CENTRAL ARIZONA TRIALS PART 2
Posted by Tony Down at 12/10/2007 8:46 AM 
Categories: Vintage Motorcycles, Motorcycle Trials, Vintage Trials, Trials
Categories: Vintage Motorcycles, Motorcycle Trials, Vintage Trials, Trials
CENTRAL ARIZONA TRIALS PART 2
ALTO PIT APRIL
Mid April and the last of the CAT trials before the main attack on Rocky Mountain and AHRMA.
Up to Alto Pit again and arrive Saturday lunchtime so we can have a ride round and see what’s
cooking.
Brenda actually wants to ride so it’s out with the bikes and off to inspect and walk the sections.
Maybe I’m over thinking them but they look harder than usual. Round the loop we go and alls well
with just 4 & 5 to look at which are down the hill from the bus. The route however, takes us along
a path way above the sections and the parking area. We come round a corner and there is a
fairly steep downhill so I stop and give Brenda a reminder of the correct technique. Down we go
and a little further on there is a BIG downhill leading to the start of 4. Re-brief and I go down and
turn to observe terrified female in full flight hurtling down the hill with clutch firmly squeezed! We
now know the brake is on the other side!!
Try the new B-B-Q which works well and so to bed. Up bright and early and off to get Brenda’s
paperwork sorted. No turning back now! Off we go to Section1 which should be easy enough and
so it is for me with 3 cleans. Brenda turns a bit early and paddles through on lap 1, does the same
on 2 but tries harder and escapes with a dab on the last loop. On to Mike Meschade’s Section 2.
A tricky little adverse turn and I stall it much to my annoyance but improve with a dab second time
around and finally get it right on the last lap. Brenda has the right line but no power and the little
125 dies through lack of whoff. Second attempt, all wrong, poor line and straight into the rock for
a crunching 5! Lap 3, with more determination and a better line and a 3 goes in the books.
paperwork sorted. No turning back now! Off we go to Section1 which should be easy enough and
so it is for me with 3 cleans. Brenda turns a bit early and paddles through on lap 1, does the same
on 2 but tries harder and escapes with a dab on the last loop. On to Mike Meschade’s Section 2.
A tricky little adverse turn and I stall it much to my annoyance but improve with a dab second time
around and finally get it right on the last lap. Brenda has the right line but no power and the little
125 dies through lack of whoff. Second attempt, all wrong, poor line and straight into the rock for
a crunching 5! Lap 3, with more determination and a better line and a 3 goes in the books.
Andy Saum has No3 and I have 3 cleans here while Brenda struggles and becomes attracted to
a bush resulting in a dragging 3. Next attempt sitting down, well we know that won’t work, and
finally start in the right place, stands up, turn dem bars! And take a tippy toe dab.
3 Cleans on No 4 !
a bush resulting in a dragging 3. Next attempt sitting down, well we know that won’t work, and
finally start in the right place, stands up, turn dem bars! And take a tippy toe dab.
3 Cleans on No 4 !
Elect to take the safer route to section 4 & 5 and Brenda whips through 4 with 3 cleans! Hooray!!
4 is challenging and rides better than it looks and I clean it twice before falling foul of the loose
which just caught me for a dab. 5 is perhaps the easiest for me with 3 cleans. Brenda has a tricky
45 degree log which takes the front wheel twice before a determined last lap effort for a three.
A Real Loose Downhill on 4
4 is challenging and rides better than it looks and I clean it twice before falling foul of the loose
which just caught me for a dab. 5 is perhaps the easiest for me with 3 cleans. Brenda has a tricky
45 degree log which takes the front wheel twice before a determined last lap effort for a three.
A Real Loose Downhill on 4
Back through the parking area and off to 6,7 and 8. 6 is my kind of section and I clean it first time
but screw up on second and third attempts taking a dab on the first downhill turn (must practice
these!). Brenda paddles through on the first go but then stalls it on her second attempt. Last go
looks more promising but runs wide on the exit after actually clearing the big (big by beginners
standards) log. Greg Jones claims he baulked her so she has a re-run and gets away with another 3.
No7 is somewhat ambitious but doable. My first attempt ends in tears (literally!) as I ground out
on the first rock with both wheels spinning in air and feet dangling in air and me astride the fuel
cap, OUCH!! Regaining composure and everything else I ride the rest of the section which again
rides better than it looks. Second go and a bit more speed over the rock and through for a solo
dab. Third attempt and this isn’t pretty with 3 dabs and not much idea. Brenda gets through her
3 goes with 3’s but with a bit more practice could have cleaned them all.
The last section sees 2 nice controlled cleans for me but on lap three my boot catches the rock
and pulls me against it for the dumbest 5 ever! I’m seriously annoyed with myself! On Brenda’s
line it’s a fairly simple turning exercise but she turns the bars then immediately turns them back
sending her into all manner of obstacles with a 3 every time. We will be practicing this again and
again!
