Saturday 2nd Feb 50 mile dash

Saturday 2^nd Feb 50 mile dash

The past week’s weather had been glorious for the time of year and way better than it’s been for ages with blues skies and sunshine.  The only bad things have been the wind and the cold, individually they’re not much of a problem but combined they’re not every nice, to say the least.

I’ve been dying to get out on one or the other of the bikes but just hadn’t had the time.  It’s been one of those scenarios where I’ll be working away only to hear the roar of an exhaust from a bike in the distance, gradually the roar got louder and louder, then I would just catch a glimpse of the biker from in between the gaps in the hedge as he made his progress toward his destination.  Of course it could just of easily have been a lady.  Then I would think to myself “what am I doing here?”  The answer was of course obvious, I so wanted to be on two wheels enjoying the weather.

The week was now spent and there was only one day of good weather forecast for the weekend, which was Saturday.  Sunday was going to be rain, sleet, hail and snow not the kind of day I’d want to spend on the bike.  Saturday was one of those days where you woke up to a few quick jobs that would soon be done to then leave the rest of the day free to do what you want, however those simple little jobs turned in nightmares that then lead to other jobs which had to be done, that were never intended in the first place.  The day was fast being eaten away and I could see the chance of a ride slipping from my fingers.

Lunch time slipped away into mid-afternoon and I was becoming more and more anxious.  I simply wanted to just stop what I was doing and go for a ride.  A decision had to be made and quickly, was I to spend the rest of the day whiling the time away or was I going to get into the leathers and hit the tarmac?  I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to fire up the Triumph and get out on the open road.  Minutes later I was changed, the bike had been checked over and the engine was now purring gently warming up after it’s winters hibernation.  I was soon on my way but hadn’t even made the end of the road before I felt uneasy on the bike.  I have been riding both my enduro and trial bikes a lot lately, both have a large amount of steering, as I went to turn left out of my street the steering on my Triumph was hitting on the stops.  The throttle response from the injection engine again was totally different to that of the carb powered dirt bikes and of course the massive engine size jump from the 250cc 2 stroke trials bike and my CRF 450 X single thumper to the massively torquey three cylinder 1050cc. 

I had planned the route in my head; it wasn’t about the quantity and how far I could venture but the quality of the roads I was going to ride in the time I had left.  I also decided a destination.  I had filmed some of our adventures whilst we were riding the lanes and byways in Wales and had made some DVD’s.  I had decided to deliver the films to Dave as he had arranged the weekend and I knew he would appreciate them.  It gave me a purpose to ride, well at least an excuse.

 

Whilst gently breaking myself back into riding the Triple I realised two things, the first was just how out of sync I was with the bike, so I took my time riding the streets and back roads, cornering and I also decided to take on fuel.  Once I was a bit more confident I headed out.  This was when I realised my second problem.  In my hurry to get out I’d forgotten to change the gloves that I’d stored in my helmet.  Fooled by the winter sun I had put on my summer gloves.  Now as I made my way along the skeleton tree lined roads, their black twisted forms silhouetted against the orange glow of the low afternoon sun, the cold started to make its way through the thin leather of my summer gloves.  My heated grips were of little use, as I’d forgotten to turn the under seat switch on.  I had put the switch under my seat to stop inquisitive fingers turning them on once I had left the bike, just to flatten the battery.  The roads were empty and fast, the bike was flowing nicely everything was coming together.

I reached my destination just in time as my hands were getting to the point where I was losing all feeling.  Luckily for me Dave was at home and he invited me in for a cup of tea.  This is just what I needed I sat, my fingers cuddling the cup to thaw them out.

DVDs delivered, my tea now drunk, with my fingers and hands once again warm and the sun now almost ready to set I decided to head home before I lost all light.  My journey home would not be a repeat of the way I had come, I wanted to take in some more of my favourite local roads and fortunately it would be a shorter trip.

The roads home were lovely and quiet the orange sky was now turning to a winter grey as the sun diapered beyond the horizon.  I was once again syncing with the bike and what had seemed unnatural when I first set off was now feeling quite normal.  I had forgotten just how much I love to ride the Triple.  The quiet open back roads were soon dispensed with as was the lengthy but necessary trip around the town riding through and skirting the edge of the suburbs.  Red brick houses lined one side of the road and leafless naked hedges the other with the occasional glimpses of the brown ploughed fields, their earthen colour broken by flecks of new green shoots, or dark woods which now looked eerie because of the evenings fading sun.  This now just left a short but quick blast down the dual carriageway before turning off down the lane to finish the ride at my house.  The ride was now complete and I was glad I’d decided to go, I now looked forward to getting in and once again warming myself with a hot drink but this time feeling satisfied and with the knowledge that I didn’t have to venture out any more.

