It really sickens me when I see people on the 11th who just don't care. People who refuse to shut up for just one minute. Thankfully most round here have some respect.
Every year I play a Last Post whether I'm on my own or not - this year will be with the local Brass Band and they've asked me to 'do' a few of the many villages that they go to. Its not much but its better than nothing. I wish there was something more I could do but struggle to think of anything!
Unless there's more than one North Hants (my geography is useless!) then you are around Aldershot/Guildford/Farnham area? If so then you're in quite a good place!
Two clubs that I know of (and ride with) ride down there. The NHMC (North Hants Motor Club) which is AMCA and, Thames MCC which is ACU.
NHMC events are usually cracking good rides. Lots of people use twinshocks and pre-65's there and thoroughly enjoy it! There are 3-4 routes ranging from Blue being mostly beginner territory with one or two tough sections, through to the hopping and jumping of the good guys (and girls!) No website unfortunatly and I can't remember any numbers either I'm afraid! The next one should be in 3 weeks this Sunday and will be at Bagshot Heath which is MoD land. Brilliant place to start out - rode my 1st ever Trial there! There's usually contact info in TMX news so next weeks or the week after's should have it in. The nicest thing about NHMC is there is absolutely no pressure on riding the sections. As long as you have a decent helmet and stick close to the marked route you can have a bit of practise pretty much wherever as long as you're sensible! I guess the same applies to most clubs though!
Thames are a bit tougher in general than NHMC but still nothing over-silly or dangerous on the easiest route. Again 3-4 routes and the hardest is set out to test Sam Conner and brother(s) so is quite tough! Not many twin shocks there as the sections tend to be laid out for more modern machines, but there is one chap who drags a Majesty over the hardest route hopping about with the best of them!
Its been a while since I rode a Thames event so have no idea when the next one is, but there is a page on the ACU website. Can't remember how to get to it!
I've never found anyone on here who is a regular with either of these two clubs, but if there is anyone out there with more info/corrections would be great to hear from you!
As soon as I've found out the exact dates of the NHMC round will pm or put details on here. It its your 1st time out then will be a good place to go! Lots of good hills banks etc with enough rocks and fallen trees to keep the hoppers happy!
I think the oldest on the go is a Tiger Cub. We've got all the bits to make it a nice, un-trick but still rideable beasty. I think the least standard bit will be the shocks, wider swingarm for modern rear tyre, and electronic ignition.
Besides that, we've got a Seeley in bits that we do little bits here and there on. Taking our time and saving for the expensive stuff 'coz we want it dead right. Got all the bits but wheels need re-building, frame needs to be stripped (powder coated white in the past!) but lack of funds at the moment means this is waiting!
The biggest time consumer recently was a Scorpa SY125F which had a heck of a lot of work done on it to get it nice - its so sweet to ride its wonderful and well worth the effort!
Biggest project to date has been a home-built Honda 'Special' made from a very tatty XL 125. The frame has been narrowed a little, and everything from the seat back is home-built. Head angle was made steeper by cutting a V out and welding and braizing in place. Ossa tank was made to fit, aluminium side panels made (only 1 finished though!) and all sorts of other bits done. The result is the best handling bike I've ever ridden, and its quite light too.
Next project (started already!) is another Honda special. TLR 200 motor, modified RS honda frame. All the lessons learned from the MK1 will be put into practice and its already looking great! Can't wait to get it done as it ought to be really sweet to ride.
Full credit goes to my Dad for his welding and fabrication, designing and everything is spot on 1st time! I'm useless in everthing excpet holing bits in the right place to weld them, but I'm learning slowly!
Pics will follow as soon as I've got my camera sorted out!
I hope they don't win the appeal - if they do it will always be remembered that he won the championship off the track not on it. Rotten bad luck to him although I thought that the blocking move pulled by Raikonnen and Massa a bit suspect.
I did enjoy Brundle haveing a word with Ecclestone on the grid though.
'So who do you want to win?'
'Fernando definitely.'
'But a few weeks ago you said it would be brilliant for F1 if Hamilton won?'
'Well of course I want Hamilton to win but I think it would better if Fernando got it'
I wonder if Bernie has a mole in the gearbox department at McLaren?
All in all a fairly dull race. Nothing really happened except a few small crashes and a couple of Williams boys got run over - fell asleep halfway through.
Bring on next year - any chance of Schumacher coming out of retirement to challenge Hamilton?
