Evercreech- April 14th 2007

Another round of the 2 stroke championship, and lets hope I can have the same sort of result as I did in the first round.
The race was due to start at 2.30pm, My mate Lester was helping out with this one, so we set off with plenty of time to get there at 10.30am.
We hit some traffic on the way and the A303 was very slow in places, and then………………………………………….we got lost!
Couldn’t find the little ‘B’ road that we had to turn off of to get there, I was panicking, when in the nick of time a local appeared pulling out of a driveway that we were passing.
He pointed us in the right direction and we managed to arrive at 2.05pm.
I only had 10 minutes to sign on, enter on the day, get changed, mix the fuel, get the gear ready for the pits, get scrutineerd, and get to the start before the sighting lap got underway.
Not the ideal preparation I admit, I was sweating before I even got on the bike.
I just got the gear on, got on the bike, and left my mate to do everything else, I just said to him, ‘see you in the pits at halfway’ and left.
The bikes had just left for the sighting lap but I managed to catch them up. Phew!

I then calmed down a bit and waited for the start proper after the lap was over.
Off we went then, I kicked her and she fired up instantly, this was going to be another decent start, until I dropped the clutch and stalled it (twat).
Kicked again instantly and got away in about 8th or 9th.

Another fast course this one, very much in the motocross style (probably due to the quad racing that goes before us), not very technical, only a little tree rooted climb to worry about.
A couple of nice jumps to go off, and a steep downhill that was ‘stepped’ with a sharp left hander at the bottom (certainly tested your braking that did).
Due to the dry weather, the track was bone hard and dusty in places, a real ‘boneshaker’ in some parts.
Trying really hard on the penultimate lap, I approached a right hander, the front wheel went from under me and I went through the ropes by the transponder area and landed face first and tasted dirt!
The lap scorer came over to me, ‘you alright’, ‘yeah, no worries’ I said, quickly got back up and carried on.
I went into my last lap still trying hard, I went round a tight turn around a tree and got on the gas too early and promptly smacked my right hand into a fence post. Ouch! That hurt!
2 mistakes on the last 2 laps, simply due to‘trying too hard’.
Finished the race and managed to get 3rd in the sportsman 2 stroke.

Now for the bad news!
The shock bolt on the Ohlins had worked loose, come out during the race and snapped the shock link underneath!
I’ve got no idea at what stage it happened, but I’m thankful the suspension held together.


Finishing position: 9/38
Bike status: new shock bolt and link, shock absorber to be serviced.
Injuries: bruised right hand

Grebestone manor- April 1st 2007

One of the easiest tracks to find! About a mile off one of the junctions of the M5.

Right, as I stated earlier on in the blog, this year I would be concentrating on the sportsman 2 stroke championship which in run by ORE, this being the 1st round of about 9 or 10 of them.

I wanted a fairly decent start to the championship to start the ball rolling for the rest of the rounds, and I wasn’t disappointed!


I’d arrived in good spirits as I’d had plenty of kip the night before (which makes a change), so if I things didn’t go to plan, I couldn’t blame it on being tired.

Off we went then on our sighting lap, the first half mile was going to be fast with a flat open field to race across, with a few twists and turns in it. Then came the bottle neck! A little ditch with a huge tree root running across the middle of it filled with water, only 1 bike wide, or 2 if you barged someone out of the way!
After this more fast sectons, a little bomb hole and a couple of rocky streams that we had to ride through (this caused another bottleneck) and a small jump near the end of the lap.

Got back and waited for the race to start.
Off we went, bloody hell! I led into the first corner, best start ever!
This came to nothing as I approached that first ditch, The clubman that had started before us were still queuing to get over it.
Never mind, better luck next time, I made it over and carried on.
Soon after this there was another long queue of about 20 bikes all waiting to get through one of the rocky streams, so from a good start, I really didn’t know where I was as everybody had caught up and we were all politely barging each other trying to get through.
Straight after the water crossings and up the bank, the ground had cut up badly making things slightly interesting as this was turning a bit ‘boggy’. I think because of my lightweight, I didn’t seem to have any problems with this.
A small wooded section followed, nothing to technical and I completed my first lap ok.

I felt better and better as the race went on, pitted at half way feeling good and couldn’t wait to get back out.
By now the 2 bottlenecks that had caused the queues on each lap had now been cut out which although made the laps slightly longer by going round them, seemed to be faster as we raced round more of an open track in the process.

Finished the race to find I’d been placed 2nd in the 2 strokes.

Finishing position: 5/48
Bike status: ok

Injuries: none

Huntsman Barton- March 25th 2007

I don’t know what it was about today, but I didn’t feel ‘up for it’, maybe because I’d had a late one (gig) the night before.

Arrived at the venue ok, done all the necessary and off we went on our sighting lap.
Nice course, nothing to technical, some fast field stretches, a stream with a few rocks in it, nice woods, a little tricky rooty climb that wasn’t too severe and a small jump where quite a few spectators were gathered.

Flag dropped and off we went, yet again I started somewhere in the middle of the pack, not really a good thing to do as after only about 200 yards there was a bottleneck that slowed things down considerably as everyone was trying to get through a gap with only room enough for one bike.
Got a bit held up there.

Coming out of the corners and into the fast open stretches, I hadn’t much grip due to the fact that I really should have put a new back tyre on, it was well worn, I thought the tyre would be ok, but it wasn’t, my fault entirely, another little piece of inexperience on my part.

Went into the pits at halfway to refuel and to change my goggles and fill my mouth as always with Jelly babies.
Couldn’t see my girlfriend anywhere, never mind, off back out I went to do the reminder of the race.

Finished ok with no real problems today.
A big round of applause surely must go to the young ladies who stood at the lap scoring area for the entire race cleaning our numbers. Well done girls.

I did have a laugh when Marie told me that she went back to the car to eat her sandwiches and promptly fell asleep for about an hour and a half, missing me when i stopped to refuel (well she is pregnant bless her).

Finishing position: 13/37
Bike status: new back tyre
Injuries: none

Turnworth Park- March 11th 2007

Travelling to the race I decided to take a short cut to save some time, typically, this led to me not being able to find the venue, until right in the nick of time we saw a pick-up with a dirt bike on the back, quick, follow it!
I did, and within 10 minutes we were there.
Plenty of room to park and nice weather, I was looking forward to it.

