Tarrenig Rally/Enduro on the KDX220R.

[GreatBritishRob]

What a laugh.
Me and Nicko left mine about 10.30am Saturday morning and had a pretty uneventful journey. Called in to see parents quick (always good going home to Wales) then got to the campsite. Now that was funny seeing all the big posh trucks and vans get stuck while we sailed through in our simple family saloons :lol:
Anyway, our trip was uneventful but poor old Todd's wasn't. I phoned him after we'd got all set up and had a pint etc etc. He's on his way but well be late because some toerag has tried to nick his bike off the trailer while he's parked up at some services. They also nicked his light board, cut his straps etc etc. Luckily the AA sorted him out eventually but it made him real late.

So Todd gets there and the three of us wonder off to the Hog Roast and a couple more pints. I have to say, the food was great and very welcome and thanks Hafren DBC, you put a corker on there.
It was great to run into some old face's, even old school mates that were doing it cause it was a local event. Had a good chat with Brian Eland, spoke to Craig Bounds and had a look at his Dakar bike. Good to see Gwyn again and KnackeredMk1 etc etc.
Right, socialising over, it's all about the Sunday aint it?!?!?!?
We all get up early, get togged up, fill up with tea and hot dogs and burgers etc and were ready for the off. I think Nicko is getting a bit nervous as it's his first event but he's doing alright.

 

[GreatBritishRob]

As usual the first lap (35 mile laps) isnt timed so me, Todd and Nicko sort of stick together. We get down the huge hill and we lose Nicko though. We wait and eventually he catches up and he'd just had a bit of an off at the top. Bit of an eye opener for him though as he's spent most of his life in Ely in the flat Camb's Fen's :D He was coping though so good on him i reckon. I mean it's a heleva introduction to riding in Wales. :D

From here though it got harder to keep together. Especially as it was seriously rutted and through dense forest. Great laugh but knackering and for the first time that i can remember i got real bad cramp in my legs. The cramp was so bad i couldnt stay on the bike and just had to keel over and lay there until it went off :lol: The marshalls found it funny when they picked my bike up cause they thought i'd hurt myself falling off. It was just that i couldnt get my feet down to hold myself up. PLOP in the mud :lol:
Anyway, after that little mishap it was back to normal running. Those rut's were murder though. It got a lot of people hot under the collar to say the least.
Another bit that had people scratching their heads was the hill on SS2??? On the first lap they actually led a lot of people around the easy way because of the back log with stacks of people waiting as it was one at a time and people just werent making it. Me and Todd had lost Nicko by here and we decided to crack on hoping Nicko was ok (which he was after some minor misshaps).

On the second lap i got halfway up but binned the bike into the bank and one of the Marshalls got the bike up a far enough to be able to carry on. On the third lap i decided to do it my way (advice had been to nail it in second) as the corner towards the bottom made you get out of shape. I just stuck it in first, sat at the back of the bike and actually paddled it all the way up. It worked but it wasnt quick or pretty :D
Anyway, refuelling the first lap we decided to go every man for himself so as not to lose time so i cant really tell you how everyone else coped. I'll leave that for them but for me i ended up running a bit late after the waiting. I then jarred my wrist and neck so took it steady basically and just enjoyed a good ride out.
It was funny seeing some peoples faces on the second and third lap here though.

It was one of my fave bits of the course but i think people got worried as it was quite hard work.
Well, bloody good event, extremely well run and organised from begining to end. Me and Todd finished (no results but should think im way down as usual :D ). Nicko did 2 laps and was timed out but did good anyway as its a tough event for the first time. Not sure how Gwyn and the likes got on and i should think the top 3 were Brian Eland, Lee Walters and Craig Bounds but we'll have to see :D
Bikes all packed up at my parents last night. See, my bikes do get dirty.

 

[sr5bidder]

great story (after interpetation of some wierd words)!!!

 

[GreatBritishRob]

great story (after interpetation of some wierd words)!!!

Cheers matey. Not weird words, its how we speak over here. All proper like. Diolch yn fawr :laugh:

 

[porterdog]

Nice account- sounds like fun!

 

[reepicheep]

Sounds fun! Thanks for posting pictures..

 

[Farmer John]

great report!!

:cool: :cool:

 

[adam728]

Great report, great pics!