OWLS LDT 2005

Sunday 24th April 2005

South Eastern Centre LDT Championship Round 1

OWLS MC ran their third LDT, on a slightly delayed date (due to the MSA) from just south of Maidstone and it ran all over Southern Kent and into Sussex. Many club members took part and John Edwards and Travis Martinson have sent in photo of their fun. John Edwards and Mandy Seldon actually finished this year (an improvement on last year) and by the sound of it were knackered, unfortunately Dave Parry was taken to hospital with a suspected broken wrist.

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

Photos

Dave Blanchard - Page 1

John Edwards - Page 1

Travis Martinson - Page 1

Report

Report by Dave Blanchard

On Sunday the 24 th April the OWLS club held their 3rd Long Distance Trial in aid of the Kent Air Ambulance trust. This is round 1 of the SE Centre LDT Championship series.

The starting point was at 'Deepdale' in East Sutton near Maidstone. Warm thanks must go to the landowners Mr. & Mrs. Tony Bristow for allowing us to use such a lovely venue.

Some rain was forecast for the day but fortunately it remained dry, this was a bonus as the ground was already plenty wet enough around most of those 'groovy' and muddy byways of Kent.

Those OWLS boys have certainly got the hang of organising this type of event and this year excelled themselves by managing to incorporate seventeen good and varied sections which were laid out to test the riders skills.

I had vowed last year to ride something that had suspension fitted to it instead of my old Ariel. So I started the trial on my (just completed the night before) BSA Greeves. This was the first opportunity I had to try it out, except for taking it to my local MOT station, which didn't really count for much. What a riding experience the trial was, I reckon I could have done better on a camel with three humps! So there ends the short story of my special long distance bike. The Villiers engine will go back in the frame and it will be on ebay, ASAP. I know when to quit!

Perhaps it was the prime condition of the byways that gave the Greeves and me such an endurance testing type of ride. So please, all of you 4 wheel off road boys kindly fill in your great deep damn ruts next time you pass the way that I rode. Boy! Those byways are getting bad or maybe it's just that the Greeves and me are not up to much these days? Well I have just gone and done it and bought a modern Honda, so we shall see soon enough. It’s a 1978 XL 185. That’s very high tech for me, but with all that technical know how, why do Honda still insist on building them with the footbrake on the wrong side?

Derek Baker, a Kent & Sussex rider just has to be the rider of the day, he took his Beta Alp to an overall win. Plus best class A and best over 50. His trophy cabinet must be getting a bit full by now I should think. Must cost a fortune in silver polish!

In class B for 225cc up to 400cc it was Steve Austin from the Thames Club on his CRM Honda 250 two stroke who was top notch. Steve was recovering from a bad dose of chicken pox! So no other riders got near him on the day, in more ways than one! Including me.

The big boys who ride class C for over 400cc bikes had their work cut out to negotiate a few of the (proper) trials sections, but even so, Tom Parkin from the ever popular Sidcup Club did the whole day in a determined style and was best in this class.

The team event is getting very popular with 16 teams entered in the progamme this year. This definitely reflects what good fun these events are.

Team, 'Fives R us' turned out to be the 'winning trio' at the end of the days riding.

This consisted of, Steve Masters, Neil Jarvis and Rachel Jarvis so well done to them all!

All the class winners this year were decided in the sections and not on the special test.

The special test had been made a bit more special this year due to an extra telegraph pole that was diagonally placed between the other two parallel ones. Also much more 'special test tape' was in place to guide the riders around the course in case they got lost. It was just like the six days enduro to the watching spectators who were certainly getting their monies worth of entertainment. A great spectacle to the end of a great days riding.

If the byways next year are in the same condition as this year would it be OK if I just did a couple of Tri-Athlons instead of the byways please. I am sure it would be easier?

Well-Done OWLS Club. See you next year on my modern bike!