Welsh 2 Day 2006 The Anth Report

Welsh Wed

Arrived earlier than usual having got organised for once. Got the bike into park ferme and headed off with Pete and Gavin to walk the 1st test. Sorting the petrol back at the Lakeside seemed to happen too quickly resulting in the 1st pint (2nd sorry we had one at lunchtime) being poured at 5.30. The planned shower and kit organising - roll offs etc. was interrupted by Taff buying us all a drink. The shower didn't happen till the morning and the drinking continued - oh dear!

Welsh Thur

Shower, much pushing bacon around the plate, start. Knowing that Ben was just behind on the 1st test resulted in my exit from the test with arm pump on a scale of 1-10 of 11, but it definitely helps having someone you know to kick your arse into trying. The Irfon Forest proved that, and part way into the check I just had to let Ben get on with it leaving me trailing. As I looked down at my speedo towards the end of the check I saw the time displayed that I was due in on, but as I looked up I passed the white flag and rode straight in on my minute - close one. The rest of the day went o.k. and I entered the long check before the special test before Ben and waited for his passing manouver, which never happened. Thinking he had lost time I was right,but for the wrong reasons - he had crashed. I next saw him before the test looking dazed with fireblade style handlebars, but o.k. The last test was great fun until I was shot at with a lump of turf half way around by a spectator, (who shall remain nameless but the numberplate on his van is 208TAF). The turf was later delivered to my room!

Welsh Fri

I was sad to get a call from my "team mate" Ben, saying he would not be riding due to hitting his head on Thursday (he just about remembered who I was), so after pushing the bacon around the plate in competition with Taff (who was largely responsible again for us being this way again), we headed for the start. The bike fired up and we left for the Abbey-cwm-hir test. The 1st forest track as you left the road was very dusty with no wind clearing it. Hanging back until you could see was hampered by riders overtaking me completely blind. Why? this is a very slack check. The test was great fun again and the fireroads after didn't seem quite so dusty as the wind was clearing it better. Strata Florida was great for cooling down later, but the fuel check before it seemed tight. Before we knew it we were waiting like lambs to the slaughter hoping we could clean the Irfon Forest check again. As Vess noticed, a time clock that was 2 mins fast at the start seemed to give us more time and it was cleaned even with an "off" in the forest. No turf on the last test and back to the Lakeside for that long awaited 1/4 pound cheeseburger! What an excellent event again.

Many thanks to Tony, Angela, Andrew, Mike and Matty for refuelling.