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Lane End, its kinda turning into my bogie track. The first time I raced there was last year. It was only my second race and I was fired up from a good result at the previous round. Well four crashes on the first lap put paid to any chance of a good result. On the second visit I had what started out to be a small tip off but I got caught up in the bike as we both rolled down the hill and ended up damaging my ribs which was agony for the rest of the race and caused me to miss the next round at Newbury but from what I hear of that race I was lucky not to go!
Any way back to this years AMCA race at Lane End. With the 20% penalty loading removed for this event it gave you the choice what tyre to run. I always use a trials tyre in CHEC events so automatically entered the event to do the same. However with the rain coming down in the latter part of the week I was getting more and more concerned I’d made the wrong choice? I knew the trials tyre would be good for the technical climbs and many tree roots at Lane End but I was worried about the rest of the course. What compounded the problem was the fact that my spare wheel had a half worn enduro tyre on it and I didn’t have another new one to fit. Half worn enduro or half worn trials tyre - six of one and half a dozen of the other! Waking up to heavy skies and rain I quickly fitted the enduro tyre equipped wheel hoping I’d made the right choice. A little voice said that maybe I should take the other wheel with me ‘to be on the safe side should I get a flat’. Well I ignored that voice – at my peril I might add!
Parking up in the field I was worried that I’d not be able to get the car back up the slope at the end of the day (it was ok though).
After signing on I popped over to a couple of the TBM crew, one of whom was going to take part in the event and had a chat about the bike they were going to run today, (read all about it in an upcoming issue of TBM).
Rotaxrob from the forum arrived while I was getting changed and although he wasn’t competing he’d popped by to offer some support. I also had a chat to Fausto from the TBM forum while waiting for the riders briefing and made a note of his number so my girlfriend could get some pics – and what pictures they turned out to be!
Fausto, Ian (both from the TBM forum) and myself
The start was late due to the ambulance not arriving on time but we all waited patiently in the rain until it was time to set off. Being number 65 I had a bit of a wait before getting going and after my last outing at this venue I was determined to take it nice and easy on the first lap. Unfortunately I got away first in my group so it wasn’t long before I had a couple of two strokes on my behind. Now I could press on to try and stay ahead of them, possibly crashing in the process or let them go. I opted for the latter option so I pulled over to let them by and then carried on at my own pace trying to place the front wheel carefully so that it wouldn’t slide along any branches or roots.
Ian having a few issues in the bog!
Me making it out the first time
During the first lap a few other quicker riders came past but I also managed to pass some slower riders. The course was well laid out but mostly weaved through the trees with only one section of fire road and one open field that we skirted round.
The first technical climb was deep in the trees and bone dry so that one was easy to get up and it never got any worse as the day wore on. The second technical slope was more of a challenge as it was a lot steeper, wet and a clay flint mix. It also had a rock or root step half way up on the right hand side so it was important to keep to the left. Keeping the revs nice ‘n low in second gear, the 450exc made short work of the climb. On one lap there were three bikes down on that slope but I was on the way up already and managed to find a way through somehow, but I was lucky the bikes fell in the right direction! Trying to pick up bikes on slopes like that and get going again is a sure fire way of wearing yourself out, so I was very pleased not to struggle on them.
Whoa there!......Swamp thing II
There were a couple of sections that I found to be a bit doggy. The first was an off camber down hill slope in the woods. Although it was dry the bike tended to get away from you here if you didn’t take it easy. At the bottom of this slope the track turned right and you had to get over some root covered humps and bumps that all had varying degrees of off cambers. I had some wild lines through this section a few times in the early laps and was far from elegant with arms legs and bike all going in opposite directions but at least I stayed on board, well for now anyway!
Ian and myself
Me about to get overtaken on the hill - I didn't pass anything all day on that dam hill!
The second doggy bit started out ok but as the rain came down it became very slippery and there were a few jams later in the race. It was the slope just before the open field on the far end of the track. You had to wind your way up though the trees and over roots and in the early laps this wasn’t a problem but once the clay got wet it was a different story. Once again low revs and momentum were the key here. I took the couple of water splashes nice and easy so remained fairly clean but some bright spark blasted past me while going through the mud hole just before the start finish and absolutely covered me in crap, thanks whoever you were!
While not exactly setting the world on fire I tried to keep up a steady pace and made up some places here and there, being very mindful of the guys on the more nimble 2T bikes coming through.
There was a very steep drop off and climb just after the cleared wood section that was fine most of the time but on one lap I got distracted when I looked over at the marshals and went slightly wide into the drop. The front wheel caught a root and the front end zipped of to the left, with the rest of the bike going every which way but it righted itself in time to make the climb out somehow.
Fausto on his butt!
Man down!
And another!
