Athea. April 2002 set off on Friday afternoon. Dot Ifan Benson and
Luke as pit crew.
The security checks on the ferry asks, " have we got any sharp
implements" and wants to look in the van! They end up taking our gas
cylinder and they would have taken the Jerry cans if they had found
them.
It took us 2 hours to get out of Dublin Friday evening rush we
stopped for food and then a 4-hour drive to Athea. After finding the
B&B off to see the track in the dark.
It looks a "Real fast track "square narrow and bumpy no big jumps,
anti clock with no right hand bends, I overshot a junction in the van
so it was going to be interesting at race speed!
It had been raining most of the way down but I didn't expect to get
towed in to the paddock, the man on the gate said "get a good run at
it get as far as you can and the tractor will have to pull you the
rest of the way "!
Roads were supposed to be closing but with the rain coming down
harder than ever it was looking grim. At the riders briefing we were
told by the Clark of the course "this would be an untimed practice
session due to the conditions, practice to run as per race program, 2
sighting laps behind the travelling marshal, re form on the grid for
4 or 5 laps".
I'm in race 1 so it looks like it's down to us to see what this track
is like. After pushing the bike back through the mud to get it to the
road.
Practice went ok, bike felt good on new tyres (rhensports rs2 rear
rs1 front) even in the wet. Handling ok, whatever maxton did in the
winter it seems to work. The bumps didn't feel too bad and I was
actually enjoying myself, this is a really fast track the run up from
the village is my best bit but after a few laps stones were getting
torn out of the roadsurface and no amount of brushing was going to
stop it getting worse, after getting hit by more stones than I like
the chequered flag came out soon enough.
Now to try to get the bike back to the van through the mud, same
tactic as getting the van in. keep the engine running launch it as
far as I can then wait for someone to give you a push the rest of the
way. I got a good run and overtook some poor sod who got a shower of
mud off my spinning back tyre.
They managed to run a few more sessions but in the end they had to
call it a day as the conditions were getting worse, the rain had turn
to hailstones.
Everyone had had enough. Get the van out that would be the next
challenge as the tractor driver had gone home to milk the cows or
something.
We walked to the nearest pub. This is where thing started to look a
lot better after a couple of beers every one chilled or rather warmed
up. A feed as well we were getting even happier, then my mate Jim
said he had got the van out so we would be able to get to a warm bed
after all.
|I did a deal for a new gearbox for the commando, you really can get
your shopping done in an Irish bar.
The feeling was that they would not run a race tomorrow, half the
Marshals had gone home.
Anyhow I was ready to go in the morning even if some of my pit crew
were a bit worse for wear. One thing was for sure, I wasn't going to
chance the swamp again, so I parked my van in the village and went to
see what was happening.
The sign on tent had blown away in the night so sign on was in the
community hall, Here is your scrutiny sheet go and find a scrutiner
get the form filled in and come back to sign on. So off I go looking
for someone in red overalls clutching some stickers, lucky for me I
find one and get my sheet back to them just in time to be told the
meeting was being postponed till July 27 /28. "Sod this lets go home"
we packed up and headed for the ferry.
The track has potential, It will need re surfacing to stop so many
stones flying off.
The nightlife was as mad as any one could want.
The club they really had done their best to put on a road race, but
were beaten by the elements. To start a new road race these days must
be almost impossible so lets hope for better weather in July!
Guess what there was no one available to give us our gas cylinder
back when we got to Holyhead!