Another August Weekend, Another Trip to the Ring

Another August Weekend, Another August Ring Trip.

Thursday

Bob was rattling along a damp Helmsley TT heading for Hull. I was finishing up work before heading home where the bike was on it’s stand with wobbly discs. There was no sign of the postman with the replacements, so it was back on with the old wheels and discs for one more trip.

Friday

It was off to the ferry port to collect Bob from his delayed ferry (unexpected tides apparently, about as hard to predict as lunar cycles I’d imagine…) and watched him get held up on the off road by an unfortunate Dutch cyclist who we nick named face plant Fred. Face plant Fred had a bit of a nasal tarmac interface after trying a downhill side saddle mount on his push bike. Luckily the ferry Strecken Kontrolle were soon in attendance to patch him up, get well soon Fred! It was then on with the bikes and down the motorways. Bet you can’t guess Terminator Bob’s real name?





Just south of Eindhoven it was time for a fill up, dutch style. Bob went for the all at once approach:



I was a little cannier, buying stuff just as it was placed hot in the vending machine. It was soon time for a second coffee on the fly, feed the caffeine, responsible drink driving, two hands on the wheel.



After the fill up we crossed over the border, and whilst gaining on a truck heard a huge bang. Rubber was soon flying about and heading towards the Pug and the bikes, it was a blow out. As soon as I saw the truck was semi stable I took the only appropriate action in a light powered French car, floored it, if in doubt power it out… DON’T LIFT!
We were safely passed, but obviously this had left Bob a little flustered, so he needed to employ the scoop cooler on the Pug (patent applied for)..



He then noticed a couple of bikes that had been following us for miles:





We were soon on a slightly wet 258 heading towards Adenau, a little spirited driving keeping up with an old CRX, Bob was a slightly worried, probably because this was as fast as his Blade had ever gone in the damp. After witnessing some dodgy overtakes from a British Corrado and Supra (or as Bob puts it SUPRA, noisy brash, chavvish, downright effing dangerous driven by Stevie Wonder) we were in Adenau, unloading outside the Blaue Ecke under Michaela’s supervision.
Of course the sun was out and drying the track as we prepared ourselves, adjusted tyre pressures, fiddled with logging devices and generally faffed about. Finally we headed out to the Breidscheid entrance, I was looking forward to scrubbing in new tyres, half a lap later and they were ready for some knee down action, the Ring, the best place to scrub in new rubber!



Bob and I headed out for our second session, only to find a biker off just before Hatzenbach, I pulled up on the left and ran up the track flagging traffic with my gloves as the rider seemed to be up and okish. He appeared to come off on some oil that was down, but was luckily not injured. The marshals came down, and instead of relieving me gave me a flag to wave, but issued me no Gmbh credit note for my time! Whilst flagging Bob passed me twice, giving me a wave. After about 25 mins I was heading back round the Ring.
I came in to cool down for a bit before heading out for what felt like a smooth session, the odd porker getting in the way just for a change:






I came in and checked the old Race Chrono and found that I had improved my PB by a fair whack, which was suprising as I didn’t feel like I was trying hard, there was just a strange serene sensation of being just above the bike and doing everything in slow-mo.



Bob returned to the car park and reported the same thing, three successive improvements in a row resulting in some sub 9s for him, although the picture evidence is a little fuzzy...





So some more laps were had, I had my JK checked twice during the day, apparently it’s random. It was then a case of heading back to the Blaue Ecke for some celebratory beers and to soak up the Adenau ambience. A quick shower and Michaela ordered us some food, spot on! Then another beer or two…







Bob survived the lift…



…in a tasteless manner.

Saturday

It was up and out pretty early Saturday morning, although there had been a bit of a dew, so our 20 minutes delay onto track was perfect, only a hint of dampness at Bergwerk. Bob’s hot pressures from the day before were a little slow to heat up and caused him a few twitchy moments.





I managed to catch up some old GB plated Mk2 golf through the barrier, and waved as I passed him under the bridge, although he seemed just as ignorant when in his hatchback as he was in his Chelsea Tractor a few week ago I believe he finally twigged a few ks later though, and saw the sparks fly.



We also filled up with 100 octane a couple of times just to see, no noticeable difference apart from a bigger credit card bill, 100 octane FTL.



I managed a bit of excitement on track that Bob managed to miss, firstly at Spiegel kurve. I was catching a couple of cars on the exit of Kallenhard, one of which was catching the other, we were all lining ourselves up for some overtakes, getting the line of sight it was clear that a biker had just gone down moments before, gravel on the track, bike in the centre, luckily the rider was safely off the track. There were a couple of cars that had just stopped on the verges, the cars I was with slammed it all on, one aiming to the right of the bike, the other to the left. I was left in the middle fast approaching the bike, front brake hard on, the rear wagging in the air like a labrador’s tail, no where to go. Somehow I managed to keep calm and let off enough front to squeeze between the bike and car on my right. I carried on as there were about 4 vehicles on the scene and I was recovering from my own adrenalin rush so wouldn’t have been much use.
A little later in the day I passed the rolled Avensis, although luckily it was all under control by the time I arrived and the passengers out. We both managed to keep it together at Adenauer Forst mind:





I had a lap with Clint on his Blade who was going well, nothing eventful but pretty swift.




During the day I often passed his Dad who was lapping a fair bit in their civic track car, not fast with its low power, but very courteous at allowing overtakes.



From Bob – “Hot and hectic describes the car on fire on the back of the recovery truck as Bobby B came in, seen the smoke, rode straight thru and went on a blinder. Not a car or bike in sight at the gates ! “

At that time I was on a lap with Bruce (hartyB) on tow observing, having met him at the track barrier avoiding the Audi fire/extinguisher powder action that was going on near the barriers. He was ready to give me a few tips, I must admit at first it’s a bit strange riding observed when you know someone is going to critique you later, a bit like a driving test!

