Devon TRF Group Forum

Goods luck guys!

PS Who are the Devon teams for 2014?

Good luck guys

jt wrote:

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Oh Nick  The KTM stand struggles to hold up a dry bike with an empty tank - I hope yours is a Tim special or your going to be in trouble with all that lot loaded up

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I had a Tim special on the EXC, but this is the 640..... Proper stand  

Good luck chaps, you are the defending champions !!

Not a good start

If that's the site I think it is then that grass is a side stand swallower!

And I think he did the same thing before but on his TTR.

Yep.
We were told there is no way we could have won,even if we did.
We were joint first on points apparently, but took circa 10 seconds longer than th deserving other team.
I tried to break TTRSteve, but we only managed to break his bike....
Full report and pics later, just rode home after laning this until 2pm, so proper kernackered now.

Right, so last year, for a laugh, a few of us entered the Taffy Dakar, and yes, we may have won it...  http://devongtrf.activeboard.com/t53592089/taffy-dakar-2013/

 

So this year, we had a title to defend, but there were a few last minute teams adjustments to be made.

Harty, couldn't man up in time after his tumble on the A2E.

Butty, got to a certain age that his birthdays are planned for him...

Schoe000 had a last minute work crisis....

So, Tigerman and I met in Ilminster services at 10am for a coffee before the 160 miles of roads that would lead us to the Ancient Briton, home of the Taffy Dakar.

 

Off to Chedder we rode, via Street.

 

Then we headed for the M5 which we joined at Avonmouth, and rode up to Chepstow.

Through the Wye Valley and a little break behind Tintern Abbey (we were not hiding from a certain van that didn't like the speed I came off the roundabout on.....)

 

 

Then, fuelled on coffee, we headed for our destination, and only stopped just North of the campsite because the view was worth it.

Upon arrival, Tigerman did not fail to disappoint...

 

So tent pitched, we met with TTRsteve and Mike and co.

 

On the way to the pub we did notice that the packed campsite had lots of people, with lots of maps, looking really quite serious.

Then we also saw a TTR having a rear caliper rebuild, with a rock, a file and some windscreen cleaner.....

So we got straight on the beer and started working how you work out the waypoints.... That done, and many many beers later, it was time to turn in.

So glad I bought a new 3 man tent, and not the little one man version!

 

Saturday started at half 5, with the bloody sheep going off on one.

Team briefing saw two things, an orderly queue for a race poo, and a flooded carb on the CCM.

We got to 9am and the we decided not to ride as one team, but to split into the original two teams.

Myself, TTRSteve and Tigerman ventured forth onto the infamous Sarn Helen, where I managed to "do a Brownie" in front of many marshalls with cameras.

We saw lots of lambs and sheep wandering round on the roads, so I told a local in case they were concerned, his reply was "well, you got yer boots on lad, pick one and have some fun, you're in Wales you are"!!!!

Only one Dab on the 2nd Sarn, but I believe Steve cleared it! Cue quick KTM Selfie

 

Later we stopped for a photo, because we wanted to, and as we had started late we knew we weren't going to win, so a break was called for.

 

It was at this point, that Tigerman mentioned how many points we had already got.......,. red mist descended, and a slight competitive edge was formed.....

One of my favourite lanes is the old roman road, its a cracker!

 

Lunchstop was needed as the bikes needed fuel, so a COLD drink and a sandwich was allowed. Even the lady in the shop thought it harsh that Steve was not allowed a coffee.....

Now, whilst we were in Trapp, we met a nice pretty young lady on a horse, who was very kind and offered us all sorts of advice on which way to go, but alas, our paths did not cross again, I did try though....

Some random pics of a lane somewhere in Wales.

 

2013 Taffy Dakar Pic

 

 

2014 Taffy Dakar Pic.

 

 

Then North into uncharted territory,  and finally back to the Western side of the Brecons, before hitting the Black Mountain Pass for an extra point.

Steve is THE fastest gate closer in the civilised world!!!

Cutoff was at 18:30, and we were packed with 9 minutes to spare.

Steve had beer, which was good.

The bar had ale and red wine, which was also good.

The tent was cold, not so good, so got up early Sunday and made a coffee before an easy TRF led trail ride, nice bimble Steve?............

 

I have never ridden the Sarn so damn quick, I was knackered by the end of the first lane!

The above lane has had 3 Freerides on it, on separate TRF rides, and all 3 have drowned, so yes, it is safe to safe it consists of bloody deep water over slippery wet slate rock.

We peeled off at 2pm, and rode back via a fuel stop, where Steve was today allowed a coffee. We headed back via the Black Mountain Pass again, because it is a fantastic road.

