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A view from the rear!
My account of the A4DE 2006
Darren Stockman 20-7-06
As a few are aware I was at odds about making this trip at one point, but it turned out to be yet another of my great adventures. It actually all started while I was sailing across the Tasman and Annette was unable to contact me, she received an email from Kim Herd requesting confirmation of the flights she had reserved for the 4 day team, so being the darling she is, said yes of course Darren will be into that, and promptly told me the first time I was able to ring home!
The next phase was organising insurances, entries, accommodation, permits, clearances etc, then preparing the bikes with the additional lights, horn, mirrors etc, moose’s and tyres, and finding a way to crate it all up ready for the container. Trevor Power, and Jill at MNZ took care of most of it, and Northern’s sorted the other bits, as well as providing us with a place to load up. With this done and dusted we just had a few weeks wait for our departure.
July 2, I booked a shuttle as Annette was on a course and the folks were away, and off I went to meet Pete and Bryce so as to check in together to diffuse the impact of our excess luggage. The first thing I saw when arriving in the terminal were these Pink cowboy hats, I thought to myself what a great idea because they certainly stood out, but it also set the tone for things to come.
Trevor had organised some team shirts and most were wearing them, it looked good and I was proud to be part of it! I know I was only part of a self selected club team (as Chanty pointed out to me, when I was discussing the lack of interest or financial support some of the club appears interested in giving to our race teams in general), but none the less it was great to be there with our trophy guys and looking at the line up I thought we really had a shot at taking it to the Aussies for a change.
After a flight that has become (as Shane regularly points out) quite frequent for me, I once again found myself at Sydney airport. This time I had little to do, as the rental vehicles (6 of them) had been booked and with Brenton and Bryce our designated drivers (which is under review?) we soon squeezed into our chariots of choice and headed off down the coast to Mogo, past Parc Ferme and into the Broulee Beach Holiday Park, to our luxury cabins. It was late so we hit the sack with fond thoughts of the coming day.
Morning dawned, the vans where fired up and off I went with the trophy guys to walk some tests, I was awake and the Vets weren’t so I figured I would tag along to try and learn something. After an awesome country drive we arrived at the Yamaha motorcycle park which is being set-up by Lyndon Heffernan (and opposed by council) which we wish him the best of luck with of course, to be met by 3 awesome terrain tests within walking distance of the area designated for service crews on Days 1 & 3.
Test 1 was a grass track motocross test with the beginning taking you 3 laps spiralling into a donut centre, then all the way out again, Sean Clarke said he was getting seriously dizzy with this, but at my speed I was having a ball. The rest of the test was around big trees with straights and sweeping turns, through gates etc culminating in a key hole shaped finish with the beam being broken at the end of the radius, fantastic as long as you didn’t stall the bike 5m from the finish?
Test 2 comprised of a lap around a flat track, followed by a motocross track with ski jumps, walls of death, whoops, ice, sandy berms, slippery mud, water holes and then followed by a dark bit of bush with some ruts and even tree roots, finally flowing out into grassy paddocks with some tight turns back and forth around big gum trees, this was an amazing test providing levels of entertainment that can even be seen on the WMCC website (broadband highly recommended).
Test 3 was a test more typical of the general landscape with lock to lock turns in and out of gum trees set on the side of a ridge with the track venturing up and down to the gully below, essentially lots of off camber turns, even when it fired out in the paddocks at the end of the test.
Next we headed back to the Parc Ferme so the rest of us could assemble our bikes, before heading home and out for dinner. The venue being the Tomakin Sports Club, which was a huge place with big screen TV and blue rinse as far as the eye could see, these clubs run on a compulsory membership (like $11 pa) and generate huge disposable funds to support all their sports groups from the abundance of pokie machines. This turned out to be our watering hole most nights as it was only 5 minutes away.
Day 2, Our second day there was filled with more prep, getting gas, setting up tyre changers, some were pre stretching tyres, running bikes etc etc.
Day 3, Wednesday was technical inspection, this was all pretty much a formality with the focus being on painting key components, checking lights, side stands and helmets for compliance. No boots, helmet straps, wheel bearings, spokes? Where was Chanty! Then into the Parc Ferme it went until dawn.
