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19th October 2003 Richard, Keef, Paul, Martin, David and Jeremy - Nirvana Kakatak 4

After enjoying the Kakatak 3 so much we were keen to pay our £12 for another crack and it didn't disappoint. I was riding the dialled bikes morning glory and sporting the tee shirt altho' it was hidden under my jacket because of the chill wind. After a briefing from Simon at 10 am we were off. The six of us decided to head back into Dorking towards checkpoint 2. A fair bit of roadwork saw that only 3 of us had made it to the bridleway. Despite us all agreeing to ride together, somehow Martin, Jeremy and David had set off in the wrong direction on a wild goose chase up Box Hill. that was the last we saw of them until 2-15pm later on in the day.

From here the pictures tell their own story - click to enlarge.

Lounging around before the start

... it's Michael Flatley!

some last minute map checking - but hold on who's that on the right?...

Simon gives the signal to go

After visiting seven checkpoints and with 25 minutes left we were just debating whether to try for the 8th. As we spoke I noticed my rear tyre was flat - decision made.

Despite a quick change of tubes (checking the inside of the tyre for flats) we were now tight against time. Keef and Paul flew off down the road but I had that sinking feeling as the tyre again felt as though it was going to roll off the rim. Another stop to add some air and I gingerly followed, nursing a deflating tyre all the way back along the A25.

Keef forces someone off the trail at checkpoint 2

After visiting checkpoint 1, Keef looks for the Youth Hostel at checkpoint 3

Keef in the woodyard just after checkpoint 10

punching the ticket at checkpoint 6 before taking the Yoghurt Pots and Telegraph road down to checkpoint 7

Paul pushes up the aptly named climb at Mountain wood (checkpoint 10)

lunch at checkpoint 8 (a.k.a. men in tights)

it's been a long day but still time to joke as we get lost and don't make checkpoint 4

When I got back I realised I must have ridden through the fall-out of a recently shorn hedge as I had about seven thorns stuck in the tyre!

We ended the day by visiting 7 checkpoints and collecting 230 points.

Nothing to trouble Jon Webb who won by a country mile, visiting all 10 checkpoints and returning with 40 minutes to spare - but respectable nonetheless and a great day out.

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