Xavier was also out on his fixed bike, showing his cousin round.



Bob had some fun down into the Foxhole, claiming he was pushed out on to the grass by a car that moved over for him indicating and then changed its mind. I think he’s an offroader at heart, it’s probably the best place for his Blade, given its two stroke crosser appetite for oil!
We also ran into Andy C in the car park on his mighty new steed which had been slowly coming together in the Burgstube shed. Unfortunately he made the schoolboy error of forgetting his JK, but was soon out on track with a guest, avoiding and not avoiding the noise police… and getting the odd wave.

Plenty of laps were managed through the day, along with plenty of rest stops, in fact at the end Bob couldn’t work out how he’d fitted 19 laps in with so much coffee time. I’d also had my JK checked another two times, by this stage I was starting to feel almost as persecuted as Dale. A few car drivers also seemed to have a penchance for three wheels this weekend, firstly a light blue old 911 who dropped his rear just before coming off the track, and a mini driver who had a more butt clenching moment just after Pflantgarten 2, Gentlemen, check your wheel bearings/studs/nuts.

We finished up after seeing various loopers in the car park, heading into Adenau where we ended up beering and dining with Aidan, Michaela, Capt “I can’t tell anyone what car I drive, it’s a secret” and Tracy. More beers although it was quite cool in the shadows so some manly blau blankets had to come out whilst the beer coat took effect;





Bob found Michaela’s jacket a nice pillow.



Capt “I can’t tell anyone what car I drive, it’s a secret” did his mother Teresa/middle eastern mates impression.



No pictures of Tracy, perhaps she’s just a figment of ours and Capt squashed beetle’s imagination?
More food, banter, beer, Tim Vision and coffee, then bed.

Sunday

More bells from the church for that original eifel wake up, and slowly on to track, no great rush. Bob topped up the Blade with its ever present thirst for oil, he only chucked in half a litre as that’s all he had, that’ll teach him for buying a cr@ppy Hond@ Suzuki FTW! Both of us really enjoyed our early laps, it seemed to be dead out on track until about 10 am.





In the car park we educated Matti on the finer points of biking, at least now he knows enough of the controls for future campsite joy rides, watch out Nige, the force is strong in this young one!



It was then a quick check out, unfortunately I had to hear Bob drop the kids off at the pool, more sound deadening on those doors please Michaela!
Then a lube of the chain before heading out on track again, sometimes in tandem doing the Monty Python school of silly walks:



More laps, although the sun and heat were getting to us, Bob did a 17 minute lap including a petrol stop and visor clean down in Adenau, commendable.





We had an earlyish finish and loaded the bikes up.





It was then a case of grabbing a quick pizza at Pinnochios before the long trudge back to clogland. Bob and the Blade crashed for the night at mine, handy so he could work at our offices the next day, minimizing days off work required.



Bob had managed to collect a fair carpet of flies



So a great time in the Eifel again. 41 laps for me, 45 for Bob. One new PB each. Some melted tyres, a mild hangover, about 2 kg of caffeine.

Bob’s opinion on the best advice from the weekend:

Bruce "When youve finished for the day you'll know you've finished – Don’t do any more"
Andy Carlile "If youre bringing your SP1 bring your baffles, if you’re coming in a van bring the standard cans as well"
Tim "Just wang it, waaaaaaaaaahhhhh"
Bob "Job done"

Bob’s reflection of the weekend in Bobblevision:

Car park life - Best described as hot, hectic, fashionable, a place for Governors to cool off, air themselves and relive the laps.
Hot and hectic describing the car on fire on the back of the recovery truck as Bobby B came in, seen the smoke, rode straight thru and went on a blinder. Not a car or a bike at the gates !
Blankets provided to customers at Blaue Ecke when it cools down
Seeming to spend most of Saturday lazing around, I did 19 laps ? How - Dont know
17 minute lap, including petrol and a visor clean down in Adenau, and back on track !
Realising that my hot pressures from Fiday were too low for a cool saturday morning
Realising that when you do your best lap, you think you're about 20 seconds slower
Already thinking about next years trips, and where I can pick up the pace.
Tim (Complete with Tim Vision) declined a ride on the " Blade " on numerous occasions
Tims brake disks were somewhat hanging off
The replay in Tim Vision of Tim waving to Andy Carlisle whilst passing him
Ducati's, Lamborghinis and noise meters
People who pull to the left, and indicate also while being passed (Thanks thats the grass I'm on it the foxhole)
Listening to the Ex racers stories and realising I just dusted the full group
Pizza at Pinnochio's (Flying saucer)
The fly collection (Carpet) on the front of my bike
2nd gear almost flips exiting Ex Muhle........ Down boy !

The aftermath:

Monday

Work in the office before Bob headed off to the ferry for beers at sunset





Tuesday

Bob gets home and checks out his stable, including one of next year’s future Ring steeds.



My discs and pads arrived. Another great weekend.




And 1 week to go before a nine day tour of the Alps. Life's a bitch.

[Wideboy]

tut, not fair

looks great fun tho

[Spiderman]

Ah Tim, once again i'm very jealous.

And once again nice work on the pics and the always amusing write ups, looking forward to more of the same from you Alps trip.

One question.... Tim Vision???? Explain please.

[Mr Speirs]

I love Tims Ner Ner Threads. Would love to do this sometime, probably wouldn't do the ring for fear of crashing my bike but for the german beer
I love germany.

[punyXpress]

Hey, Tim!
The speeds in the screen print weren't kph were they?