Autumn mountain trail in Provo, Utah

A country track, or fieldway, in Slovenia

The Tuckerman Ravine trail at Mount Washington (New Hampshire)

Nature trail in Upstate New York.

A trail (also track, byway) is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements. Some trails can also be used for hiking, cycling, or cross-country skiing and less often for moving cattle herds and other livestock.

Usage[link]

Trail often denotes a hiking trail. Historically the term was used for a route into or through wild territory used by emigrants (e.g. the Oregon Trail). In the early years of the 20th century the term auto trail was used for a marked highway route, and trail is now also used to designate routes, including highway routes, designated for tourist interest (e.g. National Historic Trails, the Cabot Trail and Quilt Trail). The term trail has also been used by developers and urban planners for a variety of modern paved roads, highways, and boulevards. A particularly unusual use of the term is in the province of Alberta, Canada, which has multi-lane freeways called "trails".

In Australia, the term track can be used interchangeably with trail, and can refer to anything from a dirt road to an unpaved pedestrian path. The term trail gained popularity during World War II, when many servicemen from the United States were stationed in Australia, which probably influenced its being adopted by elements of the Australian media at the time (see Kokoda Track).

In New Zealand, the term track is used almost exclusively except in reference to cross-country skiing.

In the United Kingdom, the term trail is used, but mostly for longer distance walking routes through open country with rough surfacing. In England and Wales, the government-promoted long-distance paths are known as National Trails. Generally the term footpath is preferred for pedestrian routes, but is used for urban paths and sometimes in place of pavement, as well as longer distance trails. Track is used for wider paths (wide enough for vehicles), often used for hiking. The terms bridleway, byway, restricted byway are all recognised legal terms and to a greater or lesser extent in general usage.

Trail types and use[link]

Walking trails[link]

An abandoned trail in the Jinguashi mining area in Taiwan

Trail use has become very popular for a wide variety of users. Some trails are designated as educational trails which are specially laid-out paths that offer information on specific natural, technological or cultural themes at various stations en route, usually by means of information boards and/or exhibits. One example is the nature trail, which is used by people learning about the natural world. Many trails are designated day trails, meaning that they are generally used by people out for a short hike, less than a day. Some trails are designated backpacking trails, or long-distance trails, and are used by both day hikers and by backpackers. Some of the trails are over one thousand miles (1,600 km) long and may be hiked in sections by backpackers, or completed in one trip by dedicated hikers. Some trails are specifically used by other outdoor enthusiasts to gain access to another feature, such as good climbing sites. Many runners also favor running on trails rather than pavement, as giving a more vigorous work-out and better developing agility skills, as well as providing a more pleasant exercise environment.

Stairway trails[link]

Parts of many hiking trails at Mohonk Mountain House include stairway trails

Stairway trails are another way to ascend higher slopes. The stairs are constructed by making cuts in the dirt, rocks, or concrete. Stairway trails are usually for walking only. Popular stairway trails include the Stairway Trails in Bernal Heights, East - San Francisco, and the stairs at many hilltop Hindu temples such as the Palani Murugan Temple located in Tirumala, used during pilgrimage & Machu Picchu.^{[citation needed]}

Bicycle trails[link]

This article is about a type of path. For the geometric parameter of bicycles, see Bicycle and motorcycle geometry.

Bicycle trails or shared-use paths may be built to a different set of standards than pedestrian-only trails (hiking trails or sidewalks). In some cases, bicycle trails require a harder surface, fewer changes in grade and slope, increased sight visibility, and fewer sharp changes in direction. On the other hand, the cross-slope of a bike trail may be significantly greater than a foot trail, and the path may be narrower in some cases. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recommends different widths for different types of bicycle facilities.^[1] For example, a shared use path has a recommended one directional width of 8 feet (2.44 m), while a bidirectional path should be significantly wider (10 to 12 feet or 3.05 to 3.66 metres) to accommodate bidirectional traffic and users. The U.S. Department of Transportation provides additional guidance on recreational bicycle and pedestrian trail planning and design standards.^[2]

Downhill mountain biking can cause soil erosion and habitat destruction, if not carried out on established trails. Downhilling is particularly popular at ski resorts such as Mammoth Mountain in California or Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, where ski lifts are used to get bikes and riders to the top of the mountain.

