Now..
I've been doing this for 20 years..
I've had to listen to some sh it , from non believers and even ignorant, stupid riders..
but this one phone call changes everything..
This man rang me..
" are you Richie Byrne ? Were you involved in running that race in Djouce woods today ?"
Ah s hit thinks me, here we go !!
" I'm a resident up here and i walk my dog every day up there .."
Here goes !!
" I'm sure you you hear the other side of this , but I would like to tell you that I was really impressed with the way you left the place..!! I met your marshalls and they were so polite and you left the place in an immaculate condition, I saw your number on a sign and I thought i'd give you a ring and tell you that your event was a credit to your sport !!"
" I'll be ringing Coillte tomorrow to praise you !!"
What can I say..I think theres tears in my eyes here ..
that is brilliant !!
Have to say also it was a brilliant event, I have'nt been to even spectate on a MTB race in years so it was great to see that things have changed for the better and i'm sure the sport will only keep getting more and more popular due to events like this, and get a few old timers like me back into the racing saddle! And i say event as opposed to just "a race" due to all the organisation on show..
Brilliant I was watching Doris going around with a black sack 20 mins after we finished picking up crap and was very impressed . I picked up some crap around my car till I came across a nappy. Whoever you are I would personally make u eat it if I knew your name. u total pig.
I spoke to that guy on the fire road today Richie, him and his wife, nice chap, he was very interested in how the event was being run i.e how many laps, how long per lap, how many people were riding etc, he was there for about 20mins, i nearly had to tell him to feck off and let me get on with marshalling, couldn't shut him up :)
No problem, just glad i could return the favour to everyone for marshaling the Glen of Imaal, plus i had fun watching people snot themselves coming down of Toro to the fire road :)
Thanks everbody for all yours efforts with the mammoth task that was pulled of with Brilliance, And I would have to single out Mr Byrner for making us believe in ourselves to pull together and Create the best mtb race to have EVER taken place in Ireland. Thanks Richie.
thanks Rory, i do my best for people like you and all the others that have been around for years !!
why would anybody run a sh it event inanyways !! we have to keep raising the bar !!
Congrats to everyone involved. It was a top class event built on a top class race. It's a real credit to every single person involved in running it from start to finish. It's really great to see that the locals were so impressed. That's really the ultimate complement, and well deserved.
There were so many marshalls out there I was starting to halucinte more of them by the end :)
Another epic EPIC event....., Right then...., no-one else has mentioned it, so i will, whats the story with this years "Blast".........*ears covered expecting a roasting from Byrner*
While on the topic of locals at djouce gate spare a thought for house with newborn baby who dosent want to sleep.Was up there on mon nite with some kids who were a bit noisy after spin and local asked them to shut up .So keep volume down when packing up in evenings and no music reving etc.Lets keep these guys sweet.How the hell did poor child survive byrner on the mic on sun.Maybe thats why he cant sleep since. I was also very pissed off at finding nappies in field and other peoples rubbish not what you would expect from eco friendly mtb people .Shame on you.