Saturday
I went up to the Muntjac (the 1st of the British champ rounds) with ‘mad’ Jack Twentyman who was riding there, and his boy Paddy. The idea was to get there early so Jack could walk the test a couple of times, and with a 6 hour plus journey we had to leave fairly early, although not at the crack of dawn I might add as we were having an overnight stay on the Saturday night at a local hotel.
Things were going all to plan, when about 10 miles from the venue we came to abrupt halt on the A11, nose to tail traffic and not moving. Oh dear, must be an accident then surely? I got out and walk up the road only to find a car strewn across the carriageway smashed to bits. Apparently it had broken down on the side of the road and a lorry had just smashed straight into it at full pelt! To cut a long story short, we finally managed to get going again and just made to Thetford forest as the sun was going down. I was going meet up with Mark and Rich Tucker as well, but because we were so late, they’d long gone and was back at their hotel having a few beers watching the rugby on the box.
After walking the test and with it being nearly dark, and with the threat of rain in the air, Jack decided to walk it again! Um……..ok Jack, see you later then as me and Paddy went back to the motor and put the bloody heater on! 30 mins later and Jack came back, soaking wet and freezing cold in the pitch black, dedication or what? Or his he really just ‘mad’.
With now time getting on, it was off to the town of Thetford to look for our hotel before race day tomorrow. We couldn’t find the hotel for love nor money, and even resorted to asking a group of ‘hoodies’ who were hanging about on a street corner, trouble is when I asked them where the Bell hotel was, they couldn’t understand a word I was saying, they were bloody polish! Yeah that’s right, Polish ‘hoodies’ in Thetford! After yet more driving around and around, we finally made it to our destination, time for Jack to get a sat nav me thinks! (although to be honest, I haven’t got one). It was then off down the local pub for a welcome slap up meal and a few pints before returning to the hotel for a few more pints in the bar where we met another 6 or 7 riders who were staying there. Had a decent chat and a few laughs before retiring for the night to get some kip.
Sunday
After riding this event last year, I was of course naturally disappointed not to be riding, but at least I was here, and the atmosphere was fantastic. I met up with Mark and Rich and also saw Steve Jose (not to be confused with that other Steve Jose who lives down my way) and Dave ‘Butch’. Apparently Steve and Butch stayed in a pub last night ‘that didn’t close’, so they were a bit worse for wear as it were. Michael Brooks passed by so I had a chat with him as well just as the rain started to fall down on.
So at 9am the first Champ class riders got on their way, and with the special test section just a couple of hundred yards up the road, everyone rushed up there to see the action. My god was it slippery or what? Tight twisty turns that meandered their way through the woods for a couple of miles, before crossing the fire road and out into the faster section before coming back into the tight stuff again to finish the test. As I was stood there waiting for Jack to come back I bumped into Pete Lawry who’s son Dan was riding today, you couldn’t miss Dan as he came through, he had new kit on that can only be described as colorful! I was watching most of the test with Mark Tucker, and as the rain began to get harder, we both knew that the riders would have a job keeping to the already tight schedule. Sure enough as conditions got worse, the test times began to get slower and more and more riders were losing time on the lap.
After Jack came in on his 3rd lap, I hurried off to watch the champ riders do another test, this time I went and watched on the fastest section of the test. To watch those guys travel at such a speed through the woods is something else, although I must admit to loving it even more when a 125 came by as they just kept the thing ‘pinned’ all the time, magic!
After I got back from the special test I was told that the event was to be cut short due to safety reasons from the relentless rain that was teeming down upon us, bit of a shame that really, but if parts of the track are inaccessible to the medical services then you’ve really got no choice.
So with the muntjac finished, and us getting everything packed away in the van, it was off back home, but not before stocking up with grub at the local Tesco’s for journey.
Was it worth all the traveling and getting soaked to the bone without even riding? Yeah course it was.
I went up to the Muntjac (the 1st of the British champ rounds) with ‘mad’ Jack Twentyman who was riding there, and his boy Paddy. The idea was to get there early so Jack could walk the test a couple of times, and with a 6 hour plus journey we had to leave fairly early, although not at the crack of dawn I might add as we were having an overnight stay on the Saturday night at a local hotel.
Things were going all to plan, when about 10 miles from the venue we came to abrupt halt on the A11, nose to tail traffic and not moving. Oh dear, must be an accident then surely? I got out and walk up the road only to find a car strewn across the carriageway smashed to bits. Apparently it had broken down on the side of the road and a lorry had just smashed straight into it at full pelt! To cut a long story short, we finally managed to get going again and just made to Thetford forest as the sun was going down. I was going meet up with Mark and Rich Tucker as well, but because we were so late, they’d long gone and was back at their hotel having a few beers watching the rugby on the box.
After walking the test and with it being nearly dark, and with the threat of rain in the air, Jack decided to walk it again! Um……..ok Jack, see you later then as me and Paddy went back to the motor and put the bloody heater on! 30 mins later and Jack came back, soaking wet and freezing cold in the pitch black, dedication or what? Or his he really just ‘mad’.
With now time getting on, it was off to the town of Thetford to look for our hotel before race day tomorrow. We couldn’t find the hotel for love nor money, and even resorted to asking a group of ‘hoodies’ who were hanging about on a street corner, trouble is when I asked them where the Bell hotel was, they couldn’t understand a word I was saying, they were bloody polish! Yeah that’s right, Polish ‘hoodies’ in Thetford! After yet more driving around and around, we finally made it to our destination, time for Jack to get a sat nav me thinks! (although to be honest, I haven’t got one). It was then off down the local pub for a welcome slap up meal and a few pints before returning to the hotel for a few more pints in the bar where we met another 6 or 7 riders who were staying there. Had a decent chat and a few laughs before retiring for the night to get some kip.
Sunday
After riding this event last year, I was of course naturally disappointed not to be riding, but at least I was here, and the atmosphere was fantastic. I met up with Mark and Rich and also saw Steve Jose (not to be confused with that other Steve Jose who lives down my way) and Dave ‘Butch’. Apparently Steve and Butch stayed in a pub last night ‘that didn’t close’, so they were a bit worse for wear as it were. Michael Brooks passed by so I had a chat with him as well just as the rain started to fall down on.
So at 9am the first Champ class riders got on their way, and with the special test section just a couple of hundred yards up the road, everyone rushed up there to see the action. My god was it slippery or what? Tight twisty turns that meandered their way through the woods for a couple of miles, before crossing the fire road and out into the faster section before coming back into the tight stuff again to finish the test. As I was stood there waiting for Jack to come back I bumped into Pete Lawry who’s son Dan was riding today, you couldn’t miss Dan as he came through, he had new kit on that can only be described as colorful! I was watching most of the test with Mark Tucker, and as the rain began to get harder, we both knew that the riders would have a job keeping to the already tight schedule. Sure enough as conditions got worse, the test times began to get slower and more and more riders were losing time on the lap.
After Jack came in on his 3rd lap, I hurried off to watch the champ riders do another test, this time I went and watched on the fastest section of the test. To watch those guys travel at such a speed through the woods is something else, although I must admit to loving it even more when a 125 came by as they just kept the thing ‘pinned’ all the time, magic!
After I got back from the special test I was told that the event was to be cut short due to safety reasons from the relentless rain that was teeming down upon us, bit of a shame that really, but if parts of the track are inaccessible to the medical services then you’ve really got no choice.
So with the muntjac finished, and us getting everything packed away in the van, it was off back home, but not before stocking up with grub at the local Tesco’s for journey.
Was it worth all the traveling and getting soaked to the bone without even riding? Yeah course it was.
