A weekend of wonder!

A weekendA weekend of wonder!

Yes, it's a hard life but someone has to do it and I did indeed reflect on this as I wore a groove in the M6 over the two days. 

 

Telford on Saturday was total two-wheel overload as I attempted to see three days' worth of bikes and people in just the one. 

 

I'm the first to admit that I failed! But it was great fun trying as I was metaphorically pulled first one way, then the other to take in a stack of Maicos here, a line of Bultacos there, a shiny Triumph engine, a meaty four-stroke Wasp motor, etc, etc.

 

Then, of course, there's the incredibly slow progress through the halls as you stop every two yards to talk to different people and one story leads to another.

 

My favourite moment was chatting to all-rounder, trials, motocross but more famously Isle of Man GP and TT ace Frank Whiteway at lunchtime when Nick Jefferies – another superb all-round ace – passed by, juggling two paper cups filled with hot water. 

 

Turns out that Nick – a legendary Yorkshireman – didn't fancy paying for a second brew so kept his teabag and went for refills of (free) hot stuff to make the brew...Yorkies can teach even the Scots something about thrift!

 

I had been on the road since 6am and – along with a handful of others including Yrjo Vesterinen, John Moffat, Jean Callou, Manuel Soler, Nigel Birkett, Chris Myers and John Lampkin – was actually escorted out by Security as we were still yacking on in full flow over an hour after the Show had officially closed...

 

"Please go!” said a frustrated security bod, ushering us towards the exit.

 

"We'd like to go home tonight as well!”

 

So, it was back home for a few hours kip before hitting the road for Hawkstone, stopping only to fill car with a fresh selection of bodies on Sunday.

 

Must admit to feeling a bit knackered first thing but the second Jeffrey Herlings hit the track with a vengeance in the opening MX2 race it was wide awake time.

 

You don't need me to tell you how quick Herlings is but if you don't know then let me tell you he is ridiculously fast. 

 

How fast? 

 

Well, without really breaking sweat – appearing to be on a kind of controlled training session – he was around four seconds a lap faster than anyone else, including MX1 riders.

 

The fact that he won the Superfinal by what seemed like a full lap says it better than I can.

 

It was another great day – I won't forget either for a long, long time. of wonder!

 

WHERE to start this week! I followed a weekend taking in the diverse attractions of the Telford Classic Show with a trip to the season opening Hawkstone International Motocross. 

 

Yes, it's a hard life but someone has to do it and I did indeed reflect on this as I wore a groove in the M6 over the two days. 

 

Telford on Saturday was total two-wheel 

overload as I attempted to see three days' worth of bikes and people in just the one. 

 

I'm the first to admit that I failed! But it was great fun trying as I was metaphorically pulled first one way, then the other to take in a stack of Maicos here, a line of Bultacos there, a shiny Triumph engine, a meaty four-stroke Wasp motor, etc, etc.

 

Then, of course, there's the incredibly slow progress through the halls as you stop every two yards to talk to different people and one story leads to another.

 

My favourite moment was chatting to all-rounder, trials, motocross but more famously Isle of Man GP and TT ace Frank Whiteway at lunchtime when Nick Jefferies – another superb all-round ace – passed by, juggling two paper cups filled with hot water. 

 

Turns out that Nick – a legendary Yorkshireman – didn't fancy paying for a second brew so kept his teabag and went for refills of (free) hot stuff to make the brew...Yorkies can teach even the Scots something about thrift!

 

I had been on the road since 6am and – along with a handful of others including Yrjo Vesterinen, John Moffat, Jean Callou, Manuel Soler, Nigel 

Birkett, Chris Myers and John Lampkin – was actually escorted out by Security as we were still yacking on in full flow over an hour after the Show had officially closed...

 

"Please go!” said a frustrated security bod, 

ushering us towards the exit.

 

"We'd like to go home tonight as well!”

 

So, it was back home for a few hours kip before hitting the road for Hawkstone, stopping only to fill car with a fresh selection of bodies on Sunday.

 

Must admit to feeling a bit knackered first thing but the second Jeffrey Herlings hit the track with a vengeance in the opening MX2 race it was wide awake time.

 

You don't need me to tell you how quick Herlings is but if you don't know then let me tell you he is ridiculously fast. 

 

How fast? 

 

Well, without really breaking sweat – appearing to be on a kind of controlled training session – he was around four seconds a lap faster than anyone else, including MX1 riders.

 

The fact that he won the Superfinal by what seemed like a full lap says it better than I can.

 

It was another great day – I won't forget either for a long, long time.