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Yesterday, we showed a couple of Bernie Schreiber pics, riding some deep water sections, and while we still have some of these on Private Land - I was surprised to see a few such sections in a USA event, but maybe that’s because it was hosted by Lewisport - who are from the UK.

This looks like a great section, no caption on who the Beta rider is.

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This is Bob Clark back in the day riding on Vancouver Island.

Bobby T also at a VMC event

And Roger Boothroyd at a different VMC Trial  - Roger says this water hole has long since been filled up on the club property.

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Check out this latest video clip from Jordi - showing his TRS factory  - very much a “Hands on”  operation.
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So today is called Family day - or Stateside “Trump” day - I got a call from  Interlube International, my Opti Supplier  late last week & he laughed when I called the US holiday this - his comment was well ! if they called it that, it  would  likely piss off about 40% of the Country !!

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So with warmer weather - but really not much incentive - I did bugger all on Sunday except watch the Golf - but now I have a real beef with the TV Channel - ( I don’t get the golf channel) - Just like last week, when there was a weather delay - they cut the broadcast short with only a couple of holes to play, just when it’s getting exciting -  I know a lot don’t think this is exciting - but when you compare it to Trials and the head game issues, it does have some similarities. - Everybody has a score card - they play 18 holes and the low score wins.  ( I have never played golf in my life)
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This is a photo from Bernie Schreiber’s book on Trials - It was taken by Len Weed, who came to ride a couple of our Alberta Trials, back in the 70’s on a Hodaka ! ( We had a few riders make the trip and they all seemed to like our events - including the FIM  ones)

Now looking at this pic - most modern Trials riders will say WTF - but when you consider that Trials riding has always supposed to have been a test of rider over difficult terrain - then this was (and is in my opinion) a great section. - Most modern day Trials riders would shudder if they saw a section like this in a Trial today. - But please remember - when these types of sections were common, the rider entry even at club events, was over 100, now we are lucky to get 50 or less at any club Trial in Canada.
Or how about this one?  - Bernie on the Yellow Submarine

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Results from Xtrial in Spain. - Bincaz gets his first podium for Beta.

Steve Saunders display at the Telford UK Motorcycle Show.

The Beta set up at the Telford Show.

Here is Shane having fun up on Bear Ridge in 2017 - I think this was his first snow-ride on the TRS.

This is Olivier trying the TRS in 2017 - it looks like he has just managed to pick up a used Evo 200.

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It actually got up to +2 in Vernon yesterday, so I was able to dig the van out - However, too much snow to do much else. It’s been a “Couch Potato” winter for the past few weeks - watching some golf at the weekends & reruns of Frasier in the evenings (Yawn)

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This is a video clip of the UK World Round, the year Dougie Lampkin won his first WTC event - With Martin his Dad acting as minder and coach - they were to prove the team to beat for many years. - enjoy ( I have the complete VHS Tape)

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I see that Sherco are making a 20th anniversary model for 2019 - I had the very first one in the Country back in 1999, when it was called a Bultaco.

Here is pic of me -  the first one up this new section we found at Green Mountain - Krash Crumly is looking on. As I recall I used 3rd gear and a bit of leg waving to make it through with a dab - we used it when we held the Outlaw Trial there in 2003 and it took a lot of points. ( it continued up the mountain with more great sections)

-Albert Cabestany with the 2 models - 20 years apart.

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And now for something completely different - check out this video

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Another rare pic of a JCM rider up in the Mountains someplace in Europe back in 1988.

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I’m sure that many readers are aware that Malcolm Smith got hurt, being run over by a Golf Kart. - Well If you would like to read the whole story - click on the link below.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fracerxonline.com%2F2019%2F02%2F15%2Fwhere-are-they-now-two-weeks-of-hell%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2db1DB5fofyRwLUm6-0jNiXwvp2rl2BUGlCIGG5__BJyTzkzXOXe1h0vc&h=AT3JBDkVSS7xfaFn3PUTnnnNzoaWZE64IhZrNmZPxRY-_DAt22jviZpMWV-c-Db_XIycqwap9jIewq_9KMif1rAJyVL7GMrWGpAzVnU_jkjS2LNiy9bNc0rwFHTTqVjn3H0zJOi-dBtzkSBr_f8U3Tz50B0Iz8yj8KqRyC5WxIVbcEZv5Q2mjNn2iUrnyl-yZOjwSmFWDOFkcF_2XF2m9JOQJ8Ir29-kn3PxVCrLyoy2zyl_T2Q0nP8IDQnHPM0U4K7boGE3d3sokyrMwJaVkzHLIhC2ToGvT5eZCk9H_abmnFNjH4kobiU5p27yrk-T-rmTLI3c13FICRUPmNwGKHYo3tHzdOs2VmtEhp43fHPadet9DbaADOFTUTl8vxoktRX4P7Ue9uFZTqTr8puMl8Lzi2uf4CCXX_84f-ZivMdOLTwoFB1kUxbzcz33vsPvjPt4iFX1smQsUld1vzzTpL9xn-vSW-9W-YP6eLwvSZbekh_JPwtZ0U0Qv5snofukygP97jbJFs9DnAW4sJ8osKGw4fIwkUdPufyHBv4Z1eZWPOhe3EoSt7jVmhPF9j5cjvMasCJRe7Zk1xB3ctXjI0W8YzCr2vjjwIuYqqxqoAOe4wo7szIj9ceLZfREf-P1_weahOGb4cgdN1GSJPWJjHke8vSmrf8

