www.hrc1.org
www.hrc1.org
DECEMBER NUMBER 119
NEWS AND COMMENT
HR CHRISTMAS
SPECIAL
It’s official!!!
OUR SOCIAL NIGHT AT THE BULLS HEAD,
EWHURST ON SATURDAY 29TH JAN 2005 7 - 11 PM
WITH SKITTLES, FOOD AND BEER, ALL
FOR ONLY £10 A HEAD
There is a minimum number of 30
(max 60) - we have 25 promises so it’s booked. Answers to questions asked
:
Can children come? - Yes (and the
Mrs)
Do they pay? - Yes if they eat,
though 2 little’uns might share a meal and pay for one.
Do we have to pay now? - Up to you,
if you can give us a cheque it won’t be cashed till the week before the
do.
What is the food? - You can choose
one of three options :
A) Chicken Chasseur, new potatoes
& peas
B) Steak and Kidney Pie, new
potatoes and peas
C) Vegetable Lasagne, new
potatoes & peas
It will be served about 8.15 pm, sweets are available, pay at counter (extra). We will need to know your choice 10 days before the event so please fill in the enclosed form asap indicating requirements.
Other points - the building is separate from the pub and has it’s own bar. Games of skittles will go on all evening with everyone involved in a knockout, individual games - prizes for winners!
GET OUT AND ENJOY YOURSELVES!
IN THIS ISSUE - As promised it’s
a bumper number so you’ll have plenty to read over Xmas but it needed a
bit of scheming to assemble. Where are our budding writers who can jaw
for hours before and after a trial while we want to go home? Benge’s
crossing Canada, John Richmond’s crossing India, John Lampkin’s Scottish
write up is a steal, your trials report and even a poem have found space,
but the rest including Tea Bags bbq successes have been sussed from gossip.
NEWS AND COMMENT
NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING - Will be at the Wednesday club night following the February 05 trial. Venue TBA.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO HORSHAM RIDERS! - Next February it’s our tenth anniversary although our first Newsletter went out in Jan 1995. The first trial was on 26th Feb and we have about 40 members and 28 rode in the event and of those 9 still do. Looking back is always interesting so we will write nostalgic tales for your delight next year.
NEC MOTORCYCLE SHOW - Once
again Mike’s contacts unwittingly provided some cheap passes so 3 of us
went. Since they’ve extended the show to ten days several smaller
exhibitors shunned the extra cost so it was a bit of a let down.
Tim saw when he wanted to see - a Buell, I didn’t - a Guzzi or Sachs.
Mike chatted up his opposition. We all missed the trials demo by
Duggie which was a pity but did bump into Colin Harwood and mates walking
round, each carrying a pint. I liked the Enfield and chair in which
sat Tim so Mike took a pic, me in the saddle - no bare ladies though so
perhaps it’ll be on the website!
CLUBNIGHT NATTER - Over the years efforts have been made to assemble a reasonable turnout without success. Occasional revelations of what goes on isn’t too encouraging, sitting at a recent meeting I think you’ll agree. Discussion 1 centred around the merits of being a kept man followed by the difficulty of ironing ladies blouses! Discussion 2 - the worries of modern life, what with mortgages and house prices and contractors etc. By 10.30 pm more youthful thinking incorporated catapults and 22 shooting tales, but Motor Bikes? - not a word! I won’t say who was present.
PRACTICE, RAIN AND SAUSAGES - Not all of which were promised for Dave’s special day at Don Barratt’s in mid October. It was well attended, I was going on the Guzzi but the rain put me off so the curses of the organiser fell upon me. He said that the rain was no bother as he stood in the tent and anyone who didn’t go missed a treat! Asked for a report the only reply was ‘do you want a cup of tea?’
OUT AND ABOUT - Clint had a good ride in the Jersey Two Day trial. Riding the clubman route on the Honda he was 3rd but on his last lap returned the best lap score in the class. Elsewhere the Thumpers Trial won by Len Hutty, the also rans i.e. yellow route riders had their class described as ‘gentlemen’ - we should take that up.
TEAM RESULTS - We tried to
put October trial results into Team results but there were insufficient
complete teams, again the same in November. If you have any ideas
how we could reintroduce a system of scoring for the marking out teams
- speak up.
CHRISTMAS CRACKER
DECEMBER TRIAL - Mannings Heath
Ian Mac’s team of Indians gained
a few feathers in their head dress when compliments showered on them for
a well judged trial. Setters out Ian, Paul Barnes and Eric Scutt achieved
near perfection with marks rising gradually only into the 80’s and winners
losing a few too. 100% finished White and blue routes, 3 newcomers from
Newdigate didn’t hand in cards which made Yellow dnf’s high. The Indians
feathers got ruffled when we get to the red route with only a 25% finishing
- so not quite perfect! It wasn’t as wet (apart from sections 3)
as anticipated, the weather great and 54 riders took part.
