Offroading in Thetford, May 2009

[Jacqueslemac]

A very brief report with hardly any pictures, I'm afraid. Anton will be along later with some video footage.

Yesterday (Saturday), I met up with Anton and Marc for a gentle tour of the tracks in Thetford that we've done a couple of times. Both previous trips were done when it was cold, in December and November last year, but this one promised to be dry and hot. And it was.

Where the tracks had been dotted with puddles (or ice...) there was nothing but sand.




And lots of overhanging branches. In fact, I wondered how I'd broken a couple of bit of plastic on the chin protector part of my helmet, but when standing on the pegs, ducking under a tree and the front wheel hit a root, the blow from the top of the screen onto my chin reminded me!




Anyway, we had a great time, with miles and miles of quiet tracks, one or two horses, a few peds, but lots of sunshine and sitting around having a mardle:







As I warned you, not many shots (and none of them of the bikes being ridden), but it was a very pleasant day out.




Did I mention the sand? Well, I know the bikes were designed with sand in mind, but we certainly got the chance to find out how they coped. I had promised Anton and Marc that it never got more than three inches deep. Suffice to say, I was wrong. In some places it was a little more.

One particular patch was preety deep and quite long. Marc powered through it, enduro style, one foot out and lots of sand thrown up by the back wheel. He slewed around a bit, but got through in style.

I followed the advice, honest, but even with the weight over the back wheel and keeping the power on, when the front wheel starts ploughing a furrow and it's heading a different way to where your brain and body are heading, the results are inevitable. Anyway, no damage done and it was my only "off". I think Anton was right behind me, so you should see it later.

We'll do it again in a couple of months and hopefully there'll be more than three of us. Nothing too technical, nothing too fast, plenty of time to stop and chat, you know the score.

[anton88]

Great pics James

I got 3GB of footage, so its taking some time to convert, edit and upload pics, but i got the sand

Will be uploading them later.

Thanks again for a great day out

Hopefully some more xrv members next time

[KTMmartin]

You're certainly not the first to succumb to the sandy bits around Thetford!

[anton88]

Heres a few clips from the day. Will post a few more later or tomorrow:

If youre tall or tall with a tall bike this one is a bit tight:



Myself and Marc practising our wheelies in between some trails - all in the quest of 'education'




Marc practising his quick getaway




Crash test pilot for the day was James with one off he took the side into the deeper sand and gently layed it down. Once we got the bike back up, he decided to test how deep the other side was and the AT did a great impression of a plough heading straight for a bush Sorry bout the sound - must have dislodged my cable when we lifted his bike :

[anton88]

You're certainly not the first to succumb to the sandy bits around Thetford!

That looks just like the same bit we had trouble with

[marc]

Excellent day, really enjoyed it. Ankle was a little sore where I hit my foot, but well worth it.

Thanks guys

[Whealie]

I am very jealous

[HUDDERS]

Great video Anton, looks like you all had fun

[phil w]

Wheres the hills

[Critch]

He He that last vid made me chuckle, cannot wait till i pass and get mine