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WallPole Enduro
Walpole Enduro April 26th 2009
Biggles, Carlo KLXPete SOTD: KLXPete ROTD: Carlo I caught up with Carlo and his beautiful family and Pete at the Treetops Motel Restaurant in Walpole on Saturday evening. While we were on separate tables because I was with my wife and some T&E club members I can report that everyone was well behaved. The Sunday started quietly and I arrived at the campsite at Rest Point, the venue for the start of the enduro at about 7.30 am having previously left my bike there with the very friendly T&E guys. All I had to do was line up to register and run the bike through scrutineering. The sun was shining and the weather cool, great weather for the day, things were moving along I caught up with Carlo and Pete again for Crusty photo and the tension and excitement started to build as the riders meeting drew closer (well you know what I mean). There were around 100 entries and numbers were issued on a first come first served basis. This was a worry for me as I drew number 20, and all I could think about was being passed by 80 riders, I think Carlo was 36 and Pete about 56. The riders meeting passed without incident as they often do, the course was about 170 km comprising a run out to the first test of 50km followed closely by a second test to be pre run first time around then there was a second loop of 30 km to a refuelling stop. After refuelling there was a third 50 km loop back to the refuelling stop, then on to the timed special tests and back to the start more or less on a reverse of the initial run out. Confused? Good job it was signed. There was a note that the final leg would be the reverse of the outbound track. After the meeting it was time to suit up and get ready to go. There was almost a riot after the meeting when it was discovered that the main toilets were closed for cleaning and there were a 100 riders looking for a last minute nervous leak. Lined up for the start at 9.06 on the clock my bike started first time and I was off and didn�t look back, well not for a while. After crossing the main road into Walpole it was into the local equivalent of the powerlines track but different. The first obstacle on this sandy track was highlighted by a Yamaha rider trying to straighten his handlebars presumably after hitting the big tree across the track. He was okay so I carried on down a long rutted hill covered on clumps of sword grass, by the time I hit the bottom, two or three riders had passed me. Once passed the rutted track the terrain leveled out and the the run was smooth and fast, the first log came up quickly, (so I had progressed further than last year when broke my ankle). A few more logs were taken in my stride until I came a cross one which just looked a bit big for me at this early hour, so I took the low road around. Big mistake, it was a trap set by the organisers to catch those who wimped out on the log. Underneath the inviting flattened sword grass were dozens of logs at all angles. Needles to say it would have been quicker and easier to throw the bike over the log as some people did. The tracks were good fast and flowing for the most part, the terrain was gently sloping and varied from sand (I hate sand), gravel and loam but it took me a while to recover from the big log episode and I was pleased to get onto some of the gravel roads for a rest. Travelling at about 70 kph on a flat sandy bend on a road section (I thought it was a track) I started to drift across to the outside while I was out of control I felt that I was still in control and let it drift a bit further to pick up the firmer edge running along the scrub when smack. My right foot demolished a white guide post hidden in the scrub. My foot came off the peg and I thought broken foot? I kept going though it hurt like hell and yes I thought how stupid was that. That was at the 25 km mark. After a while I figured that it wasn�t a broken foot, at worse it was a broken big toe and there is not much you can do to fix that so onward and upward, and I could still use the rear brake. The first run at the special tests was a pain for me, basically each test was an island of jungle surrounded by some deep sandy tracks (and you know how I feel about sand). You initially had to attack the track due to the steep approach but then it was very narrow and twisty as usual, and a machete would have been useful at times. It was not a track that you could run through at high speed. The next 30 km ended up at about 50 km for me as some smart local yokel had removed signs. I missed a turn on a gravel road section and then another on one of the tracks, the last one could have led to an incident as there were riders going back and forth on a single track looking for the race line. Eventually we found it with the help of a sweep rider, bugger I hate when they catch up. Back on track I was determined not to see them again and I didn�t until the end. Not unexpectedly I met some of the earlier riders at the refuelling point, the only problem was they had already done the 50 km loop mind you they are at expert level. I refuelled had a bite to eat and set off on the 50 km loop. What a blast, apart from not seeing another soul for the whole loop it went really well and I came in ahead of time (must be a first for me). I was then off on the home stretch and on to the dreaded special test. On the way, on a fast sandy track running along a fence line there was a rider down with two people in attendance they waved me on indicating all was under control, I remember seeing a green bike in an unusual position but did not realise that it was Pete lying there and continued on (sorry Pete). Apart from kicking the guidepost and frightening myself a few times I didn�t have an off, unless you count the few times the bike fell over due to lack of forward motion. Anyway if you are still awake I was probably one of the last to complete the special test and for the first time ever I passed two riders on each test and yes they were alive and kicking (their bikes mainly). At the tests the officials enquired if the ambulance had reached the downed rider yet, so it was good to know that things were happening. So it was to be a nice cruise back to the start ready for a drink and a burger. Then I was waved to slow down, there was another rider injured on the track, I stopped to help and checked him out, he had a neck injury having had a fairly heavy fall on a sandy slight downhill section. I thought it was serious as had some loss of sensation in his left arm. So an ambulance was organised and I stayed with him having done an initial assessment I did not want him to move or anyone to move him. The track was about a 1 km from the gravel road and the ambos initially walked all their equipment in. After we immobilised him the officials managed to get a landcruiser in and we were able to stretcher him out in that to the ambulance, which then had rough track back to the main road. That rider is in RPH with a broken neck, hopefully he will have a full recovery. And while all this was going on, some idiot not involved in the event decided to go for a ride on the outgoing loop, which was still in use and collided with a returning rider resulting in more injuries (dislocated shoulder?) and more ambulances. It was almost dark by the time I got back to the start to hand in my card. It was then I found out about Pete. Because of the sign tampering and the number of injuries, there were others, the organisers cancelled the times on some of the loops. Final results TBA. But apart from the unfortunate injuries it was a great ride, Pete enjoyed it and Carlo loved it. The local ambos, all volunteers did a great job under difficult conditions and with the pressure on and there is no doubt the organisers did a great job and responded with concern and efficiency to the incidents. Carlo deserves ROTD for all he did to help Pete and SOTD, say no more but get well soon.       |
