Chicken Run Hare & Hounds Enduro - 2nd September 2007
Ian Cooper's fabulous gallery of photos.
Ben Falconer's Press report,
Snippets,
Clerk of Course's Notes,
What the Riders Say.
Lost and Found: Blue 'Hama' Bag. Contact Us
Found on the road back to Monmouth after the event, pair of green and black alloy gloves. Contact us and we'll give you Chris Waterworth's phone No. and he'll post them to you.
Only Steve Biddle didn't get to see this view of Winner Phill Gardner as he lapped everyone, Steve stuck to his rear all race but couldn't quite edge past
What fun, eh? West Glos's first attempt at a Hare & Hounds received a fair amount of praise from riders.
We are interested in your feedback, being constructive always helps as we could implement changes in the future if they are consensus opinions. chickenrun@wgdfmcc.org.uk (Just let us know if you don't want your comments published.)
Come back again later and there is sure to be more info here.
Snippets
Commiserations to those suffering mechanicals: Ken Brown blew his ride to work trail bike up but was putting sub 15minute laps in before! Tom Lee had some major problems with his forks. Aaran Wells was well P'd off after blowing his Honda up. Well that's what happens if you insist on trying to catch your dad, who incidentally missed out on a Over 40 win thanks to a 10 minute stop in the bogs! (No - I mean out on the course)
Speaking of Kenny, it was great to see so many of the workers who put on the Mercian Enduros, riding today. Kenny hasn't ridden one for about 10 years and Phill Hodges for 6 years but managed to get 10 laps in. But Mark Wadeley managed a great second in the Novice class on a Pampera with 10 laps! watch out for regs for their next HH on 7th Oct. try www.merciandirtriders.co.uk
Pete Dunkley was coerced into riding against his better judgement but came out smiling and with 9 laps under his belt. You can read all about it on the TBM forum
Glenn told the story at club meeting how he stood in anticipation out on the course near a one-rut mud hole as the riders went off the line, he waited and Steve Biddle came into view with Phill Gardner, both nailing it to the stop and they went side by side into the one-rut slot and both managed to emerge the other side of the trees intact! So much for that slot being a problem then..
Did you spot Mike Edwards secretly testing some new technology that automatically adjusts your headlight beam so it is level no matter what?
Riders Say...
Chris Waterworth says: Thanks for a great day, I really enjoyed it until my bike croaked on the 6th lap, I did however manage to get two burgers down me in the remaining one and a half hours I had to push my bike back and wait for John to finish so all was not lost! I'd definitely do another if you are planning one, any plans? (As they say - Watch this space. ed.)
Pete Dunckley says: Just writing to say what a great event and despite aching legs I'm just itching for another event to further hone my Bog snorkelling skills. The event was well run, the course was just right with enough 'interesting' parts to keep me amused and the competition well spirited and surprisingly, I went the distance without any hitches at all to either man or machine.
Also a massive thanks to the Landowner for letting us use his land PLUS going out of his way to accommodate us with eager enthusiasm. It was pleasing also to see the landowner getting a good result himself in the excavator class despite myself managing to Squeeze a little Pampera past him and his chosen machine in a tight part of the course.
A truly outstanding effort by all involved and everyone deserves a big pat on the back. At this rate I may have to hang up my Morris Dancing hat and hand it to Richard Gwinnutt for safe keeping!.
Richard Gwinnutt says: Many, many thanks to all responsible for staging the 2007 Chicken Run; smooth, professional and flawlessly run.
Weather was perfect for the event, not too hot, although aching, over-heated and nausious at the end and yet deeply satisfied in some sort of depraved, masochistic way.
Absolutely chuffed/amazed that the awesome 125 4 stroke AJP motor managed to survive such a thorough 3 hour seeing to, but survive it did and even started on the button next day after an hour of jet washing.
Just a bit confused about one thing; if Pete Dunckley is now an enduro god, does that mean he leaves a vacated position for a new Morris Dancing god? ..Oh, sorry Pete, didn't you want anyone to know about that? Not even about the 1992 world Morris championships in Scandinavia?....
Really looking forward to a repeat event next year or near future. Well Done.
Anthony Moore Says: Having spoken to many riders after this event, the response was all positive. It would have been difficult to say otherwise!
The organisation and facilities were excellent. It was clear where signing on and scrutineering was and where to leave your bike ready to start.
The course was varied, with a good amount of technical as well as easier going. It was well marked, and marshalled, ensuring that any hold ups were dealt with by the following lap (even if it included a digger sorting it-thanks to the landowner).
The results were out within minutes of the finish and then on the website not long after!
There was ample good food and drink available and even a pressure wash (thanks to the landowner).
You would have thought the club must run these type of events every month not every 22 years!
Everyone involved deserves a huge pat on the back for all the hard work - I'm glad that doesn't include me, mine aches too much!
Clerk of Course's Notes
All those stakes. Dave and Glen put them in!! What was interesting was when I pulled them out they had FLAT ends! I suspect a Big Green Thing helped here.
