2009 Serco Pre'65 Scottish two-day Trial

Pre65 2 Day Results Here.

The Official Scottish 6 Day Website

Ian's story

Anyone involved in trials knows of the Scottish Six Days Trial and if you're involved with Pre '65 trials you know of the Pre'65 Scottish Two-Day Trial. It started in 1984 to distract the crowds from the Achlain Farm group of sections in the Six Day Trial, it has now grown into the Trial for Pre'65 riders and is so over subscribed with more than three hundred riders chasing one of the one hundred and eighty places each year that it's nigh on impossible to get an entry. When it was announced in TMX last November that the 2009 Trial would be the Silver Jubilee, I'd just bought my Triumph T90 (350 twin) and thought "that bike's eligible, I'll enter". I downloaded an entry form and filled in all the details:- make and date of manufacture of frame, engine, forks, hubs and carburettor, (how do you date a carburettor?) and sent it off.

Christmas 2008 wasn't good. We had planed to go away, but like many people, we both had flu. Holiday cancelled we stayed home feeling sorry for ourselves. Then the postman delivered a chunky envelope. I was curious, too thick for a Christmas card and too late. I opened it, and well …………. ….Edinburgh & District Motor Club…. " I am pleased to inform you that you have been successful in the ballot…" entry number and start times,"..Please complete and return the enclosed entry form..".

I couldn't believe it (I still don't) People try for years to get in, this was my first attempt. Suddenly I forgot my flu.

First thing was to get the bike registered for road use. A dating certificate from the owners club, then MOT and insurance using the frame number. I took the bike to the DVLA for inspection. The inspector looked at the bike, looked at all the paperwork, looked at the frame number, got his torch out and looked again at the barely visible frame number of a fifty plus year old bike that had been repainted countless times. He shook his head and said "That's a six, not an eight, you'll have to get the paperwork changed." So back to MOT garage, ring insurance and new dating certificate, I finally get a registration number to put on the acceptance form and can send it off.

Then there's the bikes eligibility for the event. When I bought it, it had Adventurer 'four bolt' forks fitted, British, but arguably not available until 1970'ish and certainly not allowed in Scotland. Plan was to fit a pair I had that had Norton sliders, but someone then said that the yokes wouldn't be allowed either. So I robbed the forks off my old B40 together with a Tiger Cub wheel and was ready to go.

We (wife Carol and I) had decided to make our trip to Scotland into a holiday and include some hill walking and cycling. We loaded everything into the van, motorbike, push bikes, walking gear and tent. Yes, we're camping!

Everyone had said "it's a long way" and that even from Glasgow to Fort William takes a long time. The distance chart in the back of our road map showed Bristol to Fort William 771miles!. That's going to take a long time, so we set off at 5.30 in the morning. Four hours later we've done over 200 miles and are near Lancaster, surely not another 500 miles ? I look at the distance chart again. 771 KILOMETERS! 479 MILES. By three o'clock we're at our campsite in Glencoe, and by five o'clock the tents up and we're sat having a beer, looking out over Loch Leven and surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains. And the sun's shining.

Wednesday. The weather forecast is for rain later in the week (understatement) so we catch a bus to the head of the Glencoe valley and pick up the West Highland Way long distance footpath and head north to

Kinlochleven.the tops of the mountains are in low cloud but the path is at a lower level with superb views. Our route is only about five miles to the top of pipeline (more on that later) and then drops down into Kinlochleven, the base for the trial. There are already plenty of riders and followers there, and the first job is to buy a programme and check my entry as I still don't believe I'm in. But there it is: 162 Ian Wixon. Still don't believe it. We get the bus back to the camp site where there are now a few other riders and enthusiasts.

Thursday : signing on day. Signing on starts at three o'clock in the afternoon, so I'm there at three, in the queue anticipating being told.." sorry there's been a mistake, you haven't got an entry…", but I show my ACU card and give my name and riding number and get given a bag with riding number, t' shirt and final instructions with a smiley.. " enjoy your ride ". It all seems too easy. Where's the catch?

Friday : Day 1. My start time is 11:20 but we're there for 8:30. Just as well, as by nine o'clock the place is packed. I'm really nervous and heading off to the loo for about the tenth time I meet Ben and Tony Falconer who wish me luck. The trial starts at ten and there is a fantastic atmosphere to the occasion with bagpipes playing and riders starting on a raised platform. I talk to Doug Nolan who got an entry after being on the reserve list. Doug's ridden the trial before but has the disadvantage of an early number: 8.

Because odd and even numbers start at different sections, Doug is fourth away and will have no lines to follow or many riders to watch through the sections. Dave Eeles isn't much better off at 22.

Riders go off two every minute and soon it's my time. Each bike is scrutineered for eligibility just before the start (a bit late if it doesn't conform!)

