News Update.
It’s been eight weeks since our last trial and I am beginning to wonder how long it will be before we can all meet up and ride again?
I guess that you have all been cleaning your bikes in preparation for the Steve Shergold “clean bike challenge” at our next trial, but on balance I guess you would rather be enjoying the Oakridge mud and making the bike dirty!
The contractors who have been using the Hut Hill Car Park have halted work and tell me that they have about four more weeks work there after they return.
So, it is going to be some time before we ride at Hut Hill again, but when we do have access, we have some fencing and tree work to do, in line with our contractual agreement with the landowners and will be seeking offers of help from members.
We do have other venues provisionally booked including Cadnam, Bryces and Limekiln Lane, but for some Club and Saturday Trials it will be good to be at Hut Hill again.
We are also grateful for the continued use of Oakridge, and Tony Henbest has done some more car park clearing and tiding. We also plan to do a little more “digger work” there to create some new sections.
Again, we will be looking for volunteers and equipment when the current restrictions are lifted.
Members have mentioned about “getting back to normal”. I am not sure what normal is going to look like when we are able to ride again, and things are likely to be quite different.
Signing on will be a challenge with “distancing” and cash handling, so for all major events “On-Line” entry is likely to be the option used.
You will need to be a Club member and hold a current ACU Competition licence to use the system. All info can be found on the front page of the Waltham Chase website regarding joining the Club and ACU.
For club events we may be able to come up with a process where riders download entry forms to complete and put in an envelope with the correct fee to put in a box at “the desk”. The giving of change is likely to be a thing of the past. This process needs a little fine tuning, but we may be able to make it work, but there would still be sheets of paper and cash to handle.Rubber gloves are at the ready!
However, as in the past this all depends on the support of our volunteers and helpers and for some this could be that pivotable moment when it becomes the time to call it a day?
With regard to Observing we may well have to move away from punch cards for a while and use score sheets instead as it would not be safe or fair to expect our Observers to get close to riders as they do with the “clippers”.
This does mean that we would need a full commitment of volunteers in advance of the Trial. Time now to enlist friends and family to be on standby? If the current fee is not enough, we are able to increase by raising entry fees to cover. Self marking would not be an option.
The world of Waltham Chase is not yet ready for electronic scoring gadgets!
Burger vans may also be a challenge; for many the social interaction at a trial is almost as important as the ride itself. We will seek guidance from our caterers.
We potentially have a busy year ahead if the restrictions are lifted and will need the help and support of all our members in these different and challenging times.
On a positive note the Awards Presentation is booked for 20th February 2021. Trophies or no trophies, if Coronavirus is behind us, we will party.
Keep safe and look after those close to you.
We will have you riding again just as soon as the restrictions are removed.
Regards
Mike Wiseman
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