Race Day 1, This I have to say was the first time I got any butterflies, as we rounded the bend and I saw the bikes and signage I had a moment. I guess previously we were all busy doing things and you didn’t really get time to be overwhelmed by the big Red Bull Arch or the Ballards Pit Balloons, Husqi factory truck, and KTM factory mechanic preparing 10 times world champion Juha Salminen’s new 250 exc-r for the first international race I had ever entered! But at this point I knew I was about to embark on a very new journey.
Jason Davis was the first Kiwi off on minute 1, and our thoughts went with him hoping he had the maturity to tread carefully until he hit his straps. I have to say he impressed with quite a calm approach to the whole thing, and many thanks to Ross Davis for his contribution to all our efforts, both with his gas money and fuelling help. Next was Chris Power, Adrian Smith, Kevin Archer, Birchy and others then finally me on ‘101’, with Dhugal McLaren on my minute and Duncan McLaren 3 minutes back, at least I was always in good company at the checks. The final group of Kiwi’s to leave each day were Mark Newton, Pete Herd & Brenton (I’m sure I only rode that test once) May. Brenton said this was the most social part of the entry with lots of chatter at the checks etc, and some blasts from the past still seriously blasting! If it wasn’t for a brain numbing off on day 2, Brenton probably would’ve remembered even more about it. The day was everything one could wish for, with the awesome tests I have described, lots of fast fire breaks and gravel roads, which although boring for some, offered a taste of the Safari / Dakar type racing I have always wanted to do, and a sample of some rock outcrops and logs that we tend to avoid or remove in our events.
Race Day 2, was another story, although with some open stuff again and an amazing GP type motocross track which had a Freestyle ramp/ mound that we passed under and also provided entertainment for spectators with a local teenager strutting his stuff, the day also had some more physical bush tests (which I had a good crash in) and a trail section through some rainforest type palm groves, littered with log after log after log, steep little rock slab creek crossings and lots ups and downs. I have to say I wouldn’t even think of racing in Aus without moose’s, as the ground although appearing to be dirt or ash was predominantly shale type rock and most uphills were loose rock climbs. The day ended as it started with a bush terrain test and a gravel blast back to the pits.
Arriving early was the norm at most checks although I had a close call after failing a cold start this day and arrived with 1 minute spare and arm pump just as I had to start the first test, but the rest of the day went to plan and with some time to spare at the final pre-check I let Bryce know I only was about to change my rear tyre, which was done in about 6 minutes, I adjusted and lubed my chain which was new on day 1, and headed off to Parc Ferme.
Race Day 3, was a repeat of Day 1 with bit more speed added, I still had about 4-8 minutes at checks most of the time, which gave the ladies in the Pink hats (Adele & Sarah) time to straighten me out and send me on my way. I have to say all the Support team did a great job which was much appreciated and I hope to see them over there next time. The highlight of the day for the spectators was “Pork Chop Hill” and although I ended up at the base of it on Day 1 in a cloud of dust, very quickly deciding it was not a good option and returning to the easy turn off which I had missed on the way through, it did provide some spectators with an array of variable assaults, some more successful than others.
Race Day 4, the highlight of which was not my battle with the soft sand (more motocross practice needed) but rather seeing Brenton in race 1 still charging hard with all his afflictions, and the ease at which Geoff Ballard took out the race. This was followed by an admirable contest between Sean Clarke and the other top Vets for the first 3 placings for the 4 day, followed by some great attempts at taking on the worlds best by our up and coming talent only to be foiled by some hazardous cornering. But the highlight of course was the poetry purveyed by Juha with the smoothest riding and the humming of that little 250 four stroke, taking him unimpeded across the finish line.
In summary, I learnt a lot about riding a multi day event, experienced how fast the Aussies are in the terrain tests in general, saw some fantastic scenery / terrain that I was imagining tackling on my trials and adventure bikes. Spent some great time socialising with the team, including watching our victory in the ‘Bledisloe Cup’ in a room full of Aussies, and partying at the presentation dinner.
Finally, I would like to once again thank all that help us with and on the trip, Northern Accessories, Murphy Buses, Davis Contracting, MNZ, Trevor Power and the crew, my wife Annette for her loving support, and Cyclespot Honda for their ongoing support with my racing.
I wish everyone success at the ISDE 2006.
Darren Stockman 20-7-06.
