TheDiamondGeezer

It seems we're ready too! Car 25b, we leave this evening 5th July. 55 mph max, 1500 miles allowing 35-40 hours to get there

The Ultimate 2010 Well, apart for the few 'elite', you all missed a great event and we missed you. Ed Cobley really put together some great punches, most were very technical, all were more difficult than usual and many were VERY high and for sad people like me who get nervous standing over a drain provided some extra exercise for one's anal sphincter. Most punches were set up in a special stage type format where you had long tricky drives and winch pulls through gates until you reached the clearly marked punch and then back out the way you came in. No hunt-the-punch on this event. Average punch time 40 mins. Nobody had seen or driven a Tixover or Yarwell like this. It has to be said: one site per day really worked and gave the event a solid pace. Well done Ed! Congratulations to Alex who won in his Polaris (about the same price as 2 x Twin Giggles- I want one) I am delighted that Alex, our team mate for the Transylvania Trophy (he'll be co. driving his Dad's Landrover there) wins the silver key ring. We will of course be making a special version of the key ring based on the 12 inch wheels of the Polaris - gonna save a ton of silver ;-) HOWEVER technically: well in my book anyway, because I believe that the core event is about getting two tons of vehicle into difficult places, Bryn Hemming, yes he is back and as agricultural as ever! won the event in a 1973 Landrover, with a welded-up back diff, a Trutrac on the front, the slowest low-line winch I think I have ever seen and running wire NOT plasma. Thanks to the Cobleys for putting on a great event and their 'the-show-must-go-on' attitude even though the marshals outnumbered the competitors. A word of warning! I gave a little more to this event than usual, in the shape of the top joint of one of my fingers, I'm back to Cambridge Hospital on Wednesday for plastic surgery and some digit reconstruction. Now I have great respect for the equipment we use, am no idiot and was doing everything correctly, But ERROR: I hadn't notice that the front plasma had looped up ever so slightly so when 'OUT' became 'IN' my hand, which wasn't in any contact with the rope, not even holding it, was whipped 12 inches against the bend in the front wing in a nano second and in a crescendo of pain the permanent damage was done. I have to say a big thank you to Dominique Brione my co driver for not fainting; actually he's getting quite used to seeing people lose fingers to the mighty winch. (a ref. to 2009 Transylvania) Thanks to Wayne for his immediate first aid (this guy digs survivors out of the ground in earth quake disasters in his spare time, make sure he is in the truck behind you every time you compete) and thank you to Maria 'Nursey' and Guy for driving me to the hospital. I have to say that Maria's driving did manage to take my mind off the pain and worry of losing a finger to a genuine concern about losing my life. Thanks to Bryn for driving my rig and Landy back home. Thanks of course to my son Luke, who arrived on site to watch his Dad and team car perform just as the accident happened. Sorry to mess up your day Son, I promise I won't mess up this coming Saturday (his wedding day), only sorry that I can no longer be 100% present, if you see what I mean. Enjoy - but be careful!

