Pluggin the Mud, MX stylee!….. vol2

Finally managed to get home this last weekend and one of my friends heard about a local track to us. Again it was £10 for the day but the hours were shorter: Saturday 1000-1400 and Sunday 1000-1300 (so not very long really!)

The place was split into 4 circuits really: a small oval, a larger speedway style oval, a fast outer loop with some big air table tops and the technical inner circuit. All of these were interlinked so you could do a bit of a mix and match.

I went along on the Saturday with my mate Catherine and her brother Zander, the weather was lovely when we first got there but then it colouded over and by the end it was drizzling.

I got a regular to show me round for a couple of laps and he suggested I stayed within the inner circuit as there were some fast lads using the outter bit.

There were 3 small table tops but down to my lack of confidence in my ability to stop intime for the hairpin after, I didn’t jump the 3rd tabletop.

I let Zander have a play too and he came back with a massive grin on his face
The track was a completely different feel than the Brixton circuit I’ve been using in Devon and some of the turns I struggled with my confidence on.

On the Sunday I went back again with Catherine, but also dragged a mate out who also has a KTM (EXC-125 2stroke). On the way to collect him the weather got worse and worse and by the time we were heading back to the track there was almost floods on the motorway!
To say I was getting nervous was an understatement! LOL I think Catherine and Jake said I looked white as a ghost when we arrived at the circuit to find probably 25% of it under water!
I was so nervous about going out I faffed while getting ready and Jake went out by himself to see how the track went….
… On his first lap in the crap weather and through proper deep puddles and mud he was probably lapping 50% faster than I was on my last session in the dry! The man can ride thats for sure!
I eventually wobbled out onto the track and Jake tucked in behind me to see how I was riding (ridged, terrified and permanently sitting on the seat) after a few laps he took the lead and span his rear up on demand to completely fill my lid and mouth with mud! (bastid!) LOL
He led me round really slowely and every time he saw me sitting he covered me in mud to tell me to stand up!
After 2 laps I was able to stand up all the way round except for one bit which Jake even sat down for as feet were needed to help the bike go where it was told, I can’t believe a surface so so slippy was able to be ridden not just without falling off but with the biggest grin on my face ever!
I carried on for a bit just going round at a steady pace but standing up until I felt more confident and then went a lil bit quicker but within my comfort zone until I needed a break.
I sat out for a bit and had some food and water, Jake eventually came in and did the same. I offered him a go on mine and before I’d even finished offering him a go he was putting his lid back on and sped off on my 250. It was awesome seeing him thrap the hell outta it and that really boosted my confidence as now I’d seen my bike in action PROPER!
While he was out on mine I borrowed his and wandered over to the large speedway circuit to try and build my confidence at spinning the back up and drifting round corners, I have got to say his bike is FRIGGIN AWESOME fun, I so wish I’d got the 125 2stroke instead of the 250 4stroke! Its so violent on the power but it feels smaller and it is deffinately loads lighter (and mine aint heavy!) Before too long I had the rear drifting out on the last 1/4 of the top corner and was only straightening up properly halfway down the straight bit ready to slow to enter the bottom corner and repeat, this was the only place I missed my bike as the 2stroke has zero engine braking and I’m still getting used to using the brakes in anger!
After about 10 laps Jake came and found me and buzzed me spraying mud in my mouth yet again! LOL and was flying round, he actually fell off while trying to undertake me this was because he wasn’t used to the engine braking and the bike just fell over which caused me to wobble while giggling hysterically at the muppet all the way round again! LOL
We swapped bikes back and I had a go on the outer circuit, not going fast but just to see what it was all about and the table tops were fun but a bit wierd in their design and coz it was so slippy I wasn’t getting the speed up to get any proper air.
I was getting a bit tired now so we went to a giant mound of earth and Jake showed me how to climb really steep inclines, 1st time I made it up no bother although a little messy, 2nd I got halfway up and had to jump off to stop me dropping the bike! []
I’d pretty much had enough by now so went back to the van and had some more food while we watched Jake mess about drifting sideways through puddles etc (bloody show-off LOL)
He had to come back in as his brakes had stopped working so I lent him mine again for another 15min and then it was time to pack up shop and go home.
Considering just how worried I was about going out in the grotty weather and deep slimey mud I had probably the best ride since the first time I went out on the Yamaha Offroad Day we did in August!

Another mate wanted to come out but he is still waiting to get his next bike so we are going again either here or back to Goldings Barn towards the end of the month [] He braved the mud and weather and turned up on his gixer! FOOL!!! The bike he’s planning on getting is a KTM EXC 200 2stroke, so like Jakes but on amphetamines! Hehehee, can’t wait to have a go on that!