Road Racing Poetry - Rain Men Do you ever have a moment as you shiver in the cold watching motorcycle racers in the rain? When a most peculiar feeling overtakes you all at once a feeling that you have to be insane. I'm curious to know if other people feel this way I'd hate to think that I'm the only one. As freezing water dribbles down the middle of your back does it settle in a puddle round your bum? Traditionally it happens at the starting of the year at Cookstown like as not it's lashing down. Do you blow your frozen hands to stop your fingers dropping off while muck sticks both your wellies to the ground. And when the practice starts and stops - and starts and stops again do you wonder if you'll ever see a race? As all the while a hurricane is whipping up a storm and doing its best to skin your freezing face. Do you strike a conversation with the chap who's next to you the one whose frozen teeth won't let him speak. His look of consternation says "I wish I was at home" and just then both your wellies start to leak. Do you think you must be loony to be doing what you do in weather better suited to a duck. And as you stand and shiver do you wish you were at home with drink in hand and curled up with a book. But when those brave lads on their bikes start flying through the spray is it then you feel a little bit of cheer. Or by the time the day is done are you a beaten man thinking "no way am I coming back next year". So I know I'm not the only one who's out there in the rain just getting soaked when racing days are bad. And I know that we'll keep doing it for though we must be daft it's not just racers who are raving mad. Back to Poem's Index