hillary

Never heard of such a problem in the UK. Is the tank fuelled near to the top, if so, when warm, fuel expands and the only way out is through the breather. is this the problem?

I've just had a quick look at your speedtracktales site which looks good. I attended the1971, 1978, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86 87, 88 (in which I rode), 89, 90, 91 95, 96 and 2000 ISDEs and have a number of pictures tucked away in my loft. I was the reporter for Trials and Motocross News at these events and all my black and white pics were left with TMX and I believe them to have been lost when the TMX office was moved, however, the pictures that I do have are all in colour as TMX rarely used colour in those days, hence the reason I still have them. Naturally, whilst much of these events has slipped my memory, I can still recall some significant off-piste bits. You need to contact me by e-mail at rapley47@outlook.com.

Carol Nash do mine.

Pain is temporary, glory is forever!

Just to let you know the latest. The Lancs County Angela Redford Normandale round is definitely going ahead, to date I have just over 70 entries and the entry list will be published on Trials Central and lancscountymcc.co.uk websites probably Wednesday evening. And I'll even accept later entries. With regard to the Westmorland and Bootle situation, this is how it is. Lancs County have tried for three years to get Westmorland to run on the Sunday following our trial on a Saturday. That is difficult for us as a club as we really struggle to find 20 observers on a Saturday. This year it was all set up but then Westmorland had their infamous falling out and chucked the trial back at the ACU who allocated it to Bootle. Bootle made no effort to advertise their newly allocated Normandale round either locally on local club sites, nor on Trials Central, and as a result didn't get enough entries to make it viable. It's a fact that these days you have to work hard to get enough entries to run a major trial, especially on a summer Saturday and whilst I'm not going to blow my own trumpet, those who wanted to know about the Lancs County event will have had no trouble finding out. It's been plugged here on TC, in TMX and on the Lancs County site. And those folk who have rung or e-mailed me know that I've been enthusiastic to receive their entries - and continue to be. But on the other hand, riders don't help themselves. Ten days ago we didn't have enough entries to make it viable, but I know from being the secretary for the past 13 years that you just have to wait for entries to come in. I'm as guilty as everybody else; I don't want to make a decision about the forthcoming weekend until about the Monday beforehand, so I accept that's the case and have held back (brrrr, that's my mobile with another phone entry request - no kidding, it's genuine) as long as is practical, so look out for the entry list from Wednesday evening or maybe even Thursday..

Stuff them with newspaper overnight. The paper absorbs most of the moisture, remove it in the morning and repeat . In 36 hours the boots will be dry and because you are not using any heat to dry them, the leather remains supple.

Sorry, can't help, have just looked at all my pics and you're missing. Surely Andy has you on file?

Just to update all on this subject even though the event is still several months away, the actual decision is that any rider under the age of 35 who choses to ride a Pre 65 style machine will automatically be included in the Twinshock class.

Sorry to have offended anyone and I agree about getting younger blood onto older bikes, but that's not the point with regard to the Nostalgia Trial which is a unique event on a nostalgic weekend. The trial was first held nearly 20 years ago purely with the aim of reuniting older riders who would have known each other in the past and was not aimed at bringing in young blood. Sorry if you don't agree with that point, but that was the aim. Over the years younger riders have ridden and whilst there was no objection to them taking part, some of the older riders (at whom the trial was aimed) have taken umbrage and no longer enter. So whilst younger riders will not be barred, the aim will be to fill the entry with older riders and if there is then entry space younger riders can be accommodated.

Yes, there definitely is an age limit. Officially it's a adult only trial but the clue is in the title. It's a NOSTALGIA trial, therefore it's an opportunity to not just ride a good trial but also to chew the fat with other older riders about the past, therefore we do not have youths riding and whilst we don't discourage young adults, if it is over-subscribed then we would weed out younger riders in preference to older guys. Not being unpleasant you understand but it is an event for those with some extensive riding experience behind them. Hope this helps.

Let me speak for the Lancs County MCC Normandale round on Saturday, August 2 at Brookhouse Brickworks. This will be a one route trial, i.e. every rider rides the same course. In the past we have been able to cater for all riders of all abilities on all machines eligible to take part in this series. Basically, we have straight sections, no tight turns and use a mixture of streams and muddy/rocky sections. Very old fashioned but that's the basic intention of this series. However, I have not ridden other rounds for a few years so can't speak for their events. If you want to judge how popular this trial is, when we ran in March we attracted around 140-160 entries; now that we have to run in mid-summer due to the landowner's requirements, we still attract about 100 riders (summer trials always get fewer entries than winter/spring events). You'll notice that our trial is on SATURDAY, that's because Westmorland will also be running a round of the same series on Sunday, the following day, so there are two trials of the same series on the same weekend with the locations less than 20 miles apart. I would expect Westmorland to run a very similar style of trial, though the land they use is very different. I was ACU steward at their event last year and though a few sections had some tightish turns, it was basically a very sound event and ideal for the style of trial expected in the Normandale series.

Sorry to have to disappoint you, but I don't know of any clubs in Scotland that cater for sidecars. You are about 30 years too late! The whole UK sidecar scene has diminished greatly, some 25-30 years ago it was booming but whilst there is still a British Championship series that attracts around 25-30 riders, there are not many other trials in which to take part, certainly none in Scotland that I know of. In fact even when the scene was at its best, I don't think there were ever any in Scotland. I rode as many as I could from '79 to '84 and never once in Scotland yet I live only 70 miles from the border.

Laird's December 20 posting showing Geoff Chandler is, I think, incorrect. I think it is of Arthur Dovey but I'm happy to be corrected, just my opinion.

