Cecil Blount DeMille

With no work req. on the bike since the last trial I pushed the boat out, stripped, and cleaned the carb… Again, all clean this time but the time for lining the tank is FAST approaching. I should have a couple of weeks gap whilst I travel to Scotland for the pre65 and SSDT so I hope to get it done before I go and let it ‘harden’ whist away for my ‘holiday in the Highlands’

I dropped the oil from the gearbox and replaced with new… Less than a pint after all and as I stick to using the cheapest 10 - 40w I can find, every couple of events seems an okay working life, it  always comes out clean 'ish'  and then normally gets put into the ’ used’ can for the lawn mower, strimmer  premix, and for the kids push bikes.

The night before I usually load up the van, with tools fuel etc. tool wise i have a small box of specific tools for the Fanny B. ( 4 allen keys, 5 spanners, a plug spanner, a spare plug, a pair of pliers, a hand ful of tie wraps, footpump, tyre guage and a 2lb Yorkshire screwdriver) I add a can of fuel I use PJ1 Silverfire at a mix of 80ml to 5 litres of premium unleaded ( when ever i empty a fuel can i always add oil immediately then i know its in ..  leaving just the bike to be loaded in the early morning.

Midland Classic trial at Cutthorpe is about 55-65 miles form home and involves a nice trek over the Snake Pass which this year was thankfully snow free unlike last, The major downside to using the Snake Pass is having to drive through Glossop which must be the speed camera capital of the world over 6 miles I’d guess there are at least 20 cameras.

Arriving ludicrously early at 8.30 I was far from first there with a contingent of folk from 'darn' South already looking forward to some Derbyshire rockery in preparation for Scotland.
I think all northern/ midland organisers miss a trick here as throughout the day I was asked for the best trial in the next couple of weeks for practice on the rocks and frankly Yorkshire classics trip up Littondale next weekend is probably best, but the venue is not what it was as the stream bed is now normally long dry come May. although it is steep and full of rocks large and small It also runs on Easter Sunday this year, which for some is an unacceptable day for sport.

With little to do in the way of pre event prep the MOV camera came out of the box for the first time. The sections are all in the first half and are typical of the going on the day.



section 3     section 7 Waterworks    Section 8     section 13       Section 14


the video is much better viewed in full screen, and with the volume turned down!! i'm obviuosly still experimenting at this stage and will be altering the camera angle on the helmet and also doing some bike mounted filming using some unusual angles.. i'll also be using it in Scotland, hopefully persuading a rider to wear it for a couple of sections and  getting some shots from my helmet as I follow the trial on my C90!

The bike ran relatively well apart from rider error. Schoolboy error no.1 was not tightening the carb onto the inlet manifold causing the thing to run on a little and a couple of times the carb flooded so it’ll come off again. also with having no side stand on the occasion that mother nature doesnt provide and the bike has to be lain down fuel escapes form the auxilary tank breather if care is not taken and usually care is not taken.. I can see a long walk coming any trial soon..

Other than that all was well the sun shone all day and the sections in the woods although shaded were perhaps the warmest as there was zero breeze. thanks to all the observers for braving such inclement trials weather although those deck chairs and parasols didnt look half bad!

All in a nice day out, the road sections are a little long, but the views are worth it. I think those that travelled hoping for pre Scottish practice will have gone home frustrated. The sections at waterworks have plenty of streams and rocks but seem under-utilised. There is a good wood straight after the water works that only had a couple of sections in it and yet at the land rover site we had a section that ran 10yds along and up a small hill that would have been at home in a conducted trial, so a mixed bag but praise to the organisers for not using exactly the same sections year after year..

The trial was so muck free I think that the bike will go another week without a full wash…