All the Track’n’trail events seem to be hugely popular, the entry list on this one was full, so a big sportsman’s field was guaranteed.
I just hoped this time after the fiasco of the sighting lap at their last event that it wasn’t going to happen again, it didn’t, so everything in order, I waited for the flag to drop to start racing.

Off we went then, I started about half way as we made our way through a short motocross section and into the woods, then stupidly of me I had a little ‘off’, the bike annoyingly wouldn’t budge from between the trees so I could kick it and get going again, and when I finally did, I was plum last, everyone had past me! (that pissed me right off), and with the tight wooded section that we were already into, overtaking was tough.

Quite a few riders were coming off or getting stuck on the roots, in fact, I think that this was (or if not) one of the most tree-rooted tracks that I’ve encountered so far, very tricky indeed.

Half way round was a cracking hill that you were able to blast up at speed before going back into the woods to face more roots (sometimes huge ones), and also a ‘bomb hole’ which made things interesting as well.

I made my pit stop ok at about half way and everything was going smoothly.
With about 30 minutes of the race left I misjudged a right handed turn while I was in the woods, SMACK! I hit a tree on my left hand side, my hand taking the full impact, my fingers had been the meat in the sandwich between the handlebars and the clutch lever.
I managed to stay on the bike but came to an abrupt halt thinking to myself that surely 1 or 2 of my fingers must be broken, I was in agony.
I didn’t bother taking off my glove because I didn’t want to see what might be underneath, so I waited for a minute or so, constantly clenching my fist and moving my fingers to make sure they still worked, and off I went.
Again the thought crossed my mind, I’m not long from a finish and I’ve come this far, so I ain’t going to DNF now.

The last couple of laps weren’t particularly pretty, I kept stalling it in the tight turns, because I a had a job holding on to the bars with my left hand, couldn’t operate the clutch properly.
I made it back ok to get a result, relieved!

Marie had to help me get changed as 2 of my fingers just wouldn’t work!
First the good news: Nothing was broken.
The bad news? My forefinger was a mess, it had swollen really badly and yet again I had another nail that was black and blue and bleeding. How the hell am I going to play guitar with that?
That’s racing I suppose!

Finishing position: 32/72
Bike status: ok
Injuries: forefinger badly bruised, nail coming off.

Combe Sydenham- March 5th 2007

One word…………………………………………………………RAIN!

It was raining when I got up, it rained all the way there, it rained all through the race, it rained travelling back, and rained until I went to bed! Absolutely relentless!

This event was certainly going to be a challenge, fair play to Xmoor enduro club for putting it on in very difficult circumstances.

After arriving and getting changed, I made my way to the start, which was on a saturated grassy hill.
Flagged dropped and off we went, just getting away was a feat in itself as traction was very difficult to get, my little 2 stroke was screaming and the back wheel was going round like a washing machine on full spin, I actually made a good start to the first corner, but as we entered the woods it all changed.
On the very first little rooted section that we came to, all hell broke loose, riders were getting stuck left, right, and centre.
Even the fire roads were treacherous, really slippery, I have to take my hat off to those riders that were going along these at break-neck speed, tremendous bike control indeed.
About half way round the course was the ‘mother’ of all hills, a rooted, muddy, slippery climb, about 100 yards long, which as I came too, I could see was littered with riders either stuck, or weaving about uncontrollably all over the place trying to conquer it (not just sportsman as well).
After being stuck on so many hills in the past I decided to have the ‘all or nothing approach’, I absolutely ‘nailed’ the thing in 2nd, went up the hill zigzagging all over the shop like a pendulum and made it to the top, relief!.
A few miles later and we had to cross a stream, while it was a stream, that is until the constant deluge of relentless rain had turned the thing into a dirty, muddy looking little river, a couple of bike lengths wide.
Not knowing how deep it was I just went for it, got absolutely soaked from head to toe (I’m sure everyone enjoyed that bit of the course) and made it up the bank to the other side, EXCELLENT!

Lap 2 and back round I came to that ‘mother’ of a hill, I ‘nailed’ the throttle again, got halfway up, only to feel the back wheel suddenly grip on a tree root, I shot bolt upright into the air, got spat off the back, and watched the TM do a lovely somersault which would have graced any floor mat routine in the Olympics.
A marshal help me pick the bike up and told me to go back down to the bottom and go round the hill, I knew I wouldn’t make it up the thing now because I didn’t have momentum to carry me up it, so I did.
Next lap round and the hill was cut out of the course.

I pitted at half way, Marie was nowhere to be seen, as she’s usually there to help me out if I need it. I don’t blame her at all, I think she’d had enough of standing out in the cold and rain and was taking shelter in the car.

The last few laps and I knew I was getting tired as I’d picked the bike up off the floor a few times today.
I kept stalling in the tight wooded sections and having silly little ‘offs’, constantly swearing to myself that I should be concentrating more, and asking ‘ what did you do that for’? each time it happened.

It was great to finish, this race had the lot, treacherous slippery roots, a testing climb, a river crossing, fire roads with deep puddles, ruts, tight wooded sections, tricky downhills, adverse weather conditions, too much to mention!

With everyone soaked to the skin a bit of fun was had at the end with some riders cleaning off their bikes (which were caked in mud, I think mine had half the forest attached to it!) by just ploughing up stream and then back down through the river, just after the finish line.

Today was a great experience.

Finishing position: 11/22
Bike status: new front wheel bearings
Injuries: none

Radnor Downs- February 17th 2007

I didn’t very far to travel to this one, only about 25 miles or so, a bit of a luxury that.
I arrived quite early and walked parts of the course which basically was a lot of flat fields with a couple of small climbs. There wasn’t much of a track, you just had to ride in-between the markers, the course being only 3-4 miles in length.
With the wet weather that we had all week, the grass was soaked and somewhat ‘squelchy’, and with a trails tyre only allowed on the back, this was going to be interesting, and with quads and sidecars racing, the course was going to get cut up badly (and it did).
The organisers had cut the time of the race to about 2 and quarter hours (I think!).