Because bicycles require less steep grades than hikers, bike trails may have multiple switchbacks, while these may not be necessary for hikers. In cases where hikers use these bike trails, they may be tempted to cut the switchbacks.^{[citation needed]}

Where bike trails intersect with pedestrian or equestrian trails, signage at the intersections and high visibility onto the intersecting trails are needed in order to prevent collisions between fast-moving cyclists and slower moving hikers and horses. Bicycles and horses can share the same trails where the trail is wide enough with good visibility. The U.S. Department of Transportation provides standards and guidelines for traffic control, including signage and striping, for bicycle facilities.^[3]

A well designed recreational bike off road bicycle path (trail) for the exclusive use of bicycles has an average grade of less than 10%, and generally follow a contour line, rather than straight downhill. Bicycle trails slope out or across the trail 3-5% downhill to encourage water to run off the side, rather than down the trail bed. In addition, frequent grade reversals prevent water from running down the trail, make the trail more fun and interesting to ride, and generally help keep bike speeds down, providing a more safe trail experience for all users.^{[citation needed]}

Equestrian trails[link]

Unformed BNT trail along Kunderang Brook, in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park in Australia.

Prepared ski trails for cross-country skiing.

Horse riding and other equestrian uses of trails continue to be a popular activity for many trail users.^[4] Horses can negotiate much steeper terrain on a dirt trail, for instance, than on a gravel trail.^{[citation needed]} Horses can usually negotiate much the same grades as hikers, but not always, although they can more easily clear obstacles in the path such as logs.^[5]

The Bicentennial National Trail (BNT) in Australia is the longest marked multi-use trail in the world, stretching 5,330 kilometres from Cooktown, Queensland, through New South Wales to Healesville, Victoria. This trail runs the length of the rugged Great Dividing Range through national parks, private property and alongside of wilderness areas. One of the objectives was to develop a trail that linked up the brumby tracks,^[4] mustering and stock routes along the Great Dividing Range, thus providing an opportunity to legally ride the routes of stockmen and drovers who once travelled these areas with pack horses. This Trail provides access to some of the wildest, most remote country in the world.^[4] The Bicentennial National Trail is suitable for self-reliant horse riders, fit walkers and mountain bike riders.^[5]

Within the United States National Trail Classification System,^[6] equestrian trails include simple day-use bridle paths and others built to accommodate long strings of pack animals on journeys lasting many days. Trail design parameters for these uses include trail base width and material, trail clear width, trail clear height, access to water suitable for stock (not human) use, and trail routing.

Cross-country skiing[link]

In cross-country skiing, a trail (also called a 'track' or 'piste') refers to the parallel grooves cut into the snow, one for each ski.^{[citation needed]}

Motorized trails[link]

Motorized trail use also remains very popular with some people. Such terms as ORV, four-wheeling, all-terrain vehicle, and others actually have highly specific meanings. In the United States, this group of people have a very strong political lobby. The Recreational Trails Program defined as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA,  /ˌaɪsˈtiː/) of 1991 mandates that states must use a minimum of 30 percent of these funds for motorized trail uses.

Urban and suburban trails[link]

Though the term trail conjures up images of a well-beaten path in a woodland setting, more and more frequently, the term is coming to refer to any sort transportation route designed for non-automobile traffic. For example, a trend sweeping Northern America, especially in the rural Northeast, is the conversion of abandoned railways into rail trails. Examples include the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Berkshire County and the Northern Rail Trail of New Hampshire. Though these wide, often paved pathways could have easily been used as roads, their focus on recreational use for pedestrians and cyclists is what sets them apart as trails.

In Northern America, where urban sprawl has begun to strike even the most rural communities, developers and local leaders are currently striving to make their communities more conducive to non-motorized transportation through the use of less traditional "trails." The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has established the Active Living by Design program to improve the livability of communities in part through the trails, both in a more traditional sense, as is being done by the Upper Valley Trails Alliance or in the broader, as is being done by Groundwork Somerville.

Another type of trail that was quite popular in the 1970s and 1980s but is less popular today is the exercise trail (also known as trim trail), which combines running with exercise stations.

The term trail has also been used by developers and urban planners for a variety of modern paved roads, highways, and boulevards. A particularly unusual use of the term is in the province of Alberta, Canada, which has multi-lane freeways called "trails".

