Having decided that after this mornings practise
that the 1998 bike clutch was not running as it
should, we had to order all replacement parts
for us to be able to get it back out there again
asap. So our only option (other than not go
out at all !) was to run the trusty 1991 bike,
poor thing has been rebuilt last year ready
to race and has been semi-retired since then !
We started it up before taking it to the paddock
for strutineering this afternoon, and checked
around it etc and thought it was ok but I thought
maybe it was missing a little.
So off we go to join the queue and tried to chill
out a bit but still had to get the parts together
for the other bike, and make some minor
adjustments to the 1991 bike. BY this time I'd
been up over 14 hours, I laid out in the grass
and had fourty winks.
At 6.50pm we started up the bike and warmed it up
ready for off at 7pm, it was warmed up and I took
hold of the bike and it died on me, so Mum and
Simon tried a few attempts to start it and there
was no firing response, I look at carburator
and see nothing happening with the needle.
This is all happening in final seconds before
the 7pm session due to take to the roads, we have
to run to van to get tools, and take carb apart.
The problem is with the clip falling off the needle !!So we are fantically trying to put this right. We are 15 minutes late getting away!
I nailed it down Bray Hill and try to get
confident with the bike (after a year not riding
it, and problems above ).
I kept going at the end of lap one, to get my
first flying lap ! Which is within the qualifying
time......yippeeeee. Hopefully now my nerves will
settle and my confidence will only get better !
I was having a great clear second lap and getting
my lines nice and smooth. At the turn of Ginger
Hall, I felt I was nearly taken out by another
rider ( YOU MAY KNOW WHO U ARE !), it was a bit
close to say the least !!
I enjoyed the second lap, and feel more confident now.
I am looking forward to recieving my clutch parts
as soon as possible, so we are able to get the
1998 bike out on the road again with the rear
wheel repaired also.
The session looked incident free tonight and hope it stays this way.
I'm flagging badly now, so I say Good NIght !!

Great reports Gail and good luck and i wish all the other competitors a safe and successfull MGP.