Off on our sighting lap we went and within a few hundred yards the bike had died on me, I knew what it was straight away, a fouled plug, I quickly put another in, and off I went again. One thing I have noticed about my bike, it hates ‘pottering’ along at a slow speed, it adores being revved!

Lap over, time for racing, I made my usual customary bad start and got caught up in the bottleneck just after start/finish line, got held up a bit there.
After a few laps the course was beginning to cut up badly, and by about an hour into it, there were huge long stretches of deep thick mud which you had to plough through. The rear of the bike was all over the place, and many a time I went round corners ‘speedway’ style, this certainly was going to test your throttle control and handling.

Just before my scheduled pit stop the bike coughed and spluttered on me and died, right in the middle of a deep thick mud section that I was going through. Great!
I kicked her over, nothing, kicked again, and again, and again, I kicked frantically for what seemed like ages, she just wouldn’t start, defeated, i pushed the bike over to the side, thought for a minute, and looked down towards the engine. I have never ever, had any problems restarting or starting for that matter, so I feared the worse and thought it was something majorly wrong, that is until………………………………………….i realised that I’d run out of fuel (what a twat)!
Because of the testing conditions and the bike revving so high to make it through all the gloopy mud, I’d used more fuel than I thought I would.
So I turned on the reserve, kicked it into action, and off I went back to the pits to refuel.

Another hour in and getting a bit worried about running out of fuel, I decided to make a 2nd stop in the pits just to make sure I’d make it to the end.
When I came in, my mate who was helping me out, run over and told me not to bother as the chequered flag had come out, the race had finished.
As I tried to kick the bike back into action and rush to the finish line, I over balanced and landed on my arse in front of the full view of everyone (twat), and the bike went with me, I didn’t blame people for laughing at me, it was one of those ‘you’ve been framed moments’!.
I got up off the floor and picked up the bike, sh*t, broken handgaurd, never mind, then with my tail between my legs, crawled to the finish was only about 10 yards away.

Lost quite a bit of time today due to a bit of inexperience.

Finishing position: 11/33
Bike status: new handgaurds
Injuries: none

Star hill- Febuary 11th 2007

I had decided to travel up the night before and stay at my sisters in Newbury, which was only about 20 miles from the venue, which was near to Basingstoke. The weather had been pouring down all week and the forecast for the weekend was not much better, so I went into Bodmin and got a cover that would fit the TM (I think it was something that was massive, to fit a harley!) so I could shroud my pride and joy with it and keep out and the damp and wet while we were travelling, it worked a treat.

Sunday came, and off we went to Star Hill, parking was very tight, and just getting into the place was feat in itself, the van was sliding all over the place up the tight little muddy lane, and parked up with the front of it in the hedge just so people could get by the back of it. This was a taste of things to come!

Did all the necessary and waited for the sighting to start, off we went then.
A couple of miles later and we came to an abrupt halt, I turned to the guy on a gasser and asked him if he new what it was all about?
‘It’s the bog, were all queuing up to get through it’ he said. I couldn’t even see the thing, it was a good 5 mins later until I reached it, the bikes must have been queued some 30 or 40 in length, and this was the sighting lap!
When I did get there the organisers had built a sort of bridge over it that was only wide enough for one bike, so we were all behind each other in Indian file going across the top of it very slowly. I didn’t see anyone brave enough not to use the bridge, until that is a bike shot straight through the thing, the guy on it acting like a man possessed! We all looked in awe as this guy made it to the other end without any help from the marshals, it was none other than Daryl Bolter!
The champ guys had made it back from there sighting lap and they’d let them go.

Now, this rather pissed me off, I’ve paid my money right? I’ve paid the same as everyone else haven’t I? I’m I not due a proper start? By the time I got back round to the start area there was no one in sight, and I wasn’t the last either. If some riders had got to the bog on their sighting lap before me fair enough, but it is only a observation lap, and I thought each class was suppose to start at the same time. I don’t know how many minutes I was down behind the first sportsman on the sighting lap, but it must have been a few. On this occasion Track’n’trail, the organisers, had got it wrong, (the other events I’ve raced with them have been fine) and not enough time was given to all classes to make it back to the start. Let’s hope they learn from it for next time. Rant over, I’ll move on!

This race was a tough one, lots of roots, slippery up and down hills, tight wooded sections, and because of the wet course this was going to be a test of stamina. Each time we got round to the bog there was a long queue of bikes tip toeing there way on the bridge which went across the bog, and unless you were as top rider, you had no chance of getting through it, some lesser riders insanely tried it and promptly got stuck in the mire waiting desperately to be pulled out of it.
Not only that, but immediately at the end of the bog there was a nasty saturated rooty section you had to make your way through, bikes were littered everywhere, we were all coming off!

When I pitted at halfway, a lot of riders were either taking a long rest or their bikes were just left in solitude, they’d given up. I was revelling in the challenge, I had a quick stop, and off I went, I was loving it!
On my last lap I was virtually left in solitude, only got passed by 1 rider, the field had diminished considerably, this had been a hard one.
Past the clock to finish very relieved and cream crackerd. Really enjoyed it, a great event.

Now for the 4 hour drive home.

Looking back at the results, the stats say it all. 135 riders started, 86 finished, 49 DNF’S.

Finishing position: 14/48
Bike status: ok
Injuries: Big toe left foot black and blue, nail coming off that foot as well!

Grey Mare- January 28th 2007

Wow, I actually had the luxury of going to a race that was only about 10 miles from where I live, didn’t have to get up so early for this one!
It had raining quite a bit recently so this was going to be a damp/wet event and with a trails tyre (only allowed) on the back again, it was going to be interesting as this was a track that went through quite a bit of forest.

It was a murky and overcast sort of day as the race started, I for once actually got a good start as we went straight into the woods through some tight sections in amongst the trees.
On the first lap I got stuck on little rooty step, a guy on a gasser who was also stuck on it help me drag the bike up, so I returned the compliment, and we both carried on our merry way.
A tricky little tree rooted climb had almost everyone struggling apart from the experienced riders about halfway round the course, this was after a right handed turn so you had get some momentum to get up it, which wasn’t easy in the slippery conditions. A lot of marshals were there helping us to the top, after a couple of laps though, it seemed to get a whole lot better and everyone was ‘cleaning’ it with no problem.
A nice track with plenty of opportunity to open the bike up along the fire roads, and a very nasty little downhill that the guy from Thor motorcycles was standing at, helping everyone at the bottom that had come off (I went over the bars there on my 4th lap).

