Dear Berkhamsted Member
Welcome to your all new online club newsletter bringing the club right into the year 2010! We hope your like your new look newsletter & hope that you don't choose to unsubscribe.
We will only use your email address to send you this newsletter although we may use it to also inform you of News we think you should know such as a cancelled event, something happening at the club house of late notice or any other important news that the committee members deem necessary to inform you of.

Chairmans Chat Well, thats the Festive Season over for the next ten months or so, depending on how early the media make the next one start, and I hope your New Year celebration, if you had one, was as pleasant as mine and Joans. We spent the day in London taking in the fun that goes on around Covent Garden where there is always something interesting happening, then coming across the Royal Courts of Justice which to my surprise was open to the public. We see it so many times on TV from the outside when some poor soul is up before the Beak, it was a great pleasure to go round the inside to see what a magnificent building it is with marble floors, superb roof structure, columns and arches. If you, like me, appreciate nice buildings for the workmanship involved, bearing in mind the machinery available to the constructors at the time, it is well worth a visit. After that we took in St. Pauls Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, St. Martins in the Field and finally walked along the Embankment to view the London Eye on the South Bank

Nice action shot here from the box of Les Hubbard, shows Nick Day charging across the water at section 9 at Brickhill. I will try and get the other pictures Les took across to the Website. I am hoping for great things from Les as he is joining a camera club to improve his talent. Tips - red in the middle of the shot, done; Frame the pic – by the splashes, done: in focus, done; Keep out of the way, - ah well, Les is home now and the tyre marks will disappear in time.

We were quite amazed to see that many people were already in position for the Midnight fireworks, which, at 4-30pm. were seven and a half hours away and the temperature was sub-zero!! We headed for the Underground, lit a log fire when we got home and had a nice meal, then watched the fireworks from the warmth of our ‘snug’ on TV!

The trial at Brickhill, which rounded off our involvement in our calendar of 17 trials during the year, was again for the second year running, a real Frostbite Trial with a cold, clear, frosty day to greet the 96 entrants. Clerk of Course Mike Dunks had set out with the cold weather in mind and with the red and blue routes on what Mike called a‘Pre-65 Friendly’ basis, and this made for a trial that was a little easier than intended, especially as the frost stayed in the ground all day so that the sections did not deteriorate as expected. All classes were sorted out without problems, with the exception of the Clubmen where there were two riders clean, otherwise it seems all riders went home with a smile on their faces. We even got out of the car park without too much trouble due to a new route.
It gets increasingly difficult to make new sections at Brickhill due to the activities of the 4 wheel drive brigade who take out all our nice steps etc. and the fact that the spring area has been completely flattened. I walked round the land whilst there and reckoned we can have two sections in the field, assuming it will be wet in March, and more sections in the gully if the fallen tree is made safe by then. There are also other trees that have exposed roots in the sandy soil and I think that with luck and a good March wind there may be more choice for the Meteor Group trial and Presentation on the 28th! Trophy winners will be notified, so please make the effort to come and collect yours if you have won one.
The next, and most important club event, is our Annual General Meeting which takes place at our clubhouse, North Hall, Nash Mills on Monday, the 18th. January at 7-30 when your new committee will be elected and club trophy winners for 2009 will be decided. Don’t just leave it to the old brigade, come and make a contribution to a great club!!
Once again, Happy New Year Ted

Riders view of cancelled event at Nash, 10th January

Can I please put in an official complaint to the management...
I have spent all week converting my front wheel to a ski & have nailed planks of wood to my feet so that when I ski through the sections I can argue with the observer that it can only be a 1 as my foot touch only once. Just a long once... I have my shout ready, "I demand a 1!!!"
I have got Grace to grow antlers & I have given her a red nose so I do not have to use my van, she can pull my sleigh, which again I have spent time all this week constructing so I can go to the trial.
I even went out, (very un P.C. I know) & bought a new string vest (as the other one is full of holes) so that I might have a warm top for the trial.

