I thought I’d drop in and give you a quick up date as to what I’ve been doing. Brands seems such a long time ago now, and I guess it was. I finished the season on the podium so I can’t complain too much. We all wished Shakey a fond farewell on Sunday night and hope he kicks some ass in World Superbikes in 2009.

Straight after Brands, Brooksey and I headed North, for my northern home, the Rathmell household. I stupidly agreed just before Croft, when I was up with Malcolm and Rhoda to enter a trial called the ‘Scott Trial’, I’ve done a few hard things in my life and they kept going on at how difficult this would be. I didn’t think it could be that hard, and even though I’ve never ridden a trial before I thought sod it and lets go for it! I mean surely it wasn’t going to be that hard…..was it!

Brooksey picked up a Sherco on arrival and we went out for the day with Wayne (Braybrook) for a few pointers and a bit of guidance, he said we’d be fine so we thought it wasn’t as bad as what Malc made out. Brooksey had to go down to Louth on the Friday to sign his Honda contract and I went for a ‘walk round’ the course with Malcolm, it seemed a fair trek in the range rover but I was still up for it.

6am on the Saturday morning the Rathmell house were all wide awake and ready to go (even Carly!!), it was freezing and the thought of riding over 70 miles of moorland were beginning to fade away! We get to the start and even Dougie Lampkin told me I was mad, laughed, wished me good luck and told me I had no chance – encouraging words of course! So we were underway, Brooksey and I waited for each other, pulling each other out of bogs, up sections, across streams, over rocks, as the minutes rocked by the more knackered I began to feel! We hit petrol stop one, pretty fresh and still plenty of energy, Rhoda was now £100 quid down! By petrol stop two I was feeling the pain, everywhere. We kept going and going and going, it was never ending. At petrol stop four we were pulled off the course as we were out of time, I have to say it couldn’t have come at a better time as I was honestly knackered!

Brooksey and I went back to the hotel, collapsed on the bed and spent the rest of the night reminiscing on stories from the day and what we’d just done, we both agreed it’s one of the hardest things we’ve ever done. I’ll try and be back next year to try and finish, well done to Graham Jarvis though, Malcolm’s rider breaking the history books and taking win number eight – awesome and massive massive respect goes to him!

Whoever said trials was easy was lying!! Great fun though and I robbed Rhoda of £200! Bonus!

Shafter #2