Jesse B arrived lugging bags of
firewood for his new clients, 3 were placed outside the caravan with advert
causing the comment that HR events were becoming a bit like car boot sales.
Adrian announced he had a gas fire. Ryan Harris didn’t know he was
a member or where to put his front wheel in a section when Charlie hibernates
- doesn’t make any difference, the wheel won’t go where he says anyway!
Keith Tracey on the Chinese Honda resurfaced having been off with some
ribs and John R (explorer of India) still can’t lift his arm since that
fall a couple of months back - he tried a lap and got back in the van.
I enquired whether to phone an undertaker but he said he’d dig for his
own oil. John Pocklington who did well last month asked if we only
added one of his cards as he was impressed with his own score! Mike
having sold all his bikes entered the blues as he would ride his Pampera
trail bike (if that gets sold the supermoto will have to emerge!)
Star of the day was Gary B on the
blues losing 3 on his first 2 laps and he cleaned the next two, these retro
machines need retro bodies to ride ‘em - ask Clint. Kevin B was delighted
to be in front of Mike after 2 laps - that joy didn’t last but Kev T managed
to stay in single figures finishing unusually happy - well he smiled.
Benge did a lap with the bike cutting out halfway up hills, thought he’d
have a dnf and went back to sort it - turned out to be the kill switch
where he’d replaced his handlebars (busted at Don Barratt’s) over the weekend
- Mike described the refit as Bengineering. Brian B had his big Mont
tested by spectator Dave Mears who’d noticed it was somewhat tamer than
the one he rode, says he’ll have to do the mods. Scores were close in the
middle of the entry with only a mark separating Kev B, Dave B and Sam Aldrich
so I hope we added the holes up correctly. This group come together
when conditions are right but never get joined by Pete B who reckoned if
all his laps had been as good as his last Gary would have to watch out
on that old Fanny, Jesse B did so well he wanted to know his score before
going home. Adrian Bee has been an HR man for 7 or 8 years but this
trial has to be his crowning glory - he led the yellows. Michael
Hyden too, only a mark away was on a high - the reason for this maybe that
John Y hadn’t been about and was carrying a large white globe on his titfor
letting Ken R get one in front. Ryan Geere, Paul Reynolds and Ben
Northover are all new members, obviously not to trials as they pushed Graham
Knight down a few places from last event. What happened to Schoolboys
Dom Jarratt and Jack Northover? Normally in close control they were
30 marks apart, perhaps it was the hill on Section 7 that Katie refused
to try or the greasy cambers of Section 5 which cost everyone loads, till
Ian changed it. Before then Biff H had a dramatic dismount falling
half way down the big hill, they tried to get the bike up, no chance, but
Biff’s riding well now so he went down as far as Blues and up without a
dab. Ian J had a dnf when great noise came from the cub engine -
still I’ve nearly got the next one ready he says, the little end can wait.
Nick H was happy with his 125 the way it went up 7, announced his score
as 46 and was quite satisfied - the total had to be double checked at first
it came out as 56 then 51. That’s nothing compared to the young lady with
145, the gasser fan broke and she couldn’t finish so punched a lot of fives
to avoid a dnf.
White route only had 3 entries and
scores were set to be low on sections that looked OTT to me became main
roads in expert hands. Shame then that Clint stalled the engine and
Mick Huskinson missed a gate both dropping a 5. Best 2 laps of the
day went to Clint for 1 ml whereas Mick’s was 3. Paul Barnes had
given a lot of thought to their sections but he got some verbal when I
saw them moving half a forest to make it a bit wider on Section 8 - “left
all the work for the riders” they said. Sean Parsons who won the
October event at Rome found that just an odd dab or two really shows on
an easier event - he’d only lost 31 to be last white!
It’s a pity that three out of four
reds didn’t make it to the end, it seems sections were a bit too hard for
the new boys, but well done Sam H for finishing on 98 which is possibly
one of his lowest scores to date.
The rest of the Indians turned out
to help clear up ie Brian Barnes and Ian Johnston, they with Eric and the
other Ian had provided a good days sport and even Mick Dunstan who has
enjoyed a bit of torture in the past had to say they days pains slipped
away. Thanks Boys!
PS Tea Bags new tea pot will be
a four stroke 2005 Monty.
