Double-up for twice the fun
By TMX Archives on 1st Apr 09
This week JD attempts to explain how he writes his column and reminds readers how competitors used to share transport... ONE of the most frequently asked question regarding the page 5 editorial column is: "How do you come up with things to write about each week?” To which the obvious answer is simply, "...through talking to people” but that isn't strictly true. The real answer is through listening to people. Sometimes there might be a topic that crops up so many times that it warrants a mention, although occasionally it might be just a brief word in passing with someone or a telephone conversation that triggers a chain of thought. And quite a lot of ideas come when I'm just driving along, either travelling to or from work, mind in neutral driving on automatic pilot (honest officer) not as a ‘lightbulb' moment but from random thoughts.
And I had time for more than a few random thoughts driving up to and back from Kinlochleven the other Sunday – the neck-end of 300 miles in the morning (5am start) and back at night offered plenty of scope. Not much a lot of use, until on the return trip when the competitors' transporters started winging past on the motorway.
I am going through a (vaguely) strictly legal phase at the moment while I lose a few accumulated points on my license and yes, before you all jump in – I have only myself to blame!
Whatever! Checking-out the vans and trucks whizzing past at whatever speed, slowly brought the old brain back from its semi-dormant motorway state. And what emerged was the thought that each one, while containing two or more people, only housed one competitor's bike. And in these credit-crunched times I thought back to the days (not too many decades ago!) when it was commonplace to travel with one, two or more mates to whatever trial, motocross or enduro you were all going to.
This wasn't just confined to humble club-riding lads either. Lots of you older readers will remember when the likes of Martin Lampkin, Malcolm Rathmell, Dave Thorpe and Rob Edwards would trek to National trials and even World Rounds in one van – with each on a different marque! You can see that happening today... or Nigel Birkett and Richard Sunter heading off to Czechoslovakia (as it was then) with two bikes in a mini pick-up.
Birks eventually bought a long-wheelbase Transit, ripped out the puny two litre motor, replaced it with a rorty 3000cc V6 plus overdrive gearbox from an ex cop car and Team Northern Centre were in business – with a vengeance.
OK, it might not sound much these days but back in the day it was the dogz. The bottom line was that for years the faithful Trannie was flogged – and I mean flogged – the length and breadth of Britain and Europe with rarely less than five bikes and up to eight bodies aboard.
The petrol-powered motor drank juice like a thirsty camel when fully loaded on full throttle (only all of the time) but with lots of people emptying their wallets at the pumps that didn't matter.
What did matter was that those of us lucky enough to share the experience had the time of our lives. We weren't the only ones doing a similar thing of course. Our Yorkshire counterparts were Gerald Richardson, his various brothers, Phil Alderson, John Fraser and co while FIM top man Dave Willoughby has an ace collection of tales of when he and his loose collection of mates, including the likes of Bri Hutchinson and Jim Jardine, went trialling together in their long lost youth! (Yes, it takes one to know one).
My point here is pretty damned obvious. There is nothing whatsoever to stop a gang of mates doing exactly the same in the year 2009 – whatever branch of the sport you take part in. If you don't need to then absolutely fine. But the very second someone starts telling me: "We can't afford to do this, that or the other...” I can offer at least part of the solution.
And believe me I am sometimes presented with some strange scenarios. For instance, I have had Youth parents who openly and without irony tell me they have a huge transporter, air-con, power-washer, generator, Sky TV, Snap-on toolkit, blah, blah, blah "...but we need sponsors because we can't afford to buy bikes.” Now call me old-fashioned but in my book the bike came first, second and third – and I'm still waiting for the rest!
With 100 per cent honesty, without the Birkett Transit I personally would never have experienced several seasons riding National Trials (very badly), nor probably would several others in the regular crew. And even those who'd have made their own way to the events anyway would have missed-out on the sheer fun of shared travelling – and saved a few quid into the bargain.
Yes, times move on and most often for the better but I wouldn't swap my time travelling en-masse with my mates for anything...