Dirty reiver 2019

by Dan Monaghan

By Soigneur

April 26^th, 2019

Have you ever prepared for a ride, one you’ve done before and got everything right… food, hydration, clothing? I don’t think I have. I even plan what music I listen to, often a playlist, one that mixes up-tempo beats and the more ethereal chill-out tunes… but when you wait 73 kilometres before starting said playlist it’s funny (*sense the sarcastic tone) what creeps into your internal jukebox, but more on that later.

Reivers were 13th Century raiders of the Scottish and English Borders, dipping in to both countries — we were to be Reivers of the gravel kind, stealing roads on both sides of the border over several hours. I had planned (again) to do the 200km route, but, *major spoiler alert*, I missed the timing cut and so didn’t make it (again) to the 200km mark (or rather more importantly, to the Pannier.cc potato & coffee camp). It was cold (yet beautiful) and I just didn’t have the legs.

The 2019 route took place in a remote part of the UK. No big towns, no proper main roads and no phone signal. Kielder Water (Northumberland) sits on the Scottish Border, and so the Dirty Reiver runs across fire trails, tracks and woods. As this was my second year at Dirty Reiver I felt I had a bit more a-priori ‘knowledge’ of what was to come. Planning for nutrition and hydration were my biggest issues with at least 7 hours riding to go (with 2 food stops). As the organisation had done a proper good job of sending us out into the wild there would be little oppurtunity for refuelling otherwise so I made sure I had that sorted.

After pretty much riding solo in 2018, I made a conscious effort to speak to more fellow riders this year. In an ever-growing gravel scene there’s always new friends to meet over a shared love of fatter tyres and dirt (and often a beer). I’ve also found new friends who seem to pop up at similar events and move in the same circles. This year I said hello to more people, joined more groups of riders for a chat and eventually found a group of 4 I seemed to always ‘catch’ and could ride with for a while.

In the end, I completed the course slightly quicker than last year with more friends made along the way. No mechanicals. Food stores fine. No cramps. No rain. Only a huge smile on my face as I crossed the finish line. It might not have been the long course but at least there's something to come back for in 2020 – damn you 200km, I'm coming for ya.

'Till my next adventure.

–Dan (Cadence Images)

Oh, the song that burrowed itself into my head for 73 torturous kilometres was by a British pop band called Girls Aloud.... That's what I get for not starting my proper playlist at kilometre 0!