Devon TRF Group Forum

Perhaps Steve is referring to this:-

http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/charity-events/123026-taffy-dakar-2015-a.html

Martyn

Simon D wrote:

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What is this?

When is this?

No link 

More info please

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 If you go, then Devon TRF has a reputation to upkeep

Type taffy dakar in the search box on the top right and you can read all about previous years....

Just don't mention you are from devon, or this will happen

http://www.taffydakar.org.uk/news/index.php/2012-03-07-02-54-47/2014-results

We all know the real result

Nice to know you are giving it a rest in 2015 Nick, I might get a coffee break then

 

Got mine! Only 8 tickets left

Good news Paul. Did you manage to get a ticket TTR Steve??

Excellent, we have a team!!

That's fine by me Steve, sounds a plan

Great

Already looking forward to sarn helen

Will check my front sprocket before i leave this time.

Buy one jack and come and join us

m.facebook.com/groups/277011882357590

delvey91 wrote:

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m.facebook.com/groups/277011882357590

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 Seems to be a private page Jack?

Video for taffy dakar 2014

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iklUPsHLN6Q

The Taffy Dakar 2014 Promo Motorcycle Orienteering Annual Extravaganza in the Welsh Trails ...

Good luck to the Devon boys. Hope you have fun and stay safe. 

Good luck guys, make sure you are back by 6......
TTR Steve - hope you enjoy your leisurely ride........

-- Edited by Tigerman on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 10:04:03 PM

Oh yeah

Forgot about that!

On sundays ride out a tenere decided to pack up at the bottom of a steep lane I went down to see what was going on and ended up towing him up! Think he was more than surprised at what a TTR can do And a bit embarrassed my little bike could pull he's out He took back all that he said and lucky he did or I would have left him there  Might be able to get some video footage

-- Edited by ttr steve on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 10:19:23 PM

-- Edited by ttr steve on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 10:21:10 PM

ttr steve wrote:

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Oh yeah

Forgot about that!

On sundays ride out a tenere decided to pack up at the bottom of a steep lane I went down to see what was going on and ended up towing him up! Think he was more than surprised at what a TTR can do And a bit embarrassed my little bike could pull he's out He took back all that he said and lucky he did or I would have left him there  Might be able to get some video footage

-- Edited by ttr steve on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 10:19:23 PM

-- Edited by ttr steve on Tuesday 5th of May 2015 10:21:10 PM

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is that concentration or constipation on your face Stevie    

Well, what a weekend that was. Cannot speak highly enough of the organisation and the volunteers who run the event.

To provide three nights camping, a variety of routes/maps, marshalls and trail ride leaders, on site mechanic, cooked breakfast on the day, t-shirt, prizes, medals, two bands and at least £10 per rider going to the charities all for £45 is frankly staggering. They could double the price and it would still be the bargain of a lifetime.

So, the write up, Friday I had booked off work so as is customary for any Ninja bike event, I made a cake, then loaded then van in the morning with everything I could think that I would need, left a few things behind but took far too much really.

Arrived at the Ancient Briton in Pen-y-cae at about 5pm where HP, Alan, James, Wendy (Alan's missus) and Heidi the chopsy German Shepherd had set up our home away from home.




Our team had very little off road experience and a motley collection of bikes including my DR350, HP's KTM LC640 and James Tenere (both freshly shod in new on/off road rubber) and Alan's venerable army surplus Rotax engined Harley Davidson.




My cake and I were immediately welcomed and the wine flowed, we went down to the organisers tent and selected our route. There were three options - Road, Trail or Novice. On the advice of the others who did the event last year we plumped for Novice. If I am honest I was hoping for the Trail option but they were right.

About 7.30pm we went down to the briefing - Just fuggin enjoy yerselves! 



Simples.


There was a wide variety of machinery entered from Rally Raid prepped KTM's to a Ural combination and a couple of C90's.




Got a bit chilly Friday night but all the better to be up and at em Saturday morning.

Saturday morning dawned wet and at 8am we were saddled up and ready to roll, James had been designated mechanic and I got the job of navigation (ha!)

We had agreed the route to hit all the checkpoints over the maps the night before and set off south to get some fuel and hit checkpoint one at Touratech. All the teams set their own route and it really surprised me how few times we came across other riders on the trails.

Fuelled up we headed up to the Usk reservoir for our second checkpoint, on tarmac up to that point.




Our planned route went around the reservoir to pick up forestry trails through to one of the "danger" points noted by the organisers on the route notes. The others had ridden it last year and we had all agreed that we would rather fail riding up than riding down when gravity could carry us on when we wanted to stop.

I discounted the first trail we came to as it was deep mud and ruts and lead us onto the forest above the reservoir in the background of the pic above which was beautiful fun riding but I quickly realised we should have come out of the forest but were still in it so we backtracked to the mud trail, where the fun started.

My DR cleared the worst of the mud and into the forest easily but Alan is not blessed with my length of leg and fell coming up the same slope. The fall knocked his chain off so out came the tools and he was soon back up and made it up the start of the track. Then James took his run on the Tenere falling and smashing off his Touratech brush guard.