I thought I was doing ok today and felt quite good, until I was on my last lap, all of a sudden my energy levels seem to drop rapidly and I began having silly little ‘offs’ and stalling the bike in the tight sections. With a couple miles left to the finish I managed to plant the bike in a pile of logs that had been cut, could I pull it out? Could I hell!
I tried and tried, bike by bike went past as I was frantically trying to pull the thing free, then a guy on a KX stopped and helped me. (I thought I was going to be left there until it got dark, until they sent the search party out!). Got going again and made my way back to finish.

Quite a testing race, picked the bike up a lot of times today and wrenched my left elbow in the process, still, I enjoyed it.

Finishing position: 3/14
Bike status: ok
Injuries: Tennis elbow

A bit of green laning

Had a phone call from a mate of mine Pete Jago, who’d just got a Beta 350 enduro bike which had just had a new piston put in it.
He asked me if I fancied doing a spot of green laning so he could ‘run it in’ and make sure it was running ok. Seeing as I’d just had a piston and clutch put in I thought It would be a good idea as we had both entered for the Greymere event that was in a few days time, this would make sure any teething problems that we had could be sorted.
Even though the TM is road registered I’ve never really took it out for a long time on the road, only to warm the engine up, so I can drain the gearbox oil, check the chain, sprockets, pads, and general things like that.
The thought of taking a highly strung, high revving, little rocket ship through traffic doesn’t really appeal to me.

Pete assured me that we’d be using mostly all the back lanes and we wouldn’t be stuck in any traffic! So I put on the reg plate on the bike, hooked up the trailer and off I went over to his place.

I kicked the bike over, she started up for a few seconds, then died on me. Fouled plug? Yep, in went a new one, and off we went.
I followed him through some farm tracks around Delabole and across the moor, god knows where we went from there, Pete knows the area like the back of his hand, he’s a very experienced rider and regularly goes out with other bikers green laning.
Overall we were out for just over a couple of hours, he certainly knows where to go, including one tricky climb that I got stuck on! (He parked at the top and came back down to give me a push, cheers mate).
Got back to his place in semi darkness, timed it just about right.
Overall I really enjoyed it, although I must admit to being a bit cautious every time I went onto the road, not much grip on damp tarmac these enduro tyres!

Can’t wait for Sunday now.

The start of a new year- 2007

It’s now mid January and I’ve just got back from my hols with Marie, 2 weeks in Tenerife, boy was it hot, lovely!
Got woken up one morning in the apartment by her at 4am, ‘come and look at this’ she said, ‘what’s the matter, is it a cockroche’? I replied still half asleep, ‘no, I’m pregnant’! she said, and showed me the positive test result,
F*cking hell!!!! I’m going to be a dad for the first time.
Great news as it was also my birthday (now 43!).
To celebrate the occasion I decided to have a new clutch and piston put in the bike! (piston being well overdue anyway).

This year I’ve decided to race on average 3 out of every 4 weeks (sometimes more),
and to concentrate on the ore events. I know that their tracks do favour the motocross riders because they aren’t very technical and more about speed, but they run a 2 stroke sportsman championship and it’s over 10 rounds running all through the year.
If you do have a couple of dnf’s for whatever reason, they take your best 8 rounds to count towards the final scoring.
My aim this year is to be good enough to move up into the clubman ranks, or be a half decent 40+ rider.
Lets go for it then.

End of year thoughts- 2006

I’ve learnt a hell of a lot since I started some 6 months ago, and I’ve still got a hell of a lot to learn!
What competitors have to race through at times is just beyond me (bogs, rivers, rocks, trees, steep tortuous climbs and downhills, appalling weather, etc) but everyone seems to like the challenge, after all, you wouldn’t enter otherwise would you? I certainly enjoy it, man and machine against the terrain and the elements.

When I decided to take it up, I had no knowledge of enduros at all and no knowledge of how to work on the bike, I’m getting there on the basic maintenance side of things, but mechanically I’ve got a very long way to go.
In a way I’m glad I’ve picked up some injuries, no pain, no gain, so they say.
My fitness has improved over the months, but I feel like any other kind of sport, you have to compete to get ‘match’ or ‘race’ fit. You can train as much as you like, but at the end of the day, the more you compete, the fitter you get.
The more times you come off the bike, the heavier it seems to get, especially when it’s caked in mud and gloop, so being a fairly decent standard should mean that you don’t pick the thing up so much. Only thing is, you then go faster, so you’ll probably have a bigger ‘off’, which I expect most of the top guys have experienced at some point or other.

The camaraderie between competitors is great, and most seem a friendly bunch (I say most!), quite a few times I’ve seen riders help each other out, on the track and in the pits as well, good stuff.

Roll on next year!!!

Inside Park- December 10th 2006

This was going to be my last race of the year, in a roundabout way I knew I was going to miss racing for over a month, but then again, a rest is as good as a change so they say.

Another early start, I’d had a late one the night before (gig) so Marie drove while I slept for some of the journey. To be honest, she’d done brilliantly, because I woke up just as we were pulling into the venue.

Done all the necessary, warmed up the engine and waited for the flag to drop amongst the big sportsman’s field that had entered.
Now, just before I go on about the race itself, at the riders briefing we were told we had to travel through a farmyard with a concrete drive that was very, very slippery and we should proceed with caution.
Right then, the flag dropped and off we went, I made my usual customary bad start, but managed to pass a few before we headed off out of sight towards that farmyard.
What did I do next as I went along the concrete road? Proceed with caution?, did I hell as like, I turned on the gas and done a doughnut in front of the chasing riders and landed on my arse! (twat). Somewhat embarrassed, I picked up the bike and carried on.
Nice course, lots of woods, loads of roots, a few fast fire roads, and a nice motocross style field section to finish off the lap.
Pitted ok at halfway and was going well, only had 1 or 2 little ‘offs’ and I hadn’t damaged the bike this time round!
Finished with no major problems today.

