Nice to have an ORE event in Cornwall! So not far to travel to this one. Weather not great, but at least it’s dry, slightly on the chilly side though.
I had my mate Lester with me to help us out in the pits today because basically it’s a bit much for Marie now to stand out in all weather’s and cart a load of gear round seeing as the babys due any day! Mind you, she still come along to watch, and I keep telling her, don’t worry if you go into labour because there’s paramedics there!
Went down to watch the quads for a bit to time them on how long it took to do a lap, about 6-7 mins, bloody hell, short laps or what?
Had a bit of banter with the course cutting duo of Coates and Ware (only joking lads) at signing on, then it was off to get ready.
Onto the sighting lap we went then. Started off through a couple of fields then down into the woods where we came across a tricky little slippery double climb. Back out into the fields again we went, down into some more woods, up another climb (not too bad), more fields, into the woods again, through a sticky boggy bit which straight after had a nasty slippery climb, out into the open again, down a rocky little path which led back to the finish after a couple of more fields. Short course indeed, I reckon about 4-5 miles at most. Nothing too technical apart from those uphill sections.
Flag dropped, race on, got a good start 2nd or 3rd going into the woods, that was until I got stuck on the first bloody climb, frustrating that was. After I made it up to the top I didn’t know what position I was in, your concentrating so much on getting the bike to the top that you don’t really know who’s passed you, do you?
Got stuck again on the next couple of laps on the same hill, so lost a bit of time there trying to get any kind of rhythm going. After about the first 30 mins I felt I was beginning to ride much better, and cleaned the hills every time with just the odd one or two moments that caught me out.
Went into the pits to refuel and my mate told me that I was running in the top 5 in my class, I was pleased with that as I’d be happy to get some high scoring finish in the championship. (sportsman 2 stroke).
What happened next was, well, to be honest, I’m lucky I’m writing this blog from my own home and not from a hospital bed!
After coming out of a wooded section and ’nailing’ it in 3rd or 4th (can’t remember which) across a field, we had to round a fence that jutted out to lead into the next field, this was a fast bit of the track, and all it needed was a flick of the bars, and you passed it no problem as there was plenty of space. I was at the time having a right old ’ding dong’ with another guy and we were both giving it some, as the fence approached the front of the bike came up on me and with just yards to go I didn’t have enough time to anything about it, SMACK! I hit it alright, head on. All I can remember is seeing the fence then landing in a heap, I seemed to be catapulting through the air for ages (seemed like slow motion) until I opened my eyes and saw a rider looking down at me. ’do you want an ambulance mate’ he said, I presume it must have been the rider behind me who saw it happen. ’no, I’m alright mate’ I said, and got back up and went back over to the bike which was now nicely wrapped in barbed wire around the handlebars. A bit dazed, I finally managed to free her after about 5 minutes. It was at this point that my cheek started killing me and my shoulder too, (i think i must have hit one of the fence posts face/shoulder first), not only that, when I got going again, I had to steer left in order to go straight! The forks were twisted real bad, I carried on for a couple of laps, determined to finish, but it was useless, I was poodling round trying to steer the thing and also getting stuck on those climbs again. I shouted to my mate that I was going to pit again, so in I came and told him what had happened. We were trying to sort the problem out when a young guy came across and asked me if I’d got an allen key. ‘yeah, here you go‘, he took it, undid the yokes on the forks, gave the front wheel a kick, and BINGO! The front wheel was aligned straight again.
I don’t know who you was mate, but thanks a million times over for that. Off I went again pleased as punch. Had to make yet another pit stop a bit later for more goggles, but managed to finish ok.
So……………………………….........definitely ‘not a good day at the office today’ got stuck on the climbs several times, had a big ‘off’, made 3 pit stops all of which cost me loads of time, but managed to hang on for a 9th place in the 2 stroke sports class. Not a good result, but at least I got some more points in the bag, and that’s what matters, As well as being still in one piece!
After a bit of a sleepless night I got checked out today down at Treliske hospital. Had a few x-rays, nothing broken, just damaged my shoulder so I can’t use it much at the moment (my mate had to clean the bike for me today) and some nerve damage which had made some of my face numb, only temporary so the doc says. Bit of a pain in the arse that, because I love pork chops and I can’t eat them at the moment.
If I can manage to put my helmet on and grip the bars and pull the clutch in, I’m riding at Dunmere next week!