Though uncommon in the United States, public footpaths in the UK are often through developed areas, securing legal rights for pedestrians to take shortcuts between streets, avoid the noise and danger of streets with vehicles, and reduce the appeal and use of vehicles.

Trail difficulty ratings[link]

A simple colored symbol to classify a trail's difficulty was first used for ski trails and is now being used for hiking, bicycle, other trails and even airport security lines.^[7][8]

• Green circle - easy
• Blue square - moderate
• Black diamond - difficult

Other systems may be used in different locations.^[9][10]

Segregation[link]

Trail segregation, the practice of designating certain trails as having a specific preferred or exclusive use, is increasingly common and diverse. For example, segregated cycle facilities, for bicycles, are used not only on roads open to motor vehicles, but also in trail systems open to other trail users. Some trails are segregated for use by both equestrians and mountain bikes, or by equestrians only, or by mountain bikes only. Designated "wilderness area" trails may be segregated for non-wheeled use (hence permit backpacking and horses but exclude mountain bikes and motorized vehicles).

Often, trail segregation for a particular use is accompanied by prohibitions against that use on other trails within the trail system.

Trail segregation may be supported by signage, markings, trail design and construction (especially selection of tread materials), and by separation between parallel treads. Separation may be achieved by "natural" barriers including distance, ditching, banking, grading, and vegatation, and by "artificial" barriers including fencing, curbing, and walls.

The opposite of segregated use is shared use. Shared use may be achieved by sharing a trail easement, but within it maintaining segregated and sometimes also separated trail treads. This is common in rail trails. Shared use may also refer to alternate day arrangements, whereby two uses are segregated by being permitted on alternate days. This is increasingly common in long-distance trails shared by equestrians and mountain bike users; these two user communities have similar trail requirements but may experience encounters with each other on the trail as difficult.

Trail administration[link]

This section requires expansion.

In 1968, the United States created its National Trails System, which includes National Scenic Trails, National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails.

The rules and regulations for a trail are written and enforced by the land management agency in charge of the trail. A trail may be completely contained within one administration (e.g. a State Park) or it may pass through multiple administrations, leading to a confusing array of regulations, allowing dogs or mountain bikes in one segment but not in another, or requiring Wilderness Permits for a portion of the trail, but not everywhere.

In the United States agencies administering trails include the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, State Park systems, County Parks, cities, private organizations such as land trusts, businesses and individual property owners.

New trail construction by an agency must often be assessed for its environmental impact and conformance with State or Federal laws. For example, in California new trails must undergo reviews specified by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).^[11]

In the United Kingdom many trails and footpaths are of ancient origin and are protected under law as rights of way. In Ireland, the Keep Ireland Open^[12] organization is campaigning for similar rights.

Trail construction[link]

A trail constructed under the waterfall Steinsdalsfossen, Norway.

While many trails have arisen through common usage, quality trail design and construction is a complex process requiring certain sets of skills.

When a trail passes across a flat area that is not wet, often all that is required is to clear brush, tree limbs and undergrowth to produce a clear, walkable trail. When crossing streams, bridges may or may not be desirable, depending on the size of the stream and the depth of its banks. In wet areas, it may be necessary to create an elevated trailway with fill or by building a boardwalk. One problem with boardwalks is that they require frequent maintenance and replacement - boards in poor condition are often slippery and hazardous.

Trails on slopes[link]

A common mistake in establishing trails is to make them on slopes that are too steep for comfort and the environment. Such steep trails generally result in serious erosion, a wide swath of impacted area as walkers go to the sides to find better footing, and the inability of many hikers to walk the trail. Trail gradient should be determined based on a site specific assessment of soils & geology, drainage patterns of the slope, surrounding vegetation types, position on the slope of a given trail segment (bottom, mid-slope, ridgeline), average precipitation, storm intensities, types of use, volume & intensity of use, and a host of other factors affecting the ability of the trail substrate to resist erosion and provide a navigable surface. Trails that ascend steep slopes may use switchbacks (also called hairpins), but switchback design and construction is a specialized topic that takes great care.

If a trail is being made to be accessible to off-road wheelchairs, the grade should be no more than one in ten. If a paved trail has to be accessible to all wheelchairs, the grade must be no more than one in twelve, with periodic level pull-offs.

