Jubilee and Race Days

The Queens Diamond Jubilee consumed more than my weekend in glorious style; and I hit the ground running attending Wednesdays TT Races only for the rain to halt my momentum.

At the Grandstand all the teams are busy and feeling tense in the wait, fixing-up bikes and eager to get started. Fans mill around in the hope that the action will resume soon.

Such a highly skilled race is dependent on the right conditions, and with rain predicted for the rest of the week, I think we’ll all be playing the waiting game. Though for me nothing could dampen down the amazing time I’ve had over the TT this year. Being able to witness firsthand rider and team competing in this thrilling race, and all the wonderful people I’ve met along the way, I have fabulous new memories of our spectacular Island event.

All this thanks to my £50, lotto scratch card win, paid sponsorship of ‘thepeoplesbike.com’.

For images please view: http://seeingamoment.wordpress.com/

For all footage please view: http://www.youtube.com/user/123bluepoppy/videos

To relive the whole experience start at the begining (bottom of the page)

My Sponsors T Shirt with my Mark Webber Autograph & the Lollipop I got from Eunice.

Sponsors Gather…

A jet flypast over Douglas marks the start of TT Week and accents my attendance to the sponsors gathering of ‘thepeoplesbike.com’.

The team greet everyone warmly and we’re treated with drinks and food as we discuss our experiences with the races and what brought each of us to place sponsorship. Every story is different; but with a similar theme in that we wanted to have fun.

For me this has been a fantastic time and far exceeded any expectation. My TT experience is forever changed and permanently pressed with the most wonderful and exhilarating impressions; the power of rider and machine as the sound of their acceleration from the start line grows ever louder, followed by the full force of their speed, grit and dust as they past me in a second, petrol fumes heavy in the air.

What an amazing time and there’s still TT Week to come.

The Superbike Race begins.

Walking from our team awning into the pits the media scrum descends. Bikers are surrounded in a frenzy of film crews, photographers and journalists. The true level of popularity and world renowned status of this race is there for me to see in the throngs and scramble around me, and I feel in awe of my place in it all.

The race is about to start in fifteen minutes and my ‘team pass’ allows me to get close-up footage of Mark Webber, Formula One driver, http://www.youtube.com/user/123bluepoppy/videos . He seems very at ease with the mass of people surrounding him, as he talks about the skill required to take on the TT course. I even receive an autograph and a smile from him before he goes to watch the race.

Two minutes to go and the media still throng around the riders at the start line. I wonder how they’re able to mentally prepare for what’s before them, considering I can barely comprehend what’s going on myself. I just make out Guy Martin amongst the crowd and he allows me to get close footage of him preparing for the race, http://www.youtube.com/user/123bluepoppy/videos.

Dan gets off to a good start, despite the fact that a tyre has to be changed with just a minute to spare; but he makes good time thanks to the team.

From the start line, I forge my way through the crowds to get a good view of the riders coming into the pits, were I’m witness to one bike catching fire in front of us; only to then resume in the race a minute or so later.

I feel I’m in a day of extremes, with the media scrum to the concentrated level of focus and dedication shown by riders and team; were everyone involved is pushed to their limit, and no one seems to mind because they love every minute of it.

I walk through the grandstand crowds and out towards Douglas Bay, where the 2012 Olympic Torch continues its relay along our glorious promenade; and I note what a fabulous place this is to be.

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Power of the Race.

The roar of the engine quickens towards me. Then I feel the full force and power of the riders speed as they race past; grit and dust flying in their wake with the fumes of fuel pungent in the air. They pass at a lightning speed and their sheer power is breathtaking.

Yes, I was that close!

Day Three of the Race

Only my camera protects me against the grit and dust kicked up from the road as the bikes race past my position at the start line; this is day three of the practice races and a ‘pit team’ pass gets me close to the action.

Dan races ahead and reaches a personal best of 120mph.

All the pit teams are looking pretty tired now as their work is relentless in assisting their rider towards victory; but there are a lot of races still to go.

My next visit to the track will be Saturday morning before the Super Bike Race for the grid walk.

For now I walk away from the TT Grandstand to the beach, which is five minutes away, and look out onto the calm sea lapping against the beautiful coastline. The air is so fresh and clear and I’m reminded how lucky I am to live on this gorgeous island; as the mist gently rolls in.

The First Race of Practice Week was Immense…

I looked Michael Thompson in the eye as he raced, just an inch away past me, back into the main race. The sheer power of the machines roared through me, as I stood in the main Grid, and felt total immersion into the TT Races; and this is only Practice Week!

