It was off to the next series of the south West championships not far home nr Truro, only about 30 mins away. I managed to cadge a lift from Morcambe and Wise (a certain Mr Blake and Mr Jose), and in return I was of course on pit board duties again for them. We got there quite early as we new that parking was at a premium due to narrow fire road that led up to the start/pit area, and you could only park to one side of the road. Absolutely cracker of a day weather wise it was too, nice warm sunshine, hooray, summers here!
As this was a local event and us parked up near the start, it wasn’t long before what it seemed like every bloody rider stopped and had a chat with us all as they walked past on their way up. Mark and Rich Tucker were the 1st to arrive, followed by a whole host of local talent (or not!) in the shape of Phil ’smiler’ Harris, Andy (converted to a 4 banger) Smith, Francis (my T shirts too big) Banfield, Steve Jay, Jon Hinkley, James (I wear pop socks) Hull along with brother Dan, Paul Ford, Rob (love song man) Ellick, Rich (Dragons den inventor) Batstone, Ollie Hicks, Arthur (evergreen) Johnson, Jed Treleaven, Paul Fordy, Rod Mclean, Phew! the list is endless! But hold on, where’s ‘mad’ Jack Twentyman? Suddenly my phone rung, and sure enough it was ‘mad’ Jack running a bit late as usual, so he asked us if we could move up the vans so we could make a space for him where we were so he didn’t have to walk too far to the start! So we did, and sure enough with just about half an hour or so to go before race time, up turns Jack and parks behind us (this was to cause a ‘you’ve been framed’ moment a bit later on).
So with me yet again being a general ’dogs body’ carrying this and that for a few riders to the pits, it was off to watch it all happen down at the bottom of the start straight to see who got the holeshot. Phil (harris) wasn’t riding today so I was stood there with him along with John Pitman (who also wasn’t riding) and Mark Tucker. So after watching all the classes start, it was off to explore the woods to see if I can find some decent sections of ’where it all happens’ in order to catch exhilarating action! With the conditions being warm and dry, and it being a fast course, I couldn’t really find anywhere without going miles away (coz I was needed back at the pits to help with re-fueling) that produced some tasty pieces of action.
The racing at the front of the pack was top notch, some good champ riders there today, and the top 3 were all within a few bike lengths of each other for at least the first hour, good stuff to watch it was. After helping out a few riders on their pit stop, it was time for me to stay round the start area and resume my pit board duties for messrs Blake and Jose until the race finished. In the meantime a few riders had some problems, Steve Jay stopped in the pits for a while not feeling too good, Andy Smith stopped for running repairs a bit later on, James Hull DNF’d with yet another puncture, and I poured Mark Tucker another cup of coffee from my flask!!!
Now what the fooking hell is going on here then? The catering van is leaving! What’s that all about? Probably the busiest period they’re likely to get when all the riders are ‘Hank Marvin’ and need food at the end of proceedings, and they pee off and leave! Now come on play the game, I know we’ve been a bit peed off in the past when the vans ran out of chips at the end and all that’s left is bread rolls, but to actually leave the bloody place the minute the race finished is errrrrrr……..well, lets say politely, not good! Still never mind, it was all decided to stop at Macdonalds on the way home in order that Steve Jose could satisfy his hunger and keep his weight up.
But wait, drama ensued just as we were leaving as ‘mad’ Jacks van got stuck down a drainage hole whilst trying to leave the place. After showing everybody how to get stuck ‘good and proper’ by digging yourself an even bigger hole by revving the nuts out of your vans engine in front of us all, Jack rather embarrassingly had to admit DEFEAT, (not something in his vocabulary), and go and get help in order to get towed out which he did.
A good day out today, enjoyed it………………….
As this was a local event and us parked up near the start, it wasn’t long before what it seemed like every bloody rider stopped and had a chat with us all as they walked past on their way up. Mark and Rich Tucker were the 1st to arrive, followed by a whole host of local talent (or not!) in the shape of Phil ’smiler’ Harris, Andy (converted to a 4 banger) Smith, Francis (my T shirts too big) Banfield, Steve Jay, Jon Hinkley, James (I wear pop socks) Hull along with brother Dan, Paul Ford, Rob (love song man) Ellick, Rich (Dragons den inventor) Batstone, Ollie Hicks, Arthur (evergreen) Johnson, Jed Treleaven, Paul Fordy, Rod Mclean, Phew! the list is endless! But hold on, where’s ‘mad’ Jack Twentyman? Suddenly my phone rung, and sure enough it was ‘mad’ Jack running a bit late as usual, so he asked us if we could move up the vans so we could make a space for him where we were so he didn’t have to walk too far to the start! So we did, and sure enough with just about half an hour or so to go before race time, up turns Jack and parks behind us (this was to cause a ‘you’ve been framed’ moment a bit later on).
So with me yet again being a general ’dogs body’ carrying this and that for a few riders to the pits, it was off to watch it all happen down at the bottom of the start straight to see who got the holeshot. Phil (harris) wasn’t riding today so I was stood there with him along with John Pitman (who also wasn’t riding) and Mark Tucker. So after watching all the classes start, it was off to explore the woods to see if I can find some decent sections of ’where it all happens’ in order to catch exhilarating action! With the conditions being warm and dry, and it being a fast course, I couldn’t really find anywhere without going miles away (coz I was needed back at the pits to help with re-fueling) that produced some tasty pieces of action.
The racing at the front of the pack was top notch, some good champ riders there today, and the top 3 were all within a few bike lengths of each other for at least the first hour, good stuff to watch it was. After helping out a few riders on their pit stop, it was time for me to stay round the start area and resume my pit board duties for messrs Blake and Jose until the race finished. In the meantime a few riders had some problems, Steve Jay stopped in the pits for a while not feeling too good, Andy Smith stopped for running repairs a bit later on, James Hull DNF’d with yet another puncture, and I poured Mark Tucker another cup of coffee from my flask!!!
Now what the fooking hell is going on here then? The catering van is leaving! What’s that all about? Probably the busiest period they’re likely to get when all the riders are ‘Hank Marvin’ and need food at the end of proceedings, and they pee off and leave! Now come on play the game, I know we’ve been a bit peed off in the past when the vans ran out of chips at the end and all that’s left is bread rolls, but to actually leave the bloody place the minute the race finished is errrrrrr……..well, lets say politely, not good! Still never mind, it was all decided to stop at Macdonalds on the way home in order that Steve Jose could satisfy his hunger and keep his weight up.
But wait, drama ensued just as we were leaving as ‘mad’ Jacks van got stuck down a drainage hole whilst trying to leave the place. After showing everybody how to get stuck ‘good and proper’ by digging yourself an even bigger hole by revving the nuts out of your vans engine in front of us all, Jack rather embarrassingly had to admit DEFEAT, (not something in his vocabulary), and go and get help in order to get towed out which he did.
A good day out today, enjoyed it………………….