The off-slope, or side-slope, of the trail also must be considered. This is the slope of the trail from side to side, and should never be more than one in twelve. Side-sloped trails are prone to gullying. Ideally, the treadway of the trail should be almost, but not quite, level in cross-section.

Achieving the proper slope in hilly terrain usually requires the excavation of sidehill trail. This is trailway that is constructed by establishing a line of suitable slope across a hillside, then digging out by means of a mattock or similar tool to create the trail. This may be a full-bench trail, where the treadway is only on the firm ground surface after the overlying soil is removed and sidecast (thrown to the side as waste), or a half-bench trail, where soil is removed and packed to the side so that the treadway is half on firm old ground and half on new packed fill. In areas near drainages, creeks and other waterways, excavation spoils should be end-hauled (taken away in bulk and deposited in an environmentally benign area). In problem areas, it may be necessary to establish the trail entirely on fill. In cases where filling is used, it's necessary to pack it firmly and to revisit the site periodically to add to the fill and repack it until fully stable.

Drainage[link]

A waterbar in New York's Catskill Mountains. The trail forks right; the drainage ditch to the left.

A critically important and often-overlooked factor in trail construction is that of drainage. There are three general types of drainage problems on trails. The first is accumulation of water to the point that the trail is unusable. The second is erosion from moving water on the trail. The third is the creation of local mud spots.

The first type of drainage problem is common in places such as the north country. In such places, it is often necessary to build some type of raised walkway. This is often done by cutting poles from the woods, staking parallel poles in place on the ground, then filling between them with whatever material is available to create the raised walkway. The more elaborate option of the deckwalk is by necessity reserved for shorter stretches in very high-traffic areas.

The second type of problem is caused because trails, by their nature, tend to become drainage channels and eventually gullies if the drainage is not properly controlled. Where a trail is near the top of a hill or ridge, this is usually a minor issue, but when it is farther down it can become a very major issue.

In areas of heavy water flow along a trail, it may be necessary to create a ditch on the uphill side of the trail with drainage points across the trail. The cross-drainage may be accomplished by means of culverts, which must be cleared on a semi-annual basis, or by means of cross-channels, often created by placing logs or timbers across the trail in a downhill direction, called "thank-you-marms", "deadmen", or waterbars. Using timbers or rocks for this purpose also creates erosion barriers. Rock paving in the bottom of these channels and in the trailside ditches may help to maintain stability of these. Ideally, waterbars should be created, with or without ditching, at major points of water flow on or along the trail, and in conjunction, if possible, with existing drainage channels below the trail. Another important technique is to create coweeta dips, or drain dips, points on the trail where it falls briefly (for a meter or so) and then rises again. These provide positive drainage points that are almost never clogged by debris.

The third type of problem can occur both on bottomlands and on ridgetops and a variety of other spots. A local spot or short stretch of the trail may be chronically wet. If the trail is not directly on rock, then a mud pit forms. Trail users go to the side of the trail to avoid the mud pit, and the trail becomes widened, sometimes bizarrely so. If the drainage can be corrected, it must be. A common option if the location cannot be effectively drained is the "corduroy." This can range from random sticks laid across the path to split logs being laid across the path. Some of the early turnpikes in the United States were log corduroys, and these can still be found in third-world forested areas. With recreational trails, it is common to cut sticks that may be one to three inches thick and lay them in place, as close together as can be achieved. Sometimes, a short bridge may be a more feasible option.

Water crossings[link]

For pedestrian use, footbridges may be preferred. Other options are culverts, stepping stones, and shallow fords. For equestrian use, shallow fords may be preferred.

Trail width[link]

Trail width has two main components: width of the trail base or footbed; and width of the clear space on either side of the trail, as in cuts on steep slopes, tunnels, and through vegetation. Variants in width include single track and two track trails.

Multi-use trails[link]

Trails intended for use by bicycles, wheelchairs, equestrians, and pedestrians will often be surfaced, especially in heavily-used or urban areas. A wide variety of surface materials are used, including asphalt paving and compressed dust such as: crushed rock fines, cinders, or decomposed granite. Such trails will also have well-built bridges with a supported deck and side rails.

There has been a major effort to convert abandoned railroad grades to bike paths or multi-use paths. This has been termed "rails-to-trails". Railroads in use with adjacent trails are rails with trails.