Footage is being uploaded all the time to http://www.youtube.com/user/123bluepoppy/videos

Walking through the crowd at the TT Grandstand I make my way past the fans into the rider’s area; where all the team awning’s are lined up and prepare. There’s a perfectly blended balance here of friendly, open, family atmosphere, coupled with focus, skill, power and determination of riders and team.

I am greeted so warmly by ‘thepeoplesbike’ crew members I am immediately put at ease; and with the handover of a team pass I am made an official member of the days racing crew. Now the fun really begins.

The team pass allows me everywhere the bikers go and it feels amazing to walk past all security to follow our crew into the main grid area, where we, along with the TT’s top riders, are getting ready for the first practice week race.

Dan is rearing to go and totally focused, and he feels especially determined this year, as a significant arm injury in 2011 which had curtailed his performance, means he’s now hungry for the race.

Ten minutes before the start I get some great footage of the riders preparing on the track. The engines roar at a deafening and thrilling level, and the smell of fuel hangs heavy in the hot air. The riders show pure focus as they prepare, yet their sheer love of the sport and for fans makes them very approachable and they’ll happily talk about what riding the course entails for them and how much they love riding in the TT.

The race starts and I’m on the track inches away from the competitors. Their power, speed and skill are phenomenal. Seeing the look on the riders face as he speeds off into this world renowned, spectacular race, I feel very lucky to witness this first hand, up-close and be able to film it all. (see http://www.youtube.com/user/123bluepoppy/videos)

Already they’re reaching speeds of up to 125mph, and this is just the warm-up! Dan get’s off to an excellent start; he makes one stop into pits and speeds out again.

Then just after 7pm there’s a problem with the electrics on the bike, and it breaks down on the mountain road (Snaefell). Due to the positioning Dan has to stay there till the end of the race, as there’s no way of the crew getting to him until it’s all over. This is only the practice, so there’s plenty of time to get things sorted for the main race, and this is the reality of the sport. Everyone in the team is upbeat for the next practice, as every eventuality is taken into consideration, and as long as Dan is safe, anything else can be sorted. I’m so impressed by the professionalism and skill of the whole team, and with Dan as a rider, I know nothing will faze them and they’re fighting strong.

So, I leave the races in a positive, upbeat mood, the smell of fuel still around me, the roar of the engines ringing in my ears, thrilled to the hilt and ready for the next race.

Dan Hegarty TT Practice Week 2012

Guy Martin TT Practice Week race 2012

Experiencing the TT Races First Hand by Sponsoring thepeoplesbike.com in the Isle of Man

Even though I love living on the beautiful Isle of Man, over the past few years I’d found myself feeling more inconvenienced than excited by the annual world renowned TT Races. I knew I wanted to make the most of my unique position at the centre of what is a fun event; I just had no idea how. That was until a £50 scratch card win and the chance viewing of an online BBC sport’s article provided me with the perfect opportunity.

The article stated that ‘thepeoplesbike.com’ was offering fans the chance to get involved, and for just £50 they could purchase a sponsorship package enabling their team to enter the races. Sponsors were given the chance to experience the TT first hand, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

My scratch card win, purchases my sponsorship on 14th May, and I immediately receive an email from the founder,  Mark Cubbon, thanking me for my support and asking if I would like to get on a grid walk before a solo race; my enthusiasm has returned!

I receive my official sponsors T shirt, complete with a thank you note from Mark and Eunice; and learn that my grid walk  is pencilled in for 2nd June, which is just before the Superbike Race, and I seriously can’t wait.

The day after that I attend the sponsors gathering at our team awning where I’ll meet this year’s rider, Dan Hegarty , along with  2009 rider Steve Mercer and 2010 rider Stephen Thompson.

This practice week marks Dan’s first race for the team. Now my blog begins….

The TT Experience in Manx Language…

Ta me cummal ayns Mannin Veg Veen as ta mee er ve smooinaghtyn rish tammylt dy vel ny ratchyn jannoo deinys er bea eer dy nee gamman mie t’ayn. Ansherbee va mee geearree jannoo red ennagh lesh ny ratchyn as tra ren mee cosney £50, booise da tiggad lotto, as lurg dou lhaih art er BBC mychione thepeoplesbik.com ren mee smooinaghtyn dy beagh eh feeu sponsoral skimmee.

Ren Mark Cubbon cur er bun The People’s Bike ayns 2009.

Ta mee gynsaghey Gaelg son blein.

All material, including photographs, on this blog are copyrighted ©