBride & Stephen Gabbey & Richard Watt
17 210 Lost in Space Kieron Murphy & Michael Murphy
22 200 Muttz Nuttz Maurice Mayne & William Forsythe
23 180 Kilclare Graeme Smyth & Carol Wilson
23 180 Not the Sunday Run Hugh Sturgern
25 170 Clueless Kerry McMullan & Alex Miller
25 170 Omega Oscar Sanches
27 169 Rocky Rider Mark Smyth
28 168 Mountain Muppets Geoff Brown & Gareth Williams
29 160 Mourne Cycles John Clarke & Aiden Mc Manus & Eugene Carville
30 158 Three Blind Mice Stephen Phillips & Anne Maguire & Jim McMaster
31150The Lone RangerAlan Matchett
32140Bonnie and Clyde meets AlcaponeCaroline Patterson & Davy Robb
33132The Doctor & The MedicsThe Doctor & The Medics
34130The Lost BoysWilliam Martin & Gareth Martin
35118Goat HerderMike Annett
36110The Hit Men and HerMichael Armstrong & Gillian Armstrong
37100Fuzzy Dunlop AllstarsGavin Moore & Ben Girvan
* Any questions or queries regarding the scores please feel free to email Martin.

Two hour event
Rank
Points Team 
Riders
1 60 Castle Espie Crew Jonathan Nield & Ruben Nield & Archie Nield

The questions and answers looked like this.

Marker
Location / Question
Answer
Points
Found *
A What is made at No 39 Railings  Gates 20 13
B At junction, make of padlock on gate Nine 10 15
C What’s not accepted here at Red box Coins 10 34
D Last word on sign at end of stone wall Mudflats 20 13
E Number of wooden posts on Quay 4 or 13 10 13
F Blue sign RHS of gate to graveyard-No + letters 180RP 20 21
G Colour of post box on wooden post Green 10 5
H Letter under seat at Glasswater Wood A 20 5
I At junction – Yellow sign, letters and numbers FH 5000 20 5
J At rustic gate to wood- words on 2 signs on tree No shooting No Dumping 20 20
K End of road, RHS in field Telegraph pole -3 No’s 789 10 14
L Letter on tree at far end of old lane beside new white house. A 10 22
M Date original school built. 1837 10 8
N Number of brown plastic posts along quay 20 30 20
O Number of lights in driveway of No 16 9 20 21
P Green sign on gable of white cottage, last 3 no of telephone number 896 10 12
Q Which company owns mast and last 3 no of T/N  O2 633 20 28
R Number of pillars supporting tower 8 20 19
S How many steps into graveyard 3 10 18
T Words on gate 300yds along Green Road from junction Caution beware of dogs 20 16
UWhat age was Wm Davidson when he died751023
VNumber on telegraph pole at lane junction with house No 239412027
WName of house No 23Sunshine1028
XOn causeway – No of plastic pipes in bridge for overflow into sea 41022
YColour of chimney pot of derelict wooden cottageBlue2027
ZAt monastic site – stone tower. Two words on wooden plaque inside tower ruinNo Climbing2012
AARegistration letter and number of abandoned hull of boat in bayB 3292021
ABMake of padlock at double green gates CORBIN2014
ACNumber of black squares at sign at junction121012
* Number of teams who successfully located this marker

   
Photos during the event








Refueling at Daft Eddies











Many thanks to the organisers (Team "The Losers")!


More photos on FlickR
By Martin



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