New member from Brissy

[David Lahey]

Time for navel gazing

I think if I had a saying of the type like Ian's it would be something like:
"The older I get the more amazed I am that I survived my twenties"

I'm pretty sure I was a total crap motorbike rider all through my youth and cite as evidence a certificate for coming something like 150th place in C grade at a Qld Trials Titles at Christmas Creek in the late 1970s (C Grade was the lowest grade then). When I rode 2 day enduros in the 1970s it was a miracle if I didn't "hour out" or DNF and when I rode my first ever proper MX race at Mt Kembla Aussie Classic MX Titles in 1994 I came last in every race I rode my TM125 despite (very fast rider) George McKenzie yelling at me to "rev it higher" every time I went past.

Since 1995 I have lived here in Central Queensland on a property that is perfect for trials practice, have attended and listened carefully at trials schools run by various members of the Reed family (thanks guys) and have been part of the Rocky Trials Club, enjoying many local trials events every year since 1995. That has meant that I now have far greater confidence on a trials bike than when I was young, but being 52 years old now, have lost a lot of stamina and flexibility over the same time period. I now get huge enjoyment from the sensations and bike feedback when riding trials. When I was young it was mostly just an adrenalin rush as I lurched from one near-miss to the next.

For me the present time seems like a magical goldern era of trials riding.

[manxman]

Looks like David is providing ideas for a new thread. Time to relive your youth guys, and don't believe the old saying "if you remember the sixties, you weren't there". Personally, I think it was all the free love on a Saturday night that caused the poor riding on the Sunday.