OWLS LDT 2003

Sunday 17th August 2003

On Sunday 17h August 2003, the OWLS MC ran their first long distance trial from just south of Maidstone and the course went all over Kent. Club president Peter Burrell took his new camera along to capture the action. Several other club members took part including Nicola Clarke taking part in her first event. Nicola came back a bit sore (several crashes), Alan Clarke did well but Alan Woods did better (I'm told).

If anyone has any reports, photos or the results to put on this page email me

Photos

Page 1 of photos by Peter Burrell

Reports

Report by Dave Blanchard

On August the 17 th 2003, the 'Owls Club' which was formed as long ago as 1926, took a popular decision to run a long distance trials competition around the many byways and country lanes of Kent.

So on the Sunday morning at 'Deepdale' in East Sutton near Maidstone, 61 starters lined up to do battle with a 90 mile course which included several interesting and varied observed sections plus a special test at the end of the day. The whole event was an enormous success and every body I saw had that silly grin on their face at the end of it, including me.

The 'Owls Club' was the very first trials club that I joined about twelve years ago. As a slow learner it was the easy route that Alan Miles and his helpers used to set out that kept me in the sport until I could cope with tougher stuff. This 'Trials Club' holds many pleasant memories for me as well as one very unusual one in the form of 'wild garlic'. Yes! It was this pungent stuff that we used to crush as we rode over it at 'Mascals Pound Farm' in Paddock Wood. This caused our eyes to water profusely and you had to ride the sections with tears in your eyes! These were of course 'tears of pleasure'.

I saw many familiar faces on the day although all of us were looking a tad older now after many years. Some of these friendly faces were busy organising proceedings in the start area, or were observing on the excellent sections. Incidentally, the sections could not be inspected before riding them, which is just the way I like it. This is a great leveller as far as skills go and also reduces the advantage modern bikes have over the older ones. It's definitely a bit of a buzz to see the section unfold before you as you ride through. Snap decisions are needed to pick a way to the ends cards with little opportunity to change line. Slow thinking brings failure whilst the opposite gives just rewards.

There were five classes, which included several teams of three. The best team award went to 'Team Bexleyheath'. The successful riders were S. Fellows, R.Castleton and M.Cheese with a total loss of 27 marks.

Best overall performance went to A. Woods by the skin of his teeth with a loss of 5 marks and a 24.27 seconds special test, an excellent ride! He was pushed hard by R.Castleton who had lost the same amount of marks, but he was just 0.82 seconds slower in the grass tracking bit! But, 'Dick' Castleton on his Suzuki 200 was best in class, 'A' which was for up to 225cc. So Dick had two awards to come from his ride so far. But he wasn't finished yet as he had entered the over fifties as well. He won this also even though he didn't look a day over 49 and 3 quarters! So well done to him for a great days riding.

Class 'B' 226cc to 400cc gave Steve Austin a clear win on 6 lost with 28.87 seconds for his mad dash around the special test and over the two telegraph poles. He was one point clear of the next rival in his class.

The overall competition winner A.Woods took class 'C' for over 400cc machines. This shows just how well he rode on the day because those bigger bikes are very heavy and not really suited to trials type sections. An outstanding performance indeed!

Class 'D' for British Bikes was won by yours truly on my old Ariel, but my only rival on the day was Bob Bartholomew (an old friend) on his BSA Metisse. He unfortunately retired with engine oil leaks early on, so my win was a little empty.

During the day I rode in company with my sons long-term friend Adrian Dicker. So my thanks to Adrian for the company and thanks also for the exercise (which I didn't need) when I helped him drag his fourstroke Suzuki out of the sticky mud on section one! What a way for an oldie like me to start a long distance trial. But Adrian did come in handy when helping me to mend a puncture in a narrow country lane soon after a bumpy section seven where I picked up a front tyre compression burst. When changing a tyre I have not pinched an inner tube for about 20 years but I damn well did this time! So off came the tyre for a second time and out came my 'only just fitted' new tube for a self-vulcanising patch repair. Many thanks to all those riders who stopped to offer help and the two back markers who did help a lot and also lead the way back to 'Deepdale' for the special test. Brilliant test! Especially the challenge of the two telegraph poles which the old bike flew over with me off the saddle. I was a little down on braking power and acceleration and had front wheel slide so could only manage 30.61 seconds. What I didn't realise until afterwards was that my front tyre had gone almost flat again due to a leaky valve core. When I pulled up behind my trailer straight after the special test my tyre had deflated completely! My tally of two punctures and a leaky valve is a record for me in one day.

Other weird things do happen on long distance trials and whilst waiting to go through one of the afternoon sections I got talking to another rider who's arms were covered top to bottom in nicotine patches! He had also just lit up another king size cigarette, so I politely asked him if he was having trouble giving up smoking? "Oh no" he said, "I have only taken up smoking to give up the patches"! Strange and almost true?

Many thanks to the 'Owls Club' for running their first 'Long Distance Trial'; I will be back next year for another bash and hopefully a few less punctures!