Oh come on, how is it all a farce? Agreed Bernie Ecclestone has too tight a grip on everything, but the little racing that does happen behind the politics is at least genuine competition - the best cars win. That's how it always has been with, a few exceptions, over the last 100 years! There have always been exceptions: Nuvolari driving an oudated Alfa and beating the Mercedes and Auto Union at the 'Ring in the '30s. Fangio in a 2 year old Maserati beating Hawthorn and Co in the latest works Ferraris. More recently theres been Buttons 1st win, a few of Coulthards wins going back to Moss in the Cooper-Alta getting strong podiums against all the works teams!
True the cars are less interesting and the racing pedestrian when viewed from behind a camera, but there is competition.
As an interesting point, take a look at this: Lauda Speaks out I'mnot one of Lauda's biggest fans but he does have his screwed on right and he knows what he's on about!
11/11 is something that I've seen neglected too much over the last few years. Always do my bit for the local band with a few Last Posts here and there in different villages.
Yeah I would have to say no clutch wouldn't appeal at all! I think you could well be right in that it would make no-stop much easier to enforce, but at the same time there would be a lot more failures early on in the section from someone getting wrong and not being able to clutch to get them out of trouble - thus leading to lack of interest at higher levels? It could be the answer but I wouldn't welcome it at a club level. Not that I use the clutch much but its nice to know its there!
I dunno. In the last 4 times (I think) we've played them they've trashed us - especially the 36-0 defeat in the 1st round of the 'Cup.
BUT
We've improved so much since then and I'm hoping that we'll be so pi$$ed off about the last year, especially the last match, that we'll pull it out of the bag.
With Josh Lewsy injured we might find it a bit harder - no 2minute try this time!
If we can somehow immobilise SA's version of Robinson then I think we might have a chance, but watching him on Sunday - he's so so quick and seems to read the game before its happened!
Read the above with interest .....to my mind you always:
Give respect to anyone who has stood to observe ...
Often with some humour.....
Often week after week......
......you don't give any of these good folk a hard time !
Here Here!! Got to know quite a few of our regulars so usually have a joke while I walk the section - and a loud thank you on the last lap doesn't hurt either!
If that was me at a local club trial I would have called that a 5. I understand that at national/international levels its different but with non-stop rules in place that would be my call!
Don't observe that much but I do my 1 a year for the club - usually at a place where I don't like riding anyway, or it'll be the annual Twinshock/pre 65 only. Having said that if there is a shortage on the day and no-one else volunteers than I'm willing to muck in!
Dunlop wellies and a Barbour suit! Old gardening gloves and a bobble hat . . . and lets make it an old rigid Ariel, girder forks of course!! Ah that would be worth watching!
Reminds me of something Graham Hill wrote about in his autobiography - a Mini publicity race at Brands. All the celebrity drivers from all the different series - they all decided to go into reverse at the start and charge off round the track backwards! Wish I could have been there . . .
Back on topic - I think its pretty good for Hamilton to have kept a fairly clear head through all of this - hes still got his feet pretty firmly on the ground and he's doing his job well!
I remember reading about that one! Was in Senna's Biography - must read it again sometime soon. If I remember right it had all sorts of big names in it who were out for a bit of a 'jolly' but Senna took it a bit too seriously!
Stick 'em all in replica's of the pre-war Mercedes or Auto-Union grand prix racers - 600 bhp and nearly 160mph on drum brakes, skinny tyres and no driver aids at all - how brave would they be with leather flying hats and goggles? I would definitely pay for that!
We shouldn't have gone there in the 1st place, but now we are there and our government has made a right c0(k up of it we should co-operate with the Americans more closely and clear up a bit! I know we always seem to be clearing up their mess but thats the mystery of politics!
My thoughts are with all those who are out there, not that it means a lot really. All our armed forces have the utmost respect from me, especially the Army. It must be hell being a footslogger out there.
Edit: Sorry paul_thistle, no offence intended. Re-worded!
Everyone on that grid is capable of the same as what he does,if they had the right car,hamilton was just lucky to get into his first car that's set up right.
I'm sorry, but no! How many times has Hamilton out-driven Alonso in the same car, same tyres on the same track? I very much doubt that Yamamoto would be able to win, even if he had a McLaren or Ferrari. How about Sutil or even Davidson?
Yes Hamilton has been fortunate tobe in the best, or one of the best cars this year but I wouldn't say its luck - its been planned for the last 12 years! I suppose it could be luck that he came in to the team when it has a good car for the 1st time in years, but thats the same as every other driver!