RESULTS
White
Blue Yellow
Clint Leggett E 8
Garry Budgen N 3 Adrian
Bee C 14
Mick Huskinson I 20
Kevin Thompson O40 9 Michael Hyden SB 15
Sean Parsons E 31
Sam foster SBB 12 Ken Rickets
O50 17
Keith Tracey O40 16 John Yardley O50 18
Ian McCulloch O40 22 Ryan Geere C 19
Mike Husband O40 25 Paul Reynolds C 22
Red
Kev Brooker N 29 Ben Northover
C 23
Sam Husband SB 98
Dave Blackman N 30 Graham Knight C
23
Sam Aldrich N 31 Dom Jarrett
SBC 28
dnf David Martin, Steve
Jesse Brooker SB 37 Daniel Pople C 30
McBirney, Thomas McBirney Andrew
Jolley N 37 Eric Scutt C 33
Brian Barnes O40 38 Ryan Harris C 34
John Illingworth O40 41 John Pocklington C 38
Steve Barrow N 43 Nick Herridge
C 51
Elim Lilleywhite SBB 50 Martin Tooley C 53
Mark Johnson N 54 Charley Page
SBC 57
Benge N 66
Mick Dunstan C 60
Pete Brooker N 72 Jack Northover
SBC 63
Tim Martin N 80 Rob
Hyden C 74
Analysis Enter DNF '%
Spencer Page C 77
White 3 0 100
Andy Martin C 82
Blue 19 0 100
Katie Husband SBC 145
Yellow 28 6 80
Red 4 3 25
dnf Biff Harrison, Sm Heather
Lee Davis, Rob Wisby
Total 54 9 84
John Richmond, Ian Johnston
All club trial pics from Steve
Hook - thanks
WHEN I’M
CLEANING SECTIONS
(with apologies to George Formby)
In trials riding
With Horsham Riders club
For a useless Biker
It’s as good as down the pub
A Trials Rider you should be
Feet on pegs for all to see
Then you don’t lose 5 or 3
Cleaning all the sections
Routes of yellow, white and blue
Up hlls, round trees, in the poo
You’ll be surprised at what you’ll
do
When you’re cleaning windows
At trials riding I work hard
Trying not to stop
And Climb the HR Ladder
Till I get right to the top
Those new bikes they look divine
Like Clinton’s some keep going fine
Shame it’s not the same with mine
When I’m not cleaning sections
You’ll see the experts in the wood
All the sections understood
How do they get so blinkin’ good
They’e cleaning all the sections
So who it it they want to see
Nor the tea bag, Dick or me
They’ll be wrapped up round a tree
Fiving all the sections
When it’s wet you slip and slide
Miss the gate and go too wide
In the stream you think you’ve died
Laying in the sections
At trials riding I will rise
From the bottom rung
Of Horsham Riders ladder
Or would have done when young
Sections done and felling shattered
Body worn, the bike is knackered
Lovely Trial is all that mattered
When I’m cleaning sections ……………………….THEN
I’M LISTED DNF!
THE PLAYBOY’S
STORY - in outline (Benge’s trip to Canada
Summer 04)
Benge has mates that have everything
you could want especially a motorbike shop. This mate wanted some
demo bikes from a Japanese factory delivered to the other side of Canada
so he could ride them back to his shop in Vancouver. There were two
bikes to ride so Benge gets an offer and jumps at it. Halifax to
Vancouver on a 1600 cc Kwacker V twin - what more could a playboy want?
The distance to ride was 4500 miles,
they moved at around 85 mph as without a fairing 100 was too uncomfortable.
Covering 4 - 500 miles a day especially on one bit of road that just happened
to be 1500 miles without a kink and you could see that far each side too
I suspect. The bike used 108 gallons and wore out a rear tyre so
it wasn’t cost free. Being Benge he was wearing some strange open
face French crash hat, unbeknown to him in Canada you can be taken by police
to a bike shop and made to buy a hat they say, before you ride on.
When they stopped our man the origin of his hat was so confusing he got
let off. Only other little snippets Benge told me in a 3 minute chat
after the trial - apart from the fact that pens and paper weren’t his thing
- was riding across the width of Lake Superior which was 400 miles and
trains that were a mile long.
Sometime when we’re in a pub having
a beer or round that camp fire at Northlands we’ll get the whole story
from Benge but this is all you’re getting now.
SCOTTISH 6 DAYS TRIAL 2004 Foreword by John Lampkin.
Firstly. it is a real pleasure to
be asked to write the foreword for the SSDT program- especially as I am
the only Lampkin apart from my Granny not to have won the event.
My first memories of the SSDT were
when Reg May would come to Silsden and prepare Sid's and Marts Bultacos.
I would watch them leave for Scotland - this was no good, this could not
carry on, and a plan was needed to get Johnboy to the Scottish. I
agreed with my dad that if I saved half he would save half.
