Magnificent motorsport memorabilia........

When one journey comes to an end another begins. This amazing journey from one cold February morning earlier this year thinking 'I'm going to learn how to ride an off-road bike and ride it somewhere interesting ', to now has been quite incredible.

To date we've raised almost £8,000 and the final furlong, as it were, is auctioning the quite fabulous and unique piece of motorsport memorabilia and history. The shirt bit.ly/nKiLRu been signed by; Valentino Rossi, nine Grand Prix World Championships and multiple MotoGP World Championship title holder, Jorge Lorenzo, 2006 & 2007 250cc World Champion, 2010 Moto GP World Champion, James Toseland, 2004 & 2007 World Superbike Champion - he retired last month due to a wrist injury,

Cal Crutchlow, British Supersport champion and British Superbike race winner, and the 2009 Supersport World Champion, Danny Webb, 125cc World Championship multiple title holder, Leon Haslam, British Superbikes, World superbikes, Ian Hutchinson, TT racer, Jonathan Rea, World Superbike racer, Keith Amor, TT legend, David Johnson, British Superbikes , James Whitham,TT Superbike champion, British Superbike Champion Supercup and the ACU TT British Superbike Champion, John McGuinness, TT legend, Neil Hodgson, British Superbike and World Superbike Champion & Ian Lougher, 9 victories in the North West 200, 10 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races and 42 wins at the Southern 100 Races and all the signatures were gathered by Steve Parrish. What an awesome collection.

Some say a journey is best measured by the new friends and people one meets.

Many have been asking what the next challenge will be, there were a number of answers to that a fortnight ago!

A seasoned off-roader who competes regularly and is awesome on a bike, called me last week. He's done the trip. He said 'Congratulations and well done! What were you thinking (I don't think I was), that was a truly epic challenge for such a beginner. Good on you for coming back in one piece'. I'm still surprising myself now thinking back to some of the terrain I covered on a dirtbike! Wouldn't have missed it for the world and the guys were all fantastic and very supportive and encouraging but crikey I didn't know what I didn't know ......... But I do now......!

Thank you, Merci and Grazie to so many people;

Donna Gray for getting me on the bike, in the right kit and starting off my very tentative learning experience, Martin Wittering, mechanic extraordinaire along with buckets of constant moral support and encouragement, Gary Faillettaz for his consistent unfailing encouragement, tuition and so, so very much patience and picking my bike up more times than should be allowed, team-mate fantastico, Steve Parrish for the fabulous signed shirt, books and WSB passes, Michelle Hunter for hosting the auction at the wonderful Queen Adelaide, John Kettley - without whom for sure this journey would never have really begun! Jim Gale for the brilliant graphics and plastics, Tamsin Jones for training, moral support and hugely boosting my confidence, Liz Rhodes at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire for constant encouragement, Nigel Wheatley and Michele Maddocks of Enduroland, Ed Blum, film director, Charley Boorman for tweeting, FB 'ing ( in fact getting me on FB), signing a book for the auction, Ross Noble for an auction prize and for making me laugh and keeping me human in Wales, Billy Ward for making these aforementioned things happen and for suggesting more training, not to mention making me smile on numerous occasions when I really needed to, Tim McEwan, auctioneer of the mostest, Ian Glover of Bloodhound SSC, Nigel Harrison, Jayne Perks, Jeremy Goring of the Goring Hotel, Sue & Andy Banham of Taylard House, Chris Evans (thanks as well as singlehandedly almost completely putting me off bikes forever!) and Cyril Despres, Graham Banks of GB Racing for so much, Sally Saunders of Esse (support and keeping me vaguely feminine), Jacquie and Matt of The Wendy House, Janine Wood of SLP, Tessa Roberts of Ocean One, Christian Malissard of Eagle Perf, Angela Dawson of Dawson VA Services, Dave Newman of SupremeBeing, Irene Routh-Jones for moral support, lovely friend Rachael for getting me packed and lovely texts when I was in the Pyrenees, dear friends Paul and Ailsa for airport runs, Caroline Faillettaz for huge support, my parents for looking after the girls, my fabulous friend Wendy for so much moral support and my gorgeous sister Elly who was particularly brilliant when I was finding it harder than hard, Mr T for so much and so much more and my beautiful girls. And of course to so many generous family and friends who gave donations, kind words and huge support, thank you, thank you, thank you, merci, merci, merci, grazie, grazie, grazie.

As for the next challenge..........Andalucia and Africa in my sights and perhaps a rally. Watch this space.......

Halfway there and botox for bikes?!

