Scottish Trials

Every year for the last few years, a bunch of friends and I get together on trials bikes and muck about in the Scottish wilderness for a few days. Last weekend was our latest Scottish Trials adventure.

Autumn colors in Scotland

Mike, Ant and I started off with a wee warm-up for a few hours in a local bing quarry. At first, I was pretty wobbly and a bit hesitant about those massive hills and drop offs. Within 15 minutes I was back into it and attacking most things in third or fourth gear. Braaaaaaaap-braaaaaap!

One o'clock in the morning the night before... bike prep

We charged the big climbs fast and finessed the more technical rocks slow, we laughed, we cried (with laughter) and had a few offs. Just three mates cutting about an abandoned quarry on trials bikes, hugely entertaining - as always. After - a super-tasty meal at Mike's mum's and a few drinks in town we get a good night's rest (thanks Liz!).

Alan joined us for the next leg of the trials weekend... heading out into the wilderness. We normally do a day out in the forests, starting early and returning late. This time we loaded a few backpacks with some tents, a few bits of equipment, some food, whiskey and fuel then headed out to our camp spot for the night.

Coming up with creative ideas for a broken chain guide over a bottle of Scotch

After an hour and a half of cutting through the forest, around fields, over hills and some forestry roads, Al guided us to an ideal spot that he and Mike had discovered a few weeks earlier. We struck camp then headed out to play on the bikes until dark.

Through muddy ravines, wee burns (streams), pine needle blanketed forests, single tracks, heather covered hills and gravel roads. Every clearing used by the forestry industry becomes a playground. Huge arcs up massive embankments - challenging each other to ride higher. Jumps over piles of rocks and the classic trials route over a stack of huge concrete pipes for those with great skill (those like Al).

High up onto the windblown hill-summits where hail lashed us like being roosted on an MX track and down into the heather-covered dale . Traversing a massive hill that has just been stripped of all the trees by machines of destruction. Uber-gnarly terrain with the only passage through the huge Caterpillar tracks ripped into the earth. Even those were tough going on the little bikes. It's like being in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Eerie.

Al sizing up a stream crossing...

... made it!

Back at camp by nightfall and with a bit of coaxing we get a good fire going with wet wood. Chunks of beef roasted like marshmallows and the tastiest lamb-steak burgers washed down with Laphroaig. Warming by the fire, drying wet socks, gloves and jackets. Smoke in eyes, chatting, more whiskey, laughing, snoozing and just chilling. Drunken midnight rides through the forest with a few get-offs onto the soft, wet pine matress. Laughter and more laughter.

Hazy, uncomfortable sleep. Damn, the ground is bloody cold without a proper ground-mat. My motocross trousers providing some relief from the cold despite the uncomfortable armor panels and buckles. After a few hours we stir from the clear, warm night to the sound of rain on the tents. The trees provide good cover though and we get the fire going again for breakfast. We're parched.

Sausages - flat and square (a Scottish thing) as well as traditional long and round ones. Scrumptious! We pack, get back on the bikes with lighter backpacks and emerge from the forest to driving rain. It only lasts an hour as we go to play again. We find an old disused forestry road and have races down it. Inevitably I crash, hard. Twice! Sprain my wrist but it's a lot funnier than painful.

Luchtime snack and it's another hour's weary trek back to the van. Soon we're back at Al's - knackered. We unpack the gear, clean the bikes, help stack some logs and have an afternoon fry-up finished off with some fantastic lemon-drizzle cake and chocolate muffin made by Al's good wife (thank you Sam!). Late afternoon farewells then Mike, Ant and I are heading back down to London.

I am in my bed after midnight absolutely cream-crackered. I sleep. Another fantastic Scottish Trials with friends and memories to cherish. It was awesome. Thanks guys!

Scotland Trials

A couple of weeks ago I was up in Scotland with MD Racing Mike and Trials Trickster Al for a bit of trials trail riding.

It was minus 6 ovenight... open ground stayed frozen for the wholes day... but the sun was a shinin!

Getting ready in Al's uber-shed...

A 3 minute drive up the road...

"Welcome to my garden!"

Stop for a snack...

A old Beta was a champ. Since the top-end rebuild she is super-strong and will pull me up anything. Only downside is higher compression now makes kick-starting her a bit more difficult. Small price to pay :-)

A wee dram on top of the world!

There was a bit of snow as we got higher up...

Cleaning the bikes up after...

As always, the 'Socttish Trials' was an awesome trip. Great riding with fantastic guys. Thanks Mike and Al!

Beta Love

I've had the wee Beta trials bike for 3 years now. In that time, all I've done is: every 9 months fill her with premix and punish her for 2 days at a time in Scotland.

Time for some Beta Love!

On the last Scotland trip she couldn't do the big climbs in 4th with the others. She was feeling soggy and tired compared to the others' bikes and was spinning up in 3rd everywhere. Kinda spoiled the quarry day a bit.

The worst part was draining the coolant... down my sleeve... on the bench... on the floor...

Dinky carb

I've never done a carb cleanout or two-smoke top-end rebuild before. Was pretty straight-forward. Badda-bing, badda-boom... all back together... two kicks and she started then ran sweet as a nut! Result!

Tired and dirty

Shiny and new - these parts cost about 25% of the value of the bike - doh!

Also gave the brakes a service, fixed the exhaust, put on some big-ass bars and a few other bits 'n pieces. She scrubbed up real good and is feeling better than ever. Now she'll be buried in the garage for another nine months till the next Scotland trip.

Note: this is a 'Racing' bike

Down the field wit mah Brutha

Been a bit quiet on the old blog since returning from the Isle of Man. Got to get back into the habit...

(Down the field - Nic ginving the four-fiddy some welly)

Took a break for a week after the Manx GP then started a new contract ooop north in Chesterfield. It's only till mid-November, but I don't like being away from my garage for 5 days a week and makes travel difficult.

(Nic on the four-fiddy)

Went down the field with brother Nic a few weeks ago. Cracking weather - the field was as dry as I've ever seen it. Got to ride the little Beta trials bike for a few minutes.

(Nic trying out the Beta)

Also sold the Beemdawg (1989 BMW 325i Sport). Sad to see her go, never managed to learn to drift proper in her, take her on a track or to the 'Ring' as I had planned. But feels like a weight has been lifted... need to get rid of more stuff... it's cluttering up my life!