Hi wardy, that Geraint Jones enduro school we did a few weekends ago will come in good practice for the special test, lots of pine trees.
WROOOOP in a higher gear
Kev
Marla Custom Blinds, for Bespoke Blinds, Shutters and Awnings with Fantastic Service and Extreamly Competitive Prices, see us at www.marlacustomblinds.co.uk/sidmouth
Entering this for sure, any way the word is out! will be laying of the mince pies this Xmas, just great to have this kind of thing to look forward to, thanks for the heads up.
Probably - only speculating here - normal time card event. You're given a set time to complete laps, or parts of laps, with penalties for going over, or under, the time allowed. So you're racing the clock. Plus there will be at least 1 special test, which you ride as fast as you can. Last time the special was nearly 7 miles long. Bit more to think about than a H and H, but I think better. Riders start in pairs at 1 min intervals - no mass H and H start.
Usual classes - sportsman, clubman, expert, over 40's. Last time I went sportsman, 2 laps of 27 miles took about 4 or 5 hours. Clubman did 3 laps, experts 4 ,I think. I was glad I didnt have to do another one - it was filthy dirty and I found it quite tough, possibly the toughest event I've done.
Clearly not the same course as 3 years ago, but some great riding. Lots of woods, lots of hills, lots of tricky single track. Expext mud, and lots of it in places. Mid feb, if its not raining on the day it almost certainly will have been the day before. Either that or it will be frozen hard. Despite thinking I was going to die at times, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be going again!!!!
It's a toughie. I will join in just to say I tried. Did it 20 yrs ago and I bet it's no easier, and I am double the age now but still having fun. Lol, mark
Marla Custom Blinds, for Bespoke Blinds, Shutters and Awnings with Fantastic Service and Extreamly Competitive Prices, see us at www.marlacustomblinds.co.uk/sidmouth
Bugger. Just put a new comp 6 rear on just incase I could make it up there. Ohhhh well. Legal tyres for smeatharp trf day. Not that it will last till then! lol
Even tougher than the last time. I bailed out after 2 laps, had more than enough by then. Seems I wasnt the only one - 75% DNF's. I finisher in Sportsman, none at all in clubmen e3!!
I know its supposed to be hard, but that was too much for me.
I was going to marshal on a mates trials bike, thought it would be ideal, WRONG. Was ok before the event started, but could see it was going to be real tough, stopped at a large bomb hole until most riders had gone through on first lap, then decided to move on, oh my god, what happened!!! By the time I got to the half way check all I wanted to do was get back to the pits, but on that bike on trials tyres it seemed impossible, then it started loosing water and over heating, to the point where I was letting it cool down (and me) and filling up from my camelbac and then filling camelbac from the various streams and puddles, just to keep it going. Eventually ran out of fuel halfway across a field, pushed the bike up to a track, luck would have it that the 4X4 truck was coming past with a rider & 2 stroke fuel as he had run out as well, very nice chap then donated some of his fuel and marshal advised quickest way back was to follow track to the end, then take short road route back to pits, finally made it back 5 hours after starting out!!
Never seen so many people retire, including all 3 of my mates who I've never known retire except for mechanical reasons, definitely the hardest I've seen, including 3 dawn 2 dusk events.
Took another 2 hours before the kind chap in the tractor pulled us out of the field, thought that was the end of it, but had huge vibrations in the van on the way home on the motorway, investigated when home, seemed half of Exmoor had been scooped up around the front suspension, engine, driveshafts & crossmember, took ages to scoop it all out.
All in all a very adventurous day, would love to do it again in slightly dryer conditions!!
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Marla Custom Blinds, for Bespoke Blinds, Shutters and Awnings with Fantastic Service and Extreamly Competitive Prices, see us at www.marlacustomblinds.co.uk/sidmouth
Epic event! My first enduro and what a cracker! The 20 mile lap was punishing on bike and rider, fair play to the championship boys doing 6 laps and over 100 miles - nuts!!
Here's some footage of my lowly sportsman effort... :)
Good on you for cracking on with it, brilliant edit for what was probably a 2 hour lap, really glad you got the power valve fixed and got up that climb!!
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Marla Custom Blinds, for Bespoke Blinds, Shutters and Awnings with Fantastic Service and Extreamly Competitive Prices, see us at www.marlacustomblinds.co.uk/sidmouth