The GasGas isn't a new motorbike however now it has new plastics and graphics with logos of the companies and people that have generously sponsored and helped us so far, it looks not only fantastic but years younger! Hmm - like a bit of that myself! Botox for bikes!!?
A few firsts yesterday, we went to the Royston & District Motorcycle Club Show in Meldreth

I rode there and Gary kindly escorted me on his bike (bit of angst - situation normal - had set in). The two bikes were logo'd up and we were putting them on the TorqueRacing stand. I got overtaken by a classic Triumph on the way - teehee. When we arrived I was quite humbled, don't think I've ever seen quite so many bikes and I was certainly aware of my limited bike experience - didn't embarrass myself though or Gary (to my knowledge!!). There was everything there; hogs, roadsters, sports bikes, scooters, cruisers, a stunning Ducati desmosedici and of course enduros! Thank you to Mark Coningsby for the interview and letting everyone know what we're up to!

We are now halfway through this journey and have 2 1/2 months to go, I purposely haven't counted up potential training days for reasons of remaining calm.

So big list of thanks to; Donna Gray, former champion, and my trainer (keeps me smiling), Martin Wittering of Torque Racing for keeping my bike 'fit', Jim Gale at Werx for the graphics and plastics, Enduroland for being on their site and their constant support and motivation on practice days, Michelle at The Queen Adelaide for hosting the auction (don't forget 30th July), Dave Newman at Supremebeing for the challenge Tshirts for the auction and making us 'cool' in the process, Martin at Schoolyard for printing the challenge T-shirts. Billy Ward, Graham Banks of GB Racing for sponsorship and donation of the British Superbike Passes for the auction, The Wendy House, Ocean One, Special Little People, Steve Parrish for MotoGP goodies for the auction, Eagle Performance, Dawson VA services, Sally, Serena & Steff at Esse Retail & Therapy for their endless encouragement especially on the 'what am I doing?' type days!! So many thanks to all those who have very generously donated.

And of course to Gary for tips, techniques and buckets of patience, Caroline (Gary's Mrs) for so much encouragement, Mr T for limitless supplies of support, putting up with me and gently assisting (occasionally shoving) me out of my comfort zone and for lots of cheerleading and support from my sis, Elly and the girls.

And I rode in the dark too - not far mind, but a first!

We're at c£3500 in fundraising so here's to the next stage.

Cripes - it's all gone west!

This weekend, it all went pear-shaped big time!

We set off early on Saturday morning and I think it may have been in a North-Westerley direction - Gary drove and quite spectacularly squeezed 3 and 3/4 bikes (his son Joe, a stonkingly impressive rider has a 150CFR) into his van. Not a millimetre was un-utilised. I think Gary can do the packing when we head Pyrenees-wards.....there's hope for my make-up bag yet!!

It dawned on me fairly early on that the day was perhaps going to be 'a tricky one', shall we say! I was chatting to delightful Michele at Enduroland, whilst Mr T and I were making a general melee of paying - fortunately Gary was stashed up, Mr T and I evidently can't count!! Anyway, Michele dropped lightly into the conversation that everyone loved this 'one' as it was one of the best. I think it was at this point that I realised that if all these fabulously capable guys think this is great, as a beginner of variable confidence, my idea of 'best' and their idea of 'best' was for sure going to be at polar ends of said continuum!!

The Enduroland track for Novices and Newcomers and Kids & Dads at Chacombe was technical and challenging (from my perspective anyway) and it was only a small part of the main track!! Descents, ascents, loose surfaces, logs, little hillocks (that look surprising innocent, more of that later) with quite a few hairpin type turns with obstacles in the middle , trees, logs.....

Pretty much one magnificent mess up followed another all the way round! Whilst wanting to provide a bit of detail it's mostly a blur. I had such a meltdown in confidence and therefore had lost any clarity of thought and recently acquired knowledge - helpful when in charge of one's uber capable 200EXC GasGas! I knew cognitively from my work as an executive coach that it was the fight/ flight response (amygdala) part of the brain that had kicked in and therefore I needed some complex scenarios to consider to get me thinking properly again!

Lost count of how many spills I'd had - rolled down the hill several times! Forks out of alignment and had used one my hand guards as a shovel - on one of the many spills - could have planted a geranium in there!

Lunch laid on by Enduroland - with lots of sweet tea. Funny, I only have sugar in my tea when I've frightened myself on the bike!!