Trials Day 27th January

Trials Day 27^th January

The week had been awful it had rained nearly every day and I expected the site to be a wash out.  We had arranged to go to Nash Mills at the beginning of the week and I had been hoping for better weather.  Sunday morning finally arrived and the forecast for the day was meant to be good.  Once up, fed and watered we packed up the car and headed off for a day’s riding.  I had arranged to meet Scott there again and from what I could understand we would also see some of the other riders from the GLC there too.

 

We pulled up at around 10am and there was quite a turnout, there are always a few people there but today there was a heavy presence of vans and riders.  I couldn’t work out why as I personally thought it would have been quiet due to the amount of rain we’d had.  It transpired that there was meant to be a trials competition on, but it had been cancelled because the farm was now under water so instead of wasting the day the riders had turned up for practise.  I got chatting to some people and finally found out where the club house was I mean I’ve only been going there for almost a year.


 

We got the bike ready, checked it over and warmed it up then got kitted up ourselves.  I was just unlocking the gates when Scott turned up.  We played around the entrance to begin with when Scott joined us then made our way around the site playing follow the leader.  There was a lot of puddles and laying water but as we were the first out the under rubber conditions weren’t too bad.  The chalk was a nightmare and saw me planted on my backside.  The climbs were ok to start with but as they became more and more cut up they became more and more difficult to climb until eventually I couldn’t get up them anymore and just sat there wheel spinning and the cross cambers became very slippery.

 

At around 11.30am the others from the GLC turned up and the fun and games began.  Whilst initially messing around together, it was clear that there were two levels of riders and although we attempted some of the stuff they were doing we soon split into two groups.  I set up a section and we started practicing as though we were doing a real trial.  I tried to incorporate everything including logs, rocks, cross cambers and a hill climb.

 

 

We stopped for a late lunch then I once again set up a new section making sure it included as many variants as possible but this time instead of an uphill we had a decline.  Once we had mastered going one way we decided to reverse it.  It’s funny how such a simple thing can make such a difference.  I was beginning to feel tired now and started to feel the impacts of each landing on my wrists.  Then frustration set in and what began as a mildly difficulty course for us, soon became testing and annoying as I knew I could complete it but was in effect just too tired.

To shake things up a little I decided to abort the section and decided to simply ride around and do just what I fancied.  Simple things like wheelies, hops and tight turning sometimes adding in the odd obstacle as a challenge but only when I felt like it.  It soon became apparent that Scott, Martin and I were the only three people left, everyone else had filtered off.  It was around 3.30pm when we all decided to call it a day.  I do wish I had a van so I could just quickly put everything into the back and have somewhere dry and private to change, but I don’t have that luxury.  Once changed and with the bike secured onto the carrier I locked the gates.  It had been a long and in the end a hard day and as it turns out not only did I unlock I also locked up

 

 

First Guided ride Sunday 13th 2013

First Guided ride Sunday 13^th 2013

This was just going to be a small ride between myself and a good friend of mine Tony.  The whole idea of the ride was to expand our existing knowledge of the lanes and byways that we had.  I had previously brought some maps and had marked out a new route for us to take.  It would initially take in some familiar lanes, followed by some lanes I had been guided down once or twice but never led; the middle of the ride would see some new lanes and byways.  Then as we headed back once again the byways would become more and more familiar until we were once again riding the lanes we know so well.  Simply just a case of expanding into new territory.

However there were a few new members on one of the forums we use looking out for a ride.  I remember when I started; it was a daunting experience trying to find lanes not knowing where to go, whether or not the lane I was on was legal or not etc. etc.  So it was mutually decided that I’d put the ride on the forum as a beginners ride, a slow ride to start the New Year off.  All were welcome and that there may be some map reading to be done.

The post was received with open arms and by the time Sunday morning had arrived we had a minimum of 12 people turning up.  This was going to be a great start to the New Year, but a big group like this throws up its own problems.  Firstly sod law says the more people on a ride the more likely someone is to have a break down or accident, and secondly with a large group it would be easy to lose someone.   This second problem was easily solved by using the second man or corner man system and by having a sweeper.  The first problem was out of my hands.

Sunday morning arrived, it was very cold but not freezing however it wasn’t long before the cold started to come through my clothes chilling me a little.  I arrived at the petrol station a tad early so I could fuel up and introduce myself to everyone.  To my delight when pulling into the garage there was already a good collection of eager bikers waiting.  Fuel and formalities done, it was now just a matter of waiting for the last few people to arrive, set some rules and head out.  I always find it slightly annoying waiting for those, and you always get them, who seem to arrive late.  However on this occasion it was my own friend Tony.  Once he arrived a final head count was taken and we’re on our way.

 

The first lane went well. This particular lane has a nasty little corner that I never have seemed to have mastered.  I think it’s because it’s quite sharp and rutted, the idea I suppose is to use the rut as a berm to carry you round, but I never feel comfortable on it. 

