Wyegate Trial Rider Report

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Pete Barnett's Report

This year's Wyegate was a fairly tough challenge mainly due to the rain, but was a superb event and really well organised, we had a marvellous day out.

Neil Ludlow and I were lucky to get an entry as the organisers had taken the decision to limit riders to smaller and more nimble machines such as Gas Gas Pamepra's, Beta Alps and classic trials bikes meaning that our larger, less suitable 400's were placed on the reserve list. We were relieved when the email came through from the Jackie the secretary of the meeting saying we were in!

Joining us from the Stratford-Upon-Avon club were John Cart, Dave Hayward and Alan Newman.

With a lap of almost 100 miles and with heavy rain falling all day Saturday, we were never going to have it easy. Starting a fairly late numbers we found the drop through the woods to the first sections seriously scary, bravery didn't play a part as riders had no choice but to go, hold on, and hope for the best, there was no easy option!

Section one was certainly no easy starter, being a wet muddy off cambered climb to an angled root exit. Just as Neil looked like notching up a clean, impressively he launched his XR400 through the ends cards, but as he was flying through the air behind the bike at the time, the observer quite correctly awarded a five mark penalty.

Section two caused few problems but section three took fives from most with the slippy off cambered approach to the turn just a little too testing.

After miles of excellent trail riding and we soon found ourselves at Limekiln. I'm sure there were plenty of clean rides here but we all ended up footing madly to reach the top.

At the time of writing, I can't remember the order of things after Limekiln, until that is, Pant Glas. Last year in the dry I was cross with myself for failing the last step just as I thought a clean was on the cards, so I was happy to escape with a solitary dab here this year. My inspiration came after watching Mike Husband get his Pampera up clean for the first time in six years of trying.

Mile after mile of fabulous trail riding continued, the graded hill climb was in evil mood this year and happy to take maximums from all but the most dedicated. From our group I went first but only managed to reach the three, Alan on his lighter Beta Alp did a little better but Neil was a star on his XR using third gear and hanging off the side of the bike speedway style he reached the summit and a well deserved clean.

The three rocky sections at Wixons I negotiated with a loss of six marks plus a pair of very tired arms. Neil failed the third at the last turn right in front of the video camera, his arms just stopped working and he simply fell off!

Eventually we found ourselves back in the woods, this was where things were going to get hard again. Although the 400's are fairly nimble in the dry, add a drop of rain to a muddy bank and they start to struggle. Simply getting to the sections was a major feat, I can honestly say that I gave it my best shot and did manage to attempt every one but without the help of my team mates I'd have never made it to the last section in the group. Neil on his XR400 saw my struggle and decided to ask of a five and stay on the track, a wise move as it turned out as the necessary pivot turn onto the rock step was not forthcoming and I went over the bars. However this was only my second failure of the day.

Pingry Wood (I think it's named) contained the last three sections of the event. Thankfully these were set out a little more moderate, the observer at the last tipped me off that it was going to be tight for the DRZ400 and told her friend to get ready to give me a hand but fortunately I got round ok to finish the day with three cleans in a row.

Back at the start there were a number of very tired riders, it had been a long day and the speedo on the DRZ was showing 100 miles. I lost count of my score after 30 marks lost, I guess I will have ended up on about 50 which is around double my score from last year in the dry, but was a brilliant day out, the kind of day that makes life worth living.

A big thank you to everyone at the club and to all those who observed for us thought-out the day. We were lucky to get a ride on our 400's and I'm so glad that we did. Thank you.

Pete Barnett

Pete Dunckley's Observations

This Year I observed at Pant Glas and instead of the much hoped for bottom section, I was assigned the slightly tamer top section. Now, the top section of Pant Glas has always been the poor relation of the big rock step of the bottom section and is a section that even a total trials numpty like me can clean, but over the last year or two, the top section of Pant Glas has finally come of age and now presents a challenge worthy of this legendary lane.

