Howlin' Wolf Round 2 - The Aftermath

[najw]

Results are now posted

HERE

How lucky were we with the weather????

Hope you all had a good day, the site lends itself to technical sections and that is what we aimed to deliver.

All feedback welcome, but bear in mind we DO realise that some of the sections were a little confusing due to the layout and tape, we will look at how to improve this without having to resort to the miles and miles of blue rope.

Commiserations to Peter Jackson and Richard Norris who broke the input shaft on a brand new steering box before actually passing the first gate of the first section. After a 280 mile drive from Kent that must have been really gutting.

And well done to Gill and Vic Bilkey who had the b*lls to tackle section 15 which had to be the toughest section of the day.

There were lots of cameras around during the day so lets see some of the pics!!

[Boothy]

It was certainly the 13th for me with a failed hydrosteer pump resulting in some very erratic things going on, followed by a total lack of confidence in it.

The Saturday was not much better after a 3.5 hour drive, when I asked the lad for the tent poles, "tent poles dad","were they in the blue bag by the radiator in the spare room?", yes son that's them, "oh", so I slept in a makeshift Sowetto style shelter bound together with gaffa tape, so yes I was glad the weather was good, and it felt really lucky, and thanks for the help and bits and pieces borrowed also for the option to sleep in some of the trucks.

The tape being a little confusing is certainly an understatement Neil, I was completely and utterly mystified and was not alone, pehaps little arrows pointing in the preffered direction would have clarified things no end, but we really struggled and got very disheartened by it.

I can appreciate the miles of blue rope rope must be a real nightmare to collect in following a long weekend of it.

Anyway much thanks again for an entertaining if not fraut weekend, didn't like the tape one bit but thats just my view.

And back to the drawing board with the steering.

Boothy over and out.

[yella 90]

It was certainly the 13th for me with a failed hydrosteer pump resulting in some very erratic things going on, followed by a total lack of confidence in it.

The Saturday was not much better after a 3.5 hour drive, when I asked the lad for the tent poles, "tent poles dad","were they in the blue bag by the radiator in the spare room?", yes son that's them, "oh", so I slept in a makeshift Sowetto style shelter bound together with gaffa tape, so yes I was glad the weather was good, and it felt really lucky, and thanks for the help and bits and pieces borrowed also for the option to sleep in some of the trucks.

The tape being a little confusing is certainly an understatement Neil, I was completely and utterly mystified and was not alone, pehaps little arrows pointing in the preffered direction would have clarified things no end, but we really struggled and got very disheartened by it.

I can appreciate the miles of blue rope rope must be a real nightmare to collect in following a long weekend of it.

Anyway much thanks again for an entertaining if not fraut weekend, didn't like the tape one bit but thats just my view.

And back to the drawing board with the steering.

Boothy over and out.

twiggy you could of rang me , i wouldnt of minded the run down with your tent poles

[saley]

Enjoyed the day having some misaps, rolled it a couple of times (first time going into our first section )which caused it to air lock and get very hot,which cost us a couple of hours stopping and going back to the car park to fix.

As for the sections they were well set out and we really enjoyed them, had me twitching a couple of times but the tape is a waste of time IF some competitors choose to just miss,drive around parts they don't fancy/want to do, ie. section 1, we did the section and only a couple of cars had been through the first part before us(lower side of the track) and a lot of cars had obviously been through the rest.

I know you are short of marshalls but its the chichen and egg, if you haven't got enough marshalls to point people in the right direction then you need to rope them of,but then you need more marshalls to rope of and collect it back in.

I'm sorry I don't have the answer but someone may come along with it.

[treebloke]

Me and Dawn had a good time but Bert Dan broke down early on and was back on the car park by 11am.

Baskerville is a good site all round but had a hard time getting a TV signal for the England game, just about got one in the end.

Found some the sections hard to decipher if you were first in but once they had been driven it wasn't to bad. Agree that you could clearly see some punches had been done without driving the course. Having said that I understand it would be a right PITA to tape all those sections especially when at the top of the site, maybe just needs more tape or more substatial trees, quite a few of the smaller trees got trashed early on. Anyway it was well thought out and some good sections, I like the two punches in section theme.

How close was this.

12 19 Sam Coulton Matthew Martin 3 1700 495 2195

13 8 Bob Smith Dawn Smith 3 1700 488 2188

We had time to do another punch but Dawn was worn out so we came back, I bet she wish's we had done it now.

Only one complaint, who was in control of the Gunit disco. Someone kept stopping the tracks to soon and not playing all the record, sack the DJ.

[najw]

Results now updated to put Mark Burfitt in Class 3 which I forgot to do

[Rightfoot]

Thoroughly enjoyed the day, although like everyone else some of the marking out was difficult to follow.

Pleased with the result given we had power steering problems (got through about 2 litres of PAS fluid) and cooling problems (topped it up with over 6 litres of water)

Thanks to Saley for the quick pull to get us off the tree we were wedged onto

Also thanks to Neil and Carol for changing the special stage so Alan had to run it twice while I sat in the car nursing my broken ankle

Looking forward to the next event.

[Taff]

Well what an event. I will start by thanking Neil, Carol, Andy & the team for a fantastic day. Walking around the site on Saturday we could see this was at the opposite side of the scale to the first round in Kirton. Once or twice we did has to ask, “Will we fit through there?” as there were sections that looked tight on the walk around.