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How about this “Classic”

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Remember when I  told the story of Trials tires freezing if being transported in pick-ups on very cold days ?  Here is a pic of one that did this in the Edmonton area a few years ago. -The guy asked for warranty !!!

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After seeing the pic of the restored Sherpa T - Our buddy Turk Perepalkin sent this - he bought it new in 1969 for $695.00 and rode it in Trials and Cross Country events ( A bit like what we all did back then) He commented that he wished he still had the bike - as indeed I wish I still had a lot of my models from the past.  - Interesting that I paid $600.00 for my 1969 Sherpa T - used !!!

This weekend it’s the big Telford Motorcycle show in Shropshire England, mainly for vintage enthusiasts, but many Trials Importers are now attending to show off the new bikes as well ( Maybe this one is less expensive that some of the others)
The Toronto Motorcycle Show also takes place this weekend - The ATA usually have a booth in that, and Helmut Clasen always has a nice display of his bikes - mostly Zundapps. & Hercules. - You won’t see any Beta display because the booth costs  that they charge are insane and the money can be better spent in other areas..

And here is a beautiful restoration of the bike that changed Trials forever, when Sammy Miller joined Bultaco to ride the lightweight ( for that time) Sherpa T 250. - The year was 1964, ( When Sam first went to Spain) and the next big change didn’t take place until 1984, when Yamaha introduced the Mono-shock TY 250.

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With nothing much to do today, I spent some more time posting old photographs on Face Book - Here is one I took of Stan on the JCM that I brought in in 1990 - I had met the Factory guys at the Scottish the year before, and as they looked good & they had quite a large Team , I arranged to Import them to Canada. - Although the bike looked great, with the gas tank below the seat. and air filter up high under the top frame, - it lacked power  and while Stan won the first Trial he rode it at Ioco, - things soon started to fall apart with my communications to the French Factory. - This suddenly ceased production, even though they had lots of money and were into other big business., making parts for Renault and French trains. - It was sad in a way, but may have been a blessing in disguise. - The change to liquid cooled motors was starting to happen, with Beta, Gas Gas & Aprilla  all having the new design, and the air-cooled machines were falling out of fashion.

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The ATAQ Trials club in Quebec have just posted their 2019 Calendar - neat way they did it, and again they will host the WTC Eastern Championship for 2019.

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As it is snowing heavily  in Vernon - I thought it might be a good day to post this photo of warmer times. - This is Babsy and myself on the beach at Cattolica Italy - which is situated on the Adriatic sea. We traveled approx 3,000miles through Europe, camping in France, Switzerland and right here  on the beach, which was almost deserted in September 1963. - The  Norton never missed a beat, even though we had it loaded with all our camping gear.

It was a wonderful holiday, waking up on a Mountainside in Switzerland to the sound of cow bells as the farmers herded them up to the pastures - this was a time before cell phones and credit cards, so we did everything on a low budget.

Unlike the modern touring bikes, the Norton was more of a “Racer”, not built for passenger comfort, so Babsy deserves a medal for making that trip, without complaining.

Bob Johns posted this rather humorous pic taken by a new neighbor - the Island folk have sure got hammered this past few days - Vancouver is also under a snow advisory.

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Not that it was much better in the OK Valley yesterday - snowed most of the day.

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Check out this great video >>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTJiYIA-T8g&fbclid=IwAR1MSNYmnLdsI75U0FXOmbpXHjdNdTE_xYZ4vodGQ4j7fY3ROPq55IoeEbo

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I’m sure that everybody has an opinion on how the sport of Trials riding is at the moment, on a World wide scale.

