ISDE 2012 - Germany

[spaz]

For anyone that might be interested, here's a thread on the ISDE which I'll try to update regularly throughout the event.

Departed from Hampshire on Sunday 16 Sept at 6pm and started the long (and VERY slow - limited to 52mph!) drive to deepest Eastern Germany. Ferry crossing to Calais was at midnight and hoped they'd let us on an earlier ferry but no, we had to wait for 2hrs. The crossing was good and after altering our watches we set off from the port. Stopping for fuel, driver changes and food several times we arrived in the very picturesque Eastern Germany and made our way to the Sachsenring (pit area), arriving around 4pm. We dropped the trucks off and jumped into the minibus to make our way to Chemnitz (around 18miles) to the lovely Mercure hotel. We checked in, had a quick shower and we out to find food and a few beers before settling down for a well deserved sleep.

Tuesday - a slow day involving unloading the trucks, setting up awnings and establishing the Team GB area in the pits. Followed by some food and a few beers.

Weds - Walked 3 of the special tests (8 in total). Test 1 is a stubble field and very featureless. Test 2 starts with a trials section then goes into a loooooooong XC test which is remarkably similar to Welsh forestry 'going'. In the XC test there is a very unappealing bog which I'm sure will be interesting!

Trials section:
https://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee67/mad-ferret/19092012188_zps9a55a1ef.jpg

Test 3 is a bit more interesting; a stubble field going into a mx track (biiiiiiig jumps!) and heading into a small copse on a hillside containing some huge drop-offs and steep climbs, before finishing in the stubble field. We went back to the pits and did some bike prep before heading out to find food and a few beers.

Thurs - Walked Test 4 which is a disused granite quarry and landfill site starting in a grass field with some logs (nothing too difficult) before heading up a steep incline and dropping into the quarry (which has been turned into a reasonable mx track) for some jumps. Then out of the quarry and up the landfill mound before dropping back into the grassy field by the biggest downhill ski jump I have ever seen!! Back to the pits for final bike prep then scrutineering and park the bikes in the parc ferme.

https://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee67/mad-ferret/22092012190_zpsbc2312c7.jpg

After that was done, we tidied our stuff away and prepared all the service check equipment. All complete, we headed back to the hotel for a shower, followed by some food and a few beers.

Friday - Walked Tests 5,6,7&8 which were a stubble field, 2 mx tracks and a clay quarry. After that, we had some food and a few beers.

Saturday - Final preparations, meetings and a bit of time to tour the trade stands and even have a bit of a play on the carts at a nearby indoor track. The opening ceremony kicked off at 4.45pm and each country paraded on the stage. The sun was low and I nearly tripped over in front of thousands of people - very embarrassing but could've been much worse! ). After that, we bailed out (was due to go on for a few hours) and went back to the hotel for a shower then out to find some food. A few of us didn't have a few beers, we got absolutely batfaced in THE biggest nightclub I've ever seen, until 5.30am!!

Sunday - Well, guess what; I had nausea and headache all day which I can only attribute to something I must've eaten on Saturday. Must be one of those 24hr bugs, I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow.

Had some food and now chilling out. Going to be an early start tomorrow; first rider away at 7.45am and 300km to cover!!
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"If it's got tits or an engine, it'll be trouble"

[spaz]

Day one - all the riders got off to good start. The going is nothing like enduro going in the UK; it's all farm tracks/firebreaks. Very little in the way of single track apart from a huge steep hill which caught out a lot of riders. Luckily, those irrepressible gentlemen from the purple helmets were out in force supporting team GB. Otherwise, the special tests were the only challenging part of the course today. Day two tomorrow; I'm not sure if the course is being reversed but we'll see. Young Jamie McCanney was the fastest Brit (only a little 125!) and James Giddings DNF'd with mechanical problems. No real injuries, all safe and relaxing after a very reasonable day for the Brits.

One last thing - the spectators are everywhere in huge numbers, really makes the riders feel like superheros!!!
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"If it's got tits or an engine, it'll be trouble"

[G]

What's your position in the team etc?
From today's post am presuming you're not a rider at least .

[spaz]

[spaz]

Day two - All riders have been 'seeded' based on results from Day one. As such, Team GB had start times ranging from 0750 to 0950 this morning. The going was identical to Day one and again, the weather remained fine and warm. The German Gestapo Polizei are everywhere and today 2 of Team GB were awarded a 125 Euro fine. Good results from all Team GB riders and again no real injuries. Day three will be new going (apart from the 1st test - stubble field) along with 2 new tests.

Time for a few beers!!!!
____________________
"If it's got tits or an engine, it'll be trouble"