highland lassie

I'm scared you'll shout at me...

Someone got out of bed on the wrong side this morning...oh, and yesterday too!! Where's yer Christmas spirit Webmaster?!!

Hola!! Missing the live chat are we?!!

Yup, it's down a wee bit....thought I might get away without a ballot this year for a while, but no such luck!! Still, it's fantastic that there's so much interest in the trial, and particularly good that there's such a high volume of newcomers. Can't be a bad sign for the trials scene!

Right folks - there's still a few entries on their way to us, but I know how you like your facts and figures...Slapshot and Big John being particularly fond of the figures element! We've had 395 entries so far, including 11 under-18s and 120 OAPs. Of the 395, 90 are complete newcomers - Gizza's stories obviously haven't scared too many of them off yet! I suspect there's a good 10-15 more than that - there's a lot of young entrants with names I don't recognise from previous years, but they haven't marked themselves as newcomers on their entry forms so they're not included in that total, not for now anyway. As usual, most of the entrants hail from our own shores. There's 90 European entrants, 2 Manx competitors, 9 from further afield and the remaining 294 are from in and around the UK. Mostly Yorkshire actually! 24 folk are keeping their bike details a closely-guarded secret, but of the rest there are 128 4-strokes and 243 2-strokes. As for the brands, it's all change this year with Beta sailing up the stats! They've got 103 entrants, Montesa are hot on their heels with 100, GasGas are next with 78, then it's Sherco with 52 then Scorpa with 34 plus 4 Yams. No Xispa as yet...but rumour has it that we might have a couple of 250s on their way! That's it for now - I'm off for my dinner. Two full days sorting that lot out is more than enough for one weekend.

:banana2:

Here's Bob with a quick reminder....! SSDT entries close a week from now - Friday 7th December is the final date for accepting entries, so if you want to be in with a chance of riding the best trial in the whole wide world, get your entry form sent in this weekend!

At our service today it was pointed out that since the end of WWII there have been a grand total of 26 days when there hasn't been a war raging somewhere in the world. Incredible to think about, and really hit home. BTW, Green Fields of France is another Eric Bogle classic. He's got a few pieces along similar lines, all really poignant and worth a listen.

For those of you who don't bother reading the front page, entry forms for both the Pre-65 and the SSDT are now available from the SSDT website.

Okay - time to pre-empt the flood of entry forms that are going to come in claiming to be CSMA riders now methinks! The CSMA submit a team of three riders - those three riders are granted a team entry at the discretion of the club. Nothing is guaranteed, and I can tell you right now that putting CSMA on your form doesn't sway the chances of you getting an entry in the slightest. If you're in their nominated three-man team, and the committee decide to grant the team entry then that's fine - otherwise you're in the mix with everybody else! SSDT entries should be opening tomorrow, btw...assuming I get out of work at a reasonable hour!

Deffo lost some impetus there! Think we should start a new rumour...how about a guaranteed SSDT entry for everyone who donates online?!! That'd get them coming in thick and fast!! Good on you lot who've already donated....and to those of you still thinking about it, don't worry - it can wait until payday...

Well, if Big John is coughing up, there's NO excuse for anyone else!!!! Come on, get the pennies rolling in!

Thought I might as well get the ball rolling! For what it's worth, the SSDT have often needed the services of LMR - last year they got a bit of a break, but we've called them out twice in each of the two preceding years, and many times in the past. We don't use them often, but on the occasions that we do need them, we'd be completely stuffed if they couldn't provide us with the support that we need...in fact, there's probably a couple of folk reading this that might still be struggling to get out of Guanach today were it not for LMR!! As for the team, Grant and Leigh work tirelessly behind the scenes SSDT week, and have done for years. You probably don't see them (well, unless you're in the Milton bar in the wee small hours!!!) but they're just two of the unsung heroes that keep the SSDT going. It goes without saying that Mark works his fingers to the bone for the best part of ten months each year to organise the whole thing, so if you've been to the SSDT and appreciated it in any way, shape or form, crack that wallet open and lets get some support for the lads and some sponsorship rolling in for LMR! That's me sales pitch done now....the rest is up to you lot!

Oh dear...that's a worry... As for me, I rarely drink these days and even when I did it wasn't excessive - don't believe everything Andy tells you! He's pie-eyed after three lager shandys, so it's all relative! Sounds like a good weekend was had by all - ended up down in London yesterday and was more than slightly miffed that hubby had refused to come to Hawkstone cos he had a major golf comp...but was quite happy to cancel it when he got footie tickets! Am only ever south of the border for work or trials, so was a bit strange to be daan saaf knowing it was all going on a few miles to the west.

Atom, I'm guessing! 10:57, back from the party and online...! Either the party was crap or he couldn't keep up! Only kidding Atom - thanks for the updates. Doesn't look good for the Brits so far though, other than wee Michael...hope it improves this afternoon!

I'll second that - I didn't leave the start field all day and still had a laugh! We did get a three-minute break in the rain where we dashed out, pitched our tents in record time, grabbed lunch out of the car and almost made it back to the safety of the results motorhome (cheers Alasdair and Colin!) before it came back on again...other than that it rained. And rained. And rained. We thought we had another dry spell later on, but it turned out that we were just creating so much smoke trying to cook our lunch that the rain was evaporating in the heat before it hit us. However, the fantastic spread put on at the House Of Menzies was worth the wait - congratulations to Mike, Kate, Wendy, Rab the Butcher and all the other happy helpers that spent their evening feeding us all so well. The barn was a welcome haven from the rain, and the band and the bar just topped it off! And as for the little Dad Dancers providing the entertainment....classic!!! Thanks go to all at Perth & DMC for the huge effort they went to - not only arranging the trial, but for all their dashing about during the day in the hope of salvaging something out of the weekend. The only problem they've got now is that we'll all be back for more next year! Well done chaps!

That'll be Rab's job for the night then!!! Don't worry Andy - we'll have a drink for you.

Cheeky....! Methinks you're confusing me with my rather over-inebriated sister! Just off the phone to the Man In Charge, and it's going to be a fab weekend - not only a two-day trial on some of the best ground in Scotland, but there's also going to be a big campsite, food up for grabs, a live band, and ... wait for it ... a bar on the campsite! How good is that, eh?!! And to top it all, there's bacon rolls for breakfast too! Nice one Perth & DMC!

Excellent!!! I have a Very Special bottle of vodka to take with me - and Ash/Phil are taking Absolut Red with them so should be a grand night!!! Not sure about this whole van thing mind you - I appear to be the only mug turning up with a tent!!! We're coming along on Saturday morning, but I'm sure there's a fair few camping Friday night too. I'm not all that sure what's going on though - have been away for the past few weeks and am just back tonight, so will make a few phonecalls and get all the info! See you there!

Bought my tent today Jen....all set now! Tent, check. Sleeping bag, check. Vodka, check.

Matt bullied you into it then?!! Excellent!!!

Classic!!!!!!!!!

Hey Jen...best watch out or you'll be talking yourself into an SSDT job!!! Did we tell you we're all hitching up to Feldy that weekend? Should be a good laugh!

Slapper - I'm really sorry to hear that. I did wonder why you weren't hovering about to fling abuse at us on Saturday night.... You must've had a hellish few days - I'm really glad he's pulling through and has got moved back down the road so quickly. Here's hoping the rest of his recovery is as prompt - in the meantime, we'll be thinking of you all.