FELLBECK / PATELY BRIDGE

WE ARRIVED AT THE SITE HALF AN HOUR LATE FOR THE
R.T.V. MATTHEW RACED ACROSS TO SUE BROOK AND
ASKED IF HE COULD ENTER THE TRIAL, SUE SAID THE
OTHERS WERE GOING QUIT SLOWLY. MATTHEW
MOTORED PAST SCRUTINEERING, A QUICK SIGN ON, WE
DID A SECTION VERY QUICK TO CATCH UP WITH THE
REST, THE ONLY BREAK WE GOT WAS DRIVING THE
SECTIONS.

THANKS SUE AND STUART THE SPEEDY MARSHAL'S.

THE SECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SITE WAS
THROUGH THE TREES AND DEEP WATERY RUTS, SOME
POOR SOLE GOT STUCK, SO THE MARSHAL SENT
MATTHEW IN TO PULL HIM OUT, BUT HE HAD GOT OUT BY
THE TIME WE'D GOT IN. THEN IT WAS MATTHEW'S TURN,
WE GOT THROUGH.

NEXT ON WAS A QUITE LONG ONE WITH SOME DEEP
RUTS TO CROSS, MATTHEW'S FRONT NEAR SIDE WHEEL
DISAPPEARED IN A WATERY HOLE, THEN WE HAD TO
TURN SHARP RIGHT BUT MISSED THE GATE.

THE LAST SECTION WAS THROUGH SOME MORE TREE'S
NEAR OUR CAMP SITE. MATTHEW'S TIRES LET US DOWN
- NOT ENOUGH GRIP OR WAS IT TO MUCH REV'S? I GOT
SPRAYED WITH WATERY MUD OUCH!
MOST OF THE OTHERS CLEARED IT.

THEN WE PUT OUR TENTS UP, AND COOKED SOME TEA,
WE WERE STARVING. AFTER DRINKING A BOTTLE OF
NEWCASTLE BROWN WITH MY TEA I WAS DRUNK.

SUNDAY THE SECTIONS WERE QUITE HARD, I HAD JIM
SITTING IN WITH ME, AS PENNY WAS DOING BETTER
THINGS AT HOME. AT THE SECTION AT THE BOTTOM
LEFT-HAND SIDE 1 ENDED UP DRIVING IN TO A BROKEN
DOWN WALL - QUICK STOP. I DROVE ROUND THE R.T.V.
TRACK WE HIT SOMETHING STUCK OUT FROM THE RUTS
BANGED/SQUASHED THE BOTTOM OF MY BULKHEAD
OUCH!, I GOT ROUND TO THE END OF THE RUTS, THE
WATER HOLE WAS A FOOT DEEPER IT STOPPED US DEAD
AND MY MOTOR CRAWLED OUT VERY SLOWLY.

THE SECTION WITH THE TREES AT THE TOP OF THE SITE,1
WAS DOING WELL WHEN MY MOTOR JUMPED OUT OF
THE RUTS AND HIT A TREE, I KEPT GOING THEN WE HIT
ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE. CRUNCH!! WE GOT TO THE END
WHEN I FOUND A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING IT TOOK
A SIX POINT SHUNT TO CLEAR THE SECTION, A RANGY
DRIVER PULLED MY BUMPER ENDS STRAIGHT.

IN THE AFTERNOON WE WERE FIRST ONTO A SECTION, 1
RAN OUT OF THE LINE OF THE SECTION AND GOT STUCK
ON A MOUND, SOME ONE SAID "HE'S TINNED OUT" SO I
TOLD THEM TO PUSH ME FORWARD - THEY COULDN'T
SHOVE ME OFF QUICK ENOUGH. I TURNED RIGHT IN THE
POND AND FOUND THE WATER OVER MY BOOTS, WE
FLOATED ABOUT IN THE POND FOR A WHILE AND
EVENTUALLY THE MOTOR FOUND GRIP AND WE DROVE
FREE. I OPENED MY DOOR AND TWO GALLONS OF WATER
POURED OUT SO I LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING TO DRY
THINGS OFF. I HAD TO TAKE OFF MY BOOTS AND EMPTY
ALL THE WATER OUT OF THEM.

THANKS TO THE SETTERS OUT. MARSHALS AND
ORGANISERS

KEITH NORMANTON.

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