Oh Boy, that was a tough one!
I did the Kielder last year and it was damn tough. With that in mind it seemed unlikely I'd be going again this year. It's a serious drive up to the Northumberland venue and sharing the costs is something you really want to do. With no-one else seemingly interested it looked like a non starter. But then Andy Reid rang me and he was well up for it. The decision was made...... Keilder, here we come.
Andy and myself went together last year so both knew what to expect and this year we'd be better prepared with food, fuel and, well... everything. It's a 45 minute drive to the nearest fuel station open after 5pm. I know this 'coz we did it last year. Well not this time. We'd be taking everything with us and once parked up wouldn't move till we were leaving.
As I was working on the Friday we arranged for Andy to pick me up and then we'd be off. Err......no. The brakes on Andys van were acting up so we'd use my van. Once loaded up we headed off into the night. It's a 200 mile trip to the start area. The last town is Hexam before you hit the minor roads. A quick pit stop (tea) at around half ten hit the spot then the last 45 mins of driving and we'd be there.
Known as a tough enduro forest the Kielder was in good shape after all the dry weather. But that was all about to change. After a dry night and early morning the rain arrived around 9am. And even though it knew it was an unwelcome guest it simply refused to leave.
The thirty mile loop was split into two sections roughly the same length and both 75 minutes. The first was all going and the second had the test and fuel stop. Around 100 riders left that morning into the wet forest. Right from the off it's tough boggy going. Get a good line and it's not too bad, no need to say what happens if you don't. As it hadn't been raining that long it was still ok. But before long I was soaked through and there were puddles everywhere.
Everyone seemed to be getting through though as there were no abandoned bikes or people stuck. So you keep pressing on. Mile after mile of going, some new and some I recognised from last year. It was one of those wierd situations where you saw no-one for ages but then the check came into view with around ten riders waiting. Clean on the first check by fifteen minutes we would be riding the first test blind. I'd passed Andy a while back as he was having bike problems. With one minute to go he arrived at the check so I shouted to him to get to the front. Seven minutes later in I go.
The test was fast open tracks which then turned you into very tight going in the trees. Out into the open again for some fast stuff then another section of tight trees. I passed the two riders from the minute in front so knew I was on for a reasonable time. The rest of the check was pretty hard. Going that would be fine in the dry was now slippery and technical. The boggy stuff was really hard to read and lots of stopping and checking was needed. I got to the check and had to fuel up before clocking in. I'd dropped nine minutes. The pits were very quiet but off I went on my second lap. After the sportsmen had been through a lot of the tricky boggy stuff was now mullered. With a bit of luck and judgement I picked good lines and was making reasonable progress. The boggy ditches and rutty stuff in the trees were now very worn and I couldn't go as fast as earlier on. Pushing on I arrived within my time at the check. It had only taken me 5 minutes longer, not bad.
The test was looking very second hand now but rode it well with no problems. Definately slower than before though. The rest of the second check was pretty worn too. Soaked and tired, you just rode and tried not to get stuck. I saw no-one now, not even a marshal. I got back and handed my card in, day one done!
The results were posted later on. Third in class with time penalties. Three quarters of the entry had retired! There were more marshals staying over than competitors that night. It was clear they weren't coming back for the Sunday. The rain never stopped but did ease. Some work on the bikes showed mine to be ok but Andy's just wasn't right. A misfire and overheating meant his riding was over.
Sunday dawned wet and cold. I'd spent ages trying to dry my boots and armour. Ten minutes in I was soaked again. Only around 25 people started the second day. It was now just one big lap with sections cut out, but not that many! Sportsman were just one lap and everyone else two. I say everyone, we're talking low teens here. The course was now a quagmire in places. Walking the bike over ditches and having to get off and check lines out. I passed around six riders within minutes. Just keep going and DON'T get stuck. The hard based tracks and ruts were just rivers of water, puddles of unknown depth and the boggy sections just frightening to look at. My test was steady and with one fall nothing special at all. I arrived back at the check fifteen muinutes late and only the fourth person to come in! Out for my second lap I was the last man on the course. It really was quiet now. Getting stuck was just not an option. But sure enough I did. With the rear wheel on a root and the front in deep mud it wasn't moving. I'd been walking it through as well. A lot of heaving and pulling got the front out and then plain old throttle abuse the rest of the bike. Keeping moving I passed two marshals on quads, then two riders on quads. Then I really got it wrong and buried the back wheel. No amount of pulling was gonna free it but I could hear the quads approaching. It took them about ten minutes to get to me and all the time they were were within earshot. A quick pull and I was out. I got to the test to be told I was the only rider still on the course. The other three were experts and had now finished, everyone else had retired. Another steady test and I was told to head back on the fire road so they could all pack up. I got back well within my time and with a big smile on my face. My eyes were killing me from two days riding in the rain with no goggles, I was soaked and had a four hour drive back but I was happy and I'd got my finish.
The course was a good one but the weather really messed it up. I feel sorry for John after all the hard work he put in. People will be deterred from entering next year when really it was beyond his control. It'd be hard anyway, even in lovely warm sunshine but the rain really affected the course. Would I do it again? More than likely. Hard events always take a day or two to appreciate but finishing when so many couldn't has given me a certain satisfaction. I must admit though, in all honesty if the lads at the club ask me what it's like, I couldn't class this one as "a nice ride round".