Next time you use the brakes on that BSA, make sure I'm not in line - can't guarantee I can be as agile twice in a year!

Here's a tip, don't take thousands of pics from the same place, move around, choose a different section. Make it a rule never to take more than 8 from the same place, otherwise, they have plenty of action. Pity about the objectionable advertising linked to the site you are using.

Ben Wibberley's result must have been the best Greeves finish since Don Smith (or Bill Wilkinson).

Tuesday would be the best day. Go to Laggan Locks and see about 60 riders through. Return to the main road, drive up to the next main junction (passing the little shop on your left and buy goodies for lunch), left at that junction then in a couple of miles turn left into the forest , drive as far as you can then go to the Forest Gate sections, possibly only 200 yards from where you have parked and see about 80 - 100 riders through. Return to main road, take left and follow for 10 miles or so, left at t junction and then in 3 miles, Creag Lundie is on the hillside on your righjt. Stay there for the whole entry or until you have seen enough and take in Witches Burn on the way back in, reached by taking a right (left if travelling from Spean Bridge) at the Commando Memorial, follow that road and turn right at the t junction, but watch riders returning down that bit of road from Witches Burn. One of the few days where you can see 11 sections in a day.

Getting excited now, eh?? Remember what I said many weeks ago (look back to find it) but remember now for one last time, give it a go for all its worth and finally, folks there will be able to HELP, nobody is going to knock you back or discourage you; it's the best sport for camaraderie you will find. It's hard graft, but oh so worth it.

This is what I did last year. Leanachan until about 10ish, drive down to Aluminium works at Kinlochleven, then walked up to Coire Mhorair and stayed for about 90 minutes (by the way the walk is not much more than 25 minutes and it's a darn sight easier walking up the LEFT hand side of the pipes rather that the stoney track), then took a quick look at Garbh Bheinn which is literally at the side of the road, 10 minutes was long enough as it was dead easy, then spent the rest of the day at Lagnaha. Walking out to Blackwater is a good 55 minutes each way and as I was there four weeks ago for the Ian Pollock, I've already seen it this year, and it looked to be much easier than it has been in the past (even though I fived it twice!!)

Anybody seen the results yet, what a disaster, they couldn't have got it more wrong. Observers didn't know what classes should be riding what section leading to riders riding the wrong flags as there was no identification on the bikes to show where they should be going; and 32 riders excluded for "missing" sections where in most cases they will have ridden them but the observers have not written down any score. Exclusion is the wrong penalty according to Normandale regs, ten marks is the correct penalty for "missing" a section. Biggest mess up at a trial I have ridden in for years. Experienced clubs should know better and I expect loads and loads of complaints.

Message to Yoram - you'll have your hands full riding the Scottish as is without worrying about fuel. If in doubt, fit a Hebo tank and be done with it, you won't notice the weight, all those huge rocks, long moors, miles of road will take your mind off a couple of pounds at the front of the bike.

Do it, do it, do it, do it. If you can get an entry do it. The only fitness you need is bike fitness. I can't run upstairs, but I can ride a bike across country all day, everyday. Remember if it's hurting you, it will be hurting others too and pain is only temporary, glory is forever. And a SSDT finish is glory. I tell you to think of this. You've got an entry in the trial, come Thursday you are knackered, the bike has had 2 punctures and you've broken the clutch lever. You retire, so what do you say to your mates at work next week. I retired, the tyre was flat and the levers broken. Or do you tell them, Cor, Thursday was horrible, I was knackered, I had to scrounge a tyre fix from somebody, then had to fit a new lever and I was well over half an hour late, but I got it done and finished. Great. Well done they'll say and in 15 years time, you'll still have that finish under your belt.

Potential Normandale riders may like to notre that whilst Lancs County's Angela Redford round does not have a maximum for riders, the way it is filling up, we MIGHT have to as it'sd not practical in having much more than 150-160 riders, so the suggestion is to get your entry in pretty quick, as we could reach that number well before the official closing date.

I rode the 1988 ISDE in France at Mende, blisteringly hot and very tough, trials type terrain. Hardpack on some trails and mega dusty on others. The 4 SSDTs were 1972, 1979, 1981, 1996, as for training, I have to confess I've never trained in my life, just relied on natural ability!!!!!. Having said that, since early November I've been swimming twice a week, every week to try and get some more stamina, which I think has helped but haven't lost any weight. Trouble is birthdays keep coming (glad to say!) and ability is now not as good as head thinks it should be. The reason that the SSDT is so hard to Joe Ordinary is that it's so physical. The good guys can ride all the sections whereas the lesser lights have to struggle up many sections. I guess you have never been to the Scottish and have to tell you that you will be overawed by the trial, it's size, the time schedule and the abilities of so many "ordinary" riders. Guys you will never have heard of are VERY good, but there's no secret except to press on and when it hurts, plenty of others will be hurting too. You need to pray for a dry week. The Thursday following the trial you will look back and think "what a fabulous week that was". The Thursday of trial week as you churn your way across Rannoch Moor, you will be thinking "I simply can't do any more" My favourite remark, and you must remember this if you remember nothing else, "Pain is temporary, Glory is forever!" Do it and enjoy it, it's too far to come and get beaten by the trial itself.

Just been reading all these posts about SSDT and see that MexMex has just finished an ISDE in Mexico. Well done, but having ridden and finished both an ISDE and four SSDTs, I can assure you that the Scottish is far more physical, tiring, frustrating and harder on the bikes than the ISDE. Not putting you off, just trying to explain that one is more difficult than the other.