Woodside whispers

old git · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Aberdeenshire

After the long wait since the last 2 Melville rounds at Pathhead rounds 4 & 5 of the Scottish Enduro Championship at Yarrowford were finally here. The weather forecast for Saturday was showers with an improvement predicted for Sunday. The course had been subject to lots of wet weather leading up to the event and a muddy and slippy weekend was expected.

There was a fairly large entry including quite a few who had never ridden the Selkirk course or a wet event.

Signing on and scrutineering were relatively dry. Random noise testing is becoming part of every event now and I think most riders would agree that the days of excessively loud pipes in Scottish Enduros are numbered.

Sportsman times were what I considered to be reasonably tight at 1 hr 40mins for first 2 laps then 1 hour for a reduced last lap. Clubmen & Over 40's were a bit tighter and Expert times looked very tight. Things kicked off pretty much on schedule and it was just as things got underway that the rain started. Waiting for my start time in my new boots with a new rear disc & pads on the bike I was feeling a little more apprehensive than normal, wondering what the big hills would be like after so much rain. Soon enough my day got going, bike started 1st kick and I was soon heading for the 1st corner which is a very tight hairpin. I almost stalled as I struggled to find gear lever with the new boots (never start an enduro with new boots....get some practice with them beforehand). Cold engine spluttered a bit just as my goggles steamed up and I struggled to get up the first small hill. It became clear very early that I wasn't going to have an easy day. I gave up with the goggles and struggled on with the boots but the real difficulty was maintaining enough speed through the slippery wooded section to clear the mud from the tyres, much of it was done with both feet dangling....never a good way to ride an enduro!! Loads of guys passed me and loads got stuck which meant following riders lost momentum and got stuck too. I found the first few miles through the wooded sections really hard work and it was with great relief that the course opened up and we were on to the fast open moorland and big hills. The course has been altered a lot since last year and I would say that the climbs aren't quite as severe but they are still seriously big hills. Surprisingly enough I didn't have too much bother getting up or down them though once or twice I did have to about turn for a second attempt. Up on the high moorland there was plenty of grip and silly speeds were easily achievable for those brave enough to wind it on. Temperatures on the hill tops felt more like early March than mid July. The rain gradually decreased as I got round my 1st lap. Somewhere in my 1st lap a few experts passed me and within a minute or so had disappeared into the distance. I lost about 10 or 15 minutes due to "losing" the course and having to back track a few times. The test was tight and slippy and promised to become very cut up in places. A quick check of my watch after the test confirmed what I already knew, that I was never going to make my time and at best would just manage a finish by using my hour. By the time I'd finished my 1st lap the rain was off and things were a bit brighter. I had a drink, fueled the bike changed to dry goggles and checked in 25 minutes late.

Lap 2 went much better. I was finally getting used to the boots and gear changes were more or less happening as required. The riders seemed to be more spread out and maintaining momentum through the wooded sections was much easier as I was only paying for my own mistakes rather than being stopped by log jams of stuck riders. It has to be said that the marshaling was superb throughout the event with marshals very quickly changing the course and providing alternative routes as the ground cut up. Not an easy task, keeping on top of things so well on a course of this length. As with lap 1 the open going was great fun and more than made up for the toil of the tighter sections. When I arrived at the test there was a rapidly forming queue of riders. I believe there was a problem with the timing equipment. I was held up for around 10 or 15 minutes but the rest was welcome enough. Eventually we got moving again and I struggled through the test which was hard work (by this time I was so late I knew my test time was irrelevant). As the end of the lap approached the rain came on heavy again and I was wondering if I'd manage the final (shortened) lap. As I came in to refuel I was told that all classes were having their last lap cut which meant that my event was over. I would have liked to have done my last lap but suspect that I would have been very close to houring out so I wasn't too disappointed. As it was I finished 50 minutes late with at least 10 minutes of this waiting to get on to the test on lap 2.

It will be interesting to see the results as I think there were a lot of retirements and I spoke to a few riders who took over 3 hours for 1 lap. All riders that I spoke to agreed that it was a very tough event.

Heavy rain fell over Saturday night and unfortunately round 5 was cancelled. Cancelled events are always disappointing but it was the only option for the organisers. The heavy over night rain on top of the very wet ground and the hard worked course from day one would have made it very difficult to run the event and might well have ruined the course for future events.

Hopefully the cancelled event can be run along with the event at Selkirk in September?

Many thanks to the farmer for the use of his land and the people of Yarrowford for their hospitality. It is great to be made so welcome again.

As always the Melville club have run a superb event and many thanks to all the people who gave up their time. Once again, particular thanks to the hard worked marshalls who did a great job of keeping the event flowing in really difficult conditions.

Monaughty is only a fortnight away and I can't wait to get in amongst the roots and stumps of GMCC's second event of the year. No doubt John, Kevin and the rest of the squad will have a few surprises in store. Wink

stucinabog · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 60

Old Git

Is it definately the case that the last lap for all riders was cancelled? If so I may not have DNF'd. I was so late on all three laps that I just handed my card in after the 3rd and decided I would be wasting my time going back out.

It was a fairly tough event!!
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If it aint broke keep trying.

Dax · Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 29

My second enduro and I found it very hard going. The big moorland hills and small bogs were fnie, but the wooded hill sections and special test were tricky to say the least. I got caught in bunches of stuck riders on a couple of short climbs and subsequently pushing the bike up a muddy, cut up, root infested slope wasnt the best for my energy reserves!

I came in on time for all three laps on my first enduro at pathhead, yet I took over 3 hours to do just one lap at Selkirk. Well off the pace.

Im fearing the worst when the photos come out, I bailed out a few times trying to get up one section much to the amusement of the camera wielding marshall at the top of the slope. Bah Smile

The Hooker · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 16 Location: Nairn

This was far from my most enjoyable enduro, a complete change from last years event which took place in stunning sunshine. Made a complete hash at the start, I've got a new bike (crf250) and couldnt get it started so incurred a time penalty straight away, eventually got it started but by this time I was tired from kicking it and goggles were steamed up, I spent the first couple of miles thinking I had a puncture or a problem with the rear wheel cos I couldnt believe how uncontrollable the bike was in the mud. The moors were good fun though, full throttle all the way and the downhills were not as daunting as last year on the two stroke, the test was a nightmare, got stuck both times and ended up just cruising round at a leisurley pace to make sure I never fell off. Was just glad to complete the two laps as there were a lot of bikes littered around the course with no riders in sight. Hare & Hounds this weekend at Ardersier then looking forward to Monaughty.

old git · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Aberdeenshire

stucinabog · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 60

Hmm maybe I didn't dnf then. I bet a fiver tho that I was last!!
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If it aint broke keep trying.