In all considering my effort I feel this is a poor show & want to register my complaint about having to stay in the warm with a nice glass of wine with a full Sunday Lunch (maybe reindeer & turkey again) & watch the Sunday film.
LOONAL & Grace

Mr Cox I can assure you that your complaint will be brought before committee and will be laughingly discussed before we throw it out. (ed)

BERKHAMSTED M C C Ltd
Minutes of the Committee meeting held at 8;00 pm on the
16th November 2009 at North Hall, Nash Mills
PRESENT Ted North (Chairman), Martin Howlett. Mike Dunks, Ian Sankey, Arthur Tomkinson, Terry Golds, Dave Porter, Mike Vangucci. Martin & Daniel Greeves, Richard & James Tattersall, Steve Shaw, Phil & Greg Speed,
APOLOGIES.,... Steph Tombling Steve Southwood, Bob Secombes, Billy Bishop.
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING. were read approved and signed.
MATTERS ARISING. The dates for 2010 had been finalised at the Dates meeting and we had moved a couple of dates.
Soil was now in abundance inside Nash and the Steps were now on site
The clubhouse would be used by the SM Centre Management committee for all their meetings in 2010 and they would be charged a flat fee of £150. Judith Ayres would be given Keys. There were other regular bookings from a Group and the Sub Aqua Club.
CORRESPONDENCE. The insurance covering the building was due for renewal and the papers were passed to the treasurer
REPORTS TRIALS. The Beginners and Wobblers at Nash had been another good event and much appreciated by the entrants.
Grass Track The Martin H would try to have a drop-side available for the Wednesday evening and Sunday Afternoon for this 6th June event.
TREASURERS. The Company accounts had now been Signed by the Directors.
MEMBERSHIP. Had finished at 369 for 2009 and we already had 19 for 2010
Richard proposed that Alexz Wigg and Sam Haslam would be offered honorary membership for 2009 / 2010, seconded by Mike D and agreed.
SOCIAL.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS. The Trials seminar would be attended by Ted, Mike D and Ian Russell.
Rolling Rubber had asked if they could attend our trials with tyre's for sale. no objection but would be reviewed.
There would be a note in GHG regarding the RAD day on 5th December, when members were encouraged to come and watch but asked not to bring bikes until the training had finished.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING. 21st December 2009 at Club HQ, North Hall, Nash Mills
THE MEETING CLOSED AT 8;40pm

Notice of Awards Night
A date has been set at the AGM for Sat 20th March at the club HQ ( North Hall) for the annual club awards evening.

So set in for the hour race I began to work my way through the field. I remember some advice Chris Koch had given me once about Enduro's and Motocross riding, he said don't worry about all those that come past you just concentrate on staying on the bike and keeping it going. Sure enough people dropped out as the race developed, from either machine problems or physically being so stuck deep in the mud they were unable to continue! The race crosses a stream way 4 times and each one more resembles a setting out of a WW1 trench ware fare more so as the race developed. On the last few minutes of the race there was apparently only a handful of riders still battling it out of which I was one. At one point during the race Jack Lee was up front and brother Jonny Lee in 2nd as I was running in 13th place (rider number 18). At each crossing a gang of of what looked like hairy ass mud wrestlers were on hand to haul us out and send us on our way. Chaz Lee was on the deep crossing and was giving me encouragement that to an onlooker perhaps more so resembled verbal abuse! On the last lap of the race I noticed a bunch of guys on their bikes paused just before the finish line, wondering what they were up to I passed the line and asked the man with the flag if that was it, no he said one more lap ! As beasted as I was I plugged on for another lap but alas by this time the last bog crossing where Chaz was was so deep now that my bike became totally submerged and died!

My race was over ! A pick-up took my machine & young Joe Mitchelson (who was a tipped winner and also was out of the race) and his machine back to the pits! When the results came out I was disappointed to see I was not listed, it was as if I had not even been there ! I called the Northampton MCC and was told I was not an official finisher! Ok so with this motocross stuff it’s not like an enduro where you just keep going and going to see how much you do against the clock, you physically have to cross the cheque red flag ! Being my first motocross I wasn't aware of this. So had I pushed my bike up the hill a few hundred yards I would have finished 12th in the famous Wild and Woolly Boxing Day scramble !This would explain why they all gathered at the finish line! They were all waiting for the winner to cross then they would follow! Too tired apparently to run with another lap. Looking at the results some riders didn’t even manage to start the race after practice and others classed as official finishers and in the news and hence results did 1 / 2 laps.

