AHRMA VINTAGE TRIALS DONNER DAY 1 2008




 A pleasant Saturday morning with wisps of smoke from the Californian fires driffing through the
pines. By 0800 the parking lot is filling up with familiar faces and some notable absentees. By my
count we should be up to around 40 riders which is quite impressive considering the cost of fuel.

 Sign up continues in a well ordered manner and  I'm hearing stories of discontent about me riding
in TWO classes. Well, sorry boys, the rules say you can do it so unless they change the rules I will
stick with my season plans.

 So the intention is to ride the Cub in Classic Expert then if time permits run as many loops as I can
on the Oilfield in Premier Hwy Intermediate. Remember My card is stamped Intermediate and I can
elect to ride in a HIGHER class if I so wish. I cannot drop down from Int to Nov without AHRMA
permission but that is not the case here as I'm riding the 2 line on the Cub and the PI line on the
Enfield.

 Briefing over, start where you like, so I start on 8 by the lodge and make a relatively simple section
look incredibly difficult! Tons of power "body english" and climbing all over the bike for balance.
I achieve a clean and anybody watching must have thought it was a pretty difficult section.



The "Emporer's New Clothes"



Ed looking "good" on the bottom of 8


 Round the back of the lodge to 9 which is a series of log crossings depending on the line then a
wander round the tree before making your way back through an open rock field with a variety of
lines to the exit. The chosen line goes well and another clean is punched.



Fred slips through 9 en-route to the MC Int win and a Zero day  




Trundling through 9 on the Cub also for a Zero day

 Up the hill to No 1 but there must be 20 riders waiting here so bypass this one and up the hill to
Don Kelly on 2. Simple entry into the trees but an awkward left hander with a limb just in the right
position to cause a problem or two. I saw Derek Belvoir fending this one off with a huge planned
dab. A meander through the trees taking care to follow the splits and then a step up onto the bank
before a right turn, tightness determined by line into a pile of loose pine needles and cones before
the exit step. A clean here despite the mosquitoes!

 3 has a tricky turn uphill in loose dirt so get the weight back and delicate throttle control, stay high
on the adverse and idle through the nadgery to the exit. It works as planned so down the hill to
4 & 5.

 Section 4 is a variation on a theme from previous years and as I arrive I see Rick Wolff off his bike
on the adverse bank which is pretty crumbly. A little faster than required up the bank and a bit of
panic braking to make the turn before dropping back in the rock filled ditch for the left turn then
follow the dry river bed to the exit. Over half way and still clean.

 In the trees for 5 with a downhill ride in the narrow ditch into a right, left through the trees and
pine mulch before a log crossing and left turn to the exit. All goes well here.

 Out of the trees and a ride to the top of the hill for the interesting Section 6. A double step start
and then a thinking man's choice of routes either dropping down and tackling a series of up and
over crevasses or straight on and taking a wide left through 180 on top of a flat outcrop. With all
that behind you a "Scottish" style uphill path of jumbled rocks and a gentle run back to checker
Gene at the finish. I take the straight on approach and it works although I don't see anyone else
using the line.

 Debbie Poole, hard working as ever, has 7 and this is a solid bed rock section which is not going to
change unless you are riding a backhoe! Nothing loose, just tricky and stay on the line. Good to
see they have used "Duck Tape" to secure the splits as in bed rock the markers can so easily get
knocked over with just the slightest touch.

 Just No1 to get through and it is quite a long section and just walking it I nearly missed a sneaky
little split. Downhill across the bed rock, a jink around a split, back across that bedrock to line up
for the up and down, come down the adverse and a slow uphill ride on the line to the exit. The
young lads have the section well in control with some  "checking" skills being exercised well in
excess of their experience. A clean loop so back to the start and see if it can be continued.



Dan Straka half way up 8



Ralph Foster with a bit of aviation on the 1 line on 8




Nick Turner's Cub get airborne in the hands of his SA Friend

 Loop 2 goes well with the only surprise being section 5 where a big rock has rolled in the ditch and
the left right turn has become deep compost and took a lot of effort to get through. Loop 3 also
goes well and another surprise on 5 which has now all packed down again and is a lot easier. By
the time I get to 9 Rick has taken over checking having decided 2 loops was enough as the BSA
wasn't on full song.

 I only have 30 mins left to get out and get the Oilfield round on the PI line. The Enfield rides nicely
despite it's massive weight and  I creep round two loops without the loss of a mark which is pleasing
although the carburation still isn't quite there for the "power on" climbs at 7000 feet. Something to
work on before Casper where I will be riding all 3 days on the Bullet.



Chuggerdy, chug on 8



Advance warning for the turn




285 lbs of Best of British, and the bike's heavy too!

 Overall, a great day with no marks lost on 5 loops so tomorrow we will just use the Enfield and
keep everybody happy with the "2 bike rule".

 The "Trophies" are as always excellent and drink well. Very pleased to see a Tiger Cub on this years
bottle and I must brush up on my memory banks to remember who the rider is?


Tony Down    



.....and today Brenda is in full cry with the cameras! If you rode you will be on film.