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!