James Dabill’s minder Jiri Svoboda  has posted his ideas on the link below. - interesting comments and worth reading. - He is also a good rider and has been around for a while on the International scene.

shttps://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trialmaguk.com%2Fi-love-youtrial-jiri-svoboda%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0jod8J-SXLfLIQbDLa4CL39sBOR8hFYE7xe4Qvk3yAwqhmOKl4owAueoM&h=AT1VK9mezAaJp57e0ewe4z9lHdDZj5WGGIUVwabRW81MBcPMIjIiLAx7cyD1zCrrySZYOlrAuRjMeIUqV2jdaQk0y1GItLtWabDkmB7N5cE2B9YB7o_XfTQgYPr-nz4qnrvck99Huh_PRvN-MqPbjACatN6wg8JZbTrjlV7HAjKXt1HNROTINwsP2fLzdyHHNPuV0q3LAUXaBb5CjHGoam6qV_Zu0lrZYO50UDefv-Z4IX0Jc5rcfqQ5GdS77T-5VOVZXnc0rImCVeUC7RJNxuKR_0uzu7YAkWB8RnnpAVzmwBKEtcDsULIX64U8n2qyLcS2IS2dbab8j4d-C4fLSb6gI-l9Z8qBHrfLyB8cBY0×3v_qvTqppRuCq8Aol9JigyzQ7xbqcI6Z59zr_UPXzM5moGGnhjd1pNqnixniZjN_2Cd3kbarmdo4UXFXrEaXO066bAJ9odo41JX62DmszwMmh0sN2Hfd9qPwLSXHBkNAIIHLyUKC-BiC-qHgDPIZM4vnduwATQ-bO4fuI1U3RFw8WL73mb0BzEiYX1PMcmoxcMTcPGHh9t9bjolBhlnnhuYGkZc5o5fFSBm8RS_JPPAWkBkCsEXUQ6I5Vh2-TD11gNdEnU7wILihrRK8KR2NJYfEtFrl12RTNl9Wu9G3BMbQ5ljukz7ugvEdMcMk cene

Here is a photo of Jiri competing in the Scottish Six Day Trial.

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With snow blanketing the  Province, it’s hard to get too excited about riding, in fact I think I will need to cancel a Doctor’s appointment today as the driveway is “Plugged”

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And now for something different - Anybody in the market for a really good deal on a low miles ( just over 9,000 k) 2015 1200 - lots of extras. - A Trials buddy needs to sell this as he simply doesn’t use it. - Give me a call if you are interested.

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It’s not easy hitching a ride in the winter !!! This is a pic taken in the Rogers Pass.

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And here is a pic from the Ioco “Beta Trial” last Sunday - as you can see it was snowing - sorry don’t know who took the photo.

So the word from Vancouver on the Beta Trial, was that they had 25 riders, amazing considering the conditions. A full report will soon be up on Trials Canada, but it sounds like everybody had fun.  - Alex Walton (TRS) took the Expert win.

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I had to laugh when I saw this posted  - but it also took me back to my Yamaha days, and the time I took the new Japanese President to visit Walt Healy in Calgary. - Walt was busy, so I took the Japanese upstairs to the next level, where Walt had a “Bunch” of used bikes stored. - “Oh” was the exclamation as I flicked on the light switch, and they saw the rows and rows of bikes - every make & size - a total of 600 on that floor!!  - At a later date, I got Walt to pick 10 of these each week and post them as “Saturday Specials” in the Calgary Herald Classified advts. - You would have been amazed at how this moved product, but it also got customers in to look at new Yamaha’s as well.  Great memories.

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Nice to see that the Island boys got some snow !!! ( That will teach ‘em for posting all those pics riding on the dry ground day after day !!!)

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Some of our readers may recall seeing a photo of me riding one of these ! - I borrowed it from “Ton-Up” Cycle in Calgary to do a test for the Cycle Magazine, and ended up riding it in a Trial at Blackfoot Park in early 1971 ( still snow on the ground)  This was my first ever Trial in Canada, and saw me winning the “Best Opposite” award ( A strange system the CMA had back in the day)  - The Greeves Factory closed shop soon after, but quite a few good lads from the UK rode them for a while.  - I sometimes wonder what ever happened to that bike I tested.

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Check out this Retro World Trials video - All the top riders with sensible sections.
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I like this pic that Pete took of me - as usual I’m on an Evo 200 and just starting into this neat section at a secret location. - It even looks like I’ve got things under control!! It must have been around 2013, because I’m wearing old gear and my NZI Carbon Helmet.

