highland lassie

Now this is spooky - I have just signed in to start a new thread about the SSDT site and found this! Here's the script. The SSDT site, as we all know, is not the easiest to navigate - it's designed as a bulletin board style site for getting information across, but with so much data in one place it ends up being a bit of a shambles. As most of you will be aware, the SSDT is run by a small (but fab!) team of volunteers, and we do pretty much everything ourselves. Unfortunately web design is not something that any of us have particularly strong skills in, and as we generally don't have spare cash to throw around, we've had to make do as far as we can. Until recent weeks the site didn't give us any problems, but around three months ago we started getting inundated with spam postings. The settings of the forum were set to ensure that all new users had to be individually authorised by me, but that didn't work and the spammers got past it. Hud (who designed the site for us) even did a forum upgrade but to no avail, the messages still came through and I eventually took the forums offline around eight weeks ago. Those of you that look at the site every so often will be pleased to hear that we've now made the break and are in the process of setting up an entirely new website, with the basis of it being to provide news and information relevant to riders, officials, spectators and simply fans alike. The existing site will be taken down in the next few days and a holding page will be in place until such time as the new site goes live - that's planned to be some time during the week commencing 14th December, but don't quote me on that....that's a busy week in SSDT world with the entries closing on the Friday! The new site will not have a forum, at least initially. The forums are rarely used throughout the year, albeit for the odd question here and there, and sites like TC already provide SSDT discussion forums that I keep tabs on anyway. During the trial week I normally use the forums to keep folk updated throughout the day - for 2010 the new site will feature a blog that will be continually updated with the usual daily updates, so that won't suffer. During trial week, and occasionally during the year, there is the need to have discussion areas and so for those of you that like your online chats, we've set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account from which regular small updates will be given. They'll tell you when there are any updates of interest to the new site as well as giving you the opportunity to blether to us and meet other like-minded SSDT folk. You can find us on Facebook by searching for 'ssdtoffice@btinternet.com' and you can find us on Twitter under 'SSDTOffice'. That's the wonders of modern technology...now I just need to remember to update them both! Anything more you want to know, just shout!

Don't worry, there will be a press release coming shortly!

That's amused me no end - makes a change from the accusations of favouritism from the hundreds that don't get an SSDT entry, and the complaints about the SSDT not attracting all the top riders!! Have you been to the SSDT in the last fifteen years?!

With the SSDT Centenary fast approaching, sponsors are now being sought for the 2010 SSDT. If you're interested in sponsoring a day, you can view our Sponsorship Flyer. Although this refers primarily to sponsorship of any given day, we also allow smaller sponsorship packages and are happy to consider any ideas that you may come up with. Daily sponsorship brings with it 5 guaranteed entries to the 2010 event, but please note that sponsorship must be confirmed by the time entries close on Friday 18th December if you want to take advantage of that part of the deal! If you want any further details you'll find our contact details on the brochure, or you can email us at the SSDT Office.

Eh?

The entries for the 2010 Pre-65 have now opened and you can download the entry form from the SSDT Website.

The entry forms for both the SSDT and the Pre-65 are now available to download on the SSDT Website. Go and have a look if you're mad enough!!

That's terrible news Dan, and it will come as a huge shock to all who knew him. I didn't know him outwith the SSDT but we had a fair few letters to and fro whilst he was juggling his studying with competing. Our thoughts are with all who were close to him, family and friends alike - please pass on the sympathies of the SSDT Committee on our behalf. Mairi.

Like I'm disclosing that!!!

No decision as yet, although there is a lot of background work going on within the committee. We've had site visits and discussions with various bodies around Fort William, and hope to make a decision quite soon. The planning for each SSDT starts in September each year, so we can't afford to leave any decisions too late, but there is an awful lot to consider so we don't want to rush it either. As soon as a decision is made, the details will be made public on the SSDT site, here on TC and in general press releases, so don't worry, you'll hear about it straight away!

Thank you Mr Cope, and Mr Moffat, and everyone else who supported us! Believe it or not...WE DID IT!! Copemech, I'm afraid there's no pics, seeing as we all had to start at different times due to transportation issues (ggggrrrrrrrr...!!!) but we all had a good run - and it was even sunny all day! Beardie Boys Davy and Ian set off at half seven and had a jolly day by all accounts, Mark and his crew set off about half eight, and my lot finally got to the start line after 9am, by which time I was ready to go back to my bed, having been up for six hours already! The lads flew through, and despite my complete lack of preparation, I took only eight minutes longer than last year, so I was quite chuffed with that. My husband wasn't quite so happy though, having finished nearly three hours before us...he had to wait at the finish line to get into the car!! A massive THANK YOU to everyone who supported us, and to those that haven't, www.justgiving.co.uk/SSDT is still accepting donations and we're still well short of our target, so feel free to contribute and support Lochaber Mountain Rescue - you never know, it might be you stuck out there in May waiting for them to come and rescue you!