The Ultimate 2010 Well, apart for the few 'elite', you all missed a great event and we missed you. Ed Cobley really put together some great punches, most were very technical, all were more difficult than usual and many were VERY high and for sad people like me who get nervous standing over a drain provided some extra exercise for one's anal sphincter. Most punches were set up in a special stage type format where you had long tricky drives and winch pulls through gates until you reached the clearly marked punch and then back out the way you came in. No hunt-the-punch on this event. Average punch time 40 mins. Nobody had seen or driven a Tixover or Yarwell like this. It has to be said: one site per day really worked and gave the event a solid pace. Well done Ed! Congratulations to Alex who won in his Polaris (about the same price as 2 x Twin Giggles- I want one) I am delighted that Alex, our team mate for the Transylvania Trophy (he'll be co. driving his Dad's Landrover there) wins the silver key ring. We will of course be making a special version of the key ring based on the 12 inch wheels of the Polaris - gonna save a ton of silver ;-) HOWEVER technically: well in my book anyway, because I believe that the core event is about getting two tons of vehicle into difficult places, Bryn Hemming, yes he is back and as agricultural as ever! won the event in a 1973 Landrover, with a welded-up back diff, a Trutrac on the front, the slowest low-line winch I think I have ever seen and running wire NOT plasma. Thanks to the Cobleys for putting on a great event and their 'the-show-must-go-on' attitude even though the marshals outnumbered the competitors. A word of warning! I gave a little more to this event than usual, in the shape of the top joint of one of my fingers, I'm back to Cambridge Hospital on Wednesday for plastic surgery and some digit reconstruction. Now I have great respect for the equipment we use, am no idiot and was doing everything correctly, But ERROR: I hadn't notice that the front plasma had looped up ever so slightly so when 'OUT' became 'IN' my hand, which wasn't in any contact with the rope, not even holding it, was dragged 12 inches against the bend in the front wing in a nano second and in a crescendo of pain the permanent damage was done. I have to say a big thank you to Dominique Brione my co driver for not fainting; actually he's getting quite used to seeing people lose fingers to the mighty winch. (a ref. to 2009 Transylvania) Thanks to Wayne for his immediate first aid (this guy digs survivors out of the ground in earth quake disasters in his spare time, make sure he is in the truck behind you every time you compete) and thank you to Maria 'Nursey' and Guy for driving me to the hospital. I have to say that Maria's driving did manage to take my mind off the pain and worry of losing a finger to a genuine concern about losing my life. Thanks to Bryn for driving my rig and Landy back home. Thanks of course to my son Luke, who arrived on site to watch his Dad and team car perform just as the accident happened. Sorry to mess up your day Son, I promise I won't mess up this coming Saturday (his wedding day), only sorry that I can no longer be 100% present, if you see what I mean. Let's dedicate our new Sterling silver key ring in honour of the incident. (trust me I can still use a calculator) Enjoy - but be careful!

OPEN INVITATION This week-end 24/25th of April, a small but select & gorgeous group of off-roaders will be taking their spectacular highly modified Landrovers to Northamptonshire to take part in an elite two day competition known as the Ultimate Challenge. Knowing the extra-ordinary skills of this small and dedicated band, the organisers, PROTRAX will be setting up some astonishing, original and 'angry' punches and special stages over 3 sites. This highly competitive group will enjoy 2 full on days of serious competition and after early evening piping hot-showers will enjoy a night of 'apres-event' wit and banter over a good meal, a few beers, a good bottle of wine and maybe a warming single malt or two, before retiring, satisfied to a lovely clean, warm bed in the comfort of the Castle Inn. They will awake ready and refreshed for day two which will start with a hearty full-English breakfast before hitting the mud and the second day of adventures and challenges. 1st PRIZE In the spirit of the event DiamondGeezer.com the award winning online jeweller will be donating one of their brand new sterling silver Simex or Bogger key rings worth £95 to the outright winner. IT'S NOT TO LATE There are spaces still available at this late stage so phone Vince ON 07973 116681 now, and come along.

The ULTIMATE 24/25th April will run. At this time its a select group of just 11 cars (all modified) running. The price is dropped to £140 a car HOWEVER if we can between us get that up to 20 cars then Vince will drop the price to £120 per car. We're there for the crack whatever. Get your mates to call 07973116681 to enter or register online http://theultimate.2fear.com Let's party!

THERE ARE ONLY 10 PLACES LEFT single cars welcome at £145 per car (2 day event) 24th-25th APRIL Corby Northants Register on line http://theultimate.2fear.com/ or call 07973 116681 Follow updates on Twitter http://twitter.com/ultimate4x4

Protrax are really pulling out the stops for the the One to Fear 24th-25th April 2010 Corby Northamptonshire Dedicated website http://theultimate.2fear.com/ £290 per two car team (£145 per car) Special prizes for special stages More special stages Limited entries, just 30 cars (15 teams of 2) 2 day event over several large and exciting sites New Sites Pre event comradery at the Castle on Friday Night Après event comradery at the Castle on Saturday night Complimentary buffet at Sunday's prize giving HARDER THAN EVER BEFORE!