AHRMA VINTAGE TRIALS HOLLISTER 2007
Posted by Tony Down at 11/12/2007 6:48 AM 
Categories: Motorcycle Trials, AHRMA, RV'ing, Vintage Trials, Trials
Categories: Motorcycle Trials, AHRMA, RV'ing, Vintage Trials, Trials
NAPA & HOLLISTER 2007
It’s Monday morning and we are going away for a week! Lots to do so with everything loaded
on Sunday we get on the road reasonably early with the Beemer, Cub and mini TY.
Everything goes well until LA where the driving becomes crazy and the roads degenerate into
cart tracks and amid all the lunacy I can’t make an exit so we end up with an in town detour.
Finally, after 600 miles, pull into a truck stop for the night which is a pleasant place in the trees
with hotel, gas station and casino. Tuesday morning, on the road early, and after about 2 hours
join the lunacy and more awful roads on the outskirts of San Fran ….. how could you live like this
surrounded by idiots every time you venture out of the house?
cart tracks and amid all the lunacy I can’t make an exit so we end up with an in town detour.
Finally, after 600 miles, pull into a truck stop for the night which is a pleasant place in the trees
with hotel, gas station and casino. Tuesday morning, on the road early, and after about 2 hours
join the lunacy and more awful roads on the outskirts of San Fran ….. how could you live like this
surrounded by idiots every time you venture out of the house?
Just manage to creep the bus through the most ridiculously narrow toll booth for $11.75 of crap
roads! THANKS!!
roads! THANKS!!
Onward and upward and into Napa Valley, which, is just as pretty as last year. Arrive at our berth
in Calistoga Fairgrounds bang on time so now a bit of lunch, a 3 day break for the generator, get
the Beemer out and off for the license.
All ready to go for “THE DAY” it starts raining and rains all night but never mind the forecast is to
stop in the morning. Everything goes to plan and very soon Brenda is ready and gorgeous, the
flowers arrive, then Jason the driver and wine expert.
in Calistoga Fairgrounds bang on time so now a bit of lunch, a 3 day break for the generator, get
the Beemer out and off for the license.
All ready to go for “THE DAY” it starts raining and rains all night but never mind the forecast is to
stop in the morning. Everything goes to plan and very soon Brenda is ready and gorgeous, the
flowers arrive, then Jason the driver and wine expert.
Over to the Gazebo and the other parties are also all there so now to get the show on the road.
Arrange angles and lighting and cut out the blue tarp and the orange netting along with various
city signs and trash containers. All’s well, so off we go with individual dedications and then into the
main ceremony.
Arrange angles and lighting and cut out the blue tarp and the orange netting along with various
city signs and trash containers. All’s well, so off we go with individual dedications and then into the
main ceremony.
All too soon it’s complete and sealed with a kiss. The free champagne (certainly not cheap), from
Frank’s was delicious so they are our first point of call ….. but, before we can proceed it’s time to
swap wedding shoes for something that will work for the day.
Off to Frank’s and in no time we are having a private tasting and without more ado the first 6
bottles are in the cart. Onward up a hill we go to a quaint little winery where fun host takes us
through an outside tasting by the vats and then into the man made caves with all their leak
problems but a lot of fun and knowledge here! Outside again and down through some spectacular
gardens all with their own little benches and wine selections and then into the circle of trees
(fairy circle) and more wines just sitting on benches….. what a nice touch!
Back to the car a buy a case of A S S Kicker, believe it or not that’s the name. Host throws in
some $80 bottles as a gift and off we go again. Pick up the picnic goodies and look out it’s time
for Rutherford Hill.
Their wines don’t seem as good this year but over the course of the tasting the hitherto
vanishing 2001 Merlot suddenly returns as if by magic and is snapped up before you can eat
a blueberry.
Picnic and a 2001 complete a lovely day and then on the way home a detour for a late tasting
which picks up 2 more bottles of something wet and expensive. They also had an enormous
black Newfie!
Dinner ordered and the final stop in Calistoga to pick up cake and steak.
Full, bloated and happy…… bed!
Thursday, our last day in the Fairgrounds time to dump and pump and then take the Beemer for
a ride round into Sonoma. Nice bendy roads amongst the vineyards and fortunately no wet
leaves on the corners so all is well. Find Francis Coppola’s place and apart from the proximity of
the freeway everything else about the place is to our liking, including being able to smoke and sip
wine in the same place. A pleasant ride back through the woods completes a leisurely day before
taking on last night’s steak. With all bikes reloaded it duly comes onto rain again ….. but who cares.
Friday and time to break camp and off we go in the pouring rain for the 3 hours to Hollister.
2 hours later it stops raining but the forecast is for more to come. Arrive in good time to get the
same slot we had last year. Jim and Rich are here already but seem to get thwarted by the park
rangers who won’t let them ride round to see the sections. Ed and Evelyn turn up in their other
car and drop the trailer off with us before leaving to their motel. The rain continues and the cloud
lowers and dog lovers are not impressed with the volume of mud they manage to bring back into
the coach after every outing.
