Powys Enduro 2004

If there's a better Enduro this side of the Channel than the Powys, then it's a well-kept secret. As some of our club members discovered to their cost, it was oversubscribed. Ben Falconer was one of five lucky WG&DF MCC members who had the pleasure of the Caersws chippy and the midge banquet, followed by a ride round some spectacular northern Mid-Wales scenery.

Walking the first Special Test on the Saturday before the event, it was clear that the organisers had a sense of humour.

No less than three wimp-out routes around a startlingly steep drop, a jump into a ditch on a sharp corner and another supercross (well, alright it was 3ft high) jump.

Actually, none of these obstacles were anywhere near as bad as they looked but word had already got back to the start on Sunday morning that the steep drop had been cut out already.

That didn't stop me wimping out of the other obstacles though. Mindful of other club members' injuries sustained before the Welsh 2 Day Enduro last year, I got on with the business of getting to the finish and staying fit and well for that little two day tea party at the end of the month.

Ian Vessey (new KTM 525), Steve Venn (new Honda CRF250X) and Mark Harris (newly promoted Army Major, crashed Yamaha WRF250) did make sure the gathered crowds at Test 1 saw the undersides of their bashplates though.

I managed to plant the old and rorty KDX in a big ditch after one jump, in front of a crowd foaming at the mouth at the scent of blood. Seeing my plight, a certain B Mullins Esq. rushed to my aid but before helping me, questioned me on the origin of the KDX's upside down front forks - on a special test!

Actually, I could have taken the time out to explain how the carb had been bored out to make it virtually unrideable and I still would have posted the very average test time that I'm sure I did.

It was nice to meet you Bob. The forks came from a '94 KX125 by the way.

On to the second check and that's where the fun began. Looking back I'm glad I took the chance to overtake 4 wobblers early on. I got in by 1 minute.

Very impressively Mark Harris made it in by 5 whole minutes. By the dearth of riders at the time control, it was clear that many didn't make it in on time.

That proved to be the tight check of the morning and apart from check 5 where the gas had to be turned up to high, it was all sweetness and light. Sun on our backs and trails across the top of the world. Brilliant.

The highlight for me was being passed by pro' rally driver Alister McRae, who made it look all too easy on a 400 KTM.

Then came the "4.75" km blast through Trannon. Six minutes ain't much - we all lost a little time here but it was possible to go clean and let's face it, if you wanna have it easy, go to a practice track. This was competition motorcycling!

Which as the rider on my minute proved very well - setting off ahead of me on the second test, he dumped it big style on the slippery grass, twisted his knee but re-mounted and still overtook me.

Following this humiliation, I have ordered a copy of The Ladybird Book of Special Tests for Beginners, by P Edmondson from Waterstones and I intend to study it closely.

Yet again Mark Harris lost his tools, for the third time and yet again Ian Vessey had a mechanical gremlin end his Powys - this time the oil level sighting glass was punctured by a stone. Talk about unlucky.

Results wise, Trannon will have sorted out the results - on adjusted time, I lost 3 minutes and Steve Venn and Mark Harris two each, which was probably where the fine line between gunning the bike sensibly and twisting the throttle and hoping for the best probably lay.

Many thanks to MWTRA for another super edition of the Powys. And thanks too to official West Glos fuel man Tony Falconer, who now has detailed knowledge of laybys around the Llanidloes and District area.