TT practice started on Saturday 24th May with the usual. A delay. A spectator fell and broke their ankle and
was air-lifted to hospital. This left no cover for the practice session and it was delayed for half an hour. The
weather was ok but cold and windy. I got 2 laps on the 1000 with a stop in between for changes and fuel. I
was very tired as I had been busy all day with getting the bikes ready, signing on and scrutiny etc. Not even
time for eating!
The next practice was on Monday evening. Again it was a windy and cold. I got 2 laps on the Suzuki 600 and
then went out for 2 laps on the Suzuki 1000. But I only got 1 3/4's. I ran out of fuel about 6 miles from home
on the top of the mountain. I was sweating so I couldn't understand why the marshals were offering me tea.
After about 10 minutes I copped on. The adrenaline wore off and I realised why the marshals were dressed
like eskimos! It was absolutely freezing. I was stuck there for an hour and a half. I thanked the marshals for
the tea and asked them if they were mad. They asked me the same question. Funny sport racing. No riders
no racing. No marshals no racing either. So thanks to all the 600 marshals it takes to make the TT work. But I
wont be running out of fuel there again!
Practice for Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled due to the rain and fog. On Wednesday I went up
the mountain in the fog with fellow competitor Liam Quinn, and 2 trials bikes in the van. This was new to me
as I never sat on a trials bike before in my life. Off we went up the mountain, and I mean up. Not a road in
site, up the side of the mountain that you would hardly walk up. What a laugh. After I got to the top I thought I
was brilliant, until I realised that the only way down was the same way we got up there. Straight back down!
As they say, its not the faling that hurts you, its the hitting the ground.. Anyway, we carried on and found a
hare the size of an alsatian and a few sheep in the distance that we thought were horses. Sellafield has a lot
to answer for. They have seagulls that are the size of eagles too!
Thursday and Friday practices went ok but missing to nights in a row caused problems for me setting up the
big bike. The TT course is unique. You can have a bike that handles really good one year, bring it back on
the same set-up the next year and nothing works. You have to start all over again. The big news of the day
was both Paul Duckett and Paul Hunt announcing their retirements with immediate effect. These were two of
the best local riders. To make a decision like that in the middle of TT practice week takes a lot of guts but
they both did it for their own personal reasons. Happy retirement to both.
T.T Report 1