Finishing position: 20/55
Bike status: ok
Injuries: right foot, big toe black and blue, nail coming off.

Middleton Court- November 19th 2006

For the first time I’m racing 2 weeks in a row, bike fixed, off we go to the venue.
Got there a little bit late and because of the tight parking had to push the bike a little distance to get signed on and scrutineerd, should have got there earlier!

It had been raining so the course was going to be damp and soggy and with a trails tyre on the back this was going to be interesting.

Race started, off we went, excellent enduro course this I thought, loads of tree routes, tight wooded sections, slippery downhills, boggy bits, steep slimey uphills and a few fast fire roads thrown in for good measure.
The steep uphill half way round was a test for anyone wanting have a go at it, me being less experienced took the long easier way round, but, on my 3rd lap i had a go, got halfway up and very predictably came to a halt! Oh well, back down I went and went round it. (the hill was later cut out)
There was a lovely little boggy section just before the transponders, if this didn’t catch you out, the small slippery climb straight after it leading up to the timing area might, it certainly got me once or twice. I have to say yet again, the marshals were really doing a great job keeping everyone going.
I made my pit stop at halfway feeling knackerd already, but carried on.
I’d had a few little ‘offs’ and had another one just as I came out of the pits, I thought nothing of it, got back on the bike and carried on. Then I went to change gear, what the f*ck? I couldn’t, what’s happened here then I thought, looked down to find out that I’d just busted my gear lever! I could change down but couldn’t change up as my boot had nothing grip on. I was determined yet again to get a finish, so I leant down over the bike and changed gear with my hand each time I wanted to change up a gear. There was no way I was going to travel all this way, race for so long, and let a little thing like that give a DNF. Circulating at about 20 mins a lap before, I was now doing 30 mins a lap, I certainly was learning today how to ‘slip’ the clutch out of corners and up the little climbs.
Made it back to finish, and yet again I’m pleased, because for 2nd race in a row things haven’t gone right but I’ve completed the race to get a result.

Finishing position: 11/24
Bike status: new gear lever
Injuries: none

Castle Park- November 12th 2006

The weather now was starting to turn more wintry, dark mornings and nights, more rain, cold northerly winds, I was now leaving for some of the meetings in the dark and coming home in it as well, especially the ones that were a 2-3 hour drive away.

This event was organised by Track’n’trail, They usually have a lot of riders entering their races and judging by my first impressions when I got there, this was no exception.

Done all the necessary bits there was to do and off we went on our sighting lap.
Part of the course was used by 4x4’s as an off road track, there was also a motocross section, and of course woods, a good mixture I thought.
I started the race how I always usually start, near the back!
I’m still got to learn how to jump! I’m not really giving a commitment to taking off and landing at all, this will come in time I’m sure, must be a confidence thing surely? I mean I do jump, but not very far.

Made my pit stop ok, feeling ok and everything rolling along smoothly.
While in the wooded section going over some roots, the back wheel decided to grip when I didn’t expect it too, rearing up like a mad bull out of control and chucking me off the back onto my arse, the bike carried on for a few a yards and smacked into a tree.
Got up, picked up the bike, fired her up, off we went, no problem I thought, that is until a little while later, about an hour later. With the clock ticking on I managed to get in one more lap, I let some experts past me in the woods who were still absolutely flying and it was at this point when I stopped that steam was pouring out of my left radiator, I mean big time as well! I could hardly see anything at all there was so much bloody steam. I cut the engine and let it cool down a bit (at least until the thing had stopped acting like a kettle), then bravely took the cap off the rad. Oh b*llocks, no water left in it, turns out that when I had that ‘off’ earlier and the bike smacked the tree, it had put a hole in my rad and it’s slowly emptying itself, now of course, it’s bone dry!
Now I’m faced with a big decision, do I carry on slowly and get a finish but also risk seizing my engine? Or do I wait for a marshal to help me get back to the pits?
I choose to carry on, very, very slowly I might add.
Made it back to finish the race, relief or what, I was lucky this time, riding a bike with no coolant in is not advisable!

Finishing position: 35/63
Bike status: new radiator, new water pump
Injuries: none

Weston Beach Race- October 22nd 2006

The Weston beach race has always been a dream for me to ride it. The last 5 years I have watched it, and this year I was actually going to take part in the thing, I had to pinch myself to make sure it was happening.
The bike had been prepped (down at marks), kit loaded in the van, so off we went to compete in one of Britain’s great off road spectacles.
When you arrive at Weston the place is just buzzing with excitement and anticipation, it seems that everyone has a story to tell about the race and if you haven’t ridden it before, everyone tells you differently how to ride the sand!
Signing on was bit of a farce, it seemed like half of Somerset was trying to get into that little bar, when you finally had done that, off you went to get your transponder, more queuing and waiting. I saw Dens there from Seward racing, so past a bit of time having a chat whilst in the queue with him.
Now for the scrutineering! Almighty great bloody queue or what? Never mind, finally got to the front of it, only to be ushered aside to be noise tested! I thought they were having a laugh, a little 125 -2 stroke, still, passed no problem although I did have to start her up again and clear her out as the bloke with the noise meter had her only just above ticking over, and I could hear the bike choking up, she wants to be revved!
Took it in the parc ferme and covered the bike in dustbin liners to keep out any rain or damp.
Right then, everything done and dusted, time to walk the course, um………………..sand, sand, and some more sand. Well I mean it’s supposed to be sand but it’s more like silt in places.
Enough of looking at the sand and at the trade stalls, browsing through the things you can’t afford, I decided to head back to the ghetto, a Travelodge in Taunton that I’d booked for the weekend.
Saturday arrived, good weather, and cracking racing from the quads and what I used to love watching (still do) the sidecars. Will I ever do Weston on a sidecar? I’d bloody love too given the chance!
I drove to the Weston campsite later on to meet a guy from Bristol whom I’d bought a TM back wheel from off ebay, he was down for the weekend to watch so he bought it along. 18 inch, blue excel rim, disc, sprocket, tyre, excellent condition, £100, BARGAIN! Now I have a spare, so I don’t have to keep changing tyres all the time, one fitted with a MT43 trails tyre, the other with a Michelin comp enduro, sorted.