To help me save he bought me 20
hens. From these I would sell the eggs all year to save up my half,
nobody escaped buying my eggs.
The following year soon came round
and all the finances were in place....Johnboy's off to the Scottish!
I had a major problem on my hands - no room for my pushbike in the van.
No way , this cannot be happening! how can I go to my first Scottish without
my pushbike? They eventually found room for my bike so we traveled
up to Edinburgh for the weigh in, all the top riders fettling their bikes.
Excited does not come into it.
I set off round the start, autograph
book ready. My main job was to try and get as many stickers as possible
from the various trade people. The day went well - stickers everywhere.
I am in paradise! We set off on the Monday to go watch Edramucky, which
is a group of sections on the way up to Fort William.
I did not think this could get any
better: pushbike, box of stickers and off to watch all the stars, but it
did. But it did our Mart's Bultaco seized up on the first morning
so I could travel with him, lucky or what?!
Our Mart did not see it like that
- he was not even interested in my sticker collection. funny or what?
I watched for about five or six years, missing one year for my exams. Now
25 years later I am considering forgiving my mum for "making" me stop behind
to do them. My time soon came around and, with my birthday being
in April, it was my second trial on the road.
I rode a Bultaco sponsored by Colin
Appleyard, finished 84th but loved every second of it. There was
a bloke called Vesterinen just in front of me and I was told to just keep
up with him and time would not be a problem.
Poor man - I never left his side
apart from on the road when we came across a very tight left hander.
Vesty just leant over a bit more and I went straight through the wall,
concussed, bent frame but no damage to my stickers so we were off again.
In my second year I rode an SWM
for Jock Wilson and our Mart. I had a number next to Mart, which I thought
was a good do until he loaded my bum bag up with spanners. It was
so heavy that if a leant back on the road my bike would go into a wheelie.
Everything was going well until the Thursday. Just before the lunch stop
Mart turned to me and said: "we are really late - do not try and keep up
with me."
Stand back and learn, Martin, this
is Johnboy, 18 years old. We set off going like hell - he wasn't
even sticking his knee out. He had no idea, well until we came across
some roadwork's, just like Vesty he did a little swerve and missed it all,
I rode flat out off the road into the eight- feet ditch that the JCB was
digging, which was full of water. I think in the trade they call that education.
I carried on to ride 22 SSDT's and
have too many stories to tell. I have loved every one of them in different
ways. I will require a knee replacement in the future so it is the
end of riding for me. Last year was my final ride in the SSDT - joint leader
after the first day and best over - 40.
At last I have beaten Steve Saunders
at something, even though he is not 40 yet. To the riders: hope the
rocks roll your way. To the observers: hope the riders behave in the right
way. To the organisers: carry on in the same way.
John Lampkin.
INJA TRIP
The getting ready for an “epic”
adventure seemed to take forever. On getting advice about inoculations,
you were hearing so many stories of what you could catch, that I signed
up for every thing including the anti rabies injection, I’ve been eating
bloody dog biscuits ever since.
Visas have to be applied for and
got and travel insurance. These all seem to take a toll of man hours, but
finally everything is in place for this “awesome” experience.
Having travelled in North Africa
on various rallies I have opted for the usual idea of travelling light,
after all is India not the ‘T’ shirt industry, and carry a small kit in
one rucksack along with my new digital super dooper camera,of which I have
no blooming idea of operating.
Come the day for lift off and my
wife drives me to Heathrow airport and throws me out at terminal al 4 as
she does not know how to get to terminal 3, in fact neither do I and catch
an underground train to get there, seeming to take an age.
Finally roll up at the Air India
desk, thank god I am early and won’t get a wing seat (visions of trains
in India with people hanging an all over it). Having never met any of the
other riders before (there are approx 100 going) they tend to stand out,
as people turn up wearing crash helmets and motor cross boots and more
luggage than Rooney’s girlfriend.
Gradually people introduce themselves
and the organisers turn up to hand out tickets etc, and a lovely young
lady in a sari shepherds us through.
First time ever in a “big” plane
and I am totally amazed by the amount of room and number of seats.
The 8 hour flight has started and we have our first meal on board, quite
tasty for airline food and I strike up conversation with a lady sitting
next to me all dressed in a sari and asked her if she is returning back
to India to which she replies in best Birmingham accent, no, I haven’t
been to India before I,m just going for a holiday!!
What seems like an age in the air
we landed at Mumbai airport (Bombay to the old colonials) for a 7-hour
wait for a plane to Calicut. I was glad that this was night time
as it gave me a chance for a bit of sleep, until every one was panicking
because there were mosquitoes flying about. We found the cure for
this, Indian rum.