So, having arrived early, the task of section maintenance was undertaken. I use the word maintenance slightly incorrectly as the object was to take a reasonably easy rideable section and try and make it a less easily rideable section. More a sort of 'dis maintenance really. So, rocks were moved, the easy 'Chicken runs' along the lane edges blocked off and rather large and wanting log wedged between the lane sides as a further obstacle for the riders.

So, with the easy part taken care off, what about the really tricky part, the lane under the footbridge just before the exit??. Hmm, a rather humongous rock step but with another of those damned easy route 'Chicken runs' to the side of it gave riders the option of paddling out of the section up the side of the clay walls. This is the Wyegate and the infamous Pant Glas, we can't have paddling out of a section, that's not in the spirit of the event! So, yet another large rock was manhandled from it useful position as a kicker and moved to a really useful strategic position to keep riders away from the 'Chicken run'. It really was a case of rock step or bust!

So, section markers laid out and then the wait for the riders and what a long wait it was.

However after half an hour the sound of enduro bikes at the bottom of Pant Glas signalled the arrival of the enduro and trail gods that are the course openers. After about 15 minutes of much revving and shouting, the illusion of enduro and trail gods was shattered by the simple fact; they were stuck at the bottom step. To spare the blushes, I did notice that a rather well known ex Wyegate multiple winner was having to ride the course openers bikes up Pant Glas whilst sweating and panting course openers followed on foot. On that day, our Trail and Enduro gods deserted us.

So, course finally open and then the wait for some lucky Pant Glas Punters and first to arrive for business were the 'Flying Worgan brothers' followed hot on the heels by Stan Howitt. A wait of 10 minutes whilst the cycle race cleared the main Trellech –Llanishen road and then the section was finally ready to test man and machine.

Early on it was a string of 5's as the rock step proved to be a real handful to get over with the precarious balance between 'commitment' and flipping the bike being a fine line of throttle and clutch control. Then came the Pre-65's and one by one they cleaned the section with ease, real ease. Truly amazing to see these old Trials Irons of yesteryear prove that they can tackle any obstacle a modern bike can and do it with seemingly more ease – so much for progress.

The lower part of the section proved easier than anticipated with the occasional Dab here and then and a few 'paddlers' claiming the odd 1 or 3 at this point but this last rock step was to prove to be the decisive 5 or 'clean' for many. As can be expected, plenty of thrills and spills with looping out or vertical 180' pirouettes being the order of the day or simply just becoming wedged against or on the rock but thankfully no injuries and only a few bent/broken bits of bikes but sump guards were earning their crust judging by the scrapes on top of the rock. CoC Ian Vessey provided moral support to riders in the form of gesticulating and encouraging them to just gun the bikes towards the rock rather than pootling up to it for a definite 5. Regardless, riders HAD to clear the rock to exit the lane so there really was no easy option for riders. The Trio of Pampera riding team mates led by Graham Coleman-Hill (Grum 45) all managed a successive 3 cleans in a row-Impressive.

As the day progressed, the section did get easier as the mud cleared a definitive line to take and encouraged riders to make the leap of faith towards the rock step and the increases in cleans was noticeable. However, the looks on the faces of some of the stragglers showed that Pant Glas bottom section was really taking it's toll on riders and the thought of one more killer section was one rock step too far for a few.

Last riders through and the course closers proved their superior bike riding skills over the course openers by not requiring any assistance in riding up and out of Pant Glas…. Other than one chap whose name I forget, who had the most amusing'off' of the day by falling back off the rock step and into the biggest amount of muddy slop in the whole of Pant Glas. His kit looked remarkably clean up until that point!

As an aside, what was incredibly noticeable was the reduction in noise levels created by the reduction in the number of Enduro bikes. Even with bikes stuck on the rocks and engines revving madly, the noise didn't echo down the valley at all and was much more acceptable to the ear.

A great day as usual and some amazing riding and some entertaining riding as well. Well done to all competing and to the WGDF club for yet another superb Wyegate.