Part Ten – Venezuela:
The adventure getting to Medellin still wasn’t over. I didn’t know that Medellin was situated in the bottom of what was probably a extinct volcano. It was only a short journey but I didn’t realise how short.
The plane a DC10, took off and immediately went into a very steep climb then I could hear it throttling back. I looked out of the window and we were definitely losing height. Suddenly we dropped like a stone everybody screamed but not as loud as me. The reason for the sudden decent was that there were two white lines on the runway and if the plane hadn’t touched down between them there was a possibility that the pilot might not get the plane stopped before the end of the runway. In which case, his only option would be to try to take off again but there wouldn’t be sufficient runway left.
I am pleased to say that this information was kept from me.
I enjoyed doing the schools but its the sort of thing that’s easier to do than write about especially when you are a rider and not a journalist. This was without a doubt the first school I had done with six armed guards to keep us safe. Fortunately we didn’t need them!
I enjoyed doing the schools but its the sort of thing that’s easier to do than write about especially when you are a rider and not a journalist. This was without a doubt the first school I had done with six armed guards to keep us safe. Fortunately we didn’t need them!
Only the Venezuela school to go now and then I’m off home. The ride from the airport to Caracas was at night. It was very picturesque the hillsides were a mass of twinkling lights however in daylight it was a totally different picture. The hillsides were covered with people living in ramshackle wooden shacks and cardboard boxes. The flickering lights were their only form of light candles.
Venezuela road racer Johnny Ceccoto had recently won the World 250cc Racing Championship, so the whole country was speed mad. Fortunately, the trials riders were keen to learn although sometimes it was difficult when the section became blocked with four or five motocross bikes whose riders thought they would have a go at the section for themselves. The top rider here was Amando Diaz who a few years later came over to ride the SSDT.
Now I am off home and looking forward to some good old fashioned mud! – ROB
Venezuela road racer Johnny Ceccoto had recently won the World 250cc Racing Championship, so the whole country was speed mad. Fortunately, the trials riders were keen to learn although sometimes it was difficult when the section became blocked with four or five motocross bikes whose riders thought they would have a go at the section for themselves. The top rider here was Amando Diaz who a few years later came over to ride the SSDT.
Now I am off home and looking forward to some good old fashioned mud! – ROB
To be continued…
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© – Rob Edwards & Trials Guru/Moffat Racing, John Moffat – 2014 (All Rights reserved)
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