See all the day's photos in photobucket (over 500)

I woke up very early on Sunday the 14th of June. There was no need to, but I think nerves were getting the better of me. I though it was just going to be another race when I sent my entry off (late I might add so thanks to Sidcup MCC for sorting me out). Then the race entry was published, oh dear, had there been a misprint? Why are name like Edmondson and Bolter doing in what I thought was a local club race? Or more importantly what am I doing entering my lard arse into a race they were in?

Nicky and I got to the track at about 9 am, so there was plenty of time to find a nice shady spot for the car and to walk about the place. We watched the start of the morning or first race and the top dozen or so were really flying. Before long it was signing on time and it all went smoothly. We were issued with some nice newish looking rubber wrist bands that contained the transponders. Time then to carry all the gear and petrol down to the pits.

Having watched the early race, I though I’d position my bike near the left of the track so I could get a tight line into the first left hand bend. The helmet cam was all set to go but I was concerned about carrying all the extra weight so I organised with Nicky to be in the pits after an hour and a half to swap over the camera equipment with a lighter camelpack.

the start of the pro race

Yes it was dusty!!

Rob (no.200) in the background - the start of the 2T clubman class

I nervously waited for our time to start when the guy next to me frantically asked me if I had an allen key to tighten his side stand! I dug one out of the rear fender bag and after a bit I told him to just wrap the elastic band around the end and it would be all right. The 2T class shot off and Gavin was caught out a bit and didn’t manage a clean get away. I had another problem though - two bikes were stuck right in front of me. An abandoned bike was leaning up against another one blocking my route. Mini panic but a marshal came and pushed one back next to me while the other set off. I must have blinked cos the flag dropped before I knew it and it all went wrong!

me caught up in the start melee

Gavin...

I had planned my start carefully. Clutch in, in neutral and thumb on starter. Only in the panic I must have clicked into gear too early as nothing happened when I pressed the starter and while everyone else shot off I was left sitting there like and idiot with my brain a bit befuddled why it wouldn’t turn over. Clicking it up into neutral and away we go. Amazingly I wasn’t last into the first bend but someone tried to jump on the back of my bike from the left which sent me wide and got hit from the right. There was so much dust I didn’t have a clue were the track or the other riders were so I had to ease off a bit. I managed to make up some places here and there but again it was so dusty that it was hard seeing a clear path. The first small jump went ok, and then came another, also ok but it was followed by a long downhill. The dust was so thick I couldn’t see the bend but went to the far left of the track for a tight line round the left hander. All of a sudden out of the dust a bike was parked up ‘side on’ to me - eeek! Breaking like my life depended on it (his did!) I just managed to slow down in time to not hit the other guy into next week, stalling my bike in the process. It fired straight away but another rider gave me a bit of a knock coming up my inside.

me again

A short uphill blast and we were into the first naggery bit that linked two parts of the MX track. There was bit of elbow bashing and then we rejoined the MX track. A few bends later there was a series of small whoops followed by a tight left. I’d seen some of the first race get it wrong there so took it easy. Then it was a fast blast down the hill to another jump. Having not seen this bit before I jumped fine – as long as there wasn’t another jump just behind it …. but there was! I landed on the crest of the hump and head butted the front mudguard as the bike slammed into the ground. Recovering quickly I took the next few jumps very cautiously!

another one of Gavin

me.....

I managed to get into a nice rut to take me round the next right bend and cut up the inside of some riders. I had to pull it tight to the right as someone had stopped in the track and got messed up by some lose sand, nearly crashing. I rider cut in front of me and I had to brake hard, stalling the bike again. Pretty soon we were off the track and winding though the trees before going through the container tunnel and playing follow the leader again though the trees. A tight bend and I caught my front wheel on the fence so down I went but was up fast and chasing the pack in front. I caught them just as they got stuck at a jam and managed to nip past a fair few on the outside. Next up we were into the woods and some much tighter going. Two bikes stalled in front of me and I got boxed in for a while. One moved and I got past but then got stuck behind a slower rider and the track was too narrow to past easily. He then had a wobble, blocked me and someone got past. Out into the faster open going I was losing a bit of time. Several reasons I think, one being the front end kept on tucking and I’m still riding a bit cautiously since the injury to my shoulder. I also tend to be a bit on the careful side when trying to pass people so that something I have to work on.