Just to add to my nervous state. I'm dreading the "sorry mate you can't ride that".Three bikes in front of me a rigid Bantam is being closely looked at with much arguing, so much so, that we're being held up and the starters are calling for the next riders. The scrutineers let him go and I'm called forward and ushered through with barely a glance at the bike. I wait nervously to be called up onto the start ramp where I'm handed my route card for the day. I put it straight in my pocket. Why? I forgot to mention, it's pi**ing down.

The clock shows 11:20 and I'm waved off through the cheering crowd. I'm riding the Scottish!

I know the first group of sections are on the north side of the town so follow the main road, only to meet two other riders looking for directions. Then I see another rider coming down a side street and ask him if he knows the way. "What? Haven't you done the first group? You were supposed to turn right and go up by the aluminium works. There's a big sign. I don't know how you missed it." I go back towards the start, and there on a post is a huge red sign with an "R" on it. How did I miss that? Too excited. I follow the route and get to the first section and it's my worst nightmare, huge boulders with water cascading down them. I walk the section (easier to swim) and watch clever dicks on cubs clean it with ease and others get in a mess. My turn comes and I wobble into the section, the odd dab gets me halfway but then the rocks get bigger and thee quarters through the section I get stuck and the engine stalls, not the dream start. I get started and crawl out of the section. "You'll get used to the rocks" said a helpful spectator. "Yes" I reply "I hear it only takes about two days". One section over, twenty nine to go and I'm knackered.

The second sub doesn't look any easier but not quite as daunting but with a tricky exit. I compose myself and set off, almost under control, half way through, round a bend, I can see the end cards, a big handfull of throttle and I'm out. Clean! Things are looking up!

Back to the main road and then leaving the road we follow the West Highland Way Footpath. I can just imagine the Brecon Beacons National Parks reaction if we asked to ride a trial on their footpaths, they'd have a fit.

The next section, on the side of the footpath looks more sensible, a simple curving climb up a rocky track, this section wouldn't be out of place in a normal club trial. But these are Scottish rocks and as I'm to learn, they move!

I end scrabbling for grip and paddle out for three.

From here we head up over the moor where my memory of the sections is a bit blurred. I knew the sections would be tough but didn't realise how tough the going would be between sections. Mile after mile of stony tracks with peat bogs all around. Anywhere along the route could have been a section, it went on and on, second gear and full concentration or a rock would take your front wheel away. I got to the sections gasping for breath and glad for the rest. The section? A forty foot long sloping rock with water running down it followed by a rocky gully, a double sub, I made it up the slope but lost it in the gully.

Soon after this I met up with Andrew Blacker from Somerset, like me a first timer, he'd just smashed a big hole in the primary cover of his B40 and was a bit worried. "It'll be OK" I said and we agreed to ride together for the rest of the day. The next section looked very tricky with rock steps and black peat stained water that looked bottomless. We watched a cub through and saw it was only a foot or so deep. It was a double and I was pleased to get through for two singles. Andy got through and came out with water and peat spewing out of his primary case."It'll be OK?"

Pete Collins had warned me "keep of the green stuff" as that meant soft peat. It was difficult to see what was soft and what wasn't, the only markers are an orange flag every couple of hundred yards, I tried to stay in other riders wheel tracks. I stayed slightly to the side of one and SPLAT ! Front wheel disappeared into the swamp. I stepped off the bike …..up to my crutch in the bog. Luckily Andy was behind me and helped pull me and the bike out, we moved about a foot to one side and there was firm ground!

We headed on to the sections at the foot of the dam and then followed a gravel road that runs alongside a covered channel that takes water to the top of pipeline.

Pipeline is probably the most famous section in the world. Six large iron pipes (about two feet diameter) are fed with water from a holding tank fed by the reservoir and provided power to the aluminium works in Kinlockleven. Today, the aluminium works has gone and I'm told the pipes feed a hydro-electric plant. Halfway up the pipeline, at its steepest point is the pipeline section. It starts with a gentle rise in a rock strewn gully that gets gradually steeper. It's a double sub, and having made it through the first sub it then changes to rock steps, getting progressively bigger and steeper with a scattering of loose rocks for good measure. Walking the section I find Carol halfway up the first sub, then at the end are Pete Collins and Nick Wooley followed by Ben and Tony Falconer towards the top. So, no pressure! Walking the section takes some time (it's a long way up and steep) but it gives you chance to see others. Some fly up no trouble, most get in a mess on the second sub, quite a few get too much grip and loop it.

I go back to the start and wait for my turn. Watching those go before me, I worked out the line: start left, cross to the right, at half way cross back as you start the second sub then back to the right up over the big pink granite step then hope for the best. It's my turn and I set off up the left side but crossing over it all goes horribly wrong as the Scottish rocks roll around beneath me. I'm footing but heading the right way (up!) and by the end of the first sub I'm back in control and back on line, I make it up over the pink granite step and with a few helpful dabs I've made it to the top of pipeline! Two threes I'm happy.

