Cambrian Rally photos

Tim, the gentleman that helped me out of the mud at the end of the first special stage (sorry, didn't get your name...) & Desert Rat
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That's Chris, he's possibly madder than most of us, he uses a TransAlp :)
 
A question for you, I noticed from the photos that a lot of the bikes GSA, Dakars had their screens removed, is this for safety or some other reason?
Forgive my ignorance :nenau

Cost of replacement as AndyT says. After smashing mine on the ADVrider rally in Rhyader I havent got the new one in the post yet! Mirrors taken off aswell for same reason.

I'm really enjoying reading the posts and seeing all the photos. It was yet another fantastic weekend in Wales. Was brilliant to see you all again and to meet some new faces. On the stages between the specials everybody is bimbling along, stopping for photos, smokes, picking up fallen riders, pulling bikes out of trees... The camraderie was what really made the event. Then on the timed stages it was each man/woman/nutter for themselves. Even the most relaxed of riders getting the "red mist" and really going for it. Brilliant:clap:clap:clap

Many thanks to my team mates BB1 and Forry, and to all the irish and honorary irish (brian and nathan)for plenty of laughs, and to anybody who helped lift my bike or push it through the mud (too countless to mention) and to everyone else for just making the whole weekend brilliant fun :beerjug:
 
Stay clear of the toad in the hole. At £8 I wasn't impressed by the packet mash.

The mixed grill wasn't too special either, quantity but no quality :(
Denice said her salmon was very good though.
I was told after the fact that the food had gone downhill a bit, but I suppose the "Chef wanted" advert on the door could have been a clue. :eek:
No complaints about the breakfast though :thumb2
Mark
 
I need to get my own camera I can actually work, but here's a few..

At the start, when you realise you've got a hammer and should have picked up the screwdriver
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Lucky 156
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The nicest ladies love a V-Strom
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A lot of cameraderie at the start line
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And away they go
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Look at the track not the camera Possu
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Another one happy to be off again
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Desert Rat
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And with a few dings
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Riders with a sensible choice in bike return to the pits
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But who said Forry is a hooligan? Look, he indicates nicely..
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Bigger boys and girls toys
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Timolgra off for lap 2
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What an HP2 does to a new Karroo T
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156 retired while mainly intact
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Beautiful countryside. First year I have really explored it and it is truely amazing
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Originals here if anyone (Simon etc) wants them (stealing my holiday snaps would be just plain daft :D)
http://richhelyer.smugmug.com/gallery/3699504/
 
Nice photos and reports everyone :thumb2
Here's a few more photos that I took over the weekend :eyesdown

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Here's a link for the photos you can download any you want.:beerjug:
http://forry.smugmug.com/gallery/3695201
 
Sunday's pics...

It should be another successful day for the "Minaun Roosters" :clap
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A V-Strom really seems to attract the ladies... Foolonastrom
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We were really lucky to be able to ride in this "area of outstanding natural beauty"
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Snoopy coming down the quarry - on a flat tyre! :eek:
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Talking of flat tyres... :augie
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C'mon Ian, we don't have all day... ;)
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Got the culprit!
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After this little delay we had to wait at the start of Special Stage 1 for the ambulance coming our way carrying several victims
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Poor Padge couldn't bear to look at the pitiable sight
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But as we hear, both patients are on the mend :thumb2
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Another unintended stop on the Strata Florida - and another trail rider to be introduced to the benefits of arnica... :D
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Then suddenly, at the start of the second special stage, the Boss and Paul emerged from the woods...
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Great that you made the effort to come and see how parts of the UKGSer community spend their weekend. :thumb2

Foolonastrom finishing his last special stage in style :clap
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And then disaster struck... Although I was aware that all these stops in order to provide moral and practical support had jumbled my schedule a bit, I was gutted when the marshall didn't want to let me start my third lap! :tears

Ok, it's a competition - but I can't just ride past if somebody has crashed, fallen into a ditch or suffered a puncture, especially if this happens to people who have helped me in the past.

I was devastated, felt treated unfairly, questioned the spirit of the whole rally and threw all my toys out of the pram... :thedummy Only due to Foolonastrom's diplomatic skills was I allowed to start again - thank you sooo much, Steve, you saved my day! :bow

Turning all my anger into speed I got to the first special stage even before Ian B had caught up and reached the start of the second stage after just 51 minutes - and that included waiting for the ambulance reversing into the Strata Florida to pick up the poor guy who had broken his leg... Wishing you a speedy recovery, mate.

But then - it went all pants in the quarry again. Being a bit too fast for my skill level, I crashed so hard that I couldn't get up for ages (usually I bounce back immediately). All I remember is shouting at the marshalls to drag my bike over the finish line... :rolleyes:

After a while I could put pressure on my knee again but moving my right thumb was just too painful. Got permission to cut out the last loop through the woods and went back to the Dalarwen Forest applying the "chimp grip technique" to operate the throttle - ouch!

Therefore no further pics of action heroes... :rolleyes:
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... only of outstanding natural beauty
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Finished the course just after 4pm - not sure if I was the last one though... :nenau

What a weekend! Found out that racing is not for me but still had an absolutely fantastic time. Thank you all for your company - it was great to ride with you (again)!

A huge thank you goes to the organisers, the marshalls and supporters for all their hard work and patience (btw, I apologised for my tantrum later... :mmmm)

Oh, and before I forget - apparently next year's winner will get the following prize:
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:augie :D

Ela


P.S. Thanks to lots of arnica pills and cream, Ibuprofen and TLC from Possu (including help with getting dressed and giving me lifts to and back from work) I am now able to ride a bike again - phew. Very lucky when I think of the other casualties that weekend... Get well soon, you all! :thumb2
 
Ela,

Didnt realise you had been injured :eek:

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Like you, we were late going onto the last lap and nearly weren't allowed through. Problem was, with so many of us who knew eachother on the day, you almost always knew the guy/gal stuck in the ditch and as you say you can't just drive on by. We had to really keep moving on the last lap to get back on time. We were only just in before you at the finish.
 
I wish I had stuck with people rather than worrying about making the times, I might have persevered then, oh well a lesson learned.

ANYWAY, glad that worked out for you Ela, would have been a real shame if not as you are always helping and encouraging others, you should get extra points! :thumb

Also glad to hear you are getting over that off :clap
 
Ela, sorry to hear about the injury.. You spent the day dishing out help (and your Alpine narcotics) to unfortunates like me and other fallers only to hurt yourself.

Karma was definitely on a weekend off..
 
Great report and photos Ela :clap
Glad to hear your back on 2 wheels :thumb2
 
Thank you all for your kind words... :mmmm

Hardly notice the pain in my thumb anymore - it was really peanuts compared to the damage to body and bike some of the others suffered. :eek:

Thanks to everybody who helped me with picking up my bike on various occasions... :eek:

Special thanks to Forry for helping Possu lift the DR onto the trailer after the rally - and the tip with the Acerbis tank on eBay! :thumb2
 


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