New Whitworth 22/7/2001

 

Joy arrived on time, we were off. We got to the site with no
problems, I dropped Joy off at the box and I lined up for scrutineering it
passed ok. 1 dismantled my motor, I had brought the minimum of equipment
with me? I went to sign on, I said to Joy £7 Joy! Joy said £20 ouch! I said
I'm not sure if I've got a navigator today? Joy said I'll send them down if
you get one.

I drove over to Dave, Steve, Ryan and Bryan's section. I thought
dare, I do a right hand tilt test? NO I thought I'll wait until the trial starts,
we have been waiting 5 months to see if we had found the problem!!

I drove back to the box trailer, Carol, Dave and Geoffhad turned up.
Carol said I've signed on for you Keith! We reset the seatbelt for Carol. The
old team back together!

We had the drivers meeting, we had 7 marshals and 20 motors, we
were going to have Dave and Geoff as marshals so Carol would have access
to food from their motor, but it didn't turn out that way, Carol was not
amused. So she got a packet of biscuits and some drinks.

Our first section we got 11 points, 3 or 4 drivers got to the end. Our
second section was hard, Alan Standing got the furthest but rolled onto his
side ouch! He was soon back on his wheels. Our turn, we got over the
lumpy bumpy bits ok. Driving across the right hand leany bit, the engine
kept running!! But I went into PANIC MODE and turned quickly, I started
laughing! The other drivers had their own problems.

Our third section was set out by 'The Cool Can Gang,' everyone
was getting to the end, our turn, we only got halfway round, we backed off
looking for an easy way out. We found a V8 hill to clear the section a lad
with a camera was at the top I pressed the horn, he did not move! I flashed
the lights, he moved, we got out.

We had another one from 'The Cool Can Gang' just after the start
we had a leany bit to the left (Carol's side) we got over it but a stick jumped
out and hit us, I kept going just to get my moneys worth.

Then we got the one with the muddy pond. Colin went first, he
could not get out of the short slippery bank, the other drivers sneaked round
the right side, and we did the same and we got a clear, our first of the day or
was it the year?

Then we had a section, a stony start with axle twisters, turn right
then down a stony bank, most got passed this point. Our turn, we got past

the axle twister but hit a stone with my bumper it stopped us dead, BIG
Ouch! It bent the end of my bumper.

The last one before dinner time, we had to drive over sandy mounds
and hollows. Nigel gave his motor some boot, and most got to the end. Our
turn, I did not give my motor enough boot.

Nigel called me over to the end of the section, he said have you got
our hook to straighten out my bumper ends? No I said, but I've got a short
rope (2ft long), I said if it fly's off it will not hurt anyone! It worked.

After dinner we had another of'The Cool Can Gang's' sections, we
only got a third of the way round, Nigel hit the same stick and hurt his arm
and the stick got his Knuckles BIG ouch! The rest did better.

Then we had the one behind the box trailer, it was a bit rough to get
across then a V8 hill, we managed to get three quarters of the way round.
Most of the drivers got to the end. Nigel got cough out in the rough bit, he
bent his bumper into the tyre and we had another bumper straightening
session!

We were on our second reversed section, a very stony one, we went
first, we soon got stuck! The other's found the right line, with Dave doing
his rag doll impressions and then getting it right again! The other Dave coils
Rodgers got as far as we did, but the marshal had him back out of the
section, then Steve towed him clear!

We had another of 'The Cool Can Gangs' sections reversed, some of
our drivers had trouble with the middle, we did well, we almost got to the
end.

Next one was across the other side of some soft ground, we had an
extra navigator, Robert in the back! Most drivers got to the end, we got as
far as the leany bit and I stalled it. After Nigel had a go he came over and
said you dug out a rock! Robert said it was self inflicted BIG OUCH!

Passing the pond we were to drive through, there was a dog
swimming in it, Carol got the camera out and took a photo. Most drivers got
to the end, our turn, I had fit my deep water cover, I said to Robert "I
wonder how deep it is?" Robert said "as deep as a red setter dog". Carol had
given Ian her easy to use camera, to get a photo of us driving through the
water, and Carol used mine, we had no problems until one lad slipped on
the grass and I thought he was going to slip into the water! We got a clear.
The end looked like we could get stuck on some stones so we drove back
through the long pone! Then I drove back to the end to pull Dave across the
stones!

The next one was the muddy pond reversed we/I got off track, Carol
said left. Left, left, left, left, my motor leaned a lot to the right we managed
to get back on the track and we got a clear.

Our last section, it had a large flat stone to drive over on the left,
then turned right to gate 11, which Bryan missed ouch! Nigel found a rock
in the pond this time he kept on going. Our turn, we got a clear. We were
driving back down a stony bank, it whipped the steering wheel out of my
hands, I sprained my arm and got friction burns on the back of my hand
BIG OUCH!
Thanks to the scrutineer. Joy, Marshals, and the setters out.

Keith, R. Normanton
108.

 

Tong Comp Safari - 8^th July 2001

On crawling out of my pit (the bed) on what I was hoping
to be a fine day I could hear rain thumping against the window. I
got up and made my lunch and did the usual stuff. We set off at
9.00 to leave plenty of time just in case of heavy traffic or
roadwork's. We arrived at Tong at about 10:00. We parked up by
the newly painted Team Work trialler. We wandered round the
pits to find someone we knew and found the Team Work team
down by the start line. We listened to the drivers meeting and
went back up to the pits. The chairman of NORC said they were
hoping to get through 8 runs each.

As the day progressed quite a few accidents occurred.
One chap broke his arm. A few people were getting stuck In a
gully so they cut the gully out after everyone had done I run so it
was fair.

Team Work had problems with the oil filter being
squashed by the axle Jumping up towards the engine and the
engine moving down on the mountings at the same time, resulting
in a trip to Halfords for a new filter. Later on in the afternoon
the trialler got a puncture, which was repaired at the side of the
course with a few spectators helping support the trialler from
falling over. At the end of the run Michael said there is a funny
noise coming from the motor. This was found to be the driver's
side turret having broken loose from it's locating bolts. This
incident forced Team Work to retire.