Signage[link]

The most common symbols used in trail blazing

For long-distance trails, or trails where there is any possibility of anyone taking a wrong turn, blazing or signage should be provided. This may be accomplished by using either paint on natural surfaces or by placing pre-made medallions. Horseshoe-shaped blazes are good for bridle trails. The Appalachian Trail is blazed with white rectangles. Blue is often used for side trails. European walking paths are blazed with yellow points encircled with red. However, other walking paths in European countries are blazed in a variety of manners.

Maintenance[link]

Natural surface, single track trails will require some ongoing maintenance. However, if the trail is properly designed and constructed, maintenance should be limited to clearing downed trees, trimming back brush and clearing drainages. Depending on location, if the trail is properly designed, there should be no need for major rework such as grading or erosion control efforts. However, mountain trails which see both significant rainfall and human traffic may require "trail hardening" efforts in order to prevent further erosion. Most of the seemingly natural rock steps on the mountain trails of the northeast United States are, in fact, the work of professional and volunteer trail crews.

See also[link]

	Environment portal
	Ecology portal

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trails (category)

• AdventureSeed Trail Wiki - Interactive map of hiking, mountain biking, and backpacking trails
• Backcountry Secrets Hiking Trails - Hiking trails submitted by members from around the world. Some trails have GPX files when submitted by the members.
• Earthgoers - Member-contributed trail guide for hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing
• TrailFu.com - Mountain Biking Trail Resources - Information on Mountain biking specific trails
• Walking Route Planner - Walking Route Planer for Trails
• Peak to Peak Trail and Wilderness Links - A hand-indexed directory of thousands of Hiking, Backpacking, Walking, Trail and Wilderness Web Sites from around the world.
• Slackpacker.com - Designed to provide convenient access to websites with hiking and backpacking trail maps, descriptions, journals, trip reports, and photographs
• TrailGuru - Community project designed to build a digital database of trails using GPS data

Steve Peat

Steve Peat at Fort William World Cup 2004
Personal information
Full name	Steve Peat
Nickname	Peaty, Sheffield Steel
Born	(1974-06-17) June 17, 1974 (age 38) England  United Kingdom
Height	6'3"
Weight	14 stone
Team information
Current team	Steve Peat Syndicate
Discipline	MTB
Role	Rider
Rider type	DH and 4X
Professional team(s)
1995 Mid 1990s Late 1990s 2002–2005 2006 –	Saracen Team MBUK GT Bikes Orange Bikes Santa Cruz Syndicate
Major wins
GBR DH National Champion (8 Wins) EUR DH European Champion (3 Wins) UCI DH World Cup (17 Wins) UCI DH World Cup Overall (3 Wins) UCI DH World Champion (1 Win)
Medal record Competitor for  United Kingdom Mountain Bike World Championships Silver 2000 Sierra Nevada Downhill Silver 2001 Vail Downhill Silver 2002 Kaprun Downhill Silver 2008 Val Di Sol Downhill
Infobox last updated on 19 May 2009

Steve Peat (born 17 June 1974 in Chapeltown, South Yorkshire), nicknamed "Sheffield Steel" or more commonly just plain "Peaty", is a professional downhill mountain biker who was born and lives in Chapeltown, Sheffield, England. Prior to his career as a professional downhill cyclist Peat was employed as a plumber by James Lamb. He is married to Adele Croxon and has two sons, Jake and George Peat.

Peat began his career with little success riding for the Saracen team alongside Rob Warner, before moving in the mid 90s to Team MBUK. He rode for GT Bicycles in the late 90s and for the Orange team between 2002 and 2005, winning the Fort William downhill world cup round in 2005. He then joined the Santa Cruz Syndicate team for the 2006 season, which saw him finish 1st overall, and has continued with it since.

As last man down the hill, Peat won^[1] the La Bresse downhill world cup round 2 on May 10, 2009 with a time of 02:07.14 knocking Sam Hill out of the hot seat for his 16th world cup round win, tying at the top of the all-time leader-board with Nicolas Vouilloz. Just one week later on May 17, 2009, at the third round of the UCI World Cup in Vallnord, Peat won again^[2] (besting compatriot Gee Atherton by just 0.02 seconds) making him the most successful downhill mountain bike racer ever by number of wins.