It was clear that the Tenere was going to struggle on this trail due to its weight so a bit of a rethink and we decided to attack the Roman road and danger area in the other direction. 

The Roman Road was our first real section of trail and was so much fun I forgot to check and get a couple of the answers required. When we got to the end I could see why the others were worried.... steep, sheer rocks, with ridges running across the slope at 45 degree angles.

In fact, it was not so bad and not nearly as wet and dangerous as the previous year according to my team mates. No photos, I was too busy, riding the bike. A bit more road and then our planned fuel stop in Sennybridge which turned into lunch as the garage had a cafe which was full of the marshalls so we figured must have been good, and we were right.

At lunch the bloke on the Ural combination and his mate on a BMW combination came in having just come down the same section as us. Nutters.

After lunch we set off again but had some mechanical issues with the ex-army Harley Davidson before heading up into the mountains for the best riding of the day...






The trails were a bit like riding on marbles but we were making some good progress in fantastic scenery




Then we came to the second of the noted "danger" points described as "large rocks litter the trail". So being faced with about 200 yards of very rocky trail was no surprise and there was a couple of routes just off the main rocky trail where you could edge round. Then I came around the corner at the trail to be faced with this...




The trail was not littered with rocks, the trail was rocks. That photo was taken about halfway up and in no way shows how fuggin steep it was. Those of you with good eyesight may be able to pick out some dots in the middle of the pic above, that was the bikes and half the team while we did a recce. From this point on up there were no side routes it was rocks or nothing, hells teeth.



And there was another section as long and as rocky around the corner. 

All in I reckon it took us about 2 hours and another Touratech brush guard to get all four bikes to the top. I reckon I went up and down about six times, walking it, riding it, walking it helping the others, riding another bike up but it was worth it.



From there on down were my favourite trails of the day, and in places were tricky had we not just beaten the rocky hill, that said we were glad to get back to the tarmac. 



Interesting road sign, wasn't one of those at the other end.


Our instructions were that when it hit 5.30pm we were to head for home, so we abandoned the remaining waypoints and just enjoyed the run back for dinner and medals.



We didn't win, but according to the organisers, we were all winners.

 

 

On Sunday morning the organisers offered guided trail rides for anyone who wanted them but following a realistic assessment of our physical condition and commitments elsewhere we plumped for finishing off the Novice Saturday route before finding our way back to the camp site and packing up.

The weather was not pleasant, a cold Welsh drizzle that soaked into everything and very misty reducing visibility to about 100 yards.

We picked up the route easily enough with a little help from a passing Taffy Dakar guide and found ourselves on open gravel forestry trails which would have been a nice introduction if we had chosen to go this way first on Saturday.

The weather got gradually worse and I picked a route for home which took us back to where we had split from the guided party down a Roman road. This proved to be quite rocky but not too daunting and allowed some good progress.

A further check of the map revealed this route was Sarn Helen which we had been warned about by the marshalls at the previous day's lunch stop, but with our new found confidence from yesterday it gave us no problems riding down large rocks and fording the streams. Few too many gates for my liking but chatting with a local farmer on his quad bike you realise you are up there enjoying yourself but they have to earn a living from the many suicidal sheep hurtling about the place.

Not many pics just a couple of James on his Tenere...






After that we went back to the camp site, got into some dry kit, gave the organisers some cake and our thanks before heading home.

Will definitely be trying to get a space next year but expect this will be even more popular even if they put the price up.

Should also mention the raffle - well worth a punt, very good selection of prizes including helmets, action cameras, whisky, rainsuits and the like. Although by the time my ticket was pulled I only had the choice of some boxer shorts, a T-shirt or a neck tube.

 

It was a complete change of everything I was wearing on Sunday to get dry again.

Gave up on my goggles on Sunday, they were so wet from Saturday they just kept steaming up.

Excellent write up' chaps, glad you all enjoyed the weekend, looks fun 

First couple photos looks like start of Sarn Helen, looks like a great time was had!

As a result of my banging on about how good the Taffy was a couple of mates have bought trail bikes and elected me navigator for a return trip in June.

I am trying to string together a full day of trails from Penycae for the Saturday and a morning route for Sunday.

I have the Roman Road and Sarn Helen in mind but I am trying to link up to some of the other trails west of Llandovery that the Trail route used as I only did the Novice route.

Can anyone give me a steer as to decent legal routes in the area? OS maps seem unclear as there are lots of forestry trails shown but no guidance as to what is legal and what is not.

For example can I link up from the Usk Reservoir at 825 294 through to the B road at 804 303?

My concern is that this is the blind leading the blind a bit, I want a challenge but not to put the lads off. For example I know I can ride up Sarn Helen at 937 212 but I don't fancy riding down it, yet.

Thanks Kev, Trailwise appears to back you up.

Odd because we rode the Roman Road right across on the Dakar and there were lots of us doing so.

Found a good loop of trails west of Llandovery now.

Dom I am going to Wales in a couple of week time around the Llanbister area I will let you know how we get on