Franklin Cup 10th May.

[Motu]

Seeing as there appears to be some interest,The Franklin Cup is being held on the 10th of May,Leonards property Onewhero....sign posted from Tuakau bridge and Onewhero village.Classics Twinshocks and Moderns.

This trial goes back a long way,and was always a classic and twinshock trial...but now we have to let moderns in to get numbers up.This is a fantastic trial property,you just won't believe where it is.An old riverbed....rocks in and out of water,muddy banks.Everyone is welcome,even if it's your first trial you can have a go.The Franklin cup has always been a trial that is marked and scored for all to have a chance to win the cup - a novice has as much chance for a top place as an expert.

I'll have to get the Pajero running and maybe drag my bike up for a totter around - last year was the last time I rode the TLR200.

[Crisis management]

I'll try and get there as a spectator Motu, I somehow suspect the 990 is a bit too much of a fat pig to enter. I will bring the camera so there won't be any of these interweeb excuses.

[Dutchee]

Seeing as there appears to be some interest,The Franklin Cup is being held on the 10th of May,Leonards property Onewhero....sign posted from Tuakau bridge and Onewhero village.Classics Twinshocks and Moderns.

This trial goes back a long way,and was always a classic and twinshock trial...but now we have to let moderns in to get numbers up.This is a fantastic trial property,you just won't believe where it is.An old riverbed....rocks in and out of water,muddy banks.Everyone is welcome,even if it's your first trial you can have a go.The Franklin cup has always been a trial that is marked and scored for all to have a chance to win the cup - a novice has as much chance for a top place as an expert.

I'll have to get the Pajero running and maybe drag my bike up for a totter around - last year was the last time I rode the TLR200.

Doh, I added it to the events on www.dirtguide.co.nz site is currently being updated, but didn't even realise it'd moved from previous years. Should be good to be on new ground, as even though the old place was good, it was monotonous from year to year (I went round some of the sections on foot enough to know them).
If we couldn't make the trial, we'd inevitably end up checking out how friends were going, whilst on our road bikes. Will miss the excuse to go over the Saddle

[Motu]

It was a shame to lose the Orere Pt property,the Franklin cup was held there for many years.It was practically the same sections year after year,but they did change them around.But it was also good to do them again next year....there would be more or less rain,some rocks moved,a change in a section.

Ray really likes this new property....but tends to get a bit carried away with what he expects the lesser riders to cope with.

This was one of my favorite sections at Orere Pt....dropped my bike in the hole a few times...

[Dutchee]

I'd always spend time at the creek sections, always good for a giggle or two (especially when husband was riding them) - yes, it was good for the riders to do the sections year after year in some ways, and it's definitely a shame that Orere Point is no more, but definitely also good to get new ground to ride on.
Must find out if friends are going this year, as the problem for some of them was the monotony, so it could encourage more participation this year.

[PeteJ]

Hmmm, better pull an OSSA or 2 out; it's a coupla years since I've ridden in the Franklin Cup, and I feel a bit guilty.

Iain, PM sent.

[Crisis management]

Well, looks like I might get the chance at my first ride on a trials bike.....in a competition?? This should be character building!

Thanks Pete, lets see if we can make it work.

Iain

[Crisis management]

Seeing as I am about to make myself "prat of the day" I felt some intensive training was in order....I've watched all the Youtube videos I could find in the hope that I might absorb something by osmosis, geared the 200exc down and launched forth into the front garden.


Results as follows:

You can't apply the rear brake when your right leg is out horizontally trying to maintain balance.
Lack of rear brake (see above) diminishes your overall bike control (that plant wasn't particularly precious).
Even good knobblies loose traction on 50 degree slopes and, yes, it is that steep in Hillsborough.
I still can't wheelie but the bunny hops are progressing nicely.
It doesn't hurt as much at slow speed but having severely stuffed one ankle two weeks ago it is still noticeable.
I have 9 more days to try and make this fiasco presentable...I'm secretly hoping PJ will forget about fresh fuel and I can blame the bike (and him) for my shortcomings.

Updates as I feel are necessary (see you on the 10th)

[PeteJ]

Tough about the fuel, Iain - yes, I use old racegas from the TZs, so you can always blame it.

Yeah, maintaining grip with trials tyres is always fun, specially on slippery sideways slopes.

NB OSSAs have what they used to call "plonk", which is not the fuel. It means that if you are running out of steam, you change up a gear...

PS Bunnyhops are not what these old things are about - you just stand on them and pull the wire. You won't have any turns tight enough to need to hop (unless you're in as deep strife as I always get myself in my own displays of muddy buffoonery, and then, I assure you, the hops just happen all by themselves, without conscious input).

[digsaw]

SOOOOO waat happen eh,freeze yar nuts off an got soaking wet

[Crisis management]

In short, I looked at the forecast on saturday, played the wimp card and said no way........only to wake up to reasonably clear skies on sunday and no way of changing my mind (I had gone up north for saturday night).

I have no idea what the cup was like....anyone actually go?

[PeteJ]

Yeah, as Iain said, we both wimped out with the freezing weather and crap forecast on Saturday.

I went north, too - fishing... Some very big snapper around in the Bay of Islands at present, I'm finding

[Motu]

I had to get the Pajero running,and that's what I spent sunday doing.I guess I could have gone up for a test drive - but it overheated going up the hill last year...not an ideal test venue.