Nostalgia was pure Classic!
By TMX Archives on 26th Aug 09
JD went on a Classic three-day outing to various places scattered in the Lake District wilderness and what a three-days he had which ended in a soaking... IT takes all sorts and motorcycle sport is nothing if not varied. During the course of each year, which somewhat worryingly seem to speed by faster and faster the older I get, I try to fit in as many different disciplines as possible into my weekends. So over the course of a year I'll have not only sampled the delights of motocross, trials, enduro and supermoto but at all different levels from club event through British Champs to an MXGP. Likewise one week I'll take in a Wednesday evening trial followed by a World Round (as long as it is in Britain!) a few days later. And by way of a change it's always good to see what's happening on the other side of the fence so the odd hill-climb or road race is good. You can't beat seeing how the other half live to get an idea of what we are doing right or wrong.
And so, last weekend it was time to immerse myself for a few days in the nostalgia side of the sport; Pre-65, vintage, old farts on old bikes – call it what you like, there's a lot of it about!
And so it was my local Kendal Classic Club's Nostalgia weekend that had my undivided attention. Peter Remington is the driving force behind the Nostalgia and in fact Pete puts on a full week of events incorporating road runs and trail rides. After last year's event I did promise myself a full week off so I could go out on ALL the rides but as ever, work got in the way and that didn't happen.
In fact I only got out on the Friday ride by the skin of my teeth due to a late decision and an even later phone call to borrow a road-going bike off my brother. So Friday morning saw me getting a real good soaking riding the 30 miles from Ulverston to the day's starting point in Ambleside.
The idea behind the Friday Nostalgia run is to sort-of re-create the 1913 (I think) ISDT route through the Lake District and the route is the result of former Top 35 British MX ace Norman Barrow's research. There was a good turnout of Pre-65 and British Bikes for the run and they duly departed Ambleside at 9am to take in 100-miles or so of cracking Lake District scenery and historic passes.
Which left around 20 of us on a motley collection of modern bikes, banned by Norm from accompanying his Classics, and so I found myself with Sammy Miller, Terry Challinor, Barry Briggs, Bill Brown, ‘Rem' and others to tackle the route from the opposite direction. This was only a vague sort of idea though and David Gates took us on a magical mystery tour of the northern Lakes which was a revelation to me – and I live there! And we did pass the Classic crew – or some of them, I recognised Chris and Mike Myers – although it was a bit high speed as we were going in the opposite direction, somewhere near Cockermouth.
Whatever, it was a fantastic day out and when we eventually stopped for tea and cakes Sammy reminded us that his only previous trip to the Lake District was to a Bassenthwaite scramble in the 1960s when following an on-track incident he ended-up in Keswick hospital for a spell with what was effectively a broken back. So of course Gatesey then took us past Keswick General...
Saturday then saw the Nostalgia Trial take place and the club had adventurously taken-on an entry of some 200 Classic riders. Coping with this number was always going to be a struggle on a multi-lap course but they just about got away with it. And a free bottle of Bluebird beer at the end, thanks to the generosity of Ian Bradley, bossman of The Coniston Brewing Company, soon smoothed over any ruffled feathers. Personal thanks to Teesside rider Jim Jardine as, knowing that Jim doesn't drink, I felt it my duty to neck his bottle of Bluebird. Very nice it was too, Jim!
Which left us with the Nostalgia Scramble on Sunday. Again a bumper entry and a fantastic setting at Middleton, near Sedbergh, which is so reminiscent of a rolling 1960s track and the natural grassland setting lends itself to picnics in the sun. Again there was a bumper entry but the club deserved so much better than the incessant rain that ultimately led to the meeting being abandoned – but only after the full second block of races (from the planned three) had been completed.
But when the racing was on not even the hardest downpour could dampen the enthusiasm and riders, spectators and officials alike refused to budge from their positions, dripping wet but enjoying the racing, right until John Bethell announced the end.
So, what a three-day weekend – huge thanks and appreciation to ‘Pete Rem' and all his hard-working Kendal Classic guys and gals... 'til next year!