It’s not called Cliffhanger Hill Climb for fun, if you come unstuck on the notorious Cliffhanger Corner you’re in trouble – big trouble! We’ve seen it before (ouch!) but as the day drew nearer for the annual Hill Climb at Gladstone in the sunny Wairarapa we had turned our attention to the weather forecast – riders (me included) are not fussed with wet roads – a pain in the proverbial to say the least – but the gods were kind and graced us with two beautiful days. This year the Hill Climb was tinged with sadness as we were missing the  Cliffhanger stalwart himself – Garry Albrett – but his wonderful wife Dina was there stepping courageously up to the mark to make this very popular event happen and we had a record number of entries signed up to prove again that this is the best hill climb in the North Island – As they lined up to be sent on their way at 1 minute intervals I realized again why I love this event so much – big bikes with big noises, little bikes with big noises, old bikes with big noises, leather clad riders – ohhh it’s such a buzz! You get to read their eyes very well as the dearly beloved sends them off on their way with me right there recording numbers and soaking up the atmosphere and there are a lot of nerves underneath all that gear! They have to negotiate 27 corners, 6.2 kms at breakneck speeds of up to 300kms in around 2 to 3 minutes all the while climbing 1000 feet – it’s blood curdling stuff…..! And they don’t just do all this once – no, we send them up there as many times as we can fit in over a 2 day period. Saturday is practice day with the serious business of claiming champion status on Sunday. Oh no, this is not for the faint-hearted!  Cliffhanger corner lived up to it’s reputation and again claimed a couple of victims – but hey, that is the nature of the game. It’s a dangerous adrenalin pumping  sport and the guys know that. Probably what attracts them in the first place! There was a special award this year – the Garry Albrett Memorial Trophy for the person who best embodies the spirit of Cliffhanger…..jeez, it went to the dearly beloved. Well done Pete!!