Trials Blog - Nerves of Jelly - Trials UK

Trials Blog - Nerves of Jelly

• 20th December 2009
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I got to Tong in plenty of time today.  I was mentally prepared (although a little apprehensive, it has to be said) but the cold snap that has covered the country in white stuff isn’t abating and the ground was totally frozen.  The car park was nothing more than a sheet of ice.

It was that cold that the bike wouldn’t start.  I know Gassers don’t like cold weather, but this was ridiculous.  I must have jumped on the kick start at least 30 times before I got it going and that really left me out of breath.  Anyway, off to section 1 we go.  Well, off to section 1 everyone else goes.  I stall and take another 7 or 8 kicks to start the bike once more and then hurriedly try to catch up.

Section 1 is in a place known as the bomb hole.  It is a drop down into a bowl, a camber turn round a tree and back up out of the section next to where you dropped in. In ‘normal’ weather it would be quite easy, but it was -3, the ground was white and we were riding on ice.  I let everyone go before me and was the last one to drop in.  It wasn’t a great start as I hadn’t so much ridden the bike into the bowl; I kind of just slid down.  I somehow managed to get round the tree (with Gaz’s instructions going through my head all the time) and set off back up and out.  ¾ of the way out the back wheel lost traction and I paddled my way out for a 3. 

On to section 2, then and OH MY GOD!  This was a 90 degree left turn onto a steeply sloping rock to drop down and quickly weave round some trees before accelerating out of the section and OVER A MASSIVE LOG at the top of the hill.  I had only ever ridden over a log once – the first time we came to Tong, that one was so much smaller though.  Of course, I failed riding over the log and took another 3. 

Section 3 proved to be no easier as we had to leap a small stream, climb a very steep hill, turn 180 and drop back into the stream and ride up it (and 2 sizable steps) before lifting the front of the bike out and exiting the section to the left.  I got most of the way up but fell off when exiting.  I was now muddy and wet.  This wasn’t good.  The whole thing was made worse when it started to snow.

Between section 3 and 4 I fell off as the bike skidded on ice and dropped like a stone.  I fell in section 4 due to ice.  I then fell in section 5 because I panicked.  I stalled the bike in section 6 and struggled to start it again. Section 7 was scary but I managed a 3.  I missed a flag in section 8 and in 9 and 10 I just paddled my way through for 3’s before slipping and falling off again riding to section 1. 

I was totally knackered, was utterly demoralised. I felt cold, wet and miserable and I had done just one lap.  The ice had beaten me into submission.  I quickly worked out my score in my head – 40.  There were 4 laps and I had completed just one.  I was on for a score of 160.  I didn’t have the energy or the motivation so I gave up - retired.  I felt lower than low.