“Superb” and “Undulating …” were probably the two most common words on BBC6! The weather was superb: totally dry throughout, sunny, light cooling breezes and clear skies giving wonderful views of the stunning Lanarkshire landscape. Superb accommodation, food and service at New Lanark Hostel. Superb support team as always. A superb route through some wonderful rural countryside with quiet lanes, great wildlife, few cars and some yeehaa fast descents. A superb welcome from Macmillan Cancer Support in Biggar. And oh yes, it was undulating on Day 1… I did say that didn’t I???
    
The BBC6 team met up at New Lanark on Thursday evening and renewed old bonds; it was great to see Steph and Iain back from their world travels and their engagement was toasted (a few times). Those ‘Bouncers’ who couldn’t make it were toasted too and of course were sorely missed. After two or three milli-seconds studying the route maps it was back to toasting and then off to bed in the excellent New Lanark Hostel.

Day 1 dawned with bright skies, hot showers and loads of breakfast and by 08.30 the team were ready, abluted and waiting for the photo call by the ‘Start’ line just outside the hostel door.

Setting off from the wonderful setting of Robert Owens social dream, the team met their first hill after about 200 metres. New Lanark is located by the banks of the River Clyde – Old Lanark isn’t! A long steady climb saw the team get up to Lanark duly warmed up and stretched before enjoying an exceptional fast downhill to cross the Clyde and head off into the countryside … via a big hill. The ‘undulations’ allowed the team to regroup regularly and also to unite in giving the organiser some friendly banter and some unfriendly banter too. The route then swept out to wonderful‘Brocketsbrae’ where the support team were waiting with lashings of hot tea and coffee, cakes, buns and biscuits and a very handy large mobile phone mast? The next undulation saw the team speed/climb through Lesmahagow and then follow a gentle back road through quiet farmlands and over clear rivers into Strathaven and the lunch time pitstop. Norrie made sure the local pie-makers were kept busy as the team enjoyed lunch in the busy market square, the ‘Formula 12’ pit crew joined forces to carry out running repairs to Morag’s bike, and the small public loo was well used! There was another ‘undulation’ to extricate the team from Strathaven and then on to Glassford, Stonehouse and the next support team tea stop at Draffan - where the support crew had just been checked out by the local police for acting suspiciously with jam pancakes and cookies in a remote rural location…!(Also here, a small activity that involved Finlay de-oiling and then spraying a lady team members legs blue took place…don’t ask! 

The next section had some very yeehaa undulations with a certain elderly local gentleman getting a ‘wee fright’ as the team came through the zig-zag bends over the River Nethan at Mach 2. More yeehas and undulations followed past Craignethan Castle and into the wonderful named hamlet of Tillietudlem. Crossing the River Clyde again there was, nsurprisingly by now, a serious undulation up onto the Nemphlar road but the Day 1 finish beckoned and the team powered their way back to Lanark and New Lanark with a most welcome long cruise downhill back to the Hostel to be met with a cool beer in the late afternoon hazy sunshine at the hostel.
          
Scrubbed up and smelling a lot sweeter, the team dined together on an excellent
3-course dinner in the hostel and completed the legendary BBC quiz before
assembling for the inaugural Bouncy Bike Challenge AGM. An uplifting and forward
looking meeting ensued which culminated in the ceremonial signing of the Bouncy
Bike Challenge Constitution and some post–signing toasting before a deep sleep in crisp white linen sheets – true bliss!

Day 2 Saturday heralded another clear spring morning and following another hearty repast the team set off for the next 40 miles. Silently but effortlessly, the team again repeated the Day 1 undulations for the first two miles but were ‘vocally delighted’ when the lead bike turned away from the really big Bimble Hill and led them along a meandering backwater with serene views across the Clyde to Lanark and the distant towering Tinto Hill. Flying along in cyclic formation, the team sped through the hamlets of Sandlilands and Carmichael before meeting ‘The Tillietudlem Trio’ (aka the support team of Bob, Bill and Alan) for copious refreshments in the shadow of Tinto Hill. Two team members, Morag T and Ali P, arrived slightly later than the rest as they had stopped to carry out a humanitarian ‘sheep flip’ en-route – some reckon the sheep was just having a lie down and didn’t really want flipping! Full of Scotch eggs and pies the team scooted along the foothills of Tinto Hill and into Thankerton where, after crossing the Clyde (again), they powered due east for Biggar and lunch.

Arriving in Biggar bedecked in Macmillan Cancer Support T-Shirts, the team received a warm and welcome reception from David Grout the Macmillan Area Fundraising Manager who had kindly supplied some bottled water and Mars bars for the team (who then immediately forgot their aching legs and sprinted across the grass to get them!). After some photos and a great chat with David, the team headed off into the busy market square for a well-earned lunch break.

With ‘only’ 20 miles to go to the event finish line, the team headed up the now obligatory undulation out of Biggar and completed a really fast section in hot sunshine back to Thankerton. Full of growth morale, a mass bunny hop of the River Clyde (again) occurred and then the team turned north to run parallel with the Clyde through Covington, Heatheryhall and into Pettinain to meet the chuck wagon for the last chuck stop. To much delight, laughter and  a round of “good, he deserves it” the Organiser suffered a severe shock from an electric fence which boosted everyone’s morale (and the Organiser's battery…).

The final 10 miles were an accelerating blur of lycra as the team zoomed through Carstairs, Ravenstruther and Cleghorn and then the final downhill yeehaa through Lanark and into New Lanark for the hostel finish line.

Sat amongst wonderful surroundings, in warm sunshine, drinking ‘well past its sell by date’ beer, with sore bottoms and smiley faces, there was a great feeling of a job well done running through the whole team – bikers and support team – and another challenging but fantastic skoosh of a Bouncy Bike route was finally over!

The final night dinner was consumed with gusto and excitement as the team awaited the BBC6 event review and of course the annual event awards. Trophies went to the Tillietudlem Trio (best support act), Morag T and Ali P (best sheep flippers) and the coveted ‘Bouncer of the Year’ award went to Morag T. There was great surprise when copies of well-known magazines were revealed to have front covers featuring well known  Bouncy Bikers…! After a few nightcaps, the tired team retired to their bunks for a much deserved long sleep and pleasant dreams of bunny hops, sheep and bikes. After a leisurely breakfast on Sunday, there was the usual misty eyes and stiff thighs as the team went their separate ways for another year after a brilliant time together. BBC6 was performed before a live audience (of sheep) and produced by the amazing Bouncy Bike Challenge 6 team (Bob, Bill, Alan, Steph, Iain, Morag T, Smudge, Heth, Morag C, Jan, Ali, Norrie, Finlay, Rob and Paul.  Huge thanks to New Lanark Hostel, Macmillan Cancer Support, FB Vans, BM Support Services, Ardchattan Solutions and all our very kind sponsors – the funds make a real difference – trust me!