I have just realised that I haven't done a report on the worst trial I have been to.
It was at Hartside, just north of Melmerby, on the Pennines in April this year..
It's a site I've been to 3 times and once it was great. Part of the problem is that the entry to the site is very steep with a concrete track. Once you leave the track, if it is wet, you are stuffed. The site becomes very wet.
This time I arrived pretty early and did manage to get to a reasonable spot to park, facing downhill for an easy exit.
My passenger, Ian, arrived in good time and we were ready. It wasn't a really wet day, but very overcast.
I went to the Portaloo after the driver's briefing and when I came out it was blizzarding!
I wasn't it there that long.....
We set off to the Hills and got around the first run. Not great, but we did get to each hill (a novelty at Hartside) and got a score.
Each time we got out of the car to recce we had to take the seat cushion out and shake the snow off before setting off.
The second runs were getting a bit silly. Despite having loads of waterproof stuff on, and a trapper hat I was getting soaked. I have (so I am told) rather nice long eyelashes, but the snowflakes landing on them means I can hardly see anything.
It was bloody cold and bloody wet. The snow was turning to heavy rain and the wind was blowing a hooley.
We still managed to get to each hill and only scored a 12 once.
When we came to the end of the 2nd round it was decided that everyone had had enough so the trial was stopped.
Thank God for that. I was wearing a waterproof jacket, lumberjack shirt, fleece, shirt and t-shirt. They were all soaked and had wicked the rain down to my underpants (Too Much Information, I know).
The only dry bit I had was my jeans between mid thigh and my ankles as that was the only area protected with proper waterproofs, not "breathable" rubbish.
My advice to anyone doing trials is not to enter ones which I have entered as it will be the worst weather you have encountered.
It was at Hartside, just north of Melmerby, on the Pennines in April this year..
It's a site I've been to 3 times and once it was great. Part of the problem is that the entry to the site is very steep with a concrete track. Once you leave the track, if it is wet, you are stuffed. The site becomes very wet.
This time I arrived pretty early and did manage to get to a reasonable spot to park, facing downhill for an easy exit.
My passenger, Ian, arrived in good time and we were ready. It wasn't a really wet day, but very overcast.
I went to the Portaloo after the driver's briefing and when I came out it was blizzarding!
I wasn't it there that long.....
We set off to the Hills and got around the first run. Not great, but we did get to each hill (a novelty at Hartside) and got a score.
Each time we got out of the car to recce we had to take the seat cushion out and shake the snow off before setting off.
The second runs were getting a bit silly. Despite having loads of waterproof stuff on, and a trapper hat I was getting soaked. I have (so I am told) rather nice long eyelashes, but the snowflakes landing on them means I can hardly see anything.
It was bloody cold and bloody wet. The snow was turning to heavy rain and the wind was blowing a hooley.
Sorry the pics are a bit mean, but no-one was that interested in getting frozen anyway.
We still managed to get to each hill and only scored a 12 once.
When we came to the end of the 2nd round it was decided that everyone had had enough so the trial was stopped.
Thank God for that. I was wearing a waterproof jacket, lumberjack shirt, fleece, shirt and t-shirt. They were all soaked and had wicked the rain down to my underpants (Too Much Information, I know).
The only dry bit I had was my jeans between mid thigh and my ankles as that was the only area protected with proper waterproofs, not "breathable" rubbish.
My advice to anyone doing trials is not to enter ones which I have entered as it will be the worst weather you have encountered.
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