Other successes include placing second in the Mountain Bike World Championships in 2000, 2001, 2002 and again in 2008 and becoming World Cup champion in 2002, 2004 and 2006. He has also won the Lisboa Downhill, held in Lisbon, Portugal, eight times. On September 6, 2009, Peat won the World Championships in Canberra for the first time in his career, with a winning time of 2:30.33, just 0.05 seconds ahead of his Santa Cruz team mate Greg Minnaar.

Aside from his professional riding career, Peat has other involvements with the sport, including contributing to the design and manufacture of specialist riding clothing made by Royal Racing of which he is part owner.^[3] Peat also has involvements with young cyclist academies, and is a proponent of youth involvement in the sport.

Following his recent world champ status he has released his own game 'Steve Peat - Downhill Mountain Biking' for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Palmarès (Incomplete)[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Steve Peat - official site
• Steve Peat profile at Cycling Archives
• Twitter
• TwitPic (photos)

Guy Martin
Martin at the 2010 Isle of Man TT.
Nationality	English
Born	(1981-11-04) 4 November 1981 (age 30) Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England
Motorcycle racing career statistics Isle of Man TT career TTs contested 8 (2004–present) TT wins 0 Podiums 13

Guy Martin (born 4 November 1981 in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, England) is a British motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic. He has primarily competed in road racing events.

Early career[link]

Martin decided to follow his father Ian's footsteps by racing motorcycles and moved to Ireland to join Team Racing.

After a highly successful debut year on the roads, that saw him win the Cock o' the North and International Gold Cup races at Oliver's Mount, Scarborough as well as the Irish 750cc Support Championship, he moved to the Uel Duncan Racing team for 2004. It was another successful year as he retained the Gold Cup whilst he also made his debut at the International road races with the highlight being 7th in the Senior TT. His best lap was 122.10 mph which, at the time, was the fastest ever lap set by a newcomer and almost 6 mph quicker than the previous best.

Staying with the team for 2005, Martin made further strides forward and at the TT he was the only rider to finish all five of his races inside the top six. A debut podium in the Senior was backed up with a fourth, two fifths and a sixth whilst he improved his lap speeds to in excess of 126 mph. He also took the Scarborough Gold Cup for the third successive year.

AIM Yamaha[link]

In 2006 Martin raced for Alistair Flanagan's AIM Yamaha race team. His first race for the team was the 2005 Macau GP. During the 2006 season Martin was allowed to race on the English circuits again, taking part in some British Supersport championship races. He also participated in the 3 Scarborough racing events at Oliver's Mount – the Ian Watson Spring National, the Cock o' the North and the Gold Cup meeting in which he won the prestigious Gold Cup equaling Geoff Dukes record of 4 in a row.^{[citation needed]} The International road race meetings had mixed results the North West 200 never went particularly well, The Isle of Man TT looked promising but problems soon led to it being another disappointment though at the final international of the year, the Ulster Grand Prix, Martin took 4 race wins and a 2nd making him the man of the meeting.

Hydrex Honda[link]

Hydrex Honda were the team that secured Martin's signature for the 2007 season. Shaun Muir team owner said he was "Delighted to have such a great prospect and a true character on board." and had "High hopes for the coming season". In the early season he took part in British Superbike and Supersport rounds to prepare for the road racing season. The first major international of the year was the North West 200 in which Martin finished with an 8th, a 4th, two 3rds and a 2nd. In the CP Hire Superstock race after a bad start Martin finished 3rd. The Isle of Man TT was the next major race on the calendar and Martin got a 3rd, two 2nds and a DNF after running out of fuel with less than 3 miles to go until his first pit stop. In the Senior race he just missed out on becoming only the second rider, at the time, to have lapped at more than 130 mph, his best lap falling short at 129.816 mph. Later video footage showed him run wide on the entry to Windy Corner and it was this mistake that led him to miss out on the magical 130 mph lap.

Martin continued to race on the English scene and then he regained his Cock o' the North title at the Scarborough circuit before going to Ireland for the Kells Road Races in which he took one race win. This was preparation for the Ulster Grand Prix which was delayed for two hours due to bad weather and in the first race Martin brought home a 5th position, in race 2 a win, and in the superbike race, which was shortened due to weather, a 2nd. After this red flag the days racing was cancelled due to bad weather and that meant for the 2nd year in a row Martin was the man of the meeting. The Scarborough Gold Cup meeting ended with him winning all the races on the final day including the Gold Cup.

