May 27, 2010, GregW.
Two perspectives of a forest in 1st person monologue
First
I launched it over the crest , landed crossed up, too hard, into the gravel,
Shit! corner on me too soon, cross cambered.
Wrong Nav!, …”NEXT!”
40, right, wide of apex, flat.
Nav? Nooooo.. got my hands full now.
Got to catch it, trees, close, both sides, the bounce will chuck me at the gully.
Shiiiit. too aggressive. Sliding now. Gravel pounding. Can’t hear
“REPEAT”
Bugger, late in. have to take it. full over-steer.
God no.
Side in, where’s me traction.
Caught it. Full opp lock. floor it.
I see rock. Missed it.
Straighten. Second, flat third.
“What?”
yeah left 60 hard . alright got that.
Tyres? left soft?, all we need….. No feels okay.
fourth 95. back to second
crest then 20 right, cut apex.
Road’s terrible. Rocks throwing me off line
Dip. Straight. Deep water, second, “wipe screen”, third.
“WIPE SCREEN!” , second into left, flat third.
NOOO!
“You Prick !” its never flat out of that. Shit.
Caught it.
“where are you Nav?” “get on track”
God. Gate posts. Through ‘em.
Yeah Ok. Straight, third, 110, fourth 140
Okay two-up left right apex and wide.
Shit. this surface. Looooosing iiit . close.
First tight to apex, second wide, third flat to crest. Fourth. Launch……….. straighten it.
Landed.
Third, hard brake, second to long right, into gully, hold apex.
Out flat 500 to right then dip to left 80 rise,
“60 rise? Which? sure?”
GET IT RIGHT nav! Dip left 60 rise ok?......
Whoa!!, YELLOW!! car off . who?. Damn. on the line too. Soft break, right, Missed ‘em.
Yellows, damn…. Back off … flag down,
OK! Greens, second 80, third 110 long left….. holding it,
out straight, fourth 130 140….. 160 Rise, into sun , CAN’T see!!!
What?
Ok left 120 sweep to right, dip, Whoa!
Grounded, lost the back box?, bloody racket.
“CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!! “
Got it
left 80 slow dip and crest left 90…..no!
Get It right!
Left 60?!
“Shit Nav, you’ll kill us,”
got it, straight, flat third 120 fourth 130 hard brake down, third, second, first, 30
and into left hairpin up and into long rise on left
long slide right 100, line up for sealed road.
400 long left 500 to finish...
Power drifting
the tyres ripping at solid tarmac and the screeching noise seems to fit my mood perfectly as we cross the line.
30 seconds down on third place.
“Ordinary job Nav.”
Second
I don’t get the chance all that often to come here now.
It felt like a real tonic for me to drive into this forest and again get to such a peaceful space. Strange to see other cars in the car park though, mustn’t grumble, it’s a nice day I suppose, can’t expect to always have the place to myself.
I don’t know, I must have been here a hundred times, but I still love the feel of it up here. And even today despite that the clouds keep blocking the sun, the clearing looks bright with its new summer grass. I see the track worn through the clearing is all dry, well trodden and it’s tempting me to go down to the stream too, I’m guessing that’s where everyone else have gone, they have been bought out by the warm day and have taken that lovely snaking route down through the bracken and that glorious smell of native garlic. Not that for me today then.
I’ll hike up the rise to the rocks overlooking the valley, I can do without the people.
The clearing is just off behind me and the trees are closer together here. It’s been ages since I have been to the outcrop and I’d forgotten how steep the way is. Well, probably long more than steep. As I look ahead I see the winter rains have washed out some of the roots, small branches have fallen down and the trees here have kept their green moss trunks. In the distance I hear some idiot thrashing his engine but it pulses in the distance, fades off and I return to my pleasant plodding climb. I disturb some animal in the undergrowth and hear it scuttle away to my left, I wonder for the next few strides what it is. The birdsong is sporadic today and I keep guessing what the songs I hear belong to. Never been much of a nature studier, perhaps my ignorance of such things makes my time out here more peaceful. The track has begun to flatten out a bit and as I glance up I can see where the rocks are starting to jut out of the hillside. I lengthen my stride over what is now an easier path and I’m beginning to get glimpses of the view out to the right. I can see the sun laying over the fields in the distance and feel the warm air breezing through the trees here. All along the way though I am getting hints of that prat racing his engine off in the distance. Bloody annoying. Bad enough the flights from Menwith Hill which often plague the peace without some boy racers thrashing about.
It’s been quite a climb, but the ridge is just ahead and the afternoon sun looks from here like it is warming my big stone sofa quite nicely. The face of the ridge is steeper than I recall it but I spot the route I took last time and it looks okay. Some of the hand holds, crevasses and ledges are tighter and slipperier that I remembered them and this rock face is proving more of an effort that I would like. The top edge is within a reach though and the toddy in my hip flask is not to be denied much longer. Damn it if those idiots in their cars don’t seem to have been getting closer. But here I am, gawd that view is spectacular. I ‘ll plant my arse and have a breather. The ledge here is almost level and juts out over the trees below to give me a full vista over the Wharfe and the fields with their stone walls and barns gleaming grey and yellow in the slanting sun…
I have had a good long swig and am laying back with my head propped up on my pack.
I have been hearing the rip and clash of those engine revving bastards flailing around all bloody afternoon. Now the buggers have just blasted up and shot past below me. They slid maniacally onto the tarmac screaming their tyres with a screeching noise that seemed to fit perfectly with my now totally disturbed mood.
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