DO TRY THIS AT HOME


 It's August 7th and a nice crisp 115 degrees, so how about a trial ? As part of my 60th birthday
those that made it through the "bash" on Saturday night were cordially invited to take part in a
"Handicap Trial" in the garden. So for all those would be trialsmasters here is the opportunity to
excel.



 All you need is about 1/2 an acre, a few piles of rocks of various sizes, a museum with rock and
tree frontage and some awkward steps and a 6 foot balcony, a few piles of dirt for the fish pool
(as promised) some railroad ties, cactus of various sizes and thorns, a few low hanging Palo Verde
trees, a sprinkling of pie plates and a mile of red and blue ribbon.

 The trial is laid out on the Intermediate/Advanced line and everyone rides that line. Handicapping
is as follows:

Expert/Champ                  +20
Sportsman/ExSports        +10
Advanced                            0
Intermediate                       0
Sen Novice/ Novice           -10
Twinshock/Vintage           -10
Beginer                             -20


Punch your own card, nails available everywhere!


 There are nine sections and 3 loops, so drink plenty assuming you didn't last night!

 A quick review of the course for those not in attendance and for those that were here who didn't
actually SEE the sections, this is what you SHOULD have ridden.




Mike exiting "Stables"

Section 1  "THE STABLES" initial start over jumble of concrete railroad ties before crashing into the
pile of broken tile, right turn into first pile of loose ABC, left turn into side of second ABC pile, over
pile, unrestricted turn in the stables to last high pile of ABC... section ENDS




Bruce coming to the 5 foot pile on "Rip-Rap"

Section 2 "RIP-RAP" 25 yards of loose rip-rap before tighish right turn under ironwood tree before
up and over 5 feet of piled rip-rap.....section ENDS



Mike in the lower half of "A Touch of Scotland" with Eagle Eye Jim

Section 3 & 4 (continuous) "A TOUCH OF SCOTLAND" a bounce through some huge boulders in a
gentle right turn before turning left into another footrest wide ditch of same, then turning left then
right to line up on the earth mounds, up and down the first into tight righthander into second
steeper climb, adverse downhill, into left turn through cacti, with step.....section ENDS




Don on the last climb of "Touch of Scotland"




Joe on the last hazard of "Touch of Scotland"



Jim working hard on "Ouch"

Section 5 "OUCH" uphill in rip-rap to left turn inside railroad ties, under Palo Verde, right turn in
deep rip-rap to uphill step, left turn into step, downhill in rip-rap to right uphill turn between 2
cactus....section ENDS




 Section 6 & 7 with the tape of 8 in the background

Section 6 & 7 (continuous) "Museum" enter by house into rock step, right turn into left turn around
palm tree and museum window, left and right tight turns around fir tree in gravel, into 7 with right
turn into museum steps, around barrel, free left turn (no escape!) back down steps, right turn.....
section ENDS


Section 8 "The Barber's Pole" a series of ridiculously tight left and right turns around the upright
poles of the carport,...... section ENDS

Section 9 "The See Saw" up the left side of rock infested mound into generous turn to line up on
builder's plank over trencher tool and attractively laid out pile of railroad ties, over tire collection,
through goffers hole, up rock pile with left turn..... section ENDS



The exit of "Touch of Scotland" as it is today..... 'king green party!



A view from "Ouch"  Sections 3,4, and 5 lost to developers

 
 Riding was pretty intense with Mike and Jim in close competition, several cactus injuries, but in
an operation this size there are bound to be a few casualties!

 There was also a cabaret act of Al trying to change a tire!!! Well this would have made Shade Tree
blush, and I must admit I didn't think it was conceiveable that anyone would, or could, use a Metal
Saw to cut the tire in half!





 Jim thinks the "Water Splash" and "The Black Lagoon" will make cracking sections next year.
Brenda is currently arranging for Jim to undergo treatment.





TONY DOWN  (1 year on)

Do check out some of the earlier articles from October and early November, and please feel
free to comment.