2008[link]

On Tuesday 4 December Martin announced that he would be continuing with Hydrex Honda for the 2008 season. The team introduced a new sponsor, Bike Animal, a motorcycle news website. As well as contesting a full season in the British Superbike Championship, Guy again competed in the three International road races but he was denied his first TT win when he broke down whilst comfortably leading the opening Superbike race. He was eleven seconds in the lead when an electrical problem forced him out on the fourth lap. He did claim a podium, third, in the Superstock race but suffered further retirements in the Senior and second Supersport races. In September 2008 it was back to Olivers Mount for the International Gold Cup. Guy won the feature event and now has won 6 Gold Cups in a row, a new record, and he also has the lap record for the 1000cc bikes at Scarborough with a time of 1:45.3.

2009[link]

For 2009 Guy continued with the Hydrex Honda team for a third successive year contesting all three Internationals as well as contesting selected British Championship and Irish National races. In a move from previous seasons, Guy moved away from the main Hydrex team, preferring instead to run a smaller, close knit team and after a steady North West 200 meeting, confidence was high going into the TT, his number one event of the year, as he sought to win a race at the 37.73 mile circuit on the Isle of Man.

2009 was expected to be the year he broke the seal, but after claiming two 2nds and a 3rd on the Superstock, Superbike and Supersport bikes early in the week Martin's engine gave up after coming onto the pit lane in the 2nd 600 race leaving him with his first DNF of the week and after a radio TT commentator approached he was left with an apology to make to TT fans for saying "If I get my hands on the fucker who built that engine he will feel the back of my hand!" More grief was still to come when putting the bike into gear at the end of his 2nd pit stop during the Senior race his chain snapped, meaning he ended up with another DNF.

He regrouped to claim the Southern 100 Championship on the Billown road course in July, after finishing second on no less than three occasions – 2005, 2006 and 2007 – before heading to the third International race of the season, the Ulster Grand Prix.

After taking third in Thursday's Dundrod 150 Superbike race, Guy repeated the result in the feature UGP Superbike race, held over 8 laps, but he ensured he would not be without an International win in 2009 when he won a thrilling second Superbike race, just over a tenth of a second in front of fellow Lincolnshire rider Gary Johnson. He also placed 4th and 5th in the equally close Superstock and Supersport races.

At the 2009 Gold Cup at Oliver's Mount, Guy won the prestigious Steve Henshaw Gold Cup feature race, becoming the first rider to win 7 consecutive meetings.

2009 TT Results[link]

2010 Wilson Craig Honda[link]

The end of 2009 saw Martin leave Hydrex for Wilson Craig Honda a team which hailed from Northern Ireland. Martin failed to take a podium at the North West 200, with his best result being fourth in the second Superbike race. He went to the Isle of Man TT, looking to achieve his first TT victory. However, the meeting was dominated by Ian Hutchinson, who took a record-breaking five victories in all the solo races.^[2] In the final race, the Senior TT, Martin was a challenger to stop Hutchinson achieving the clean sweep, but was involved in an incident on the third lap of the race at Ballagarey, having led the race just before the first pit stop.^[3] Martin was airlifted to Noble's Hospital in Douglas with chest injuries. He was later diagnosed as suffering bruising to both lungs and minor fractures to his upper spine.^[3] His performance at the meeting was criticised by Simon Buckmaster, whose Performance Technical Racing company built the bikes that Martin was running.^[4] Martin received considerable public support over Buckmaster's comments, leading Buckmaster to reiterate them later.^[5]

2010 TT Results[link]

Relentless by TAS Suzuki[link]

November 2010 brought news Guy Martin had been signed by Relentless Suzuki the team run by the Neill family based in Northern Ireland. Previously the team has had over 18 TT wins with riders including Cameron Donald, David Jefferies, Bruce Anstey, Adrian Archibald and Jim Moodie.

Philip Neill had this to say about his new signing “It’s been a difficult decision changing our line-up as we pride ourselves on loyalty. In saying that, Guy is a rider I’ve wanted to work with for a couple of seasons now, and my loyalty to other riders probably held that decision back a little. He came to us full of enthusiasm and wants to do things our way, which was a good starting point. And on top of that, I'm a sucker for a challenge and I like Guy's free spirit attitude. He's created a Guy Martin brand without even trying and that’s also pretty special.

