Just getting out of the rain
By TMX Archives on 4th May 12
Last week, when the weather forecasters were threatening the weekend deluge and clubs and organisers rapidly began cancelling events with a vengeance and who could blame them we activated Plan B in order to replace potentially blank pages.
In my case, desperately seeking an inside (dry) option, a trip to the Stafford Classic Show was hastily written into my weekend working contract!
And so it came to pass that the editorial barge (not a golden barge ) was pointed south down the M6 at an idecently early hour come Saturday morning and as I woke-up I looked forward to a day in the Classic arena.
Literally, as it turned out, because as I wandered into the Stafford County Showground I bumped straight into Magical Mick Andrews and Tim Britton who were hastily assembling some crowd control barriers on their Pre-65 trials demo course.
I was immediately drafted-in to help hump said barriers around – I knew I had a use!
It then made sense to hang around for the demo where Mick's trials lessons were commentated on by none other than three-times World Champ Yrjo Vesterinen.
For those who don't know, five times Scottish Six Days Trial winner Mick is actually a cracking trials coach and Vesty's comments were as knowledgeable, as you would expect.
More than a few Pre-65ers were seen mentally storing the info ready to put into practice next time out.
The Stafford Show is absolutely huge and draws thousands of visitors.
After a thorough trawl of the Off-Road Hall, where there were some beautiful classic MXers – some restored to ‘2012' spec, some in genuine original condition – I took myself off to the main exhibition halls where there's enough bikes and gear and club stands and one-make clubs and thousands and thousands of bikes built to show standard, to totally blow your mind.
It is not a pure off-road show, it is mainly road a road-race orientated but there's more than enough off-road stuff – and people – to keep you entertained all day.
For instance, I bumped into north west trials legend Derek Brooks while sneaking a full breakfast and Brooksy – at the age of 77 – was looking forward to his annual ride in the Pre-65 Scottish two Day Trial.
He will be riding a newly-built BSA Bantam, the engine of which he sourced at the Stafford Show last year...
I immediately started the hunt for a Bantam engine but Brooksy must have bagged them all.
Must get my act together and actually START a trend next year instead of constantly being one step behind.
Then again, you can't break the habits of a lifetime...