Finally we load up onto the next
plane for the flight to Calicut. We are now further south and when
the doors were opened on the plane and you stepped out it was as though
you were in an oven, 35°C and it was only 10 in the morning!!
The formalities of going through
police and customs has to be seen to be believed, as it is said Britain
gave India bureaucracy and India enhanced it, there seems to be 4 people
to inspect the same thing each time.
Out of the airport we are loaded
onto our “air conditioned” couches, well the windows did open, and a 15-mile
ride to our hotel. What an eye opener!! Every thing seems to run on just
the horn being used about 90% of the time, I am sure our coach driver was
trained by Stephene Petahansel. I don’t know whether the local populace
was told of our coming or was it that we just stood out from the crowd
but we were waved and smiled at on the whole route, least I think they
were waving, maybe they wont be so happy to see us when we venture out
on their roads.
We arrived at the magnificent Taj
Mahal Hotel equivalent to a 5 star, with air conditioning, but the sweetest
sight was the 100 brand spanking, gleaming Royal Enfield Bullets lined
up ready for this “gang” of bikers.
The rest of the day was spent sorting
out who was going to share a room with whom and having a swim in the pool
and then venturing into the city of Calicut in one of the 3 wheeled “tut
tuts” to savoir the delights that a city in India can offer.
Our senses were assaulted. In the
main shopping area, if you can imagine was the usual spicy scents associated
with Indian cooking, along with 2 stroke oil, clapped out engine smoke
and open sewers running in front of the shops. But, value for money
- ‘T’ shirts 25p each, proper eye test and two pairs reading glasses £4.
Back to the hotel and as usual in
foreign places the problems of what to eat or what not to, but everything
seems o.k. and we retire to bed to rest for the next days adventure.
TRAINING SESSION
I am of the age to have been used
to kick-starting English bikes and am assigned KL.11.S.8018. Turn
on key, choke and ease over until ammeter shows points open and kick right
through, starts first time. The bike ticks over like a Swiss watch, well
maybe a Timex. But it seems all around me there are chaps going different
shades of red and purple and “leaking” like mad trying to start them.
Gradually one, by one the machines are started and we have as part of the
package a team of Indian Royal Enfield mechanics both as riding mechanics
and a mobile workshop which will prove to be a godsend to a few of the
road racers.
After getting the hang of the wrong
way round gear lever and rear brake and 1up and 3 down riding around the
car park and grounds we venture out onto the roads of Calicut to head towards
a beach some 15 miles distance using a primitive form of road book. Drive
on left, keep your wits about you and expect the unexpected.
Bloody Hell!! There’s lorries overtaking
cars, being over taken by buses and this lots coming straight at you, and
no one, but no one is going to give way. But after a load of hooting and
tooting, but definitely no road rage it all blends in and disappears down
the road, me I’m about 15 yards up some track right away from this lot.
Back out onto the road and gaining more confidence all the time, but also
having to try and look cool to wave back at the locals who are cheering
you on. We arrive at the beach and one or two riders find that the Enfield
is not so steady on sand!
Our baptism over, we find that the
best way to ride is at a good pace (well for an Enfield) and use the hooters
90% of the time, for tomorrow we leave the comfort of the hotel and head
out on the road.
Day 1 Calicut- Nilgri
Hills
Our luggage is loaded onto a lorry
and we are handed our “road books” for today’s ride. Apparently we
will be going up into the Ghat Mountains and the first road into there
will have 42 hairpin bends.
After a gentle 50-mile ride, well
we are meant to be running the bikes in, we stop at a petrol station to
fill the tanks as not much further on we start going into the mountain
ranges and there are no filling stations there. Soon we are on the infamous
mountain road and it is basically 1st and second gear work which is proving
a problem with a lot of bikes as they are “nipping” up as they overheat
(blimey, I didn’t know that the Enfield was built to tight tolerance),
but just left to cool down and restart again and take it steady we arrived
at the top at a char wallars emporium. I don’t mind sweet tea but
you could stand a spoon up in these cups. Here I had a stroke of luck by
noticing the washing up water for the cups before indulging and just drank
bottled water. The next day I think about 25 people were in line for the
bad tummy medal.
All in all, I know we take the micky
out of the old Enfield, but they are a comfortable ride and surprising
agile in the corners and sharp bends, but do get a bit wheezy at 65mph.
We arrived in the campsite at about
6 p.m. that evening and after a couple of cold beers were shown our tent
for the night. I was a little bit apprehensive when our tent was right
on the edge near to the forest after hearing of tigers and bears and how
the manager had lost 3 dogs in as many months. Any way after a good meal,
some more beers and a good shower it was time to retire for the night.
