Forget heavy rain, it was biblical. Jay2 and I were soaked to the skin within minutes, We'd just kitted up to head for noise, earthcore had set off in shorts and tea shirt combo. The heavens opened, in the time it took to get off my bike to walking 5 or 6 steps my boots were full, rapidly followed by the the rest of me being saturated. BAH.
Eventually it stopped, arrived at noise and earthcore had made it without a spot. Tw*t.
Sighting session went without incident, there was a bit of standing water here and there but nothing drastic and it had even started to dry in a couple of places.
Set out on our 1st proper session, the circuit was drying nicely, I completed the sighting lap without drama. I upped the pace for 2nd and was getting into the 'zone' (earthcore really did say that) when the 'zone' had other ideas.
Coming out of the chicane, I overtook a bloke, huge mistake. As I went to change down for the mountain, my gear box gave me a false neutral between 3rd and 2nd, I banged it down again expecting 2nd, released the clutch and was greeted by 1st on a damp track. Needless to say it locked the back wheel, so I grabbed the clutch with sharp left hander only feet away. I managed to slow down to 20/25mph.Thinking about it now, it would have gone round.
Last night it didn't.
At perhaps 20 mph I was on the wet grass, I realised the front brake would certainly have me off, so I prodded the rear which not surprisingly locked in dramatic sideways slide (or tumble). I picked the bike up with herculean strength normally reserved for lifting trees off kittens. I was fine, the bike was fine apart from the gear linkage was jammed in to the front sprocket cover. The marshal (nice man) asked the usual questions, cut off my wrist band and sent me on my way to be checked out.
Anywhoo the bike was jammed in 1st, arrived back at base managed to sort the linkage and was all set for the rest of the evening which wasn't quite long enough.
Huge thanks to Jay2 for stopping his session to check if I was OK.
Good to see Tommy3Tanks and his mate.
Thanks again Ian for organising, good luck with the dyno and have a good holiday.
What I learned last night.
DO NOT OVERTAKE between the chicane and the mountain on a damp track.
Have a modicum of belief in your self and your bike's ability, it will go round.
Can't wait for the next one.
