Enduroland
Tall Pines - 7th March 2010

What fantastic weather greeted us at Enduroland on Sunday the 7th of March! Conditions were absolutely spot on. The week of dry weather had allowed the already free draining sandy track to dry out nicely and apart from the rather cold start to the day we couldn’t off asked for anything more. Even the daylight is on our side again now as the longer days now mean you can set off and return home while it’s still light.

I got to the venue by about half nine and picked up my new knox body armour from Abingdon Off Road. I’d ordered it trough them and they brought it to the track for me. Getting changed was once again a chilly affair due to the temperature still hovering around the zero mark despite the sun, and I looked on in envy at the relative warm of the vans owners getting changed out of the surprisingly cold wind. I was a little late for the sighting lap but then again I’ve never been that worried and judging by the sporadic trickle of riders parking up and the start of the track loads of other riders were not that fussed either.

Below...
a couple of views of the pits - nice and sunny but f***ing cold!

The track had been reversed from the last ill fated outing in back in January. This time the track began by entering the wood at the top of the venue first and basically worked its way back around the normal track layout up until re-entering into the main hilly woods section. Once into these woods it was mixed up just enough to make things a bit more interesting but the changes of direction did take some getting used to at first, especially as the last time I’d been on a bike was back in January when my unceremonious high side and subsequent hurt ribs were caught for all to see by resident videographer ‘choozy’.
Three quarter round the first lap my hand were already frozen so I stopped to change out of my winter gloves into my mx gloves – if I was going to have cold hands, I might as well be in better control of the bike, something that winter glove make even more tricky. Two laps in and I needed to stop to warm my hands up. The sunny weather was still hiding the fact that it was bloody freezing!

Getting on a bit now but still going well enough

I walked up towards the top of the field/pits to see if Steve was about and found him and Dan plus two or three more of their mates. Armed with hot coffees all round we chatted dirt bike stuff but it wasn’t long before the “crispy chilly shredded beef” from the night before made itself know and I had to trot off to the loo again for the second time. I did think it wasn’t maybe the best thing to order from the Chinese the night before, but then again the mini spring rolls with hot chilly dipping sauce probably didn’t help either! Surprisingly I was still one of the first to be ready again and several of us set off for a few more laps before pulling in for some lunch.
After the first few initial laps in the morning, the track bedded in nicely and I was able to start evaluating the Golden Tyres and mousses I fitted in my last report back in February. I had been a little concerned with the hardness of the tyres compared to some of the tyres I’d been using previously. I must say that they behaved faultlessly, and I never had any ‘moments’ as all. The sandy going of the track suited them perfectly, as the tread was able to dig into the sand and grip. I didn’t lose the front anywhere (unlike some – see dizzychoonz video at bottom of page) and there was plenty of grip coming out of the bends too – enough to pull the front end up out of most corners. So for this sort of track the Gt216’s are spot on. Next test will be the clingy mud/clay of Lane End with CHEC and then on to the chalk of Ashdown Farm at the end of the month so stay tuned.
After a bite to eat I geared up with the helmet cam and set off for a few solo laps as the other guys were still supping coffees. I managed to get some good laps in one of which I got involved with a several bikes and a rather rapid quad. Got the better of them in the end (see video). One of the laps i did i cam across a youngster who must have run off the track a bit as he was trying to re-enter at an angle - but wasn't having much luck as his rear wheel was butted up against a branch on the ground. He must have been using the "when in doubt - flat out" approach to getting the tyres to cut through the branch but all he'd done was sink the rear wheel up to its axle! i parked up and lifted the rear wheel out of its prospective grave and he was on his way again with me behind him. His riding in the woods was fairly erratic and within four bends he smacked straight into a small sapling! The best bits always happen when the bloody camera is switched off! He was fine.

me getting in some quality bike time - a quick lap of "Tall Pines"

A little later Steve, Dan and myself got together (each with a camera running) and put in some more laps. Steve is never keen on going in front but I always like friends to go in front so I can film them and put in some passes if and when I can then slow down and do it again. this can make for a better film – but it also has a slightly darker side to it! People tend to ride harder when they are being filmed, and that can make for good footage! Mean I know but – there it is! Anyway we weren’t to be disappointed. Coming back into the main woods Dan and myself waited for Steve to catch up then followed him into the woods – much to his delight NOT! He survived a slight wobble when he got the front end into some soft stuff on a tight bend so I overtook and pulled away, but waited once more near the end of the track. As soon as he and Dan came past I slotted in behind them on the straight that backs onto the pits. Just as I was getting near them Steve must have seen a fag butt in the tall grass on the left and mad a mad dive for it before it went out! He did about three rolls before stopping – all caught on camera! See his footage below. He was fine if a little shaken but the tumble and he still had bit of grass sticking in his goggles as he went to ride away so I pulled them clear. He parked up for a while to make sure he was in one piece.

Steve shows how to crash in style!

I did a few more laps and chassed someone who overtook me but he pulled over near the woods. It was getting on for half two by now so I got one last lap in and then chilled with the guys for awhile, got changed and had a chat with Nigel ref upcoming events. So all in all a great days riding, the weather was perfect, the new tyres were great and my ribs held together just fine – now I just need to sort out the fact that my bike doesn’t seem to be charging the battery. Always something eh?

A round up of the day - video supplied by Dizzychoonz

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