Race day
Arriving at Weston along the front you can’t help but notice the huge array of bikes leaning in the parc ferme ready to race. Everyone of them looking near on immaculate, must be a fantastic sight if it’s your first time at the beach race.
Got parked up, got changed (into my Leeds shirt that I’d bought off ebay for £4.97 especially for the occasion) and then proceeded to walk to the pits to drop off all my gear. With so many competitors I just about got a space, then off I went to join the queue to get into where all the bikes were.
Gates opened and there was an almighty rush to get in the line to get out of the place and get to beach first. I was in no rush as I was sh*tting myself, this was only my fifth race and I hadn’t finished the first 2. I really didn’t know what to expect with so many bikes, in fact the last that I’d rode on the sand was at Blackpool on a donkey when I was about 8!
As I walked in I could see them right in front of my eyes, Everts, Knight, Edmonson, Anderson, bloody nora, now I was scared.
Got to the bike, she fired up straight away, no going back now, this is it. It’s funny you know, you can tell the novices because we’re all at the back with no rush to get out. I finally got onto the beach only to see a huge mist of spray about a mile in front of me, sh*t, they’ve already started.
I opened the little TM up on the straight and got her into top gear (for the first time), Christ this thing flies, the speed wobble you get on that straight with the wind blowing has to be experienced to be believed, I think in this case being only about 10st 10lbs didn’t help, but it does help in the bogs!
I took Marks advice and opened it up for about 8-10 secs flat out, then quickly shut it off and repeated it all the way up the mile (that is of course if you can’t nail it all the way, like me).
Got to the first dune, I waited for a bit, hesitating, with all the other ‘first timers’, but then I thought enough is enough and went for it, straight up and over, relief! I’m racing!
I then went to pull the front brake, oh b*llocks, there was no brake at all, the front pads had been completely disintegrated by the sand, never mind, this is Weston, so I carried on.
As the race went on the rain came down and down and down, the sand turned to silt and bikes were parked up everywhere and anywhere, some just abandoned like a puppy dog in the deep ruts waiting for their owner to come back to rescue them.
I was making it through the boggy sections ok, probably due to my light weight and light bike, I only got stuck once, but got out easily.
I made my first pit stop ok and took a 5 mins rest, then back out along that straight, you got to hand it to the top guys, it seemed like they were on rockets going along there.
I took another 10 mins to rest at the side of the track, I was getting cream crackerd!
I had a classic ‘off’ in front of everyone at the side of the promenade section where they were all watching through the metal catch fencing, straight over the bars at the very top of the dune, nice one I thought, that is until I looked up and saw an RM coming over the top which nearly took me out.
With about 10 mins left I stopped on the track a little way from the finish and waited for the clock to tick to 3 hours, I could have done another lap, but I was totally ‘wasted’.
Time up, so I made my way back across the line, I was elated, I’d finished WESTON.
Sand in my eyes, in my ears, in my mouth, under my nails, in my boxers, in fact bloody well anywhere it could possibly get into.

Leaving the pits I picked up my voucher, which entitled me to my souvenier T Shirt and a bag of goodies, now i can say truthfully that i've been there, done it, and got the T Shirt!

All those riders that had DNF’S and I wasn’t one of them, I’d spent loads of dosh, spent months waiting and I’ve done it, what an experience, something every off road rider should experience at least once in their life.
Now for the good bit, the stripping of the bike!

Finishing position: 587/826
Bike status: New front pads, new chain + sprockets, new wheel bearings, bike to be stripped down.
Injuries: none

Brearly Farm- October 8th 2006

I was on a high due to the fact that I’d actually finished my last race, I couldn’t wait for this one, I’m now totally hooked!
My head has finally cleared after the accident some 2 months earlier so I’m fit and raring to go.

This was going to be a very open and fast race, the quads were still racing when we arrived and basically the course looked like a lot of flat fields with a few twists and turns and probably about 4-5 miles long, 2 and half hours duration.
This would also be the first time that I could race with an enduro or motocross tyre on the back, brilliant, grip at last I thought. (mind you, I took me 2 hours to change the thing in the week, first time I’ve ever changed a motorbike tyre, nightmare I had).

My sister had turned up to see me, now, the last time (and only time) that she’d came to see me was at my very first race and we all know what happened there! So I was determined to prove to her that her journey wouldn’t be wasted.
What was new to me was a sighting lap, basically we all follow each other round for a lap to get a feel for the course before we start proper. Sometimes these can be a good thing, sometimes not, the reason being is that on a steep slippery routed hill everyone goes so slow that we all get stuck and come off! No such problems on this track though.
Sighting lap out of the way, warmed up the engine, waited for the flag and off we went racing.
Not really much to say about this one except that it was nice to really open up the bike, boy does that thing shift for a 125.
I didn’t have any ‘offs’ and all went smoothly. Did a hell of a lot of laps though as each lap only took about 7-8 minutes! Quite a big sportsman field too.
A good day, good weather, and something a little bit different.

Finishing position: 23/41
Bike status: ok
Injuries: none

Nancemellion- September 17th 2006

I’m still not feeling right from my rude introduction to enduro’s that happened at Rifton. It’s been well over a month now and still I’m ‘light headed’, I guess I suppose it will pass in time, hopefully it will.

I’d heard that Nancemellion was quite an open track but a bit rough, but with quads racing at the same time as well, I thought that there can’t be many narrow bits otherwise there wouldn’t be room for them to make it through.
The track looked fairly open and you could see a lot of it from standing on top of the hill near the start, I was confident that I would actually finish this one.
I think it was 2 and half hour hare and hounds event, the flag dropped and off we went.
The course wasn’t very long, probably about 5 miles with some nice fast open stretches, some jumps and a few wooded sections. Some of the course we used was I think an ex-motocross track.
Everything went to plan and I made my pit stop at halfway.
I only had 1 or 2 little ‘offs’ so I was confident of a finish as I had still had some energy left in me, brilliant I thought.
As I came round on another lap I could see the clock ticking, only about 3 or 4 mins to go, so I past the finish line and stopped.
My mate Lester came running over to me ‘what are you doing, go on, keep going, you can do another lap yet’ he said. Due to my total lack of experience I thought that I hadn’t the time to do another lap, but of course I do have the time because the race doesn’t stop until the actual time is up, so I could do another lap! (me being a twat again!).
So, off I went and finished the race, I was over the moon.
Roll on the next one.

