Bit Like Work

[ishy]

At the request of a fella asking what are my thought's on riding the SSDT, and what have I learned from the event.

Well it's a bit like work really, tha gets up eats thi breakfast then off you go, Monday is a bit like starting a new job, mad keen to get on with it and rush first few groups of the day, don't know why ? all trotting up the first two subs at Leanachan in the fancy new riding togs, well most, I'm the old bugger in wellies and ex army waterproof britches, past looking good for the sake of it, and the girls lost interest a long time ago.

Never cleaned both subs yet, always manage to have one or two to keep the observers pencil active, then it's ower to Bradilieg, for a couple more very sensible sections, always a steady first morning before getting awoke to big steps and waterfalls in the afternoon round Kinloch.

Day two! most of the regulars have settled down, the new comers are often still chomping on the bit, but they have yet to sample a Tuesday in the SSDT! after discovering I could mount some furniture to the bike, and also wear my wellies, the long run out to the first sections isn't too bad, can be quite funny passing a newbie in the colorfull spandex, desprately trying to find that comfortable position on a two inch plastic fly swatter, while doing 50 mph down't road in the peeing rain, and the novalty of the new job is quickly wearing off.

Again, if the first sections of the day are Laggan, they are sensible enough to get the day started, but the first one can throw you off for all three if your not carefull, then we get our first real taste of bog, and the sporty spandex now looks just like my ex army waterproofs when it's blathered in that brown stuff.

My pace is just a bit slower than Monday, not a lot! just a bit, but that is about the pace I will will sustane for the rest of the week, if I pass you on the moor, then your probably not going to make it, or your pushing your bike out of a bog, this is were the bright riding gear comes in usefull, I can quietly use the brightley colored beacons to guide me round all the deep holes and safely off the moor without wasteing too much energy.

Tue evening in the bar is often very quiet, and the newbie just want's to go to bed and die, but the daft old lads will hang around for a few and chat about the day. The next morning some new to the whole task of taking on the SSDT enter the breakfast hall looking like they did nearly die the night before.

Well mid week of the first week on the new job, and the old git is still plodding along doing as little as possible but seems to be getting just as much done has the mad keen youth, who's new work suit now looks like crapp, and is wondering if staying up for a few pints could of possibly made him feel any worse.

Well at least going by the rumor that Wednesday will be a steady ride round before a long day Thursday, our newbie can relax a bit while the boss is off planning the sections for the next day, wrong!!! them rumors are all lies, you should have got well p****d Tue night because he's going to give you a good thrashing today, just to set you up for Thursday, if you had only gone for the black puddin and greasy bacon followed by half a loaf of toast and three pots of tea, you would be a lot better off than nibbleing't corner of a bran muffing.

Job has really settled down now, and has you pass other work mates, it's just a nod and a wink afore you go about the days work, them moors start to get longer wetter and slower for the newbie, and they start to wonder why are we crossing this thing, it's quite simple realy, sections are at the other side, and the boss keeps putting them at the other side, after complaints from the workers why not put em at this side, boss turned the course the other way round, guess what!! bloody sections were still at other side.

After Wed, you either love the job or hate it, quiting won't make any difference, it will go on with or without you, the sections seem to get longer too, it's amazing how long you can hang on for a three, when you rode the first 100 yds feet up.

Thur, and before you know it, laden with two pound of bacon grease and a full on snow storm, you have now to get the bike and body to the top of Glencoe and chairlift, frozen silly you get off the bike at the first sub, and find you legs no longer work, so try and see as much of the section you can without walking, then over to Ba house, Gorton, Rannoch mor, I don't think Rannoch is as bad has many make out, only time I struggled was when I thought I could pick a new line going up, looked like a few scraggy wooly backs had the same idea, and paid with their lives, since then I have stuck to the main track, and had no problems, lunch stop on Thursday is always a welcome stop, and I can't wait to grab the pot of char, and bacon buttie, the fiver is the best tool you can carry in the SSDT, at first I used to drag all sorts with me, now it's as little as possible, what if!! well I found the best thing is, if you don't break it, tha won't have to fix it,

Best way to achieve this is go a little steadier.

Now it's starting to look like the job will soon be done, and an extra pint or two would be nice thur night to get you in good order for tale telling and how you past half the entry sat on thi bum has you flew over Rannoch.

Breakfast is now like eating breakfast wi wife, not a lot said, and the sausage is? well! who knows what it is, been up there a few times, and still have no clue what is in the sausage, so fall back on the old reliable, bacon, fellow told me, you can spoil most foods, but you have to try hard to bugger bacon.

Fridays course is mostly road, but the slippery mud holes getting to and from Doire Dhamh can be a real tester, and sounds like we could have another nice mud fest at the other end of the day in the shape of Annat mor.

Well Saturday soon comes around and job's ower, why do wi do it ? wife says you "daft old sod, you should have more sense at your age" I think it's the good company, beer, food, jokes, sections, road work,moors, and all round heck of a week that draws me back, but then again I could just be crackers.

[scorpa3]

Thanks for that Ishy, almost feels as if I was there in person.

[lee harris]

i like that too...never been there , never will be able to but your wording is that of a (trials) people poet. Not much info on the monos though....

lee

[pnnich]

after doing SSDT for 17 year you could not of described it any better

[timp]

Don't worry ishy, I am riding in wellies as well. Not as daft as it sounds is it

[jimmyl]

All very true and apt. Having not ridden for 12yrs felt like a new boy last year but by the time I got to the first group on Monday already wet and cold sooon reverted back to the been in the job for years role.

Bit like having 2 weeks off work, after being back 2 hours feels like youv'e never been away.

Why do we do time and time again, cos its the best and there is nothing else like it.

PS discovered Gortex in a non fashionable dull colour for my riding jacket this year. Best

[boofont]

Cracking topic, thanks!

[unbalanced]

Enjoyed reading that, thanks.

[gizza5]

If it is like a job, then its the best job in the world Money well spent

Oh and those moor crossings are LONG......VERY LONG............VERY, VERY LONG

[pitley]

Excellent discription Ishy

Of all the threads on TC i find the chat on the ssdt the most intresting, only wish i could do this trial myself but the man in the hospital says i need a knee replacement at the age of 43 so dont think i could do six days on the trot

Going to try follow the ssdt one year tho

Edited February 15, 2007 by pitley

[overthehill]

Sounds like you need more moors - ones that you dont know the lines through.

- we're off to look for some new ones - big soft deep ones

the Boss

[ishy]

You lads do more than enough work as it is, I would hate for you to derive pleasure from making me suffer more.

[baldilocks]

Ishy missed out whats always the hardest part, managing to stay awake on saturday night. After a weeks effort I'm always knackered on the saturday night. Last year I was quite early finished on the saturday so I had a couple of pints then went to my room for a couple of hours kip.

woke up at 11.30pm having missed the presentation

seriously its normally about wednesday during the week after the trial before I feel normal again.....

[kinell]

Ishy missed out whats always the hardest part, managing to stay awake on saturday night.

I think he forgot to mention it on purpose!

Saturday night 2004, Ishy sloped off to bed at about 9pm and took the phone off the hook

[highland lassie]

Saturday night 2004, Ishy sloped off to bed at about 9pm and took the phone off the hook

Although, to be fair, he did his best to make up for it last year!