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This was almost a bridge too far. The general idea was to trial over two days, 30 medium to hard RTV sections in 44 acres of sand stone quarry. Each section was to be set out by the person who was going to run it over the two days. This should have created 30 different sections but maintain continuity of the rules. It basically worked!

The number of entrants was very low and there were not enough marshals to run the sections. It was decided that rather than let the drivers go out and find the sections and do them in any order they wanted but to go around in a group as normal and let the setting out marshals drive as well, this included allowing the CCV’s to enter into class 3.

Saturday afternoon was spent erecting two large marquees (courtesy of Andy H), sorting out the paper work and scrutineering those that turned up. Anybody hanging around was sent out to find an area to lay out a section and remember where it was.

Sunday started sunny but with a cold wind and after a short drivers briefing the marathon started. The aim for that day was 15 sections! My intention of creating many different sections by using different people to set out really worked well. The contrast was surprising which kept everybody on their toes. The down side was that after 13 sections and no lunch break we all were too tired to drive safely so we called it a day.

Monday was much the same, all of the previous days sections were reversed or altered and we dropped three as the site had to be cleared and camp broken by a sensible time so the aim for that day was 10 sections only.

Both Saturday and Sunday evenings were spent cooking on the barbeque and sitting around Mark Reid s chiminea (cast iron garden heater) with a beer in hand. Amanda and I drove around the quarry Monday evening after everybody had gone to check all was well and it was (well done to those who cleared up). The quarry seemed very silent and still especially after what had gone on over the previous few days. We left the following morning with a slight feeling of anti-climax, when’s the next one? We had to see the loo’s collected and return the gate key.

All of the results are on the web site for those that are interested and they are not as you might have expected.

All in all the entire event went well, Jim Shipway dragged a ton of water to the site, the loo’s turned up, the sections were good and challenging and the social side was a success.

None of this would have been possible without the large number of people who helped run this event. I cannot name all that helped, there were too many, apart from Amanda, Tom, Nicki (my family) who have put up with me and my paranoia for the past 9 months, they deserve a medal each. Also Andy H for supplying and erecting the marquees, Jim for bringing the water and Pat Booth who was always helping some where. There are of course the others who were just as important to the running of this event. I would like to thank you all for all of the effort and time you gave, it is appreciated in the strongest possible manor.

Will we do it again? It’s up to you the membership. Yes I am sure we will hire Yarwell again, I know it’s along way for some but I still think it is the best site we have available. To run another two day event again is within the realms of possibility BUT we will need far more entrants and marshals. This event was run on “Plan B” not “Plan A” which was the only way we could do it. Plan B worked but was hard work, Plan A would have been a lot easier on both drivers and marshals but we didn’t have enough of either to allow it to work.

It’s up to you; let us know what you want.

Lastly I would like to thank Rogers of Bedford for sponsoring this event; your input was much appreciated.

Martin Lewis