Finishing position: 7/17
Bike status: ok
Injuries: none

Dunmere September 3rd 2006

The more I think about what happened at my first race at Rifton Barton the more things are starting to piece together.
After checking carefully looking at my helmet there’s not a mark on it, so it seems the tree didn’t actually knock me out. What I think happened was that due to the heat and exhaustion I actually fainted before I hit the damn thing, it just happened to be in the way as I went unconscious!

My second race and a nice local one, just up the road from where I live.
I’m still suffering from being ‘light headed’ due to Rifton, and against all what Marie has said to me, I’m still going to race (she’s not happy).

This was a time card enduro and all still very new to me.
The sportsman class were given a time of 57 mins to complete the first lap, so off I went hoping for better things this time.
The track went through some lovely woods before we came to the first real test, a bloody slippery hill which I just couldn’t make it up! I think it was at the 3rd attempt when I nearly made it to the top when the marshals decided to ‘drag’ me to the top (thanks guys), and off I went. Not long after that was another little tricky climb, which again I got stuck on along with what seemed like everyone else, that is apart from the decent riders. Luckily my mate was stood there and he helped me to the top.
I managed to complete the first lap but was way over my allotted time and I should have gone straight back out, but my energy levels had dropped due to picking the bike up so many times that I had to rest.
Ok, rest done with, out I went onto my second lap and slowly crept round until I got to that bloody hill again!
Didn’t make it up the 1st time, nor the 2nd, nor the 3rd. It was at this point that the clerk of the course Mike Roose (who I’d met previously whilst walking my dog round the course while he was marking it out) came to my rescue and showed me how to lift a bike over a tree in order to omit that hill! Mike also checked my tyre pressure on the back wheel and adjusted it accordingly (something else I’ve learned), nice chaps these marshals you know, and a great help too!
So, off I went on my merry way, it wasn’t long before a few more little ‘offs’ but picking the bike up sapped my energy even more and I had to rest for about 10 mins just to even kick start the bike back into life, I was totally ‘shot to bits’.
Finally made it back to the pits after 2 laps and called it a day, absolutely cream crackerd.
2 races, 2 DNF’S, I’m determine to finish one!

Finishing position: DNF
Bike status: ok
Injuries: None

Rifton Barton- August 6th 2006

This is it, my first race.
Got up feeling nervous as hell and didn’t know what to expect at all.
Checked all the gear was packed, double checked it and checked it again.
I arrived in plenty of time and got changed and preceded to cart the bike off to get scrutineerd, sign on and get the transponder.
My sister and brother in law and his brother had turned up to give me some support and Marie (my girlfriend) had travelled with me also.
Right then, time to line up, I sat there on the start line and waited for our turn to watch the flag drop.
GO! I kicked her and off I went into the first corner probably about half way, but it didn’t last long as I bloody well forgot to turn the choke off and it came to an abrupt halt after ‘chugging’ along the track for about 100 yds! (twat)
Realising what I’d done I quickly remedied the situation, now I was plum last!
Into the woods we went and I gingerly made my way through the trails until I had my first ‘off’ which was a classic, straight over the front bars and landed in some kind of soft heather bush, I got up and laughed to myself.
As the wooded track meandered on I had a few more ‘offs’ and even more of them as we followed a rocky stream. The marshals helped me a few times to get started again, and without them I would have struggled even more.
At the end of my first lap I rode straight through the transponder timing area and didn’t even stop, I thought that it would time me automatically, I didn’t realise that you had to stop and swipe the wrist band until the light had turned green before you could go (twat). This became apparent when one of the officials flagged me down halfway around the track and told me to go back and get ‘swiped’. I ran back across while he held the bike for me.
The second lap was no different to the first, I came off time and time again and had to stop for about 10 minutes halfway round to rest, the sweat was dripping from me like a tap that had been turned on pouring down from my helmet.
I managed to pit after 2 laps again taking a rest and off I went out of the sunshine and back into the woods.
What happened next has never happened to me in my entire life!
There I am making my way carefully along the trails when all of a sudden I WOKE UP.
As I looked around I could see was my bike leant against a tree, what the f*ck is this all about I thought. I then remember a marshal bent over saying ‘you ok, would you like a drink?’ I asked him what had happened and why was I lying on the floor, he explained that I had hit a tree full on and knocked myself unconscious. Apparently I had been out for quite a while and the paramedics were on their way.
I got checked over by them and asked if I could carry on but I knew what the answer was going to be, NO WAY! My race was over!
I then made my way back with a marshal to the ambulance for more checks.
Everyone that had travelled to see me were now getting worried as I hadn’t come back round to complete another lap and the race had finished by some time. They finally got sight of me in the back of the ambulance. Marie was not impressed; the look on her face said it all!


The paramedics said that I should go to hospital to get checked as I’d been knocked out and I might have to have an overnight stay just for a precaution.
I satisfied them that Marie would drive me home and I’d go straight to Bodmin hospital as it’s nearer to home.
Now bearing I mind that my other half hasn’t driven a van before or pulled a trailer she done remarkably well and we went straight to Bodmin to get checked.
After getting seen by the doctor they then advised me that I had to go to Treliske hospital in Truro to get a full examination, so off we went down there after dropping the bike back home first.
This turned out to be a nightmare, I was dirty, smelly, hungry, dizzy and knackerd, I waited about 6 hours to get seen! It was like Piccadilly circus in the place, how many people can get injured all at the same time on a Sunday night?
My collarbone was killing as well and I feared the worse as there was a huge lump on it right in the middle, if this is broken then I’m up the creek without a paddle as I’m a guitarist and there’s no way you can play a guitar with your arm in a sling.
Anyway, got x rayed and had my head checked and to my relief everything was ok, Phew!
We finally got home at 4.30am.
Welcome to the world of enduro’s!


Finishing position: DNF
Bike status: Broken clutch lever
Injuries: Concussion, Bruised collarbone.

