Apart from the Ryedale rally in July that I had already got my entry in for, there seemed to be a reason I can't make almost every race on the calendar!
Indeed it looks like a repeat of 2015, where after the Tuareg Rally in March I was only able to ride one UK rally, in the rest of the year, the Hafren in November.
Now I've always had a soft spot for the Hafren as it was my first ever rally back in October 2011 but on that first race, the sun shone and I loved it. Last year by contrast, held a month later in November, was a day of hill fog, pouring rain and howling gales... not pleasant!
Hafren Rally 2015
So what's happened or is happening in 2016?
The Brechfa Rally in March was discounted as it was only two weeks after the Tour of Portugal, so I would have had very limited time to prepare the bike especially as in the event I didn't get it back until the week beforehand and even then due to a slight cock up, my fairing and spares box got left behind at Desert Rose Racing in Sussex and I didn't get them back until after the rally!
The Borders Rally on 31st April/1st May was a no go as I couldn't get the Friday off work and driving all the way to Scotland after a day at work on the Friday evening of a Bank Holiday weekend wasn't a realistic proposition.
The BAJA GB in May clashed with a prearranged holiday to cycle the Coast to Coast route from Whitehaven to Sunderland.
The Rally Moto Cup event in June was unfortunately cancelled, shame as it would have been my first UK navigation rally.... and I was free that weekend!
The Ryedale in early July I actually got to race, a race report will follow in the next few days.
The Keider Rally in July was a bit close to the Ryedale being only two weeks later but would have been possible, except it got cancelled only a week and half before it was due to go ahead due to low entries.
The Beacons Rally in August is a no go as I'm already committed to a long weekend break to friends in Cornwall.
And the Tour of Mann on the Isle of Man in September is off because Grainne and I will be off on holiday to New Zealand (So don't feel too sorry for me).
This is also the reason I'm likely to miss the second Rally Moto Cup navigation event in September as it's the Sunday before we fly to Auckland, not great timing.
This also would have been the reason I couldn't do the Hafren Rally on its original date in October as it was the day after we got back but it has now been moved to November like last year.
So I may yet go and have a schlep round the Welsh forests in the cold and wet again!
The "Luxury" camping facilities, Hafren Rally 2015
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