The girls in the Brive Tourist office Martine and Melanie had done us proud. A classic old French Hotel in a medieval town centred around an Abbey stretched out along the banks of the Dordogne - a dream setting and ideal to relax away from the tensions of the city of Brive with the ISDE carnival in town.

Rob Carey is late and as the worry starts to set in Richard Big-Bird Alldred swoops in on time. He has seen Rob and as Richard changes his rear tyre he describes Rob's location and problem - a smashed water pump casing. Darryl sets out to help on Rob's identical spare bike as Richard calmly removes the front tyre to once again push the bike into parc ferme on the rim - this time by choice with minutes to spare. The true essence of the ISDE team spirit is showing through -timing actions precisely to avoid the mistakes that can happen when you are rushing, while dispatching an outrider to bring aid to a stranded team-mate.

In the meantime however, resourceful Rob manages makeshift repair before Darryl gets to him. Loctite to the rescue: within a pack of various products that had been supplied to the Witley Warriors as product sponsorship for the event was some metal filler/ adhesive and RTV silicone gasket sealer. A portion of this was being carried by each rider and Rob built the water pump casing back together using the metal filler - the main spigot had been separated and was hanging from the hose - then sealed the assembly with RTV. The cooling system refilled using water from a stream, brought to Rob by helpful Belgian Enduro fans and he was riding on his way. Back in the pits Rob removed the old damaged pump case as Darryl returned, then pushed the bike into the park ferme - late but nowhere near "houring out" the exclusion from the days results that happens if you check in more than an hour after your scheduled time.

 

British Team positions at the end of Day 4 now stand as :

14th Wales A, 18th Wales B, 28th British Army A, 32nd North Riding, 37th Southern MCC, 38th Yeadon & Guisely, 40th CSMA (including Witley Member Neil Bowker), 51st Witley Warriors 1 ( Neil Foster, Rob Carey & Richard Alldred), 59th Wirral Off-Road, 66th Witley Warriors A (Peter Batt, Neil Challice & James Jackman), 76th Team Cornwall, 81st Ramsey MCC ( Paul Edmonson, Juan Knight & David Knight- who is out through injury), 83rd British Army B, 86th West of England, 88th TBM, 92nd Scotland.

Witley Warriors may be losing some time and have lost one rider but are still in the running. The Endurance element of Enduro is becoming key as many in the field are suffering injury and mechanical breakdown. Day 5 has been reported by the British outrider Geraint Jones to be the most challenging day. Witley Warriors are going into battle armed with the full power of the Witley & District MCC membership and the will to win.

A new challenge awaits the Warriors... There has been some torrential rain overnight which persists as heavy showers while Peter Batt gingerly sets off on the new route at his usual 7.55 start time though the field has been compressed due to withdrawn riders bringing the others start times slightly earlier. There has been a lot of road work involved this year and Friday has more than the previous days. In the wet conditions care must be taken to avoid throwing the event away in an unnecessary incident on the roads between the true Enduro off-road mileage.

During the morning 10 minute work time Rob Carey fits the new water pump that he had removed from his spare bike the night before - to get away on time - without the rear tyre change he had planned to perform the night before but which had been overtaken by the damage repair.

On the start line Neil Foster heartily greets Pedro and Lars as he has nicknamed the Spanish and Swedish riders on his minute with whom he has struck up a strong non-verbal comradeship. Neil takes to the road sharing Peter Batt's hope that the "challenging" sections about which they had been warned the day before would require the trials competence they both held.

James Jackman still uncertain as to the cause of his bikes starting misbehaviour find his apprehensions unfounded as this day the bike fires up first kick. Perhaps it is the cool damp "English" weather today that the bike has been set up for, though thankfully the rain has abated.

Richard Alldred, for the first time getting some advantage of a later start as the sun is out and the day is brightening. Richard calmly fits the front tyre and is away.

The course does as predicted have its challenging obstacles including an almost impassable hill and slimy grassy sections

which many of our riders struggle to negotiate and cost time.

As the track conditions deteriorated the route was changed to eliminate the 'stoppers' and the check times excluded from the days result - to the relief of Neil Bowker (Witley member riding for CSMA) who had skidded into a ditch on

that check costing him 2 minutes and requiring the assistance of two passers-by to retrieve the bike. Neil Foster also reported falling off at the top of a bank, leaving the bike behind and running down the slope to avoid falling over

and rolling down after which he had to climb back up the bank and climb back on the bike - engine still running. The special tests on the first lap were sodden fields requiring cautious both-feet-down riding to pull the bikes to a halt to make the speed-limiting tight turns of the indoor-motocross style tracks. During the afternoon the mud dried into a very grippy surface which rutted easily and some fast times resulted.

All Witley Warriors make it back to the finish in high spirits. Neil Foster chose to do nothing more than clean and check-over their bikes ready for the short 67 km ride to the final day motocross on Saturday.