Finishing position: 24/46
Bike status: new front spindle, new fork yokes & head bearings
Injuries: damaged shoulder and facial nerves, bruised ribs and ankle
I had my mate Lester with me to help us out in the pits today because basically it’s a bit much for Marie now to stand out in all weather’s and cart a load of gear round seeing as the babys due any day! Mind you, she still come along to watch, and I keep telling her, don’t worry if you go into labour because there’s paramedics there!
Went down to watch the quads for a bit to time them on how long it took to do a lap, about 6-7 mins, bloody hell, short laps or what?
Had a bit of banter with the course cutting duo of Coates and Ware (only joking lads) at signing on, then it was off to get ready.
Onto the sighting lap we went then. Started off through a couple of fields then down into the woods where we came across a tricky little slippery double climb. Back out into the fields again we went, down into some more woods, up another climb (not too bad), more fields, into the woods again, through a sticky boggy bit which straight after had a nasty slippery climb, out into the open again, down a rocky little path which led back to the finish after a couple of more fields. Short course indeed, I reckon about 4-5 miles at most. Nothing too technical apart from those uphill sections.
Flag dropped, race on, got a good start 2nd or 3rd going into the woods, that was until I got stuck on the first bloody climb, frustrating that was. After I made it up to the top I didn’t know what position I was in, your concentrating so much on getting the bike to the top that you don’t really know who’s passed you, do you?
Got stuck again on the next couple of laps on the same hill, so lost a bit of time there trying to get any kind of rhythm going. After about the first 30 mins I felt I was beginning to ride much better, and cleaned the hills every time with just the odd one or two moments that caught me out.
Went into the pits to refuel and my mate told me that I was running in the top 5 in my class, I was pleased with that as I’d be happy to get some high scoring finish in the championship. (sportsman 2 stroke).
What happened next was, well, to be honest, I’m lucky I’m writing this blog from my own home and not from a hospital bed!
After coming out of a wooded section and ’nailing’ it in 3rd or 4th (can’t remember which) across a field, we had to round a fence that jutted out to lead into the next field, this was a fast bit of the track, and all it needed was a flick of the bars, and you passed it no problem as there was plenty of space. I was at the time having a right old ’ding dong’ with another guy and we were both giving it some, as the fence approached the front of the bike came up on me and with just yards to go I didn’t have enough time to anything about it, SMACK! I hit it alright, head on. All I can remember is seeing the fence then landing in a heap, I seemed to be catapulting through the air for ages (seemed like slow motion) until I opened my eyes and saw a rider looking down at me. ’do you want an ambulance mate’ he said, I presume it must have been the rider behind me who saw it happen. ’no, I’m alright mate’ I said, and got back up and went back over to the bike which was now nicely wrapped in barbed wire around the handlebars. A bit dazed, I finally managed to free her after about 5 minutes. It was at this point that my cheek started killing me and my shoulder too, (i think i must have hit one of the fence posts face/shoulder first), not only that, when I got going again, I had to steer left in order to go straight! The forks were twisted real bad, I carried on for a couple of laps, determined to finish, but it was useless, I was poodling round trying to steer the thing and also getting stuck on those climbs again. I shouted to my mate that I was going to pit again, so in I came and told him what had happened. We were trying to sort the problem out when a young guy came across and asked me if I’d got an allen key. ‘yeah, here you go‘, he took it, undid the yokes on the forks, gave the front wheel a kick, and BINGO! The front wheel was aligned straight again.
I don’t know who you was mate, but thanks a million times over for that. Off I went again pleased as punch. Had to make yet another pit stop a bit later for more goggles, but managed to finish ok.
So……………………………….........definitely ‘not a good day at the office today’ got stuck on the climbs several times, had a big ‘off’, made 3 pit stops all of which cost me loads of time, but managed to hang on for a 9th place in the 2 stroke sports class. Not a good result, but at least I got some more points in the bag, and that’s what matters, As well as being still in one piece!
After a bit of a sleepless night I got checked out today down at Treliske hospital. Had a few x-rays, nothing broken, just damaged my shoulder so I can’t use it much at the moment (my mate had to clean the bike for me today) and some nerve damage which had made some of my face numb, only temporary so the doc says. Bit of a pain in the arse that, because I love pork chops and I can’t eat them at the moment.
If I can manage to put my helmet on and grip the bars and pull the clutch in, I’m riding at Dunmere next week!
Finishing position: 24/46
Bike status: new front spindle, new fork yokes & head bearings
Injuries: damaged shoulder and facial nerves, bruised ribs and ankle
