The weather is snow joke

Planes grounded, trains at a standstill, schools closed, cars abandoned everywhere – and virtually an entire weekend's off-road sport called-off!  

 

Several ACU seminars were even cancelled. Whatever next? 

 

When the Lakes Two Day National Trial was held in January the event went ahead whatever the weather, in deep snow, several degrees of ice or, several times, both! 

 

Bikes were stored overnight in the Broughton in Furness auction mart yard and more than one rider was caught out when he kicked his bike into life on a frosty Sunday morning only to have it go off on full noise with the throttle frozen wide open!

 

One year – 1982? – the then new super-soft construction ‘sticky' tyres from *********** (fill in the blank) were so innefective in the snow that certain riders were seen pushing their bikes, rear wheels spinning uselessly – and that was downhill.

 

I could tell you of one un-named person who was seen, beating his fists on the ground in frustration having fallen off his mount three times in a dozen yards on a frozen icefield, way out on the fells.

 

Or how no less a person than Martin Lampkin watched his bike slide over a sheer drop into a ravine, while attempting to cross an icy track – and how Gerald Richardson retrieved it by climbing into a tree!

 

you had to be there....happy days. 

 

So, good job there was the Dakar to follow last week, beating its way through the heat haze of South America – and of course the Belfast SX, nice and cosy in the Odyssey with the roof on.

 

The Dakar is a crazy event that, quite frankly I can't see how you could possibly finish without full works support. 

 

Factory rider? Race the stage, arrive at finish, throw bike at mechanics who spend all-night rebuilding it to new spec while you have a shower, nice meal and 12-hours kip. 

 

Start next stage fresh as a daisy on new bike.

 

Privateer. Finish stage three hours (if you're lucky) after factory hero, then spend half the night attempting to service bike with your adjustable spanner, hammer and no spares. Eat a dehydrated packet meal, wipe sweat off your face and kip down where you can find a space. 

 

Start next stage absolutely knackered on a semi wreck. Repeat 14 times...

 

And so my hero of the week award goes to the Argentine privateer Luis Beloustegui who did ALL that on a 150 KTM two-stroke and he finished. 

 

Yes, 60 hours behind factory superstar Cyril Despres and last man home but who cares – the guy FINISHED.

 

Respect...