What's in a name? Plenty

When you hang out with the other riders for hours on end, you get to see the quirks and characters emerge. And of course, along come the nicknames. Some have been earned over time whilst others are conferred ceremoniously.

Such as Limp Wrist.

Falling off, cutting the ride short and cradling one hand while holding on precariously with other made this a no brainer. Not to mention falling off and taking a muscle biopsy out of the arm, cutting the ride short and riding home cradling the arm a few months before. Apparently this also the name of punk band. Is there a connection I wonder.


And then there is Badger (also known as a Ratel for all you army buffs)

Wikipedia says : Typical badgers (Meles, Arctonyx, Taxidea and Mellivora species) are short-legged and heavy-set. The lower jaw is articulated to the upper by means of a transverse condyle firmly locked into a long cavity of the cranium, so that dislocation of the jaw is all but impossible. This enables the badger to maintain its hold with the utmost tenacity.

Tenacity and not letting go....oh yes. Ask the race office! Um, also have a look at the sporting career of said badger and weep.


MacGyver aka Gadget Boy

This time Wikipedia says : Angus MacGyver (known to his friends as MacGyver or "Mac") favors brain over brawn in order to solve desperate problems. MacGyver's main asset is his practical application of scientific knowledge and inventive use of common items—along with his ever-present Swiss Army knife. The clever solutions MacGyver implemented to seemingly intractable problems—often in life-or-death situations required him to improvise complex devices in a matter of minutes.

Practical devices include a digital pressure gauge, a monocle, a coke can in every box, a homemade map board which could be patented for other RASA riders, an articulated backpack harness, pliers, two multi tool kits, needle and thread and an assortment of cable ties, elastic bands, maybe even a blow torch or two.


Nutty Professor

Incredibly cool inventor of all sorts of things with a completely nutty sense of humour which extends to inventing formulae for predicting race finish times. The sense of humour verges on the sly so you have to be awake to catch the drift else you fall way behind. Revels in insane challenges and creating race records where there were none.

I can't take the credit for these nicknames which is just as well as I may have to dodge a few bullets. Luckily I get to write this stuff which means there is no comeback...sorry boys! But here's a clue for another...