2 hours later it stops raining but the forecast is for more to come. Arrive in good time to get the
same slot we had last year. Jim and Rich are here already but seem to get thwarted by the park
rangers who won’t let them ride round to see the sections. Ed and Evelyn turn up in their other
car and drop the trailer off with us before leaving to their motel. The rain continues and the cloud
lowers and dog lovers are not impressed with the volume of mud they manage to bring back into
the coach after every outing.
AHRMA VINTAGE TRIALS HOLLISTER 2007
Saturday and I’m still going through all the mental gymnastics and what ifs and after much
deliberation elect to ride as I’m feeling confident. If I check I’m level with Bob on 136 and he would
then need to get another win as I would have 6. If he did that we would still be even on rides but
he has taken the checker points so would run out on 140….. but, I of course could always slip
down to Georgia and get my checker points. Well that was the thinking and would still work if he
felt under pressure at Barber and didn’t win.
The trial begins and the 2 line boys are starting at 1 for a change and I’m all juiced up and getting
used to the cardboard bar. No 1 starts at a tree and then has some drops over some slippery
rocks before an uphill with a turn on the exit bank. No problems here so confidence on the rise
and over to 2 which has a series of fallen trees to cross and by now the “riding in” has knocked
most of the moss off the trunks so stay perfectly on line and all should be well. Another easy
clean and ride on to 3 which has plenty of problems should you stray off line. An up the bank
round the tree and drop off the bank start then downhill round the tree on an adverse, back up
to the path and then slip between 2 trees for another turn back up to the path and exit. Perfect
throttle control and don’t go too low on the first adverse. More cardboard and the plan is duly
executed to perfection. No 4 is close at hand and has a tricky little wiggle around a tree but the
rest should be plain sailing. Plan works and on we go for a ride round the hills to 5. Another
follow the line on low power and keep it smooth, before a bit of a step over another mossy fallen
tree. See Rich get caught for a 2 as the wheel span on the moss. Half way round and still clean
so let’s see what 6 has to offer. This one is through rocks but is so simple it should not have
been in even at beginner’s level. 7 is a little way up the hill and has loose rocks to negotiate
before dropping down to the lower level. That was OK but could get worse.
Up the hill dodging 4 wheeling loons and time for the rest of bar one while inspecting what
appears to be the hardest section so far. A very steep opening climb on wet dirt and exposed
rocks then consolidate on the upper level and choice of lines across more slippery moss covered
rocks. See several riders coming to grief, especially the clutch merchants…. They never learn!!
Well here we go, up the hill, no sweat, back to idle, wide turn, shift the weight out and back
and on with the power, over the wet ones, cut the power and trundle out on idle.
and on with the power, over the wet ones, cut the power and trundle out on idle.
Down the hill and 9 is lurking in a muddy gully which could have been a great section with a bit
more imagination but as it was, just ride the line and stay out of the mud. Well that’s 9 cleans
so what has 10 got for us. Up and down through the leaf mould but there appears to be plenty
of grip so just take care on the downhill, keep the weight off the front and don’t use too much
front brake in the loose. Yippee! A clean loop so back for a drink and another of those yummy
bars!
Loop 2 goes well until section 3 where I started my turn about 3 inches too late and didn’t react
quickly enough with weight so trying hard to power out I lost a dab. The rest of the loop went
as plan and nearly had a problem on 8 but a good recovery got me through. Back at the start I
see someone has 2 clean loops %^&*! A Mike Atkins, who normally rides Prem Heavyweight….
%^&*! %^&*!!
Join up with Ed for loop 3 and I clean the whole thing while Ed makes a similar mistake to mine
on his section 3. However his 1 point loop is the best and also gives him victory on the day and
his 7th win to take the MC Novice Championship, well done ED!
My 1 point loss regrettably cost me the championship as 5 wins and multiple seconds doesn’t
crack it. The annoying thing is that 2 of those second place rides were on a SINGLE POINT….. so
close and yet so far. Had I checked I would have been level with Bob but ahead on age which
would force him to go for a win as a second wouldn’t crack it. Well the only remaining chance is
that he doesn’t win at Barber and then I would be forced to go to Georgia to get those 20 points
.. it never ends.
What’s left? 2 more CAT trials and then the season will be done. So 2007 appears to be the
year of “The Second” or “First Loser”. This of course does not please me but makes me more
determined for next year when it will be Prem Lightweight Exp with the Cub and Prem
Heavyweight Int with the Bullet. There are some changes coming in CAT so if Twinshock and
Vintage are combined I may have to get Glitz back in action for that series.
year of “The Second” or “First Loser”. This of course does not please me but makes me more
determined for next year when it will be Prem Lightweight Exp with the Cub and Prem
Heavyweight Int with the Bullet. There are some changes coming in CAT so if Twinshock and
Vintage are combined I may have to get Glitz back in action for that series.
Tony Down complete with New Wife BRENDA!!
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