Enduroland 25th Jan 2009 will go down as a tough one!

I’d set the alarm clock fairly early so I could get to the venue with enough time to get a good parking spot. However when I got up it was raining, so it took a while to muster the motivation to actually get up, the ‘snooze’ function worked overtime. Eventually I dragged myself out of bed and packed the car in the drizzle. This would normally be done the night before but I was round Tony’s place sorting out the year’s forthcoming event dates. Once the bike was loaded it really started to bucket down so I though I’d give it a while to clear up. After a cup of tea and some toast it almost started to look better so I set of for Milton Keens.
Once I got to the venue it became obvious that most people didn’t have an issue with getting out of bed in the morning as the place was heaving, I ended up parking on the access road! It was also pretty clear from the beginning that today’s practice was going to be a muddy affair. Bikes were coming back in absolutely thick with mud. Being without a photographer this week I’d brought my trusty old pocket camera, but the trusty old memory card was still in the PC at home – bollocks!
Once all the paper work was done I set out on my first lap, heading down the hill on a dirt track that had a hardcore base. This arced across and down the field, where we turned sharp left and then right through some trees following bottom of the valley right at the base of the other slope. This is where it started to get slippery. I was still taking it fairly easy but you have to keep your speed up when riding in mud so I didn’t want to slow down too much. After a few hundred yards the track swung to the left up the slope but I had a very hard time coaxing the KTM450 up the incline. The back end was struggling for grip big time. Plenty of revs and some paddling got me to the top in the end but it was hard work. The rear knobbly on the bike was half worn but had been ok the week before on the trails so I’d not worried about it. Unfortunately the grassy slopes were just too much for it today so it looked like I was in for a hell of a day – and I was right! i was also running a mousse in the rear so lowering the pressure wasn't an option.

 
I had to stop after two laps for a rest! The bike got a lot muddier than this - this is clean!

After a quick breather at the top of the slope I set off again but opted for the easy route when the track headed back down the slope. After a bit of a straight we rejoined the main track and then turned right in a sort of a dog leg up a small little hump. This was also tricky as the ground in front of it was so slippery it was hard to get a run at it. I managed to go up it ok the first time by coming at it at an angle but with the advantage of some momentum. Back onto a hard track we followed that until it turned left and went back down into the valley. Just before the bottom there was a right turn that took us on a winding route through some trees before climbing back out the valley. The visibility was good here so I could see the slope up ahead before we got to it and there were bikes stopped everywhere! Some on their sides and others being pushed or being picked up by sweating riders. I knew the only way to make it up was to carry enough momentum, so I kept the speed up from the straight and aimed for a gap between the fallen bikes. Amazingly I made it to the top without stopping or hitting anyone else but as soon as I got to the top i ran into problems again. This, flat section might as well have been made of ice, as I just couldn’t get the bike to go in a straight line! The back end was coming round the moment I touched the gas. I eventually paddled to the next bend where we rejoined the farmer’s track, zigging in and out of it occasionally. Then we turned left across a muddy field that had started to cut up already. I kept the gas on and made it across fine on the first attempt, but that would be the only clear run all day. Once back onto the farm track we had a chance to nail it down towards the parking area, turning right at the last moment and running parallel with the cars for a while. Peeling off in a short loop we once again we turned left into some trees following a winding course though them right near the cars/pits before going over some bump like obstacles finishing the lap. In the trees I stopped next to a guy as we waited for a stuck rider and he yelled out “hi john” but with all the helmets/goggles mud etc I had no idea who it was so I just returned the greeting with a “hi” before jostling for a place to get by the other bikes.

slippery slope

I was quite pleased with myself for not falling off on the first lap but you know what they say about ‘before the fall’ etc etc. Anyway the second lap was a bit more of a handful! I was struggling to keep the bike going in the right direction and the rear end had a mind of it’s own now so would constantly swing out when trying to put on power anywhere near an off camber slope. I was down twice even before I got to the first slope, and fell off another two times trying to get it up the slope. The annoying thing was that every now and again a small two stroke would come flying past with abundant grip. The lighter weight and I assume a new rear tyre probably being the reason for their ample forward motion.
I had to stop for a rest again at the top of the slope as I was getting seriously tired now and it was only the second lap!? Carrying on I got to the slope in the woods and luckily made it up without any problems again and in fact I never did have any problems there all day, although it did dry out a bit later on and became a lot easier.

