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Michelin 3 Day Trial - August Bank Holiday Weekend

Having barely ridden my bike all year, August came as quite a shock. I decided to join the Derbyshire gang and head off to the YMSA three day trial over the bank holiday weekend.

Being held almost exclusively on rocks, something we just don’t have down here, I thought, for possibly the first time ever, ‘better wear a helmet’. This of course meant buying one, so under great duress I made the journey to Freestyle and bought a brand new ‘Hebo’ crash helmet. Something I never thought I’d have to do.

But it was here at Freestyle, my month took another turn. Overhearing a conversation about ‘Foordy’ entering the ‘Hare & Hounds’ enduro race at Hellingly, I butted in, announcing that I too wanted to enter the race and how nice it would be to actually beat him for once. Perhaps a little overconfident.

So step forward Scott, he too was riding in the event, his first ever, on a KX125 crosser and he offered me a bike share.

A few hours later, once permission had been granted by HID, (her in-doors), I confirmed my entry. The next day bright and early I met Steve, who it turned out only had a pass himself as Ray was away in Europe and new nothing about it, and we headed for Hellingly for this 3hour endurance race.

Nearly 150 riders turned up most of which were riding solo for the full 3 hours and a number sharing bikes like me and Steve. The track started on the local MX track before diving into wooded areas consisting of mud, ditches, banks etc and then continued grasstrack style across the fields. A good lap was around the 12 minute mark, plenty long enough for someone as unfit as myself.

It was a brilliant day I won’t tell you who won, but expect to see Steve and myself competing in more of the same in the not too distant future. I am still struggling to justify the need for a fourth bike with the Misses at present, but I’ll wear her down.

I was actually still in pain the following Thursday just 48 hours before heading to Derbyshire, but recovered just in time for my next battering.

Saturday morning 6.00am we all met at the ‘Remmington Moir’ residence of Heathfield, all except Gavin that is who forgot.

Four hours later, with our legs crossed and running out of fuel Ray finally stopped for breakfast. How the kids on board made it that far North without a wee wee stop I’ll never know, another half hour and Mr Mepham would have definitely been in trouble.

A full English breakfast and re-fuel later, Gavin caught up, joining the convoy for the final stint.

We headed for Matlock and found our campsite, with the EDMCC village erected, we set off for ‘Fox Holes’ the first of out three trials venues.

It took just one section and the first scratch on my new helmet for me to realise the expert sections were not for me. 36 sections later riding the intermediate route I had achieved a score just shy of 100 marks lost, things were not looking good.

Typically Ray managed to get the hardest section of the day to observe on. Just getting to this section would have been considered too dangerous at the average group trial. Steve however genuinely had one of the best results of the day here, easily beating eventually winner Haslam who never got through. I think Steve was so worried about inevitable crash back down the rock face that he was the only one hitting it hard enough to get up.

I mustn’t forget to mention Moir senior at this point, I’m not sure how many times he’d attempted to repair Craig’s puncture, but at least he now knows some tyres still require an inner tube. Its only the tubeless ones that don’t, the clue’s on the sidewall.

That night we wandered back to the camp site, took what had to be the worst shower I’ve ever known and headed out for a meal.

At the pub I was lucky enough to get chatted up by what had to be the largest woman in Matlock, wanting to know if she could squeeze in next to me. I wasn’t sure if she could, but I new it would be too dangerous to get sat on, so I budged up and continued eating my dinner. In retrospect I suspect it only the fact I was eating that attracted her over, but it amused everyone for the 5 minutes that it took me to finish my meal.

I woke up the next morning not sure what did more harm the trials riding or sleeping rough in a two man tent on a lumpy field.

I’d hoped for something a little less severe for day two, but before even reaching my first section I had been over the handlebars, added to my helmet scratch collection and taken most of the skin off my left arm. 36 sections later I had shattered the 100 marks lost barrier.

Once again Ray was observing, and on this occasion when he dared to hand Haslam another five for flattening a marker, things turned ugly. Brother Haslam decided, despite all his knowledge and years of experience that this was not a five and a clean should have been awarded. At least he now knows you don’t argue with Foord senior and get away with it.

It was another high scoring day, Steve put in the best effort on 119, Rowan 129 and Craig 139, surely things couldn’t get any worse.

Back in the luxury of our campsite, the BBQ was fired up and we sat down to a fine selection of burgers and sausages. Having fed and showered we were all ready for bed, except Gavin that is, who was desperate to hit the town. After some persistent badgering we reluctantly agreed and all set off in Rowan new van. (It’s 170 brake horse you know)

Gavin was like a dog on heat, chasing anything that moved male or female, I thought about throwing him a stick just to see what would happen. Several pubs later we found him dancing with Elvis at a local nightclub. It was time to take him home.

It wasn’t the start I was looking for on day three, hunting for the paracetamol I knew I’d packed somewhere, but off we went to Dudwood Farm with rumours of glorious mud and streams awaiting us.

Of the twelve sections that day, it was my eighth before I found the rumoured mud I’d been so looking forward to, unfortunately it had rocks in it, big ones !! Still it was here that I finally seemed to get to grips with things, hooking it back in third gear, spinning up the rear end and the cleans finally started to happen.

I think we all had our best ride on the last day, it was still very hard, and whether Craig will risk tackling the expert route next year remains to be seen, but everybody thoroughly enjoyed it. Take a look at the web site for all the photos, where you can see what all the fuss was about.

It took 2 days before I was able to walk properly the following week, so it couldn’t have been as hard as the Hare and Hounds enduro. Will I do it again next year ……… who knows !!!!