Bikes loaded, we headed home, via different route.

 

In the end we had 51 ( I think ) point, joint first with another team, but we took 10 secs longer, so we ended up with 2nd place, which is fine, until next year....

Thanks to my fellow riders, good weekend meeting like minded people and having a laugh, along with riding bikes and drinking Ale.

Miles, 515 in total, tyre performed very well, at speed on tarmac, rock and mud. Was running 25psi rear and 22 psi front.

Now about the TTR.

Fri. Welsh tank mechanic beats the back break until it stops binding.

Sat. One fork seal goes.

Sat, 10 mins later. So does the other side.

Sun. Limp back to camp, flat front tyre and a front sprocket that is truly round.

All 3 bikes performed well, including the TTR which just kept going, and they were all certainly put through there paces.

 

-- Edited by KronreifTrunkenpolzMattighofen on Monday 5th of May 2014 08:45:25 AM

Bike loaded and ready for my trip to wales

 Not done the Taffy Dakar before and was pleased to invite myself along. Got there Fri late afternoon and met mike and he's mates. Mike makes the best coffee for sure. Nick and Paul arrive and meet them too, not been out riding with them before. Maps were given out, with way points and ale was started to be consumed.

Route was planned and we got duly pis*ed, 2 groups were formed and I begged to be on the devon druids team with Nick and Paul and to there credit they let me ride with them, as we have not ridden together before!!

We set of at a fair pace and done some nice tricky lanes, loads of rocky stuff which I like Nick then realised that we might have a chance of winning and went way point crazy Me and Paul then just had to keep up!!!

We worked out a good system...... Nick map reader and leader, man that boy has a built in gps in he's head, have never seen someone read a map like that

                                                   Paul waypoint organiser and clue distributer

                                                   Me general dogs body and chief gate shutter (which I loved doing as it meant I could chase them down)

Nick having a very short rest!

Got back 10 mins before the deadline, phew. Beer was to be had. Presentation and we found out that the devon druids had tied for first place on points, only to be told we got second, as we were 10 seconds behind  Not bad out of ??? teams.

Anyway got a bit drunk again woke up not quite right and got led out for a ride by the Taffy team We got taken hard and fast in them there valley's!! Though I did bottle out of the hardest ride out and stayed with Nick and Paul, as I wasn't feeling quite up to it.We peeled of about half 1 to head back to camp, so we could get home at a decent time, I managed to get home to put the kid's to bed! So a very happy daddy. About 6 miles from camp my bikes chain started to jump, I had already tightened it Saturday and Sunday and noticed that the rear sprocket and chain would need replacing after this ride, managed to limp back to camp and found this

 What the F, Can't see the front sprocket, so did not notice this, till it was terminal!!! 

-- Edited by ttr steve on Monday 5th of May 2014 11:12:28 AM

-- Edited by ttr steve on Monday 5th of May 2014 03:53:25 PM

Great write-up and pics Nick. You guys did real well too. 515 miles!!! - that's some going.

Not a lot I can add to what's already been said by the rest of the team. Excellent weekend biking , drinking eating and making merry with fellow competitors.   I would recommend it to anyone, this event looks like it is going to grow each year.

Thanks to Nick for being Mr motivator, Steve for being the gatekeeper and Mike Wright for supplying the hangover coffee's  each morning!  Met some great people there camping facilities are good, the pub does great food and beer. The roads and trails provide biking happiness! Looking forward to next years event, meanwhile anyone up for the Paddy Dakar in September!?

Great effort lads, was really p*ssed off that I had to pull out. Bit of a bummer that the same team can't win in two years in a row, very odd rule!!

I'll def be entering next year as it's a good weekend

Lets just say our team took a rather more relaxed approach although we had a great time. Loads of smoke and drink breaks plus taking in the views we didnt get around to logging any answers but had a mention in the presentations for our lack of form filling correct answers... it was a really good event and many laughs

Tigerman wrote:

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Birds eye view of the campsite !

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Nice one Tigerman, if I remember we were having a beer in garden at the time.... 

Also A2E may be a bit busier next year...............

KronreifTrunkenpolzMattighofen wrote:

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I wonder how we can save time next year........

 

 

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PMSL seriously maybe leave the sheep alone 

That's a good shout JT. Funnily another one popped up this week on the Isle of Man in conjunction with the TRF

jt wrote:

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How about a Devon Dakar?

 

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Like it.,...... 

Just seen a Scottish one advertised now. 

Not sure Brian.
In the Dakars you receive a lamented map, with 70 or so waypoints, with a question which can only be answered by getting the waypoint spot on, such as, what is the gate post (hinge side) made off?