Saturday 15 September 2012

Rye House Practice

After wallowing in the usual post Manx depression of normal life for two weeks, I got out to Rye House today for some flattrackin' practice.

 A beautiful, sunny day on the clay

All felt good... then I high-sided coming out of turn 2. Bike landed upside-down, I sprained both my thumbs. Not too much damage to the bike... decompression lever, gear lever, bent foot-peg and foot-peg bracket and a rear subframe that's now and inch and a half skew. Still rideable.

I got back out after they had watered the track. It was slippy as fook. I took it easy and got some more practice in - you never know when you might race on a track like this.

A newbie rider enjoying teh experience of sliiiiiiide

Between turn 3 and 4 I slid a bit too much... "I can save it..."... "I can save it..."... I can save it..."..."No I can't." I go down in a low-motion low-side. I guess I should have given up when my shoulder was grinding into the muddy dirt. I'm waiting to slop sliding... "Wham!"

That familiar feeling of being hit from behind. "Crunch!" The impact folds me over like an envelope and I grind to a stop with my face in the dirt and a front wheel pinning my head to the clay.


"Ooooofffff!" I'm winded. I scrabble out form under the other rider's bike... watch for other traffic and then bend over and breathe deep to get my breath back. Ronald Shamier had nowhere to go on that slithery surface and hit me square in the back. This is gonna hurt in the morning!

I did one more session but am starting to feel really beat-up. I pack up and leave early to give myself time to fix the bike. I got the bike all fixed, but not feeling to clever at the moment... not looking forward to getting up tomorrow... but looking forward to the last flattrack racin' of the year. :-)

Mobile workshop - I made it to my local bikestore before they closed to refit my rear tyre... the bead wasn't seated proper
 

1 comment:

  1. Fuckin hell! Aint all peaches and cream this racing. Supose if it was easy everyone could have a go.

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