Wow! where to start? Things at Dirty Reiver seemed to rush by in a blur. Reillys could be seen all over the site along with fluo orange POC helmets. The ‘Safety in Numbers’ initiative was something that really seemed to work.

I have been at fault for too many years taking events like these too seriously, head down and charging with the front
of the pack, never paying attention to the masses riding for fun. This weekend was different, with a packed rucksack of food and spares, I started out at the back.  It is a completely different perspective and a bit like a
mullet hair cut….business and seriousness at the front (which
I never saw) with party and smiles at the back of the ride.

So many people out there who were riding gravel for the first time, or for charity and, those simply there to challenge themselves after serious
illness or injury. I heard so many stories and met groups of people riding who were truly inspirational. Some were
terrified of the descents others simply hoping to make it around the 60km loop
in one piece.  

I leapfrogged from one group of riders to another, helping fix punctures, showing some people how to use CO2 and even showing some how to get their wheel out of the bike
(I guess you have to learn somewhere!)  I may never see my pump or CO2 nozzle again,
but I have met some wonderful folks on the gravel tracks of Kielder. I have laughed, walked up many climbs with strugglers and eaten some amazing homemade whisky fudge and, taken slugs from more than one hip flask!  

Despite the laughs there were a few inevitable mishaps along the way, I hope the chap I sat with after his spill in a ditch is OK and the shoulder is on the mend. This event is wonderful, bringing elite riders together with those just wanting a great ride in the fresh air. The option of 3 different distances means there is a challenge for
every level and the way the numbers are printed nobody knows what distance you
completed at the finish! Somebody doing 60km can arrive at the same time as 200km and they get the same cheer from the spectators. 

The landscape is spectacular and the Dirty Reiver atmosphere means people keep coming back for more. I love this event and look forward to more in the future on board my titanium Reilly gravel bike. 

Having last made the 'long drive' to do this event back in 2019 I was still of the firm opinion that it was an awfully long way to go for a single days ride... that is until i got out on the bike on Friday afternoon after an 8 hour car drive, and remembered how incredible the views and perfect the trails are around Keilder & Northumberland.

The route and parcours of this 'race' has improved masses in those interim years too, when i last rode it there were sections that felt more like a mountain biking event but this year it was totally race fast. We were super lucky with the weather too this year which also helps. We awoke to a bright but cold morning, clothing choices had overtaken tyre choices as topics of conversation during the pre-race coffees.
I had made a conscious effort to try and lighten my bike (carrying less snacks!) as well as fitting a faster rolling tyre this year and I am so glad i did. I am still riding my Reilly Gradient with only a few changes in set up to how I rode it in 2019 and its going faster than ever.

The climbs I could spin up in my 42 and not trouble my legs too much and then the descents where rocketship fast and I hurt from grinning more than i did pedalling!

Back in 2019 we had a few issues out on the trail and got pushed onto the short cut so only came home with 181kms on the clock but we rolled back into a virtually deserted event village as it was so late and if felt really flat. This year we had all but decided that we would take the shorter 130km route so as to be able to enjoy some of the atmosphere back at the castle, have a few beers and catch up with mates. In the end we stopped to help organise emergency services for a couple of lads who crashed right in front of us and that decided it even before we reached the route split.

The event itself is flawlessly organised, the route, parcour and marshalling is world class and its one to rival Unbound for sure.

I was lucky enough this year to be part of the POC sports community as well as representing Reilly Cycleworks on my super trusty Gradient. POC had given us all the bright orange Ventral Air AVIP Mips helmets so we were easy to spot and we were out on the trail supporting other riders as best we could. Having had initial reservations about the colour, as I have a tiny head and everything makes me look like a mushroom, i have to say that am really loving the colour, it totally rocks.

It was so worth spending twice as long travelling as i did riding and Chris from Reilly even cleaned my bike for me at the end, which was almost worth the M6 tailbacks!