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
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
