Walkies!
By TMX Archives on 12th Dec 03
SPENDING A weekend holed-up in dingy, pee-ridden Travel Lodge with a dirty dog is something I've always managed to avoid even under the toughest of circumstances - until now. SPENDING A weekend holed-up in dingy, pee-ridden Travel Lodge with a dirty dog is something I've always managed to avoid even under the toughest of circumstances - until now. And what makes matters worse is the fact that the dog in question was male. Nope, I'm not coming out of the closet or batting for both teams - I was merely doing my bit for the cause...taking one for the team so to speak.Sounds confusing don't it? Well, waking up next to a man-sized bulldog can certainly play havoc with your mind. I find mornings an ordeal at the best of times but opening my eyes to see a dog's head the size of a beach ball is quite alarming.Oh yes, British MX's answer to the Cheeky Girls have started their UK promotional tour.Yep, you've guessed it, Rosco got the gig as the British GP mascot at the Dirt Rider Expo and I had to act as his responsible minder. The man is perfect for the job and I've got to say as far as fully-grown men in dog suits go he was the best I've ever seen!It's amazing the fun you can have with the mental age of a primary school kid, a hidden identity and pair of furry hands. I think there must have been a bitch in season because this particular dog was on heat the whole weekend - he was almost uncontrollable.It's my fault - I should have put him on a lead - and I felt sorry for the promo girls because they didn't stand a chance. I'm just surprised the security guards didn't nick us for harassment. In all fairness though most of them thought Rosco was cute...but then they couldn't see his face! The kids seemed to love him as well apart from the few he reduced to tears - and that was with the dog's head on. Imagine the fear he would have struck into those nippers if he hadn't been dressed as a big cuddly dog.The lad done good and grabbed loads of attention - something he's an expert at anyway - but being a rampant 6ft 2ins bulldog took him to the next level. And he must have been hot under the collar because he didn't look so special when he came out of there. Steam was coming off Rosco's forehead like a kettle, I haven't seen him sweat that much since he was moonwalking at Chicago Rock in Yeovil. But apart from nearly fainting, the Sturminator had a great time and he'll definitely be back...as a giant cuddly toy.I know I've now given away the identity of the fool inside the suit but we still need a name for the actual bulldog mascot so now that you know the dog's sort of mentality you may want to name him. Log on to www.britmxgp.com and get ya vote in. I've got a name for him already but I don't think it'll get the nod somehow.There's also the new track map on there as well as all kinds of other info about the GP weekend. The track is going to be awesome and we're allowed to build doubles, triples etc - ya know, all the spectacular stuff. Jonny and I are as excited as a dog with two ****s or at least one with a Rosco inside.Dirt Rider Expo was heaving this year, definite proof that off-road motorcycling is a market that's on the rise - or was it just the appeal of Sir Jack Burnicle's bright red Converse All-Stars? Either way, it's a positive thing and it was a well run show. As Pax said, the minibike racing was brilliant and Geally did Team Spode proud by gooning around at the back on his full factory XR50. He was in contention at the start of the week but by Sunday he was lagging behind complaining of fatigue - proof that he's a friend of mine.I don't know what excuse those trials boys have for being mental. When I say mental I of course mean talented, really talented. I nearly fall over when I'm stood at a urinal so how Steve Colley hops around on a motorcycle without a front wheel I'll never know.I did manage to stay upright long enough to talk to loads of punters though. The response about the British GP was more than encouraging, it seems that a fair percentage of you have already booked your accommodation and sorted out ferries for the GP. We are flat-out at the moment sorting out action arenas, freestyle mx, rock bands and entertainment for the whole three days at Gore Basin. So that should be kicking as long as we don't end up with some boy band wannabes called Nolife or something like that. I'm sure that won't happen and the atmosphere will be rocking for the whole weekend - just like a GP should.In the meantime, I've gotta look after the dirty dog. I'll have to take him to the vet, I think he needs neutering - after all, a Rosco is for life, not just for Christmas.By Jeff Perrett