"Obviously we know he’s a very talented rider and has been extremely unlucky not to have won races at both the North West 200 and the TT. So our motivation is to complete that task, while making sure Guy also fulfils his commercial responsibility representing a manufacturer backed team. Having spoken to him at length before we agreed a deal, I know he won't let Suzuki or our sponsors down."

Guy is said to have found a good direction after joining his team-mates during testing at Cartagena.^{[citation needed]}

The popular road racer will pilot the team's Suzuki GSX-R1000 in selected events this season, most notably the Isle of Man TT where he will be striving for a first win.

Travelling to Spain with Josh Brookes and Alastair Seeley – who will compete in the British Superbike and British Supersport Championships respectively – Martin focused on sorting a good set up on the Superstock and Superbike machines.

"It's been steady away boy ... steady away,” he said. “We are making good headway and are not bothered with the stopwatch. We've had three days working very hard on the Superbike and we gave the 'stock bike a run out. I've found some good direction. It's all looking grand."

Guy had a relatively successful TT but still the all important top step was out of reach again. The closest he got was on Fridays senior race where he battled with John McGuinness until the bitter end for the lead. Eventually taking second place, Guy commented he did all he could and he was beaten by the better man.

2011 Ulster Gp[link]

Superbike Race 2 Win

2011 TT Results[link]

[edit] The Boat that Guy Built (BBC TV)

In March 2011 BBC One broadcast the educational documentary series "The Boat that Guy Built." In the show Martin along with his childhood pal "Mavis" (Mark Davis) renovate a narrow boat, Reckless, travelling on the canal network using the inventions of the Industrial Revolution. The programme involves reconstructions of early industrial processes such as smelting iron. The programme is narrated by Liza Tarbuck.^[8]

[edit] TT3D Closer to the Edge

TT3D: Closer to the Edge is a documentary film about the Isle of Man TT races. The film examines what motivates the riders who race the TT and risk everything to become "King of the Mountain". Filmed in 3D, the film is a story about freedom of choice and the strength of human spirit. The film follows the leading riders in the 2010 race meeting, in particular Guy Martin and Ian Hutchinson.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Guy Martin

• Guy Martin – Official Site
• Guy Martin at www.iomtt.com

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2010)

Joe Barnes (born December 18, 1951 in Fort Worth, Texas) was an all-star quarterback in the Canadian Football League.

Barnes was a graduate of Texas Tech University, playing from 1971 to 1973, and was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Honor in 1986. His senior year, he dated Dianna Delp. They were married in June 1974. Barnes was drafted by the Chicago Bears of the NFL in 1974 in the 13th round (316th overall.) He would play only 2 games for Chicago in 1974, completing 2 of 9 passes, and punting once for 27 yards.

He moved to Canada in 1976, and began a 5-year stretch with the Montreal Alouettes. He began by sharing QB duties with Sonny Wade, but mostly took over in 1978, when he threw for 1177 yards, and in 1979, when he added 2456 yards. He won a Grey Cup in 1977 and was QB for the 1978 and 1979 Cup losses to the Edmonton Eskimos. He lost his starting QB job in 1980 to Gerry Dattilio after six games, and was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Again, he shared QB duties for the Green Riders with John Hufnagel, and after the 1981 season headed to Toronto.

It was with the Toronto Argonauts that Barnes enjoyed his greatest success in the team's run and shoot offence. At first due to injury and the excellent play of Condredge Holloway Barnes played sparingly in 1982. Starting in 1983 he was working in tandem as QB with Holloway. For two seasons the tandem combined for over 5000 yards. In 1983 Holloway had 3184 and Barnes had 2274. The next season the numbers reversed with Barnes leading with 3128 followed by Holloway with 2231. Barnes helped lead Toronto to a long awaited Grey Cup victory in 1983. As was his style, he came off the bench in the second half and engineered the game winning drive and TD, a pass to Cedric Minter, in the final minutes. He was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player for his heroics.

In 1984 he was named an all star. In 1985 he was traded to the Calgary Stampeders but the team struggled for wins. After 11 games he was returned to Montreal in a trade, now with the Montreal Concordes, and played with the briefly renamed and reborn Alouettes in 1986.

Barnes was known for his unpredictable and effective scrambling.

Joe and Dianna have two children, Joanna and Joey. They also have three granddaughters.