Wbs Beginners Round 2 Bradford Club

[schmorgas]

D Day Landings …

Wednesday the 6^th June. D Day !!! (D for Darren perhaps…?)

Also round two of the Wrigglesworth Building Services Summer Series for Beginners, in association with Colin Appleyard Motorcycles.

Fatherhood obviously suits Nathan Wrigglesworth as he set out a superb trial. Congratulations Wriggy.

Round two took place at Lumb Falls, Cowling (ish). A fabulous venue offering a good variety of terrain, stream, steep climbs and rocks. Aided and abetted by a deluge of rain for an hour before the start, it provided a progressively more and more slippery set of sections enjoyed by a good entry of 44 riders. Not bad at all considering the horrendous rain from 5pm onwards.

Now for those who have read my random ramblings in the past, you may remember like me, that at this venue last year I succeeded in completely missing out one of the sections on laps two, three and four (out of sight out of mind and in the zone) resulting in a generous score of 35, again straight after a heavy shower. So this year I was determined to get my act together and stay focused and see what I could do. As for the route, well I opted for the easy again as this was a trickier venue than the last, and a better reflection of how I was doing compared to last year.

So by the time I’d got the bike off the car and booted and suited, I was pretty much soaked already. Richard (the power) Taylor arrived and commented how nice the weather had been at home, just 5 miles away when he’d left, and was sure it would improve. He was right. (hence the power)

Section one was manned by the weather forecaster himself and was a step drop through a wall, down and tight round and down again to turn right and up through the wall to the ends. A nice attention grabber for an old beginner and also the younger riders. I’d walked the section with the ever-smiling Rachael Stelling with her shiny Sherco and we proceeded to clean it before the steep descent to the valley bottom and section two.

It was around about this time that the rain had stopped and I realised with waterproof jacket and riding shirt that I had too many layers on, as steam began to rise from me and the bike. But onward I went, checking out the route. A drop off down the stream banking on to the waters edge, into the stream and across and around some big semi submerged rocks. Up the banking and tight left, back across the stream and up the banking side to the ends. I really liked this one. I said to Rachael which side of the semi submerged rock I was going around to line myself up for the tight turn back and bingo. Clean.

Onto section three and the scene of many a lost mark last year. I looked at the section. A carbon copy of last year’s, but this year I was “on it!” So away I went, through the begins cards and dropping down to the waters edge. Along not quite a bike length before up a couple of awkward rocks before a tight turn right into the stream to go straight across and up steeply in a slippy ditch. As I turned to cross the stream I was confronted by the back of another rider walking around the section. “ Hey up, I’m coming up there!” I shouted. Only for him to move the wrong way still further. I lost momentum and focus for a couple of annoying dabs. DOH!! That annoyed me more because I could clean the thing last year on the fourth attempt and so was well up for it, but came through the ends deflated (what a let down).

Section four was another along the stream bank, through a narrow ditch and up and over some rocks, dropping down into the stream over rocks again, through and up the opposite bank and across a tricky little ditch before the ends cards. A nice clean.

So back on track and enjoying it but still narked about the two marks on three.

So onwards and over the stream to sections five and six. No sat-nav required this year!!

Up the hill turned out to be six, not five so myself and Rachael, having got a little confused, rode this one first (don’t tell Dave Pickles) which was a drop over a broken down wall and up the hill and across again. Clean.

Then the steep drop to section five. Darren was on observing duties, as Wriggy stood by offering advice and encouragment on what was a tricky little section. Taking plenty of marks on the night. Through the begins cards as Darren waved me on, down a step drop, very tight right and immediately over a couple of tricky rocks, before around right and up a steep bank and a big rock step at the top, over and then drop down to the ends. Wriggy pointing me at the step and shouting advice. Top man! Clean.

I’d be back!!! I was starting to cook. Helmet off as I walked the sections, getting soaked from the inside out.

Section seven was a nice hill climb. Dale Harrison was on the board as opposed to on board his Ariel or 4RT this time. Clean.

On eight, we had Brian Ayrton. A tight turn up a short steep climb and straight back down, around right and out. Clean.

Good to see all three generations of Ayrton in attendance, Anthony escorting little Lucy around. A pink blur of smiles. And that was just Anthony!!!!

So that was the way of it.

Lap two was blighted by not taking my own advice in the stream in section two, leaving myself too much to do after the turn for a dab. Onto three and rattled by it still for another three. DOH!! Get a grip!!! A slack two on Darren’s much to the amusement and tut-tutting of Wriggy. And clean the rest.

Same again pretty much on lap three, until that was I arrived in the queue for Darren’s section.

I have to say, that as much as I love my 4 stroke Evo, it is a bit of a pain to start when it’s hot. So when I’m waiting to go into a section I leave it running. This I did whilst waiting my turn. I was stood on the down slope from section five, in gear, clutch in holding it on the brake. Steaming gently, wishing I had a drink. My mind wandered onto something Jenson Button had said about the effects of dehydration in a GP car. The main one being lack of concentration. Hmm, funny that.

I decided to see if I could get neutral and give the clutch a rest. Another good trick on an Evo. So the easiest way is to do it by hand. I stuck my feet out and forwards down the slope before gently coming off the brake to see if I could prevent it rolling down.

So far so good. I then reached down with my right hand to the gear lever and pulled up to snick neutral. I then very gently eased the clutch to see if it was actually in neutral. BIG mistake Jenson…!!

The bike lurched forwards, I grabbed for the brake with my right hand and got a handful of throttle instead! VVrrooommmmm!!!!!

The bike launched itself from beneath me almost vertically. Flying over Matt Rushton’s mountain bike, and coming down just next to Darren, who had his back to the whole thing. It bounced on it’s rear wheel and careered off down into the section for a five. I was just stood aghast, along with everyone else. Mightily relieved it missed Darren!

Wriggy came over and asked if I was ok, and told me to calm down and have a quick ride round “don’t retire!” he said.

So I did, and cleaned it. Ironic or what?

So sections three and six were my downfall on the night. But this is the first event where the muppetry happened between sections and not IN them. So I reckon it’s a fair representation of where I’m at. So I’m pretty pleased.

I politely refused the requests for a repeat performance on six on the last lap. Well, no one had a camera!

The WBS is a real feelgood series. It combines a different venue for each round with sections for smiles and the odd dab or two. Rachael Stelling taking the honours this time for the most improved rider. Well deserved. Perfect combination. Bring on the next round!

Keep ya feet up

Peter

Bradford & District M C