Just got off to sleep and all hell broke loose, apparently it was a local
festival, fireworks and shouting and musical instruments clashed for every
bit of silence. So we got up and joined in, they had erected a fun fair
of sorts with a big wheel and all the fun of the fair. This carried
on to about 2 in the morning, when every body disappeared off to bed, only
to be kept awake by dogs barking and cockerels crowing, oh well.
Nilgri Hills - Palakkad
Up and away the next morning, the
only thing on the breakfast menu was curried fish left over from the night
before, no thanks. As I said before 25 of the group were now suffering
from a jippy tummy and before long the site had run out of bushes.
We were issued with our second set
of road books for the day and set of on the next leg. I teamed up with
a chap from Dorset, who unfortunately had an Australian wife (private joke
and not meant to be racist) and was having trouble reading the road book.
I told him I would ride behind and he could lead and if he looked back
every so often and didn’t see me, it meant that he had missed a turning
and was to come back till he saw me waiting, This worked well and by the
end of the day he had basically got the hang of the road book. His wife
was another matter, she was a very well endowed young lady who wore low
slung tops (very often I thought ideal place to park the front wheel) and
every time we stopped for a break would unzip her jacket for all her glory
to spill out, bring about a mad rush of young lads of a certain age, which
was all very well, but slowed us up from getting a drink and something
to eat.
This day had one of the most frightening
parts I had known. Having become used to town traffic and how low a status
us motorcyclist are on the road, we approached some traffic lights on the
outskirts of a large very busy town. On approaching the lights turned
red, we stopped but no one else did and the traffic was still coming from
the other way. The lights turned green and still the traffic was coming
from the other way.
It was a case of trusting in which
ever god you believed in and going for it. Thankfully we all survived
That night we stayed in a hotel by the river, where the locals were dredging
by hand the sand from the riverbed to use in the building trade.
Palakkad - Kodaikanal
The next morning after breakfast
(boiled eggs and toast) we were given the day’s road book with a change
in plan. The organisers had managed to “bribe” some local officials to
allow us to use on old English army road, which went through the mountains.
But, the best fun was as we were leaving the town at the level crossing.
The gates were down waiting for a train to go through and you have never
seen the likes before, both sides of the crossing were jammed packed with
buses, lorries, motor bikes, cycles, tut tutts, elephants, ox carts and
pedestrians and when the gates went up, this whole lot clashed and slid
between each other with horns and hooters and in the case of the elephants
trumpeting and went its merry way, I was amazed, in England everybody would
have been standing there arguing.
Today’s ride was fantastic, good
roads and a steady climb up into the hills where it was a lot cooler. One
of the mountain climbs had 30 hairpins, but the sort that you could attack,
like all good things they come to an end, I had a feeling that sort of
sixth sense that something couldn’t be right around the next bend and there
it was, a lorry over taking a bus coming straight for me. 2000 foot drop
one side and rock face the other, luckily there was a cleft in the rock
where I dived with bike to let this lot go by still side by side going
round the bend. It’s amazing how you slow down a lot after that.
Finally we arrived in Kodai Kanal, which was an American hill town back
in the time of the Raj.
Kadaikamal-Munnar
By golly that was cold that night
and after a good breakfast we all set off.
Today we would be riding through
national parks and tiger reserves, though the only wild thing we saw were
some elephants at a training camp. It wasn’t till late afternoon
when we came through the dry dusty arid reserves that it was if you had
entered a different world. As we crested a hill, stretching in front were
the large tea plantations and where all the little paths and access ways
are formed through the bushes made the landscape look like a green mosaic.
Here were signs of the old colonial days with English style houses and
little villages for the tea pickers, although a large Indian company called
TATA now owns most of the plantations.
After travelling what seemed an
age through this scenery we arrived in Munnor, hell, like Blackpool on
a bad day.
Munnar- Thckkady
Today we were going on a special road that past 3 or 4 hydroelectric dams as long as we do not photograph the dams and ride in groups, because the dreaded bandit Veerpan was in the area (if you read your daily papers he has since been shot) and he may kidnap us for a ransom, that’s me snookered then!! It was a fantastic ride until we got to the end where a barrier was across the road. The guard on the gate would not let us through as no one had authorized him to let us out. So in the end one of the organisers had to ride back and fetch the official who had let us in to tell him to let us out and then he had to take the official back. All this and 4 hours wait in the middle of the day. Ah well mad dogs and English men etc.
Thekkady-Angamaly
The evening in Thekkady went well
and even the Kingfisher beer (national brewing company) tasted well that
night. That morning it was obvious that something had been wrong with the
cooking at the hotel as one
by one people we stopping at the
side of the road and disappearing in all directions, by the end of the
day 50% of the world’s supply of Immodium had been used up, but luck stayed
with me and I was not afflicted.