Best appearance of the day. Aaron's bike arriving back at the start hanging 10 feet off the ground from the Big Green Thing
Fancy being beaten by a Chinese trail bike, Mr Waycott amongst others! It came 7th overall according to my 2 pints of 7% cider calculations.
Lets think. 3 marshals shouting "give it some welly" or something similar on a riders approach to a ditch. Does this really mean, creep up gently and stick the front end in and then be dragged out by said marshals? Hmm.
Most amusing watching Anth and Pete dicing all event. First one and then t'other in lead. Kenny Brown was mixed up as well. Looked like a speedway race at one point.
Pete Dunckley trying to look casual, but going well. Wheelied out of the last ditch, mud and all. Like some primeval monster trying to get me.
What other event has the land owner in a 360 scraping away the banks. Even Gail was impressed. Talking of which they, grew up together!
Little tip. When cleaning up stakes. Don't sit on front of trailer full of stakes, being pulled by under powered quad, driven by a very muddy brother. (Lots of right thumb) Especially when it's going through the bog in the field. Who said he looked like a Dalmatian?
Gavin said it was great. Yeeha. Praise indeed. (Not the Pete filling in, although I am sure he would of approved)
Why did the riders who lived the nearest get there first. Messer's Biddle etc were there before daylight or something like that.
Shouldn't every event have an Ice cream machine?
Thought I had a sun tan until I got in the bath. Oops, forgot to wash it out when I got out. Sorry Sue.
As usual Mike has all the fashion tips. Rigger boots and pedal pushers.
Why do quads have thumb throttles? My thumb is ready to fall off after 2 days use.
Another question. Why. A big WHY, did Glen, 2.5 hours into the event have to try and ride the cut out ditch at far end of the course? More to the point, why did I try to help him out? Poxy Mickey mouse strap on the back. One tug and it snapped leaving me on my backside in a foot of liquid mud. Conveniently enough a few seconds after his bald head was in a position to get a handful of mud. Bet that White Helmets helmet is nice inside now.
At the far end of the course, Skippy/Twinkle (well actually Ian Cooper, Anth's right hand man) was taking piccies. Mr Waycott noticed this and got carried away. Big wheelie. Much style. "oh dear a bend" Big off.
Poor kids. Towards the end several kids were being really helpful, sending riders through the correct line at the last wet ditch. Thing is no one believed them. Well would you? As it happens they were telling the truth and woe betide anyone who ignored them.
Nice idea about jet wash. Bit powerful though. Gerrard will be fetching plastics out of the hedge for weeks.
Feel sorry for the poor chap whose KTM stopped on the first lap, as far from the start as possible. If that wasn't bad enough his misery was compounded by being rescued by our Senior Member on a borrowed quad.
Whilst last minute taping this morning my roll of tape, carefully placed out of harms way , somehow fell down and out of sight, a big hole. Now apparently they are subsidence holes but I was NOT going to put my hand down it to see what was there. The scratchings thereabouts looked as if something lived there and it wasn't Floppsie, Moppsie or Cottontail. It's still there.
Thanks to all who attended, helped or thought nice thoughts.
Pete Dunckley, on his way to 10,000 posts has put some stuff on the TBM forum if you want more. (linked above. ed.)
Any one got any photos we can use? Send them to admin@wgdfmcc.org.uk
Ben's Report
THE first enduro run in 18 years by the West Glos & Dean Forest MCC was a successful return with the Chicken Run hare and hounds event.
Winner Phill Gardner was not the only rider with a smile on his face after three hours, as most of the 60-strong entry enjoyed a varied four mile course through woodland, pasture, stubble fields, streams and bogs at Hendre, near Monmouth. Gardner, from Ross-on-Wye, headed Lydney's Steve Biddle by almost two minutes but Biddle pushed him hard in the early stages and they were the only riders to complete 15 laps.
While they were engaged in their own race, the performance of the day came from Anthony Moore on the Haines & Co CCM 230. He weaved the diminutive four stroke trailbike through the tight woodland going with aplomb to finish on 13 laps, proving its competition mettle and beating many riders on more powerful machinery. He won the trail class by a lap but only just.
Peter Neale, riding a trick Honda CRF 230 was with him all the way - he only missed out on heading out on a 13th lap by a whisker, as the final three hour cut-off point passed.
Next class down from the clubman class was the sportsman category, which was dominated by Dane Palmer and Paul Jones, who both completed 14 laps and aced most of the clubman entry in the process.
A novice class was aimed at encouraging newcomers and Grant Wallis managed 11 laps ahead of a field who struggled at times but appeared to enjoy the ride round.
Nick Burt was in a class of his own in a very competitive Over 40s class, completing 13 laps, ahead of Mike Wells on 12 laps. A torrid third lap for Wells saw him lose around 10 minutes, which cost him the chance to head out on a 13th lap and have a shot at victory.
And as the last riders filed through, results were being drawn up by Colin and Jackie Jones, who posted provisional standings within a few minutes, which was a highlight of a slickly-run event.
As the track conditions changed, marshals headed up by clerk of the course Matt Neale with Glenn Thomas and Dave Pinney, altered the course well but lost little of the challenging terrain with some creative course-plotting. Thanks to all officials, the land owner and St John's Ambulance Monmouth.