On Friday evening I drove to the Duke of York, parked up the van, had dinner in the pub and finally set off around 10:00pm wrapped up in many layers and carrying plenty of drugs (and some red bull in case it got really bad 😂) and headed south towards Tamworth.
I should explain the drugs are due to the fact I suffer from a neuromuscular condition called Myasthenia Gravis than causes extreme muscle fatigue.
https://www.myaware.org/what-is-myastheniaIn my continuing campaign to laugh in the face of myasthenia entering the Edinburgh might be considered a foolhardy venture by some! (Actually that would be just about anyone but me)
One thing I’m thankful for is that after diagnosis I was able to keep driving never having suffered from double vision (a common symptom that often means losing your licence) and as my myasthenia is under reasonable control from medication I am still able to ride my motorbikes although muscle weakness and fatigue has to be managed.
Although the little matter of a heart attack last November (not related to the myasthenia and thankfully from which I have fully recovered) means I can no longer get an enduro licence but I am allowed a trials registration.
So on this basis I entered, well why not?
Foolhardy for a healthy person i'm sure many would say (those that don't appreciate classic trials of course) let alone a myasthenic but what the heck 😊
After various starting failures despite the bike being fitted with a brand new battery and after jump starting it from the van and laden down with the snappily named Pyridostigmine Bromide (the drug that improves the neurologist muscular exchange and helps stave off fatigue but only lasts 3-4 hours) I set off as mentioned above.
My start time was 00:21 but alas it was not to be! After 50 miles or so on the way down to Tamworth Services at around 11:30pm the rear wheel bearings on my bike failed in spectacular fashion just on the outskirts of town!
Annoyingly it passed an MOT only last week 😣
I limped into the services but there was nothing to be done and I had to withdraw before I’d even started ☹️
A friend of one of the car competitors overheard my plight and kindly offered me and the bike a lift back to the pub (thanks Tony!) and I got back there at around 02:30 😱
After three hours or so sleep, I was woken by the sound of bikes turning up so got up and joined them for breakfast and caught up with some friends, who reported the going was fairly good despite the heavy rain earlier in the week, yeah rub it in why don't you!
I considered going out to spectate but the lead riders would be heading up past Buxton towards Incline, in the opposite direction to home and I might have a long wait before they arrived at closer sections, so just before 08:00 I headed for home.
So I’m now back home, having been aided by several stops, lots of coffee and more medication and after crashing out in bed for a few more hours.
Total fatigued?
You bet! (even my fatigue has fatigue)
Disappointed?
Absolutely!
Going to enter next year?
Or maybe give the Exeter or Lands End a try?
Hell yeah!
See you out there soon.