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Here is one of me out testing the 2013 Beta RR300  ( Now owned by Kevin Fleming) very impressive bike, but the new high seat style and the fact that back then I was already 75 - had me spending a limited amount of time on it. ( Likely just as well, because it sure got my heart thumping)

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Lots of snow pics being posted at the moment, so thought you would like to see this old one taken at the Summerland Ady Brown Memorial Trial a few years ago - actually it was the day after - that is Jay Colley’s camp set up - not ideal camping conditions for sure - but Steve Day & the Bustin family also stayed over.

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For those of you who didn’t see the clip of Benoit Bincaz at the French indoor on Saturday - here it is  - riding in front of his home crowd must have been tough - but he came through with flying colors - it would appear that the switch to Beta suits him.
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I should mention that I found the scoring system confusing, but that seems to happen a lot in France. ( Remember when Gille Burgat won a World Round and even he was surprised at his score!!)
Here is a good shot of Luca Petrella. another new lad on a Beta.

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This is a nice practice area that Heath & his buddies have in the UK - I notice that even over there some folk dispose of old tires in the bush.

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After my post on Postil Lake yesterday, somebody emailed, asking if this was still available to ride? - To be honest I’m not sure - I did go there about 4-5 years ago and found a new road had been pushed through, which took out a lot of the stuff we used, -  also the Mountain bikers have taken it over to some extent, installing all their wooden ramps etc - this should not be allowed in my opinion - lets keep the woods natural.

Quite frankly I didn’t enjoy the day riding there which was a disappointment considering all the great sections we had on the loop. An old guy by the name of Joe had a shack close by, and told us he was the caretaker of the land we used which he said belonged to the Bennett family, of Political fame or other things depending on what you thought.

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Nice old Scramble video from the UK. - Those were the days !!

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With reports of a lot of snow on the West Coast - we have no idea as yet, how things went at Ioco for the Trial - we will let you know when we have news.

Janis Clark posted this pic of her driveway Sunday afternoon in Coquitlam.

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The bitter cold weather continues in Western Canada - Not sure if the CPTA Trial at Ioco is still on for today, but we know that the one slated for next week in Victoria, has been postponed. They have more snow forecast for the Island today.
Update: Ron Walsh posted to say the Ioco Trial sponsored by Beta is a go. However, looking at the forecast, it will be mighty cold, so good luck to all the hardy souls who attend.
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Saturday I watched some live video from an Indoor in France - some crazy obstacles as seems to be the norm these days, and spectacular riding from the super stars - Benoit Bincaz had a very good ride on the Factory Beta, finishing second to that man Toni B. - Adam Raga beat out Busto for third spot.

Trial Indoor International Cup

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For road race fans, here is some news from the Moto GP testing in Sepang Malasia.

Maverick Vinales set a new unofficial all-time Sepang lap record during the start of Friday’s final day of official MotoGP testing… then Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci went even quicker!

Monster Yamaha Vinales, quickest with a 1m 58.897s on day two, rocketed to a 1m 58.644s on his eighth lap of the day. That beat the previous unofficial fastest ever two-wheel lap at Sepang, which was a 1m 58.830s by Jorge Lorenzo one year ago for Ducati.

But Lorenzo’s replacement Petrucci then set a stunning 1m 58.239s, with team-mate Andrea Dovizioso slotting into second ahead of Vinales with a 1m 58.538s… until Pramac riders Jack Miller and then rookie Francesco Bagnaia took over second place, making it an all Ducati top four.

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An old report on one of the National Trials we put on at Postil Lake near Kelowna. - That was the day, when once again, the weather became our biggest adversary, with pounding rain just as the Trial started. - As you can see by the scores, this turned out to be a high scoring event, and also a day when Sparky Bill had to retire after a fall. - There was also  a kids class, which was a late addition, this featured such future stars as Ryon Bell, Will Duggan and Brandon Wince. - We had riders from all across Canada, plus a few from South of the border.

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And how about this old photo by Harlow Rankin of a young Stan Bakgaard on the 172 Montesa - Stan did really well on the small bike, riding it in a lot of big events. There is a great pic of him on it in Bernie Schreiber’s book on Trials.

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The very cold temperatures continue in the Valley -27 in Vernon this morning, so I think it will be another day watching the box - some golf on later from Pebble Beach, it is a Celebrity  event, with guys like Bill Murray, Wayne Gretsky and other stars joining the regular Tour players.  - Everybody seemed to be having fun Yesterday, when the weather at the Ocean side course was both rainy and blustery.

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