Just a quick note to say a huge thank you to those of you who have sponsored us already, and to those of you who have made pledges once we all complete the cycle.....the latter are obviously wise enough to know that my lack of practise may mean that their money is safe!! The Lochaber Mountain Rescue team have also been in touch with us to show their appreciation, so your support hasn't gone unnoticed. Spare a thought for us all on Sunday - the weather here is lovely just now, which probably means it'll be gale-force winds by the time the big day arrives! I'll let you know how it goes at some point on Monday, once I manage to crawl out of my bed! Oh and Copey, we prefer to work incognito here in SSDT world - makes life far easier when the ballot abuse starts up each year! Plus I'd prefer that folk donated because they wanted to help the Mountain Rescue team rather than because they wanted to keep tabs on who we are, so for now you'll have to cope without knowing.

Some of you will remember all my gurning last year when I cycled from Glasgow to Edinburgh for charity....well, I can't have gurned enough, because this year we've got an SSDT squad doing the same thing! Mark Whitham (Clerk of the Course), Davy Robinson and Ian Boyd (Assistant Clerks of the Course, aka The Beardies) and myself are taking up the challenge once again, and along with some companions that we've bribed to join us, we're cycling from Glasgow to Edinburgh on Sunday 13th September as part of the Pedal For Scotland fundraising extravaganza. As many of you will know, the SSDT regularly has to call on the services of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue squad to help us out when injuries are picked up out in the hill, so this year we've decided to raise funds for them as a small thank you for the incredible work that they do. If any of you would like to sponsor us, you can either donate through our Just Giving page or you can contact us at the SSDT Office - all support will be hugely appreciated, both by ourselves and the Lochaber Mountain Rescue squad. Many thanks...and wish us luck because methinks we're going to need it!

That makes us an even bigger joke. Sentences should be sentences. Not halved as standard, no early release for good behaviour, none of this telly in the cells. Make a prison a prison and we wouldn't have half the crime we've got. If you don't want to die whilst banged up, don't do the crime in the first place. Compassion my a***.

The White Heather it was - my dad and uncle ran it.

I think you'll struggle to find one person in Scotland that would disagree with you, never mind consider a backlash, the whole thing is appalling from start to finish. Our justice system is already a standing joke, but he's practically invited the mass murderers of the world onto our doorstep by harping on about Scottish compassion - it's an open invitation. If you get sentenced, you'll always serve less than half of what you get, and if you sneeze we'll probably let you out early in case it's swine flu and you're homesick. ****e. I don't know one Scot who agrees with him, and probably not one Brit - it's an absolute farce.

Except she hasn't paid Andy yet cos she was paying when he produced your fleece!!

And a wee drizzle of whisky sauce. Mmmmmmm......

I LOVED it - have watched it four times so far, and that's good going when I rarely get to put the telly on! You're forgiven for the cameo, but only just....you won't get away with it twice. Thanks again for the huge amount of effort that you and Matt go to in order to produce this. For me, this and the CJB footage is the only glimpse I get of the trial itself, and although I love watching the sections, it's the rest of the footage that makes this something special. Huge kudos to both of you for what you've achieved, particularly in the torrential rain that you had to sit through this year - please don't underestimate how much it's appreciated by those of us who just can't get there. Cheers m'dear! See you in October, and that's non-negotiable!!!

Sorry, sorry, sorry! I meant to text you when I sent them out, but am never home at the moment, so everything is done in a rush when I'm there...chaos reigns! Whoever said retirement was easy was a blatant liar.

You don't know me, do you? I'm the luminous green one that appears to be walking dead for most of the week. Either that or you know me too well!!

It's one of the few events where the trade stands are completely free of charge. Organisation is definitely an issue, but given that we don't get enough volunteers to run the trial itself, having additional volunteers around to manage the car park is a physical impossibility for us in the current format. I'm guessing that if we decide to stay put, both of those are things that are likely to be reconsidered, but that's just my personal thoughts, nowt to do with the committee!

Have since worked out who you are, so I'll revoke the cynical comment! BTW, I wasn't intending to discredit anyone, I was just telling it like it is...methinks you're giving us too much credit here, we're not nearly as fly as you think we are, you should know us better than that by now!! Keep the comments coming, and for those who will be relatively anonymous to us, it would be handy if you could let us know whether or not you regularly attend the trial. Things have changed a lot in recent years, so it's useful to know what background you're basing your thoughts on. That doesn't mean we only want to hear from you if you come along every year - we need comments from all aspects of the trials world, it's all much appreciated.

Somewhat cynical indeed!! Rest assured no decisions have been made and if there is one thing that the SSDT committee are not renouned for, it's PR exercises! We're genuinely looking for feedback and comments, and the kind of thing that's coming through just now is exactly what we need. Keep them coming, the more feedback we have from those of you who actually attend the event, the more informed we are when it comes to making a decision.