The next session went 'Pete Tong', I believe the expression is, entirely! It started okay then it all went downhill, pardon the pun, of course if I had been going down hill - on the bike more times than not, that would have be perfect! Dropped it, fell off and .... ditto ...ditto.....Finally after a turn with a lovely swooping camber in it (actually really liked that bit) followed by a little ridge coming through some trees, for one reason or another (accidental back brake I think), I stalled then dropped it, fell off and blubbed! First time I've actually blubbed since I've embarked on this challenge!

Girly tantrum followed thinking I never want to get on a motorbike ever, ever again! I couldn't pick the bike up - so I turned the fuel off and sat on it, I thought, at least I can admire the view - well the middle of a small clearing anyway. I then heard the kids and Dads on their second event, well that sealed it - there was absolutely no way that I was going to venture out on to the track with them on it, that would be hairy. At one point, I did chuckle, as from where I was sitting on upturned bike - it sounded like I was in the middle of a beehive full of very angry bees(on two and four strokes obviously!!)! In the face of adversity gotta laugh.........

I figured that at some point Mr T , Gary or Joe would notice that I'd vanished and I also knew that a marshall would be along soon.

A chap swept up to me and asked if I was okay which was very kind. As I'd been blubbing I decided to keep my helmet on and sort of hide in it.

Barry from Enduroland then appeared on a quad, he was incredibly patient and kind, realising that at that particular moment I would quite like to abandon the bike and the clearing and wander off sort of Reggie Perrin styley. He very calmly said, some days are like that, draw a line under it and tomorrow's another day. I think I may have said that my bike would be on eBay that evening. It wasn't and I did get on it again, rode over a few taped out areas and escorted by Rob, I went back to the pits!

Rob, as ever, and Tony were hugely supportive and encouraging - goodness I've a long way to go to the Pyrenees. Tony made me laugh, shortly after my meltdown. He suggested that as I liked the bowl with the camber and the loose log so much, perhaps next time they could set one up for me like a mini speedway and throw in a sandwich and a cup of tea every now and then......now there's a thought!

Gary's son Joe's bike skills are superb, so inspiring and impressive! I know absolutely where I'm headed just struggling with the achieving it bit! Mr T had a top day and felt a lot more confident that he ever has, off-road. (One down, one to go!) Gary is always an inspiration and does keep the pressure on, spills happen to the best of them too! When I say spill, it was more of a launch! He hit one of the aforementioned grassy hillocks at speed; front of bike reared up, as it were, then the back did - he and bike parted company and landed twenty feet away from the bike! Oop - fortunately no damage done - bit of bruising and easily fixed wonky forks! It transpired later that the red mist may have descended and the speed at which he hit said hillock was because he was trying to catch up with his son (year 6)!? Teehee.....

The Enduroland gallery pictures were up yesterday and I took a look at them - see attached of Mr T, Gary and Joe. Alas, not one of me .... perhaps it was all just a bad dream. Though the sheep dung that I found wedged in my clutch lever is testament to that not being the case!

So.....the next day. If at first you don't succeed......

We loaded the bikes up and went to an old gravel pit where I mastered going down and up steep hills 'in control', lots and lots and lots and lots of times! On the pegs, at walking pace, using the engine, using the brakes - properly! Even lost the back end at one point but brought it back. Hurrah, yippee! Now, if I'd mastered that on Friday, my mess up at Enduroland might not have been quite so mighty. Hindsight and all that....

But hey as they say, it takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow!

Then this morning we got a massive donation in for Great Ormond Street Hospital which is awesome and what this whole thing is about - raising as much money as possible for children, sick, vulnerable and in need.

Thanks Enduroland; Nigel, Michele, Tony, Rob, Barry and of course Mr T, Gary and Joe!

Helmets, lip gloss and metal putty........

Well, what a lot I've learnt today. Have organised a number of longer trips, trail rides and some more frightening (sorry challenging & exciting) stuff at Enduroland and Martin has arranged a very long day or so ride in Wales - he mentioned camping too, I chose to ignore that last bit for the time being. Off road and sleeping in a tent I think would finish me off completely!

At the weekend, my back seized up rather, not sure why, might also have contributed to why I couldn't see behind me very well... ?!??! Anyway, I went to see Cindy McIntyre, a brilliant osteopath at The Letchworth Osteopathic & Sports Injury Clinic - well what a difference. It would appear that nerves and anxiety contributing to my shoulders being somewhere near my ears when I'm riding have caused the tension in my neck and shoulders, probably compounded by my helmet which whilst a great helmet, designed more for the road and much heavier than those designed for off-road. A bit of compression going on....... Thanks Cindy for freeing me up immensely! I thought I needed a new helmet - now I know for sure. I wonder if I can get a pink one - have a dearth of pink on my bike........so far!