As we dropped down out of the mountains
we were riding on straight roads through an arable district of well-kept
fields, but it was definitely getting warmer, also Factor 35 sun cream
doesn’t work especially on the nose!
It was an uneventful day as it goes
in India until Angamaly. The street we rode down every shop and store sold
coffins and all the parts needed for burials, very off putting!!
Here we joined the infamous N17
highway for ½ mile until our hotel.
This was our last night before arriving
back at Calicut, but we were told to rest up well for tomorrow will be
the ride of your life.
Angamaly-Calicut
Today we were going to ride the N17
and N47 “motorway” system, which would only be 180 miles. If you
can imagine the speed of the M25 with traffic coming at you from all sides,
lorries and buses overtaking you and diesel fumes and pollution like you
have never seen, this was what we were going to ride today.
The ride started off well and as
you
can realise the Enfield’s were now run in and basically they were in for
a flat out ride up to Calicut. You had to have 110% concentration and 360º
visibility, it was absolutely manic and I have never been so exhausted
on a ride before. On reaching Calicut I had the same face colouring as
the locals with the black from the exhaust fumes. One chap had the misfortune
of a bus overtaking him and then suddenly stopping at a bus stop and as
you can imagine the brakes of an Enfield are still in 1950s mode. He was
carted off to hospital with broken collarbone and various cuts and bruises
but no real harm done.
The people of Calicut welcomed as
back as if we were long lost cousins and shouts of hello and clapping greeted
us on all the roads back to the hotel.
It was with sadness that you felt
that this was the last ride on the bikes, but tomorrow they would be handed
over to the WWF to help rangers protect the forests and tigers.
The next evening a big ceremony
was held and the bikes handed over to WWF, a collection was held for the
mechanics that had looked after the bikes, they had enough to double their
wages that year, and a speech was made by the doctors from the local clinics
that we had donated money to.
After a good nights sleep, the next
day I went to see “Matthew” my friendly local “dobi walla” (that’s laundry
man to you not fluent in Indian) who had washed and ironed my clothes for
me whilst I had been away riding. He said he would show me around town
to the best shopping places for clothes etc, smashing fellow, and then
invited back for dinner with his family. Could you imagine that in this
country? I had a lovely day and when I returned to reception at the hotel
I asked what I could give as a thank you to Matthew for his hospitality.
The answer was books so that they could learn English, these I got from
a bookstore in Calicut and had them wrapped and presented them to Matthew
and his family, crikey you thought I had given the crown jewels.
Observation
I don’t think I would go again as it was over presented for what it is. The use of the word awesome and fantastic maybe conjures different things than the modern use of the words.
The Enfield - smashing bike,
for a bit of fun, no cred for Box Hill, but you can fix it with a hammer
and pair of stiltons.
India - the people are magnificent,
friendly, helpful and honest, at least all the ones I met were, but
the towns, villages and cities are just untidy with rubbish everywhere.
I think everybody should ride in India at least once in his or her life,
just for the sheer experience of it.
Then there was the long flight back
to England, now that’s another story.
John Richmond
Mind Games
Today Garry’s ramblings will be
about a positive mental attitude.
I don’t know about you, but as I
get older, I tend to analyse things a lot more & one thing that has
become obvious throughout my riding is the need to be positive.
I know this is not confined to bike
riding or anything else, but certainly in my world of motorcycles it’s
helped.
When I started riding trials I was
rubbish, with dad frequently pleading with me to stop so he wouldn’t be
so knackered after a weekend. I was rubbish because I didn’t have the skill
level & because of that, I wasn’t confident. But what comes first,
skill or confidence? You can’t have the confidence without the skill &
skill is nothing without confidence, you decide.
I think the first time I noticed
real confidence and determination was a trip to the “Hoad Trophy Trial”
where we watched stars such as John Lampkin, Steve Saunders & John
Reynolds.
To be able to get up close to these
riders as they rode the sections was great, as you could really appreciate
their skill level. But to watch their faces as they approached an obstacle
& see they really wanted to get through the section opened my eyes
to say the least.
Of course next time on the bike
I tried to be just like them & put everything into getting up/over
whatever was there & found it worked! So I suppose that was my first
lesson in mind over matter.
Then I got to thinking along the
lines of “I’ve got two arms & two legs the same as him, why can’t I
do it?”
This worked quite well until I had
a car accident in 1987 & lost a knee cap for my troubles.
So now I didn’t have two legs the
same as everybody else, which caused a bit of a problem.