James Jackman has been fired up by some good motocross tests and chooses to change his back tyre to his strength at motocross its best chance. He also plans to change his gearbox sprocket some time on Saturday before getting to the motocross because he doesn't want to take any chances when going for the holeshot! Rob Carey arrives in much the same mood also putting on a new rear tyre.

Richard Alldred shares the view of other ISDE veterans Peter Batt and Neil Foster and restricts his pit work to cleaning the bike to cat calls of 'tart' from the other riders already in the pits. It is later in conversation about the course when the

riders are asking each other the "did you see ..." questions that it is revealed that the pretty flower pots seen on the first lap but which were obliterated by the second lap was the handiwork of the last Witley rider through on the first lap - Richard Alldred who had slid off on a bend in the wet road to carry on into the front garden of the house to score a 'strike' as all the pots were sent clattering in all directions. Again bouncy and bubbly the riders are thankful to the members of support crew that have been able to visit the special tests during the week to cheer them on and are all looking forward to the final test on a real motocross track.

The final day ride to the motocross on Saturday does not require the level of out-check support that has been present during the week so now is the time for a vote of thanks from the Riders, myself Gordon Ayshford; Team Manager & reporter extraordinaire and the whole Witley membership who have been represented with the greatest honour at the 2001 ISDE in Brive-la-Gaillarde in France - by the support squad that have supported the riders through the event: Darryl Peach, Alison Galpin and their son Sam (9 months - in whose sunny presence makes it easy to keep your temper despite the trials and tribulations around you) who took charge of the Pits, Sarah Griffiths who took on a great deal of the cooking and washing duties, Brian Hegarty, Roger Johnson and Dave Kavanagh, for a mixture of out-check and pits duties, Peter Stabb for making the tea ( methode a-la-millbridge) and assisting with pits servicing and morning work times, Colin Boniface for gaining access to the press office and his overall enthusiasm for Witley in an event of these proportions plus wearing the union jack outfit and specially to Brian Foster, Julie Alldred and the Alldred's friends Mitch & Jan Hutchins who effectively ran the outcheck allocated to the Scots crew between them for most of the week.

- Just in from the last Race in which Richard ( big bird ) Alldred flew the flag as the only British rider in the 500 Fourstroke class dominated by top European riders. Maintaining a steady pace and looking stylish in the air he produced a proud performance after a gruelling event with such a heavy bike.

The race before Richard's had been the second 400 cc Fourstroke race in which Rob Carey had held up well in a highly competitive class. Showing some signs of fatigue on the jumps his style picked up noticeably as he passed close to the endless chain of supporters or cameras standing three or four deep that lined the outer perimeter of the track.

Also looking forward to playing to the crowd was James Jackman in the earlier 250 Fourstroke race but having fallen ( while showing off ?) he had the old trouble re-starting, was guided off the track by marshals to re-start the bike - then had to argue to until he was let back into the race several laps down. The 250 Two-stroke class had two Witley riders in the same race - Witley Warrior Neil Foster and CSMA rider Neil Bowker. Neil Bowker made the better start but when Neil Foster changed into third on the start straight he surged forward to take a good mid-field position. Both riders went well and held their places to the finishing line.

Out in the first race of 125 Two-strokes Peter Batt had stayed away from trouble in a field of aggressive riding tactics to pass the finishing line towards the back of midfield.

A feeling of achievement and elation ( mixed with relief) has now washed over the squad, everyone feels a winner. The conditions and ambience at the old natural scrambles circuit that had not been used for some years until this event have promoted such feelings. The day started off cool with a few small but threatening clouds as racing began. These proved to be empty threats and the sun burned the cloud off to create a bright summers afternoon. The track had reacted well to the recent rain and was obviously well drained being a coarse sandy surface that lost the grass covering very quickly. There was no dust and the grippy berms built up well. Large areas of the track were visible from every aspect as it looped around a large undulating field with a central hollow and few large trees at the outer margins. A crowd of several thousand cheered on the riders and the sound of air horns filled the air. At the far side of the track from the starting gate and the commentary tower a local 'performer' added to the spectacle with his pyrotechnic displays and dancing while dressed in motocross boots black cape, blond wig and little else - wait for the photos. Now the Witley Warriors must wait for confirmation of results and their medal positions, the party tonight may only be the vanguard for an ongoing celebration of a most outstanding event.

The Saturday night party was the stuff from which legends are made. Colin Boniface and Gordon Ayshford were held up at the press office sited at the location of the final day motocross waiting for provisional results. The others returned to the parc ferme to pack up and get back to base at Beaulieu sur Dordogne.

A farewell meal at the street restaurant where they had been well served with double portions of pasta and gallons of water during the competition. A gift of a Witley Warriors polo shirt to Frederick the humorous waiter as a memento in thanks for the welcome he had shown and the atmosphere his unique style had created.