Maybe he did cause the accident - however he was investigated by the stewards and they found him not guilty! As for the statement he made - so he was acting his age for a change? Whats the big deal? The guy says one bad thing/makes one mistake and everyone jumps on him and tears him to pieces! Give him a chance to get used to the wacky world of F1!
HAM2 - that was indeed a great race! Don't remember much from the Senna era but I do remember enjoying every race! The last race I remember as being a good watch was when Damon was driving for Arrows at Monaco. He was leading I think, on the last lap just before the tunnel his throttle sensor failed and he could only coast around the last lap, just holding on to 2nd I think! Or it might have been 3rd - not sure! That was the best driver in a bad car nearly winning but being let down by the car!
Would love to have them all do a race in the worst car on the grid, all the same cars, and just see how it all pans out! The usual F1 qualifying etc. Would really be a great leveller!
Personally I don't think he's that bad! He's obviously a quick driver, he's noticeably smooth and fairly easy on the car, he's quick at learning the tracks and has a fair grasp of tactics. He's also young, inexperienced in F1 and over the last year has made most of the other drivers look slow. Full marks to the guy for having the guts to fight with the World Champion on the 1st corner of his 1st race. For being competitive, for being able to hold his head up in the presence of some really great drivers. So he's being a bit (some people would say a lot) arrogant? He's on the podium in his 1st race in F1- not even Fangio managed that. He stands a good chance of being World Champ in his 1st season - no -one else has even come close to that! I would think he's entitled to be a bit arrogant and cocky after that! Childish hand gestures? He's still a kid! How many time did Schumacher do silly, childish things in his career? During press conferences, on the track, off the track?
Lack of concentration behind the pace car? Or just driving like everyone else does behind the pace car? Accelerating then braking hard - keeping things warm! If someone as experienced as Coulthard found it hard work to keep going in that weather then for a 'rookie' to make one mistake isn't so bad. And, despite being punted off by Kubica, he kept his head, kept the engine running and still won.
He made a stupid mistake yesterday and came off in the entrance to the pits - a very stupid mistake, but half an hour after it happened he was over it and looking to the next race - most others would be blaming as many people as possible and be off in a fit of despair (I know I would!) but he was already focused on the next one. That, to me, shows maturity.
Good luck to him lets be glad that an Englishman in a (mostly) English car is actually winning something big! Gawd knows its been a while!
Was just wondering if anyone was going to be riding/watching the 'Old Codgers' at Hungry Hill this weekend? I've had a very generous offer from a friend to ride his 250 Greeves which I've accepted! I've not been before so was wondering what to expect. Being a Classic event, and at Hungry Hill I'm guessing lots of long steep climbs and descents? I imagine an assault on the Hungry Hill itself will on the cards?
If anyone's going, hope to see you there! I'll be the youngster on a red-framed Greeves changing gear with the brake lever and finding neutral instead of the brake! Will be strange to get used to the gear lever being where its supposed to be!
Brilliant!!! Anything which further degrades any Chav's in any way is something I'm sure I'll like, and that's no exception. Not that I'm prejudiced of course . . .
I am planning to give my TL125 a run at the North Hants trial at Crondall Woods on 30/May (next Wednesday afternoon/evening) as I work in Farnborough every so often. If anyone else has a TL125 and is in the South East, maybe see you there (?).
Will you be doing any more of those evening do's? If so I'm planning to (finally) get to a few of them, hopefully starting the week after next, 27th I think it is. Hopefully I should be able to use my Dad's home built TL 'rep' - based on the remains of an old XL125 - the best bike for Crondall I've ever ridden! Turns on a sixpence better than anything I've ever tried! Hope to see you at the next one!
Jeeeeeeeeeeezz!!!! Most impressive bit of driving I've ever seen I think!! Wouldn't you just love to see one of the F1 boys trying to do that - wouldn't get more than a few yards I shouldn't think!
I would definitely pay for that!
Lincolnshire Poachers At Wickenby Airfield
in Classic Trials
Posted
It really sickens me when I see people on the 11th who just don't care. People who refuse to shut up for just one minute. Thankfully most round here have some respect.
Every year I play a Last Post whether I'm on my own or not - this year will be with the local Brass Band and they've asked me to 'do' a few of the many villages that they go to. Its not much but its better than nothing. I wish there was something more I could do but struggle to think of anything!