From The Editor's Chair

By Bob Twigg

A lay off!

A shame that the Coronavirus has closed down so many sporting events. Those who remember the foot and mouth outbreaks and cancellations due to various animal diseases will understand the "boredom" they brought on. Of course it was nothing more than boredom for us but a disaster for the farmers who lost so many valuable cattle. My South Midland club were allowed to run a trial in November, but visitors to the venue had to wash their boots and footwear when entering the trials area.

That reminds me of an old happening at a much used farm where a rare plant had been discovered. This colourful "thing" was very rarely seen in the South East and the "greenies" (as they were then) got quite excited and as a result the area around the plant was fenced off denying us the use of some good sections! Believe it or not they also put some steps down for people to gain access to the "weed"!

I'm not going to tell you where the venue is, but at a later date I found another odd looking plant there whilst laying out a trial, I'm afraid I didn't turn into a greeny that day, the rare plant developed in a new planting area! The plant had obviously been transferred to the venue from Wales where it obviously lived happily , probably sticking on a trials tyre or on some Welsh mud. It was in the days when riders often rode in Wales and thereabouts as an adventure. The fence is still there as well as our lovely lost sections, oh dear!

Lapsing into old memories again. In a South Eastern centre gazette from 1968 when there was a foot and mouth ban, the mag' advertised a "Grand Dance" at the Surrey Tavern, tickets were ten shillings (that's 50p for todays "snowdrops") and dress and lounge suits was the order. I was told not to laugh at the price by my wife as she reminded me that at the time my wages were less than £100 a week, we had two young kids and had just moved to a larger house. My "pristine" trials bike was a rather old 197 rigid Norman, (I didn't have many cleans on that)! Any way that was me told! I wonder what my Mum would say today if she found out I had to pay a pound for a Mars bar.

The first round of the British trials championships has taken place at Hook Woods and it went off well, Well done Jim and crew, I hope we can get back ASAP to all our championships.

Get the bike clean, do all the maintenance, polish it and look forward to the resumption of all our sports.

All the best, Bob.PS. Keep taking TSM!!

Andy Wood writes:

Of course this enforced layoff has caused some considerable disruption to the routine of everybody. No doubt some will have used their time to tackle the "put off" long forgotten jobs and perhaps some of the machinery will bear evidence of this when we are able to resume our motorcycling activities. This current situation has caused a minor explosion of activity on social media with digitised versions of old pictures and programmes reviving memories for the old and perhaps curiosity and some interest for the young. Motorcycling social or competitive involves people, it's the people we enjoy it with as much as the activity itself. When we can return to some normality in our daily lives, perhaps many will do well to give this element a higher priority by helping to organise and provide enjoyment for others as well as just taking part.