I was left with either stop riding,
not really an option although I did have to for a bit, or have a go &
see how brave I was. Everything was fine, until it hurt. Then I spent the
next few trials going at things half-hearted & coming off worse. It
was a bit like when you see a footballer going for a fifty fifty ball &
not going in as hard as the other player & then getting carried off….
So a big test of positive mental
attitude was needed which, if I’m truly honest, I’ve never quite got the
beating of. But it did help me to get over the worst of it & enjoy
riding a bike again.
Anyway enough of the sob story,
what I’m trying to get across is the power of the mind. How many times
have you gone into a section a little bit unsure & then messed it up?
On the other hand, how many times
have you ridden a section & thought nothing was going to stop you &
then you’ve cleaned it?
Once you’ve got the basic skills
I’m sure it’s mostly down to attitude.
It is possible to look at things
too hard. Standing watching a section you’re unsure of can put you right
off, especially if a good rider messes it up. If you know where you’re
going & the approach you’re going to take, why wait? Go for it!
Going up or over things is a good
test, if you’re really positive & go at it 100% you can be on top or
over almost before you’ve realised what’s happened. If you hesitate or
back off, you generally don’t go over or up…
As you know I’ve branched out into
a bit of road racing which again needs the right approach, charging into
a bend as fast as you dare with thirty other loonies isn’t normal behaviour
for anyone, but being positive helps enormously.
Here it’s good fun to look at body
language to see how confident someone is, you can then plan your attack,
if you’re brave enough.
Back to the trials, have a look
at Clint (I’m sure he won’t mind) when he’s riding a section, especially
a difficult one, you tell me if he looks like he’s going to put a foot
down, his body language say’s it all.
Sometimes (& I mean sometimes)
it’s good to “pose” on a bike, think to yourself “I look really good on
this”, if you feel good & confident it will help. It also helps your
mates to take the p*ss when it goes wrong!!
So that’s it, trials riding’s easy.
You just need a positive mental attitude, trust me!
Garry
Kindling for sale
Dad's really mean! He won't just
buy me a new trials bike. So, to earn some money towards it, which dad
will match £ for £, I am splitting kindling wood (environmentally
friendly fire lighters). So, if you would like some delivered to the next
trial, please phone Jesse Brooker on 01273 832912.
Prices: 25kg builders sack full
(size not weight) £4.00 3 bags for £10.00 (much cheaper than
the petrol station stuff!
FOR SALE - Gas Gas 125
txt Pro Yellow 2002 Model - £1750 Tim Martin 07774 188188
FOR SALE - Gas Gas 250 PRO 2003
Road reg and taxed, New tyres, chain and sprox one trial ago, little use
this year.
Red, Superb bike. £2199 ovno
Mike H 01403 257626 MotoMerlin Email
Motomerlin
HR EVENTS
Ø DECEMBER
SUN 12 BRIGHTON GROUP TRIAL @ Faygate
SAT 18 PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S
SUN 19 PRACTICE DAY – Halnaker
Ø JANUARY 2005
SAT 1 BOGNOR CLUB TRIAL - Halnaker
TBA LAYOUT TRIAL AT ROME WOODS
TEAM AJAYS (I believe
There was a bit of a mutiny
at the thought of laying a trial out
On New Years Day - so laying
out is the Wed before I think Phone Mike to check)
Mike Husband 01403 257626, Adrian Bee 01737 357021,
Dave Blackman 01372 724464, John Richmond 01403 266124
Paul Holder 01273 506679
SUN 2 HR CLUB TRIAL - Rome Woods
- Start 10.30
WED 5 HR CLUB NIGHT - Venue: Dog
& Bacon
SUN 9 Eastbourne (?)
GROUP TRIAL
SAT 29 SKITTLES AND BEER AT THE
BULLS HEAD EWHURST 7PM - If you’ve booked a place!!
Phone Dick or Fiona if you want to come.
FEBRUARY
SAT 5 LAYOUT CLUB TRIAL AT MANNINGS
HEATH TEAM BEESAS
Derek Head 01403 822067,
James Head, John Major 01403
258510, Terry Gregory 01273
300583, Alan/Rob Lavender
01306 631882
SUN 6 HR CLUB TRIAL - Mannings Heath
- Start 10.30 am
WED 9 HR CLUB NIGHT AND COMMITTEE
MEETING Venue TBA
MERLIN MOTORCYCLES sells Gas
Gas, Sherco, Scorpa, Montesa & Beta Trials and Gas Gas Enduro bikes.
Offers spares, service & tunning too. Also imports Honda
XR’s and Yamaha XT660R and WR 450 F. www.motomerlin.co.uk - coming soon
: Trials Bike Hire
MERLIN BOOKS sell motorcycle
books and videos, new and secondhand - free catalogue or www.merlinbooks.com
Mike Husband 01403 257626