Billy Bishop Husky mounted at the 2009 Wild & Woolley

When I questioned this with Northants Mcc I was told these guys hung out at the finish line until the leader finished and then crossed the line! So all that hard effort battling round the course in what can only be described as 1st world war trench warfare for 8 laps on my beast of a Husqvarna 250 was all for nothing! and I was sadly beaten by many who had done far less than I !!!! Life!

Oh well you live and learn, there's always next year. Oh and of my Husky? She took all of the xmas holidays to rebuild, but thanks to some expert over the phone advice from Steve Rees my engine was completely stripped down and now runs better than she ever did.
Cheers Billy

Thanks Brave Billy Bishop. I have clerked at that event a couple of times and it’s a nightmare of a ride for the competitors, but its also one of the biggest crowd pullers and generates loads of dosh for Charity, I think its in the thousands! So well done you Billy and the 54 other guys. Terry

Changed your address or phone number / email then dont forget to let us know.
Membership Enquiries
Richard Tattersall, 2 Gravely Court ,Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4PR Email: bmccmembership@msn.com
Trials Secretary
Steph Tombling 50 Lark Vale,Watermead, Aylesbury Bucks HP19 0YJ
Telephone; 01296 330238 Email: stombling@lbcintl.com
GHG Contact Details:
Terry Golds, 21 Buckingham Drive, Luton, LU2 9RA. Telephone No.: 01582 455714. E-mail: terrylgolds@ntlworld.com Mobile 07747 855264
Observer Contact
Steve Southwood stevesouthwood@btinternet.com 01582 579740

Website address. www.berkotrials.com

Club Sponsors
Pete Buxey & Son, Carpentry 25 Warrens Close Hatfield AL10 0AL Tel 01707 275360
Chris & Debbie, Sizzlers, Newport Pagnell, Bucks MK16 0ND Tel 07841 137888
Tel 01933 312827
Moore’s ( Hemel Hempstead), London Road Apsley Hemel Hempstead HP3 9SX
Tel 01442 252601
John Cox & Son, Motor Enginrs, Brazils Yard, 28 Plantation Road, Amersham HP6 6AA Tel 01494 725498
Genus Motorsports, Enduro Team In Conjunction with Bedroom Pleasures.co.uk
Cohort Security Solutions Ltd. Unit 5, Martinbridge Estate,Lincoln Road, Enfield, Middx EN1 1SP Tel 0844 5610634
Kings Langley Building Supplies, Premier Works, Primrose Hill, Kings Langley
Tel 01923268222
Nick James, Roebuck Garage, MOT Centre High Street, Eaton Bray, Dunstable LU6 2DN. Tel 01525 220385
The KTM Centre, Riversend Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP3 9AJ
Tel 01442 255272
Kaapstad Motorcycle Tours ( of South Africa) 01525 377520
Ye Old Red Lion, London Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP3 9TD Tel 01923 262538
Brands of Watford, 1 Empire Centre, Imperial Way, Watford, Herts WD24 4YH
Tel 01923 233330
Taylors Tools, 43-45, Hempstead Rd., Kings Langley, Herts. WD4 8BS
Tel.01923 268355 Fax 01923 268357
An Enthusiastic Committee member
The club extends its thanks for the invaluable support provided by:
Artsigns. South View, Pudds Cross, Bovingdon. Hertfordshire, HP3 0NJ.
Tel : 01442 832 303 Email : info@artsigns.co.uk
John Lee & Sons. Motorcycles, 8 Market Square, Higham Ferrers, Northants NN10 8BP. Tel 01933 312827

• Cold weather puts extra strain on your engine, so check your oil is at the correct level.
• Keep your car clean, so you can see and be seen on dark and icy mornings