Cairn O Mount, 2011

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've put anything about the Cairn O Mount on here yet. If I have and I'm just going over it all again, then please do forgive me, but I think you'll like the pics. It's organised by the Grampian Classic club, and held in the first half of May, which is not usually too snowy a month, but a lot of the guys who've been attending for many a year reminisce about the time that the Cairn, which is basically a pass at nearly 1500ft high, through the Grampian mountains, was covered in snow. This year, we didn't suffer that particular weather condition, but instead, it absolutely chucked it down with rain on the night before the Cairn, as the event is affectionately known. Luckily, as Recovery Vehicle Driver, I had the use of a borrowed Big Red Truck, and not even a raging river that will stop that. On a thoroughly miserable Sunday morning, some hardy types turned up at the Potarch Hotel just outside of Banchory, and it was still raining as they parked up and signed in. Bacon rolls and cuppas were consumed, and it was still raining.









As they set off following their little route maps, it was still raining, and as we got further and further along the road behind the riders, more and more fields were filling up with water. One small village that used to have a football pitch had, instead, an outdoor swimming pool.
Turning off the main road, my assistant and I were soon confronted with a swathe of muddy water that stretched across the fields to either side of the road, with only the top half of the fence posts showing. Then we spotted some bikes on the far side, all of whom had obviously made it through safely, and a car in the middle of the flood, with Maurice, the Cairn organiser for 2011, wading through it. Dropping the bike trailer on dry land, we backed up to his car and slung a rope out to Maurice and pulled him back out. In terms of rescuing people, it wasn't quite what the recovery vehicle was for, but at least we were able to help, although his car had swallowed too much water and was later declared a write off by his insurers.

The rest of the route to lunch would have been lovely had it not been for the variations between more rain and thick fog.

After lunch we were joined by a bike breakdown, but other than that and more rain, there's not much more to report. Such a shame that so much effort goes into organising these events and not a thing can be done about the weather. Such is life!