Man I'm gutted, not about the day, not about crashing, not about the new holes in my leathers and gloves but I'm gutted because the photographer completely missed my crash.
What he didn't mention when he came to tell me what happened while I was waiting behind the tyre wall, was that he had just stopped taking pics and was just leaving that spot to go somewhere else and didn't actually get any pictures of the crash itself.
So was all excited about getting some high quality shots of me sliding on my ass and all he had was this
I did get it on video but it's not really as exciting from the bike perspective, will upload it soon
Despite the crash it was an awesome day, only 10 people in the fast group so plenty of room on track and they even let the advanced group bunk out of the briefing as soon as all the legal stuff was said so we had plenty of time to get ready as we were first out, makes a nice change from the mad rush with other TDOs
I came in early on the first session as it was damp and bike was a bit twitchy underneath me.
Missed the second session while the Suspension guy worked on my bike as after the feeling on the first session and bouncing it around a bit I reckoned it was a bit too hard, didn't feel like there was much sag, I hadn't had chance to check sag after replacing the springs and it didnt feel right so figured it was time well spent and track was still drying out anyway, there wasnt enough sag so he sorted that out, and dialled in some settings
I think it was about this time I talked monty into moving up to the fast group, he was on the edge already having been passing a number of people in inters, I just helped push him over.
Out for the 3rd session and track is drying out nicely, sun is peeking through on occassion, druids is taking longer to dry out but there's a dry line and some damp patches on paddock hill still
Monty is pretty happy he moved up as well as he can just get on with it now
Couple of slowish riders in this fast group, I even lapped one of em but there was one guy who was a bit of a liability and would come past shoulder to shoulder between you and the grass in places you would not expect and then he'd hold you up
4th session is going pretty well for me, track is pretty dry and I guess I got sucked in to that fact which then saw a slightly higher than normal line in druids end up with me thinking oops, what happened there as me and the bike are sliding across the track, I let go of the bike and roll over a bit to spread any wear on the leathers
I get straight up, pick up the gopro which has come off and get the bike upright and over to the tyre wall, run back for the crash bung I spotted on the grass and then jump over the tyre wall, a couple of minutes later the photographer came walking down and tells me I hit a damp patch which took me out, he points to some nice big black lines I've left just leading from said damp patch
I'd kind of hoped with me safely stowed away and bike that they might just keep the session going, but I think they still pulled everyone in, felt like had been out a while though so not sure what was missed, the first aid and marshalls pull up on track and the marshalls tell me to come over and talk to the first aid guy and I'm guessing the fact I clambered back over the tyre wall and then jogged over to him was enough for him as he asked if I was alright, I said yes and he said ok, come and see em if anything changes and go to race control for a new wristband
Go back to the bike and the marshalls are discussing the possibility of just riding it back to the pits and so get me to jump on and get it started and then off I go, job done
Next to nothing is even scraped, the lower crash bung snapped off on the rod that runs through the engine and the upper bung bent, bar end was scraped, belly pan was scraped but I'd been getting that down already in clearways, brake foot pedal stub is scraped and bent upwards but the £10 DHM footpegs just folded and only slightly scraped on the edge, nice one, frame tabs didn't even get bent.
Swapped the left side upper bung to the right, took the spacer with the snapped piece of engine bolt in it off of the lower bung and put the slightly worn and shorter bung on to the left upper, just to have something there, the engine mount rod doesn't seem to be going anywhere after tapping it with a hammer so I figure I'm good to go again, lovely jubbly
Bit less confidence in the afternoon sessions but was proper sunny all afternoon, only managed to get from pit lane to druids on the 2nd of the afternoon as the frankenbike had dumped its oil but I think they gave us an extra ten minutes on the last one.
Good to meet BLB and Monty and see Bic and Schnauzer again, even WHUFC popped down to say hello, so all in all a bloody good day out
