I take no responsibility for the misery the others suffered at this event!
I've been to Helmsley a couple of times for practice sessions and had a good time there. It's very tight and twisty and rides best stood on the pegs. So when John Kerwin announced a timecard there I was well up for it. Simon, Carl and Rob all decided to join me and we all entered clubman.
The recent wet weather made me think it might get a bit sloppy but there's plenty of hard pack tracks in the forest so I was happy it'd be good riding.
Arriving a tad late (as per ususal) me and Rob dropped our fuel and pitbox off near the start area then drove a damn long way down the road to the nearest parking spot and got unloaded. As time was ticking by we decided we should get all kitted up and just make one trip to the signing on ect and then stay up there. This turned out to be a good idea as lots were running late and missed their start time.
The clubmen were down for four laps and four tests. The first thing we did was ride the special test as the sighting lap then started on the lap proper with the long check. Straight away I realised the others were going to struggle a bit. It was tight and already rutting up, the first hill was where I caught up the riders in front of me. About four were trying to get past some nasty looking roots so I took a line to the side and got clean up. More ruts followed and lots of bits going across the tree furrows. For some reason these furrows love bike wheels and are perfectly placed to bounce you up and down. The only real way to ride them is stood up but this is tricky if it's already rutted. Getting round the first check with more time to spare than I thought we then waited to go into the check followed by the test and refuelling which was the second check and completed a full lap. As usual for me my test was steady rather than fast, but then I'm there to enjoy myself and a trip to the podium aint gonna happen no matter how hard I try!
My second lap went by with nothing more than some good solid riding if a little too keen on sitting down when I could have been stood. But I was thinking of saving my energy as it was a fairly demanding course and the ruts had got a little worse from the first lap. Again on time, I had a few miutes before I was due out and then it was the test again. Another steady test and time to pour some lliquids down my neck. Clean gloves made it all feel better and I was off on my third lap. This was the tightest of the day and I put a bit of a spurt on and pushed a bit harder. Parts of the course had now levelled out and got a bit easier so made good time and rode a good check and again arrived with time to spare. Another steady test was marked only by my right leg cramping a bit. After a few minutes stretching it out in the pits I refuelled and got read for my last lap. Right from the off it went well. Standing loads and dispatching the ruts with ease the check flew by. Stopping only briefly to say hello to Rob and Carl who were parked up I really got into it and got to the check with no more cramps and not one single fall all day. Just the final test and that was it. Steady again through the test and that was that.
In truth it was pretty hard work and quite a taxing course. There were parts where leg work was the only option and it was damn tiring. I don't think I got higher than third gear all day it was that tight and twisty. The others didn't fare quite as well as myself. All three of them managing just two of the alotted four laps. But it's a learning curve and events can't all be easy.
Well done to John for finding so much riding in such a small area. I enjoyed it even if it was a bit of a shock to the system on the first lap after not doing an event for quite some time now! The next event is yet to be decided but it looks like it'll be the Jack Frost Enduro. I'm wondering if I can tempt anyone to come with me again with the promise of "it's a good ride 'round"?