Most of the track the worn rear was coping ok but the climb up the hill to the clocking in machines was very slippery and I could hardly touch the gas on this section as it just spun up and sent me sideways.
Shortly into what was going to be my last lap in the morning I felt that horrible loose feeling from the rear again and knew I had another puncture! Bollocks – another tube down the drain.
As I had lots of slime in the rear tube It had to be either a pinch puncture or a spun rim that had pulled the valve out. I slowly made my way back to the pits but it takes a long time to get round at the best of times and now I was forced to take it extra easy due to the difficulty in controlling the bike. I eventually made it to the end of the lap and was confronted by my girlfriend taking pictures at the bottom of the hill giving me the ‘twist the throttle’ hand signals, at least I think that was what it meant! Just before the clock in I was surprised to see Nigel from Enduroland waving hello and I managed to clock in a couple of minutes late and parked up in the pits a bit fed up and ready to throw in the towel.
Nursing the flat up the hill - you can see the tyre flexing off the rim!
I trudged over back to the car and was very surprised to see Tony and his daughter standing there as I thought they were only coming back from their holidays on the day of the race. Not too sure of the circumstances yet but he got home early and spent until 3am prepping the bike hoping for a late entry to the race, only to oversleep and miss the start!
He asked if I was going to fix it and I replied ‘sod that – I’ve had enough’ but he had other ideas and said “come on, you can fix a puncture in 20 minutes on the trail”. Rob was there as well asking what I needed so I jumped back into action and fetched the bike riding it back to the car and set about fitting the spare tube I had.
the pit crew in action - thanks guys!
The wheel came out and the tube was fitted in no time at all but things got a bit heated when I couldn’t get the rear axle back in. The bike being covered in three inches of mud didn’t help much! Apparently I was turning the air blue when I got frustrated with things so apologies to the young ears that were nearby! Rob refilled the tank, then my camelback but thankfully not with the same stuff! Tony pumped the tyre up to pop it out on the rim and Nicky cleaned my goggles while I gulped down a mini pork pie, half a energy bar and coke – thanks team for getting me back out on track only a few minutes late! I was waved though while the 80’s were lining up.
mmm i don't look too clean now!
Ian again
After the whole puncture hoo ha I was finding it difficult to get back into my stride and even though I’d checked the pressure of the rear using the old ‘press it with your thumbs’ technique it still felt way too hard as I was going absolutely everywhere but where I wanted to go. I carried on like that for a couple of laps but in the end I stopped to let some more air out. It felt a bit better but it had been raining for quite a while now and the going was getting really slick. I felt I was just making up the numbers, not getting into the groove at all. By now it was getting so dark inside the woods that I had a few small offs on tree roots as I just couldn’t see where I was going anymore. The grass field was as slick as anything as well and having a 450 with a worn tyre in these conditions was just plain daft, still - no one else was to blame, only me!
I tried switching on my headlight to try and see where I was going but it didn’t appear to be working, but I think it was the two inches of mud caked all over the bike that might have had something to do with it! Due to the failing light and constant rain on my last lap I just couldn’t see properly so I had to slow down (or stop) to wipe my goggles clear using the rag I keep behind the headlight. Looking through the photos now I see loads of guys took their goggles off but being hit in the eye hard enough to split a contact lens in half once has put me off removing mine. I eventually made it back to the pits but as I’d been so slow I had run out of time to get another lap in, still having 15 minutes left - my race was over.
I like this one of me - one handed, rear spinning and stepping out (last lap)
Parking up by the car Tony and Rob had long gone, the rain having got the better of them. Before getting changed I cleared most of the thick mud off the bike while chatting to one of the GLC members. Looking at the amount of mud in the rad guards it was no wonder the bike was boiling over but I think I’ll get a new radiator cap as I’m sure it never used to do that. Physically I felt all right as the speeds were slow enough not to get me too worn out but I didn’t feel like I’d been in a proper ‘race’, more a ride around and that pissed me off a bit. I just didn’t have the confidence to push any harder in the conditions. I think I’ve psych'd myself out a bit at Lane End.
Thanks once again to the guys of the CHEC club who despite some really crap weather (+100 phone entries) still ran a smooth event. Also thanks to the marshals who's help I never needed for a change!
That's going to take some cleaning!
Having now read some of the comments on the forum I can add the following.
-
Yes I think there were a lot of low branches but I once received an offer to come on down the day before to help trim them all back if I liked, as they don’t have time to trim back 6 miles worth of trees. So if you fancy a sneak preview of the course go down to help clear/mark it!
- Course cutting – I only saw one case and that was on my last lap as I came out of the trees by the bog someone else came out of the trees 50 yards to the right having no doubt cut a load of track out? There were marshals about but I think more traveling ones were needed to cut out that sort of thing.
- Grassy banks cut out? Thank god is all I’ll say! Can you imagine how slippery they would have been in the wet!
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