Now it's one thing going up pipeline, it's another thing coming down. There's no easy way. You have to pick your way down a steep wooded bank with ruts roots and rocks all eager to fetch you off. Not for the fainthearted. As I start my decent, Ben comes bounding across "Well done Ian, well done. That was great" Thanks Ben. I head back to the van to fuel up for the second half with another stony double sub on the way. Confidence is growing and I ride these for a pleasing three and clean.

We then head off down the southern side of Loch Leven for five more groups of sections. I can't remember them individually, more rocks, more water, some cleans, some threes.

The final section of the day is another famous classic CAMAS NA MUIC, a deep gully with thee huge rock steps at angles to the gully, water rushing down and loose rocks leading to a root covered muddy sloping exit. A bit of everything. I stumble though and just about get up the roots crashing down to one side but the front spindles out. Is it a three or a five? I'm still waiting for the detailed results.

Andy has already gone back to the finish as he was tight on time.I get back with twenty minutes to spare from the six hours we're allowed. We've made it through day one, soaking wet, tired but happy.

Day2

First thing is to look at yesterday's results. I'd roughly gone through what I thought I'd dropped and it was mid to late sixties. I figured that less than sevety five would be good and over one hundred bad. I was amazed at fifty three.Must be some generous observing. So now I'm fired up. Forty odd today and I could be in under one hundred! And it's not raining.

Second day starts with rider number ninety so I'm earlier away at10:35 but still have seventy riders ahead of me. Andy is still there with his engine patched up with duct tape.

Ten minutes to go and the skies darken. Five minutes to go and the heaven open. Wet again, not that my boots had dried out from yesterday.

Won't get lost at the start today, our first section is pipeline. Yes we ride it both days. No need to walk it, it hasn't changed overnight. Start off well, stay on line and "hey" I've cleaned the first sub, on halfway up the second sub and it gets the better of me. I get it all wrong and stop. Well at least it's not so far to come down. Then it's off down the south side of the Loch again for different sections and it's a mixture of cleans and threes. Isn't it annoying when youv'e had two dabs and take a third just before the end to give you the same result as someone who scrabbled all the way through. Anyway I clearly had the old motto "a three's better than a five" ringing in my ears for this trial.

We finish this half of the day with CAMAS NA MUIC again. Surely I can do better today? No. Get it wrong at the first step and it's a five. Ah well.

The second half of the day takes us to the north of the loch and a lot of those loose rock sections that make you look stupid as you struggle for grip.

Then there's sections like Mamore with huge sheets of solid rock.I head into the first of these, confident of my line but the wide engine of the twin smashes against the narrow rock line and I'm brought to a sudden stop with that horrible sound of aluminium smashed onto rock and the sympathetic "ooohh" of spectators. I look down half expecting to see smashed engine cases, but the sump guard has done its job and all is well. The bike fires up with ease and onto the next sub, a loose rocky start over a step that has brought down the previous two riders before an evil looking sloping slab finish. I get through for one which eases the pain of the previous section.

Following this is a loose rock double sub Coire Dubh, As I walk up, there's Ben and Tony again, so I've got to do well. After much discussion as to which gear to use I choose second and blast up for two cleans. Good result.

We then head up the Callert Pass a track up the side of the mountain with sections along the way, a new route for this year's trial. At the last section I catch up with Dave Thorpe (six times winner of this trial) and Peter Salt, the last of the odd numbers. Dave's Busy kicking the rocks out of the way "That's enough of that David" said the annoyed observer. David just smiled. I watch him ride through and he has a dab. A chat with the observer who advises " keep your speed up and you'll be OK. " I chose second gear and fly up for a clean. Feels good.

So now we're at the top of Callert Pass, we have to come down. Three, four hundred feet? In about half a mile? Steep. And down rutted peat with wet drum brakes. Get the picture? Brakes full on, every now and then they grip and the front wheel locks if your not quick. I stop a few times on the way down to let my arms recover and at the bottom just stop by the side of the loch to fully recover.

Then it's about five or six miles along the road to Kinlochleven with the odd SO sign to comfort you that you weren't lost. A mile or so from the town is the last section Lower Mamore, on the side of the road it's easily accessable and as it's Saturday and it's stopped raining there's a huge crowd, cars and bikes lining the approach road. I ride down through the masses of spectators to the start and walk the section. So this is what it's like being a star at a big event? The sections are fairly straight forward and I get through for a two and a clean, a great way to finish. I sign off back at the start well within my time.

The result? 53 + 63 = 116 102nd well pleased.

Andy finished with 126 109th

Of our local riders, Doug came 110th with 128 and Dave 131st with 154

And a special mention for Chris Harvey who got his rigid Norton 500 round in 148th with 266.

Thirty one riders didn't finish!

I started full of doubt and apprehension but finished with satisfaction and happy memories.

This year there were fifty newcomers in the one hundred and eighty entries, so the organisers are obviously trying to let as many people as possible have a go at the prestigious event. So if you fancy it, put in an entry. I know what I want Father Christmas to bring me next year.