Fausto

and me again

Into the tight bits again and I managed to nip past a few guys. Out onto the fast part I had to back off slightly on some of the long straights as the dust was obscuring the way and making me a bit nervous. In amongst the tress once more and it was again a case of following the bike in front. Going into a dip I should have gone tight but followed the rider in front and he got stuck coming out, so I had nowhere to go and slid back down into the hole to try again. Following the same rider for a while I was trying to get past but every corner I seemed to take the wrong line. Try for the outside and he went wide, try for the inside and he cut tight. Eventually I got past in the rock obstacle and after a few turns that was the end of the lap.

I carried on at an ok’ish pace for the next few laps but the heat was taking it toll and pretty soon the muscles in my shoulder felt like they were on fire. I was loosing the front all over the place and struggling to hold on. After and hour and a half I pulled in to swap over camelpacks and to dump the camera gear. I felt absolutely shattered, my shoulder felt like it was being jabbed with red hot pokers and I seriously considered giving up.
“Do you want to stop” asked Nicky.
“Yes” I replied.
“But you’re not going to are you?” she asked knowingly.
“Nope, I’ll do two more laps and see how I feel”.

coming into the pits...the trailing arm and eyes say it all!!

By now I felt like I was just riding around getting in peoples way so some of the enjoyment was taken out of the day as I just couldn’t ride at a speed I was happy with. Now and again I’d get a bit of a spurt on when I could see a slower rider ahead that I could pass and one such moment I over/under jumped again and slammed down so hard my legs gave way smashing my nuts into the seat, nearly popping them out the back of my throat in the process!
I kept out the way of the quick guys and after two more laps I pulled into the pits for a quick can of red bull and a bit of a rest before heading out again for some more punishment. Much the same as before, say out the way of the fast riders and keep on plugging away. Getting passed by a girl was a new experience!

Rob lookin good ...sand was screwing with the focus though

Coming out of one of the dips (the one where the rider got stuck in front of me in the video) the rut had got so deep it knocked the bike into neutral and i coundn't get it back into gear as the lever was resting on the ground. eventually after a lot of cursing the bike slipped back down and flipped over and i managed to jump clear in time.

Lap one of the afternoon race. 4T class.
fast asleep on the line and bike didn't start!!!!!!!
It was a bit dusty out there!

By now I was chanting a little mantra to myself to stop but I came up to the clocking in machine I went out for another one, much to my bodies dismay! Back round again for another lap and I looked down at my wristwatch (ktm speedo had stopped working hours ago) and realised I had time for another lap. God no, not another! Ok that’s it I’m going to bloody stop. Then I started to think about the finishing rules i.e. getting to the flag and I saw guys parked up waiting for the finish so I decided to join them. I saw the flag come out and cruised up to the finish point to hand the tag back in.

Gavin taking the chequered flag

it's over at last! me clocking out ... moments before Nicky's camera battery went phutt..
and missed me at the chequered flag!

So that was that, not too successful for me and it was a hard race, that was for sure. I think I needed a race like that to force home just how unfit I still am. The going was so cut up and the resulting bouncing around really punished my arms and shoulders. Still at the end of the day (don’t you just hate that phrase) I still got 25th out of over 60 riders in the 4T clubman class so not too bad a results really. So big fish in a little pond (CHEC) or little fish in a big pond (Sidcup XC & others) ? mmm ….let me think about that and I’ll get back to you. If only I could get thin and fit sitting at my desk - I’d be unbeatable!

Thanks to the Sidcup club for laying on a very well run event

some good shots of the faster guys... plenty more on photobucket

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