For those of you, that followed the early blog, you'll know that I have 'form' as it were with radiators - having broken one fairly early on in an expedition with OTT in the Peaks last year. An admittance, I have started reading the bike press again, I stopped a few months ago I was seriously wondering if I'd bitten off more than I could chew (still wonder that but not nearly so often). Along with being seriously impressed and inspired by the riders and the stories, one also picks up some handy tips along the way. I discovered earlier this week that some special stuff called metal putty exists - for radiator incidents - how cool is that. Of course, I hope not to need it, however having been a girl guide 'be prepared' is the motto. I'm beginning to think about what one needs to carry, water, camera, smartphone for sending stuff to the blog and FB, make-up, lipgloss, SPFs..... However now being a tiny more savvy maybe there won't be room for my make-up bag(eeek) Looks like there'll be a little bag for special spanners, metal putty, cable ties (!) for bits that might fall off and of course there's bound to be a tiny space for a lipgloss - isn't there!!

Donna returned from a trip with Chris Evans a few days back to Lorien Bois , a really challenging trip - we'll hear about it on Friday. Was chatting with Gary yesterday and he said 'we'll do that next year'. Positive psychology is a brilliant thing.......it did get me thinking. Maybe just maybe.......

PS. the picture isn't post spill - honest- just a little rest & enjoyment of the view......

Have I missed the point?!

Had a good little outing today - despite having to negotiate some "noddies" going the wrong way through the one-way system in the village!

On perusing the Enduroland site this evening, I spied some forthcoming excitement at Silverstone - ohh I thought, that sounds fun. Love Silverstone for any reason - bikes, cars, classics (late father-in-law designed the AC Ace, he was a member of the BRDC so many a fond memory..)

Ok wistful moment over - that was of course until I read the detail - some great little treats like concrete steps.! Great little treats like concrete steps - is that an oxymoron? Oooo - as a girl that thinks treat as perhaps; a meal out, a glass of fizz, chocolates, flowers....... not sure where the concrete steps come in.

Cripes, still have a lot to learn....

Two NAN (Novice and Newcomers - or is that Nervous and Noticeable for all the wrong reasons in my case) days in the diary for June and July instead, I might just pass on the concrete steps treat - lovely as they sound....??!!?

Have a little goal mind, by the time I go to the Pyrenees I would like to be able to do a wheelie to order. Did one this evening - hurrah - not by design mind, just a bit heavy handed with the loud handle and dropped the clutch - teehee....

Pics! It wasn't a figment of my imagination then!

Well, some boys don't ever grow up, do they?

Wow blooming wee! What a weekend this one has been. Confidence has ebbed and flowed as much as the spring tide!

Friday evening we watched David Knight - one of the world's top (if not the best) Enduro Rider - on DVD, borrowed from Gary - that served to be mighty impressive and inspiring, as well as ever so slightly frightening the pants off me!

On Saturday, Mr T and I attended our first Enduro practice event hosted by EnduroLand in Houghton Conquest. We went to the Dads and Kids, and Novice and Newcomer (I wore that particular description especially well!) day. Well, I started getting anxious on the way - bikes loaded on the back of Mr T's Dodge, eldest daughter at Brownie camp and littlest with Granny and Grandad. Then when we rounded a corner on the track up to the farm and I saw a line of vans, trailers and more enduro bikes in a field than I've ever seen in my life, the nerves kicked in big time! Excellent! Arghhhh!

The team at EnduroLand were absolutely wonderful, sensed how nervous I was (pale, not speaking) and the elegant lady who sorted our registrations who I'm ashamed to say, I didn't get her name, was fantastic, supportive and encouraging all day. Even, when my anxiety had enabled me to have a senior moment in the morning and arrive with no cash other than euros to pay my fees - it was only near Bedford - not a passport zone! For the charming lady (ex-eventer and dressage rider) this was no problem and my euros were accepted. Signed our disclaimers and were given our bright orange wristbands, which have to be displayed every time you go across the start line. Goodness I can be ditzy when nervous!

So, we had our briefing, so far so good, understood that. Off to get the bikes, again relatively easy. Good good.

We all assembled and I must say the noise of the bikes revving and ready for the off is superb. There were twelve of us in the Novice and Newcomer group and what a delightful group too.