It looks so innocent now - but this hill just got the better of my bikes traction

another 4T having taken the wide line up the slope

The long muddy field become the next problem spot for me. I like to take mud like that at speed but the rear was sliding so much there was no chance of standing up on the pegs. Once again I paddled along getting pretty tired with it! Going through the last few trees before the end I was feeling absolutely wore out so I headed back to the car and grabbed an energy bar and one third of an egg and bacon triple pack sandwich. Oh boy did I make a mistake not having some energy giving oatabix for breakfast and not mixing isotonic drink into the camelpack! After a sweet cup of tea at the snack bar I set off again for a few more laps. I was still having trouble with the first slope, falling off a few more times and then promptly fell off on the small dog leg slope as well. Another crash in the muddy field and I was feeling the weight of the mud now sticking to the bike. The ground up near Milton Keens is different to the normal Berkshire stuff. It’s like clay, but brown and stickier. Eventually the bike must have been carrying an extra 20 to 30 kg’s of mud! That of course was not counting what was stuck to my boots. My feet were getting soo heavy!
I pulled in for another quick stop for a drink of coke, snack and a clean pair of gloves.
While eating the guy that had parked just ahead of me came back in so I walked up to exchange exclamations abut how slippery it was. Unfortunately his day had come to a premature end. He must have either landed on a rock or hit a post at some point as his clutch case cover had been broken. That not the first time I’ve seen drz’s covers broken so I think they are made too thin. I would definitely recommend re-enforcing them with some carbon fibre covers like you see on two strokes. Using my camera on my phone I took a couple of pictures then realised I could use that to get some shots out on the course. However great camera phones are at taking quick pictures, they still aren’t up to much if the rider is too far away so apologies for the quality.

unintentional breather hole in a clutch cover!

the owner - not looking too worried just yet (pre strip down!)

A few more laps and this time I managed to clear the first slope ok. Not easy but in one go at least. I started to ride the other ‘drop down and up slope’ but there was no run up to the hill, so the rear tyre had an awful time of it and the bike deposited me in a heap – right in front of the video camera that someone was holding! Picking the bike up took a huge effort as the dirt had become so sticky that it was coating the bike in inches of mud. Coupled with it laying down the slope it took all my strength to get it back up again. I got going in the end but decided to give that one a miss on future laps and to continue taking the easy route. The wood hill was now pretty easy and I didn’t see anyone else getting stuck there. The small dog leg had become a bit drier and had a small rut cut into the face so that was easy to take at an angle now.

 
the other slope - once again the pesky 2T climb up ok

The only other troublesome spot was that dam long muddy field. This time I was determined to get up enough speed so I tried to carry enough speed turning into the field and stood up on the pegs hitting the gas. As planned I flew along very nicely, steering with my body weight. The extra speed was working fine and all looked good for a clean run through. That was until another rider fell off in my path and I had to try and steer clear. That slowed me down enough to get completely sideways as the rear end choked up with mud. Down I went and the mud clung onto the bike for all it’s worth as I tried to rescue the KTM from its grasp. Almost busting a gut the bike came loose from the thick mud and I flopped back on with boots filled with lead.

 
boots of lead - actually they got much worst than that but i was too knackered to bother taking a pic

The other rider was already up and away again but fell off once more a little further on. Setting off I skied along for a bit with legs out, then managed to stand up as I got the speed up. Passing the same rider again I was going fine but managed to cock it all up in a rut due to lack of speed and fell off right in front of a video camera again. This time my boot was in a deep rut and the KTM was lying on top of my leg. The combined weight of the bike and the extra 25kg of mud was squishing me into the ground so there was no way I could get loose. Normally you can wriggle about and get free but this time I was well and truly stuck. The guy with the camera asked if the two of us could go back and do it again. Yea if you help me get out from under the bike maybe! Luckily the other rider saw me squirming about and walked over asking if I was stuck. He lifted the bike up enough for me to get free then we both heaved it upright. “Bloody hell” he said “I’m glad mine isn’t that heavy”. I carried on and by the time I got to the woods I could feel I was just about ready for another break. I came across another rider who had fallen off and his bike was laying down a slope. I could see he was really tired as well so I pulled up and propped my bike up against a tree and together we got his bike upright. While walking back to my bike his friend stopped to have a chat to him. The first guy then road off and his mate promptly fell off as well. Once again I helped to pick up a bike, then set off back to the pits.

 
not sure you can see it on the net, but steam was coming out from inside the helmet!

Pulling up by the car I oozed off the bike with hands shaking from exhaustion and sat on the trailer feeling absolutely drained. I ate the last of the sandwich and rested for a while before donning more clean gloves & goggle and went back for some more punishment. I bumped into Nigel (Enduroland owner) and chatted for a while about the days riding. I then noticed that the course was tapped off, I’d forgotten that the day's riding ends early in winter! Oh well - maybe it was just as well because I felt totally knackered. The drive back was hard as I just wanted to curl up in a hot bath - not drive for a hour! Cleaning the bike Monday morning too ages as the mud just refused to shift even though i used plenty of 'muck off'.

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