I Did it, I Did it!
but screw up on second and third attempts taking a dab on the first downhill turn (must practice
these!). Brenda paddles through on the first go but then stalls it on her second attempt. Last go
looks more promising but runs wide on the exit after actually clearing the big (big by beginners
standards) log. Greg Jones claims he baulked her so she has a re-run and gets away with another 3.
No7 is somewhat ambitious but doable. My first attempt ends in tears (literally!) as I ground out
on the first rock with both wheels spinning in air and feet dangling in air and me astride the fuel
cap, OUCH!! Regaining composure and everything else I ride the rest of the section which again
rides better than it looks. Second go and a bit more speed over the rock and through for a solo
dab. Third attempt and this isn’t pretty with 3 dabs and not much idea. Brenda gets through her
3 goes with 3’s but with a bit more practice could have cleaned them all.
The last section sees 2 nice controlled cleans for me but on lap three my boot catches the rock
and pulls me against it for the dumbest 5 ever! I’m seriously annoyed with myself! On Brenda’s
line it’s a fairly simple turning exercise but she turns the bars then immediately turns them back
sending her into all manner of obstacles with a 3 every time. We will be practicing this again and
again!
I Did it, I Did it!
No matter, she finished in one piece, and now we await the fatigue to set in. Not my best ride
but a good learning experience on the Venerable Steed and this 4 stroke stuff is more of a
challenge than I thought but we will stick with the program.
but a good learning experience on the Venerable Steed and this 4 stroke stuff is more of a
challenge than I thought but we will stick with the program.
ALTO PIT SEPTEMBER
Back home for the local CAT trial at Alto Pit so set off Sat afternoon with the forecast of rain, and
sure enough we seem to be following the storm. Leave the Triumph all ready for Dickson along
with Super Steed RE which now has a new bash plate with some super alloy welding. Can’t resist
moving the shocks 2 inches forward and they seem to have given the handling a boost. The Mikuni
from the Ossa has the motor running as sweet as a bird so all should be well for next season……
keep thinking about those A/T’s and how to correct the problem.
sure enough we seem to be following the storm. Leave the Triumph all ready for Dickson along
with Super Steed RE which now has a new bash plate with some super alloy welding. Can’t resist
moving the shocks 2 inches forward and they seem to have given the handling a boost. The Mikuni
from the Ossa has the motor running as sweet as a bird so all should be well for next season……
keep thinking about those A/T’s and how to correct the problem.
Sunday and its an early start and Ossamaha gets ride 2. The first section of the day is an old
favorite and it amazes me just how many different sections you can lay out on this one rock.
Today is no exception with an up and over boulder, stay inside a ground boundary marker then
tight left turn into the step, up onto the plateau, drop down into a left/right uphill turn on the rock
before a sharp left exit. A real shambles here for a very average 3! Oh well, try again so Section 5
should be easier and had I ridden the cheater line I would indeed have cleaned it but another 1 is
punched. 6 is more my kind of section with its uphill twists and controlled descent.
favorite and it amazes me just how many different sections you can lay out on this one rock.
Today is no exception with an up and over boulder, stay inside a ground boundary marker then
tight left turn into the step, up onto the plateau, drop down into a left/right uphill turn on the rock
before a sharp left exit. A real shambles here for a very average 3! Oh well, try again so Section 5
should be easier and had I ridden the cheater line I would indeed have cleaned it but another 1 is
punched. 6 is more my kind of section with its uphill twists and controlled descent.
No7 has all sorts of traps with soft wash sand tight turns, and a slippery step, all of which prove
too difficult and another shambolic 3! 8 is easy enough and then to 9 which looks even easier
until I discover I’ve missed a split!!! No1 has an interesting adverse over a wet rock but speed
saves the day. No 2 has some tricky turns but I ride this well for a good clean and make little of 3
with it’s turns in leaf mould and loose rocks. An awful 12 for loop 1 but things improve with a dab
on 4 and then cleans on 5 and 6 before another improving ride on 7 with a dab. Clean the rest of
the loop for just the 2. Loop 3 has a single dab on 4 and then clean everywhere else for a total
of 1. Not bad but as always should have been at least 8 points better!
too difficult and another shambolic 3! 8 is easy enough and then to 9 which looks even easier
until I discover I’ve missed a split!!! No1 has an interesting adverse over a wet rock but speed
saves the day. No 2 has some tricky turns but I ride this well for a good clean and make little of 3
with it’s turns in leaf mould and loose rocks. An awful 12 for loop 1 but things improve with a dab
on 4 and then cleans on 5 and 6 before another improving ride on 7 with a dab. Clean the rest of
the loop for just the 2. Loop 3 has a single dab on 4 and then clean everywhere else for a total
of 1. Not bad but as always should have been at least 8 points better!
The run home was almost incident free until I 17 when there’s been a crash at New River some
38 miles down the pike and we lose nearly 2 hours crawling along at 10 mph.
TONY DOWN
38 miles down the pike and we lose nearly 2 hours crawling along at 10 mph.
TONY DOWN
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