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Zimbo · 11-05-2006, 06:54 AM

I’m rudely awakened about half seven by bikes riding past. Hundreds of ‘em, and every one sounds exactly like a Ducati on open cans. I slide the van door open, and find that this because every one is in fact a Ducati on open cans. In the daylight the size of the operation becomes apparent, there’s hundreds of tents and caravans, can’t have been much under a thousand bikes in there, and almost every single one a Ducati, every type you can imagine from a number of 250 desmo singles right up to an ex-WSB full spec 996 and everything in between – bevel drive 750s and 900s, lots of SS’s, hundreds of sports bikes, and a good many monsters! We set up the camp, unload the rest, and head into town for supplies. Ingredients purchased, we find beer is £8.50 per case of 24 bottles, with a second case for £2.50, so we buy a couple and head back. Fried breakfast and beer, prepare the bikes, and wait for the riders to fly in. We discover a solution to the tent peg dilemma, and erect all 4 tents using wood screws into the block paving – job sorted!!!
Doug appears at lunchtime. He’s got track time booked for Friday afternoon, so we check the bike over one last time, fuel up, check tyre pressures etc, and he heads out with the rest of the DD lot.
Lap one and Mike Atack leaves the circuit into the gravel on the new tight left hander. He paddles out, on his next lap he finds four more DD bikes in the very deep gravel in exactly the same place. All escape except for TP, who’s chain has come off and broken the crankcase. That corner was treated with lots of respect from then on by everybody!!!
After the session we make minor adjustments to rear tyre pressure and rear shock preload and rebound as the back tyre is tearing up a little, and out for the second session. TP’s crankcase has been repaired with chemical metal, but he’s brought back to the pits again with an oil leak. Doug’s lap times improve lap by lap and he comes in at the end of the session fairly happy. Day over, we get chilli and rice going on the stove and get stuck into the beer. Phoenix and Ade arrive at last by hire car from the airport, more beer, and bed.

11-05-2006, 06:54 AM	#2
Zimbo Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stonehouse, Glos Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 2,080	I’m rudely awakened about half seven by bikes riding past. Hundreds of ‘em, and every one sounds exactly like a Ducati on open cans. I slide the van door open, and find that this because every one is in fact a Ducati on open cans. In the daylight the size of the operation becomes apparent, there’s hundreds of tents and caravans, can’t have been much under a thousand bikes in there, and almost every single one a Ducati, every type you can imagine from a number of 250 desmo singles right up to an ex-WSB full spec 996 and everything in between – bevel drive 750s and 900s, lots of SS’s, hundreds of sports bikes, and a good many monsters! We set up the camp, unload the rest, and head into town for supplies. Ingredients purchased, we find beer is £8.50 per case of 24 bottles, with a second case for £2.50, so we buy a couple and head back. Fried breakfast and beer, prepare the bikes, and wait for the riders to fly in. We discover a solution to the tent peg dilemma, and erect all 4 tents using wood screws into the block paving – job sorted!!! Doug appears at lunchtime. He’s got track time booked for Friday afternoon, so we check the bike over one last time, fuel up, check tyre pressures etc, and he heads out with the rest of the DD lot. Lap one and Mike Atack leaves the circuit into the gravel on the new tight left hander. He paddles out, on his next lap he finds four more DD bikes in the very deep gravel in exactly the same place. All escape except for TP, who’s chain has come off and broken the crankcase. That corner was treated with lots of respect from then on by everybody!!! After the session we make minor adjustments to rear tyre pressure and rear shock preload and rebound as the back tyre is tearing up a little, and out for the second session. TP’s crankcase has been repaired with chemical metal, but he’s brought back to the pits again with an oil leak. Doug’s lap times improve lap by lap and he comes in at the end of the session fairly happy. Day over, we get chilli and rice going on the stove and get stuck into the beer. Phoenix and Ade arrive at last by hire car from the airport, more beer, and bed.