RIDE THE TT CIRCUIT AT DAWN
Rise with the lark to experience the Isle of Ma’s Mountain Course in all its traffic-free glory
Ican’t help but smile as I spot a stumbling drunk making his way home along the Douglas seafront. It’s 6am on the Isle of Man during TT week and there’s always one who hasn’t managed to get back to his B&B. I, however, was tucked into my bed by nine last night and am sober as a judge. Reason? I’m on my way to the start line ready for an early morning lap, which should be just about the most satisfying 30 minutes you can have on a bike. At the world famous Grandstand it’s eerily silent. As I get ready, a postman driving past gives me a nod; he knows my secret: that the best time to ride the 37 ¾-mile track is before anyone is awake, before the mountain gets congested with TT tourists and locals. From the startline, long black lines of rubber disappear down the newly surfaced road towards St Ninian’s Crossroads, evidence of last night’s practice. As I roll through Douglas’s suburbs, around Quarterbridge and out into the country, I count the mile markers and absorb the famous landmarks and can’t help but feel the history in every square inch of this circuit. You can follow the dark lines, see where racers have been braking or accelerating. There’s even the odd scrape mark from a dragged bellypan, which takes the breath away.
The whole Glen Helen section is lovely on a morning as good as this with rays of sunlight penetrating the tree canopy. There’s a smell of wild garlic as I ride carefully on to Kirk Michael, which the racers fly through at 170mph and still feels narrow even at legal speeds.
‘I spot the ‘K’ on the tree the racers aim for’
The slower you go the more you see. There are makeshift grandstands in front gardens, and so many chairs randomly left in reserved viewing spots. Every now and then, I spy some flowers or a plaque remembering a fallen racer or race fan. There’s no hiding the fact that the TT is a dangerous place. From Ginger Hall to Ramsey the surface feels like a motocross track. At legal speeds you are jarred by the bumps and I spot the ‘K’ on the tree the racers aim for in search of the correct line. It’s horrible to race on but this morning at legal speeds it’s actually a nice flowing section. Into Ramsey and all I’m thinking about is the upcoming Mountain section. Enjoyable as the ‘normal’ road section is, riding the unrestricted mountain, with its one-way flow during the TT, is another level.
‘I count the miles and absorb the landmarks’ ‘Kirk Michael feels narrow at legal speeds’
As I round the famous
Ramsey
Hairpin, I’m still cautious. The road is still cold, as are my tyres. The Mountain section may be one way but there could be a broken down car, a sleeping sheep or anything around the next bend. Yes, there’s no speed limit but there aren’t any marshals, warning flags or medics on hand. It will be a fast lap, but not a racy one.
Out of the Gooseneck and I open up my Kawasaki Z900RS. It feels strange at first heading to the wrong side of the road, lining up for the next two fast lefts. Guthrie’s Memorial is always tricky (in slow, fast out) then once over the small bridge where Hutchy famously crashed last year it’s flat out up the Mountain Mile. With its minimalist retro fairing, the Zed takes some holding on to around here.
I may have raced here, but today I still ride only what I can see. I take in the views and wonder at the sheer skill the top riders use to get round this bleak and beautiful place so quickly.
Now it’s all downhill, back to Douglas. Wing Corner is open, knee hovering over the inside line, lovely, and the Zed feels planted and happy. Now at Keppel Gate it’s time to roll back the throttle and comply with the speed limit and traffic management.
A stop-off at the Creg is a must. I press my hand against my Dunlop rubber, and it feels pleasantly warm as the Zed tings and pops as it cools down. I jump onto the tyre wall, look back at the track and reflect on what I’ve just done. For me, for thousands of us, riding the course isn’t about speed or getting scared, it’s about riding the same historic route as did my heroes, Joey, Hizzy, Foggy, and Jefferies. Feeling it.