Tried my first LDT today, notice I said "tried" not completed.
Spent all week fettling the bike to get it ready, I had had a fuelling issue at the weekend, so had stripped and cleaned the carb and found a filter on the side of the carb that I did not know was there, full of muck. Stripped and cleaned the filter pet****, new gearbox oil, cleaned and re-oiled the air filter, new front sprocket (11 teeth to help with slow riding) rear sprocket and chain.
Got less than 5 miles then the front brake bound on. Retired and limped home cleaned callipers put in new pads all sorted.
Then headed out to Bovey to see if I could find the route, knew it went by the garage at the end of the Bovey straights. Spotted some competitors and followed then.
Riding the lanes was good and, thanks to Pete Bull, the blue and red directions were very easy to follow. The special sections where very difficult well above the standard of my riding ability. Watching the riders who have skill, it looked effortless. A couple of hour of sweating and struggling and I was ready for the early bath!
As a first try it was a bit of a disaster, but learnt a lot so that why I say half full!!
About half the riders made it up our beloved Piggery but before I got there my back brake had failed and the CCM had been relegated to the garage in disgrace and the CRM coaxed into life leaving Craig and Rob to pick up course markers until I rejoined at section 4. Four or five drowned their bikes in the ford on 192-276 and one WR250 rider submerged his steed as we arrived and we assisted in dewatering. Happily he caught us up later at Hound tor. Quite a number failed to heed the changed directions and went to look at the impassable ford on 202-007, but nobody attempted that one. The route was very slippery in places and I wasn't really sure I would even get out of the first field. Picked my bike up more times today than in the previous six months. Really enjoyed some of the private land parts of the route with lovely riding and spectacular views. Lovely weather and a brilliant atmosphere everywhere we went.
Might happen in June next year to fit in better with the national championship calendar.
I did some of those lanes and watched a couple of the hill climbs, I will be entering Moor to Sea next year it looked fun and relaxing if you wanted to.i spoke to some riders that stopped for a Fag and food and they was saying the lanes were quite challenging due to being washed out
Any videos? Pete Bull put in hard work again, and others ,Good on you Folks
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Moor to Sea riders saying the lanes were quite challenging due to being washed out
Any videos?
Water water everywhere.
Not knowing that four others had already done so, competitor 115 drowned his WR250, and nearly himself, in the ford outside section 5 on 192-276 and after tipping the bike on end and emptying the airbox and wringing out the air filter he found his plug spanner didn't fit and the engine was hydraulically locked. We put it in gear and rocked it backwards to open a valve then tipped it on end again to empty yet more water out. Happily he caught us up at the Hound Tor sections.
As ever, an excellent days riding. Was expecting the worst for a while, but the weather was kind and we had a perfect day for it. The usual massive variaton on my behalf from complete incompetance to occasional flurries of brilliance - cleaned Piggery, got a 5 at Venn - again!! As long as I did better than last year I will be happy. Was definatley as wet as I've ever seen it. Some deep water in some of the sections. Missed the route change and went to Holbeam - 4 inches of water over the foot bridge, I've never seen it as full as that. Chickened out and went back the way we came.
Huge thanks to all those that take the trouble to put this together - definately one of the highlights of the year.