A bit of practice- June/July 2006

After last weeks embarrassment I finally got to ride the TM.
I off loaded the bike, turned the fuel tap on (no probs this time), paid my money, changed into my very clean brand new riding gear, fired her up and off I went.
Nervous was not the word as I gingerly made my way round the track lap after lap getting constantly blasted by the more experienced riders that were passing me.
I managed to do an hour or so broken up into 3x 20 minute segments, before my arms decided to stop working due to arm pump (now I know what it feels like), I was happy with that so off I went back home.

Once a week for the next 4-5 weeks I went down the track to practice on the bike and I was starting to get more confident on it although I must admit to not really ‘nailing it’ simply because it’s going to take me a while to handle the power aspects of the thing.
I got talking to a few blokes who regularly go down there and one of the guys done a swap with me with the bikes for about 10 mins around the track. I went on his KTM 125 SX and he went on the TM, it was nice to see how a different bike handles.

My stamina now was coming along and I was managing to go for well over an hour non stop which I hoped would put me in good shape for my first race, It was all coming along nicely and I was confident! Over the past few weeks I’d built up a toolbox and got some spares of things I thought I might need so everything was In place and decided to send off for some regs and enter a race

i nearly got to ride!

So, I got my bike, brought all the gear (boots,helmet,gloves,etc,etc) and I’m ready to unleash myself on all those poor soles that try to pass me as I’m getting in their way round the track.
Hold on a minute, how the hell am I gonna get my bike anywhere? This was quickly sorted as I had a towbar fitted to my small van and then picked up my first bargain, a bike trailer off ebay for £67!
Great I thought until I got up the next morning and one of the tyres on the trailer was flat, never mind, so I was off down the road for a new tyre, didn’t cost a lot so I still thought I’d picked up a bargain. Then i went off to get a lighten board. This I have to agree is a classic, the price of it was marked £9.69, so up I went to the till, unbeknown to me I give the cashier the board with the price the wrong way round (upside down) so she read it as £6.96, nice one I thought, that I’ll do for me, so that’s what I paid and off I went.


Right then, with everything in place it was off to the track near summercourt that charges £10 a day. When I got down there I had a look around. They were a few ‘crossers’ zipping round the little track and it was at this point that I was getting a bit nervous. Never ridden a bike or been on or off for 20 years what can I expect?
As this was my first time down there the guy who runs it wanted to noise test me, I thought to myself ‘whats this all about then’? so I got the bike off of the trailer and turned the fuel on.
Sh*t, whats that? Fuel was peeing out of the carb like I’d just sunk 10 pints down the pub and I hadn’t been to toilet for a day. On and off I kept turning the fuel tap hoping it would stop, but it didn’t, so embarrassingly I loaded the bike and shot off back home, I was well pissed off! I couldn’t wait to get on the phone to mark and ask him whats going on then?
I felt like a right Beginner (which of course I am) when he explained to me that sometimes when the bike is in transit the floats get stuck in the carb and all what was needed was a gentle tap with a spanner to release them. I put the phone down and tried it, instantly the fuel stopped gushing out. Great, I’ve learnt something today!
To late to go back down the track so I’ll have to go next week.

Explanation

The reason I’ve decided to do this blog is for anyone that is thinking of starting up racing enduro’s can see what us beginners can expect to go through when starting out, the highs, the lows, the mistakes, the costs, the injuries, the travelling, in fact, everything associated with the sport! You never know, even some of you season campaigners might like read it as well!
Now, I’m no journalist and certainly I haven’t got a degree in English so please excuse my grammar!
Some of you might find it a good read and some of you not and you may like to follow my progress (if there is any) as time goes on. I’m purely doing this for a bit of fun and a little hobby.
I will state here and now that what you are about to read are my own personal opinions and thoughts and in no way may that be the view of others, so please don’t go slagging me off just because you think differently, after all, you can always start up your own blog. Enough said so lets crack on!

How it all came about

Ever since I can remember my father has always taken me to motorbike races. These mainly consisted of motocross meetings (or scrambles as they used to be known) throughout the 70’s and 80’s. So naturally I grew up with a passion for motorbikes. When I was 18 I finally bought an off road bike, all beit a trail bike, that being a Yamaha DT 175 MX. There used to be a practice track in my home town of Reading that was free for everyone to use and I used to regularly go down there and practice riding around against the ‘proper’ motocross bikes. I used to enjoy this especially when I used to beat a few of them on my Yammy trail bike!.
When I passed my car test I ditched the bike and never really went to any more race meetings for a good few years.
Now, I have always wanted to have a go at some form of off road racing (especially anything to do with sidecars) and I have always spoke about it with my Dad over the years, sadly he passed away and I would think secretly that he would have always liked to have seen his son have a go at it.
In the summer of 2006 and at the grand old age of 42! I finally decided to jump in at the deep end and buy a KTM 250 EXC, the reason behind this was that I just love the sound and smell of 2 strokes, and I just ‘fancied something orange’! now bearing in mind that I haven’t been on a motorbike for over 20 years it was quite a shock to ride a ‘modern’ enduro bike!
I have to admit to not knowing much mechanically about motorbikes in general but after only 2 weeks of owning it the clutch went! so I took it down to Mark Seward’s down at St Austell from seeing a advert in TMX to have one put in. Down there I met Mark himself who I found out was a very very good rider in his day, 2nd in the British enduro championship and past winner of the Weston beach race (sidecars) as well as being a very good trials rider. The other bloke I met was Mark Denslow who was a current championship class rider who worked there as well, so all in all these 2 guys have wealth of knowledge and experience.
So, I got the bike back and everything was fine for a couple of days and I was taking it out on the road to try and get used to it, but every time I opened it up it kept stalling and after replacing plug after plug it was back down to Mark’s again to find out what the problem was.
Oh shit! The crank seal had gone and that was going to cost a lot a bloody fortune so I decided to cut my losses and part exchange it for a TM 125.
The TM is a nice looking bike and I thought I’d probably be better off with a 125 anyway, all I needed now was somewhere to play on it so I could maybe enter a few races. Racing an enduro seemed fanciable as riding for anything up to 3 hours would be a challenge and being an ex marathon runner I certainly know what a challenge is all about!