So, start line, sharp right up quite a steep hill (for me), bit of sort of uneven 'stuff' , steep hill down but short, all okay so far, inside still quaking like a leaf mind! Then I got caught mid way up a hill, some one had stalled I had one of those shall I go this way or that way moments - not good, slowed down, lost traction, stopped and stalled. Well , it sort of went down hill, metaphorically speaking, from there, few metres, minor panic, stall, fall off, can't start it, start it, few metres, minor panic, fall off, can't start it........you get the picture. By this point I'm being lapped quite a lot. Then one of the course Marshalls, a lovely chap called Rob came to give me a few words of wisdom and support and was about to have probably the longest hour of his life! My confidence at this stage was either in my boots or perhaps completely lost under a bumpy bit some time back!

My lap in all took an hour and 15 mins - most of our group were doing upwards of 5 laps in our alloted hour. At one point, Rob mentioned a 'recluse clutch' which I mistook for some dry humour about my clutch control! I have since discovered that it is a piece of kit that might be very helpful. So, I continued and Rob encouraged me all the way, which I have to say was great, I was uber close to thinking maybe I'd over challenged myself and would have to raise money for Great Ormond Street and Kids Co some other way - any other way!

The final part of the circuit was a descent - cripes c 45degrees! Arggh! After some frankly rather pathetic dithering on my part, Rob rode my bike down and I got a lift down with Tony, who didn't even start his engine down said descent - that was cool! Tony was also fabulously supportive and kindly said that that's what the novice days were for. I think I was possibly pre-novice, novice.

Next up was lunch, hurrah - I can do that! A buffet, tea with sugar (don't take sugar but needed it) and cake - just what I needed along with some great support from both the people at Enduroland, lovely lady on registration desk and the group we were with. Met a lovely lady who had been off-road riding for about a year and her husband, a road biker, like Mr T and now enjoying off-road. A lovely lady with fab short spiky hair asked me how many laps I'd done, to which I replied 'one'. 'The familiarisation and then one?' - 'no, just the familiarisation' was my response! Well, every journey ....and all that..... Eeeek!

Whilst we were having lunch the kids and dads were off again, they were absolutely amazing and a joy to watch - some of the little ones, were very little and their bike skills just stonking!

Over lunch, I was all for copping out in the afternoon however with the support of Mr T, the spiky haired lady and the lady in pink, Rob then said that he'd accompany me around the course again if I would like. So, as you can imagine, I do at least know in my job that if you're going to even nearly achieve anything, you have to practice and overcome the wobbly, 'stuck' moments. So , I did and 20 minutes later, I was round and only fell off and stalled twice. Had lots of thumbs up from Mr T , lady with funky spiky hair and lady in pink. Just the descent to do, Tony had appeared at this point as had Mr T who was beginning to look more like a pro with every lap, in fact one lap, I didn't recognise him until he was in the distance after he'd streaked past. Tony asked if I'd like for him to keep people at the top whilst I tackled the descent, I agreed and with that incentive and not wishing to hold anyone up, I did it and was chuffed to bits at the bottom. I then decided to quit whilst ahead with a big grin and a lot richer in experience! Yippee!

Thanks so much Enduroland, Rob, Tony, encouraging lady on registration, the lovely group we were with, the lady in pink and the lady with the funky hair both of whom gave me a thumbs up on my last lap.

When we got home, so keen as was I, if a bit hot - we went out again - locally. Did the ditch again, rode the ruts and had a fab time with Mr T. Met a chap who rides an R1 and was on a spotless off-road Honda 650, not a mark on it - he had recognised my little GasGas from the local paper and asked Mr T if I was that "Lady from Litlington..." We had a natter, he passed on a few tips and then on he went, on his back wheel. Discovered that my clutch was dragging and my handle bars weren't quite in alignment with my forks - oop - that must have happened on one of the many spills I suspect - oop!

Today, we all went out, Mr T, Gary, Donna and I. Well, lovin' it as I am - being out with a British champ, tip top mate Gary, and Mr T all ' razzing it' rather - rendered Mrs T in a cloud of dust on rather too many occasions - that's an incentive to improve if nothing else. My nerves were getting the better of me initially and then I became aware that Gary was riding alongside doing the odd wheelie and jumping the odd huge pile of chalk just because he could. That made me smile lots and the angst dissolved. Watching Gary and Donna roaring about was fantastic and the way Donna handles a bike is just awesome!

Rest assured GOSH and KidsCo - with a team like this, confidence in place and about 5 months to go - we're on the way!

NB. On Saturday night, we showed my parents a few clips from the David Knight DVD of the Weston Beach Race (which Donna has done - huge, massive, 'normous respect - wow) and Mr T commented that he didn't fancy it however if it was a group of five year old boys in the sand with their bikes they'd just love it - Granny very drily commented 'Well, some boys don't ever grow up, do they?' ....... where would be the fun in that ........or girls for that matter!