 

The next lane is a double ford where we had the option of a bridge. Which some decided to take.  Everything was going great I was just checking to make sure people where behind me at corners and junctions and all seemed to be going well. The next lane saw us having to kill our engines for a very spooked horse, which did eventually pass us taking one step forward and two back.  Eventually when the horse and grateful rider had passed and were at a safe distance we were once again on our way.  We had only started the next lane when Scott the sweeper came to tell me that one of the riders had gotten a puncture and was back at the pub at the beginning of the lane fixing it.  We turned the group around and headed back to the pub.  Unfortunately some of the group either had misunderstood or simply misedt the pub and I spent the next few minutes chasing them down the road. 

 

 

Once regrouped in the car park we set about fixing the puncture.  It was apparent what had happened.  He had no rim lockers on his wheels, rim lockers push the bead of the tyre against the rim of the wheel and under heavy load stop the tyre form turning on the wheel.  This is what had happened resulting in the valve off the inner tube being ripped off when everything had rotated.  No puncture repair kit or amount of tyre slim was going to fix this.  Luckily someone gave him a new inner tube and the fix was underway, but he was rushing about too much and in his panicked frenzy to get the bike repaired he knocked the delicately balanced bike over resulting in a broken ignition switch.  After several attempts the wheel was once again secure on the bike, the ignition was sorted as best we could and finally we were once again on our way.

 

 

Lanes 4,5,6,7 all flowed nicely and the ride was now well underway, but as I waited at the end of the 8^th lane news came again of another puncture.  Unfortunately it was the same guy as before, but this time it was his front tyre.  We took another break and can to the decision that we would make our way slowly and carefully to the nearest garage via 3 lanes where he would repair the tyre.

Underway again but we had only managed to get to the first corner when I noticed that there was only two of us.  We stopped and waited only to be informed that the unfortunate guy who had had the two punctures now could not start his bike and that he had also decided that he was going to call it a day and call a recovery company to get himself home.  I have never left anyone behind before and it really upset me to do so, I strongly believe in you go out as a group you come back as a group. Whether it was a matter of poor maintenance or just bad luck I really don’t know but he seemed to have the situation under control and no longer wanted to hold up the ride.  We continued on and managed to complete a further 4 lanes, it was now around lunch time and five of the riders had to depart as they had family commitments.

 

 

Now down to six riders we found a lane which was hard to access and continued on our way. Stopping for a spot of lunch and a refuel at a service station we lost one further rider.  We were halfway through the day but only about a third of the way through the route.  I decided to push on as the middle part of the ride was the bit I wanted to ride and explore the most.  I could chop and change the last part of the ride if the time ran out and I needed too.

 

 

Now with only five of us we cracked on making up some lost time and covering some miles, it was now however very cold and we did have to stop every now and again to warm our hands up. Lane after lane slipped under our belt with no incidents. It was a great ride with lots of flat fast wide lanes and a good selection of muddy twisty boggy lanes.  It was however evident to me that most of the return trip would have to be skipped or we’d be riding in the dark, something that I really didn’t fancy.

 

We now needed once again to refuel and as I needed to shorten the ride we took to the road to cover some miles. The light was fading and it was at this fuel stop we lost another rider as he was quite close to his home and we would now be travelling away from where he needed to go.  The four of us were all now making our way home in the same direction; I was trying to make a direct route whilst taking in as many lanes as I could.  As we progressed along the byways and lanes they became more and more familiar and with this the pace quickened.  The light was now almost gone and we were riding in the twilight glow of dusk.  Along with the loss of light went the warmth of the winter sun, it may only have been a couple of degrees but it makes a big difference and we found ourselves having to warm our hands every so often. 

We now sat at the top of the lane where our unfortunate and fated rider had left us some five or so hours earlier.  It was cold and dark and I made the decision to call the lanning to an end and finish the ride by road work.  I felt the danger outweighed the fun.  Soon we were only a few miles from home and once again split company as Tony and I needed to head south whilst the others needed to go north.  It was shortly after this that I had quite a bad off.  We were taking a back road to save some mileage, as I came to a corner I noticed a dark shadow across the road I knew what it was straight way.  I knew not to touch the brakes or turn too sharp, but still I ended up hitting the floor hard.  Tony saw what had happened and in trying to avoid both me and the black ice he ended up nearly in the hedge.  My left arm and shoulder had taken the brunt of the impact and although a little stiff I really just wanted to get home.  I check the bike over, Tony was ok so we saddled up for the last time and finished the ride.

  It had been a long but very enjoyable day the new lanes we had explored where definitely worth it, on arriving home my fingers were so numb with the cold that I had to ring the doorbell as I couldn’t open the zips on my coat to be able to use the keys.  But I had timed it well because my Sunday roast was just being dished up.  There can’t be a better way to end the day, I was really looking forward to it and ate so fast it was more like inhaling my dinner than eating it.