Treebloke, you have a very valid point in regards to Team Gunit’s DJ skills, but as is says on there t shirts (which looked good), “All the Gear, NO IDEA” .

Now to the event itself, well what an event. Reasonably easy for the driver!!! Not for the Winch Men & Dawn, as that was a hard day. By the time we exited section 5, I was rough, on entering section 6, I did manage to climb up to the first punch. But that was it, NO MORE, a seat down was needed & lots of sugar. A break & a trip to the special stage & I was fine again. Therefore Neil if you would like to make some extra money for the club, can I suggest that you open up a Fat Camp at Clyro, BUT you may scare people away with the difficulty factor.

In regards to the marking out of the course, a suggestion I would like to through into the pot is the current set up is working in my opinion, but to assist with finding the correct route maybe numbering the gates as it would be on a trial section possible???

Finally, again I would like to thank Neil & the crew for the time & effort that they put into the organising & running of the event. Dan & Frogs Island 4x4 for the prizes, Barry Gee for the few electrical connectors that we borrowed & Mark & Austin for the loan of the Voltmeter.

That’s me done for now,

Carwyn.

[najw]

My photos are posted

HERE

Sorry there aren't many but my camera battery died after these.

I think Carwyn has the right idea as effectively the sections are trials sections with the punches thrown in to show you have driven them. We have moved on from the straightforward punch hunt and I am very happy with the style as it now is. Whatever we do needs to be manageable for laying out and collecting but CLEAR to the teams on the ground.

I don't think there is a single solution for every site. The gates worked fine at Kirton where the stakes were clear to see. In the tight woods it is different. So we need a variety of solutions to suit the different sites.

Now, where are everyone else's pics?

[Nobbymogs]

here are a link to my vids the pics will go up later

--->>> My Vids <<<---

was very frustrating just watching we really need to get this truck built you never know it might even get to round 3 :lol:

a message to Boothy you really should stop thinking your a Sunday driver when on a event........... :lol: :lol:

[JST]

We had alot of fun and werent with vehicle issues either but then that goes with the flow.

A big thank you to Carole, Andy and Neil plus the other marshalls and scrutineers for a top day. Saturdays walk around certainly paid off meaning you could work out the routes without being under pressure on the day. Sorry for making Mrs Badger follow me to punch 8 from the SS as the cyber point wouldnt register on the vehicle, thank you for coming and verifing it!

With respect to the course; numbered gates is a good idea. how about a different colour opposite the red on the gates - white? plus a colour not used on the gates to mark the punches. (yellow)

I like the whole format of the gates, much better than rope but i would like some clarification (or for Neil to post here really) what the rules are with regard to:

achieving a gate - does the whole vehicle have to travel through the gate or just the hubs?

Once a gate is acheived - can you back out after the vehicle/hubs have gone through and then skirt around to the next gate.

gate direction - can you pubilicy confirm what was said on Sat night ref does it matter which way the vehicle goes though a gate.

Section completion - does the whole vehicle need to go through the exit gate? (same as one point one maybe)

we have taken it as gates that you travel through, either backwards or forwards with the gate on the LHS of the vehicle and as the gate marks out a course, once through the gate you continue on to the next gate rather than backing out.

[JST]

How do you get an odd number of punches if the punches only count if you complete the whole section surely you would do both punches in that section if you were driving past it anyway?

[markyb]

great day cheers Neil. Didnt find to much of an issue with the sections we worked our way through the red yellow tapes heading towards the punches maybe we went through an extra one on the way if it was close but end result was the same, thanks for righting the class for us we could have certainly done with an extra winch or 2 on the last 2 rounds :-)

[simonr]

[simonr]

[simonr]

[simonr]

[simonr]

A few piccies!

Si

[najw]

I like the whole format of the gates, much better than rope but i would like some clarification (or for Neil to post here really) what the rules are with regard to:

achieving a gate - does the whole vehicle have to travel through the gate or just the hubs?

Once a gate is acheived - can you back out after the vehicle/hubs have gone through and then skirt around to the next gate.

gate direction - can you pubilicy confirm what was said on Sat night ref does it matter which way the vehicle goes though a gate.

Section completion - does the whole vehicle need to go through the exit gate? (same as one point one maybe)

we have taken it as gates that you travel through, either backwards or forwards with the gate on the LHS of the vehicle and as the gate marks out a course, once through the gate you continue on to the next gate rather than backing out.

You have to imagine that the rope is still there from the moment you pass the start sign until you pass the finish sign. So if a 'gate' is formed by two trees the rope would be tied around those trees.

That said if you pass through the gates backwards (in reverse gear that is) that's fine.

If there is a Cyberpoint off to one side of the line formed between two gates then there would be a rope 'garage' boxing that in.

For those that have driven our roped sections in the past, visualising what we expect you to do should be clear. But we will look at how we can improve things.

One definite change for the future is a section finish sign visible from within the section as well as the No Entry sign visible from outside.

[najw]

The mystery competitor...

James called me over to look at section 10 whilst they were doing it to show me tyre tracks on the ground which went via the punches but not always the gates.

When I checked the Cyberpoint data it showed that they were actually the first car to do the section.

It then transpired that there were similar tyre marks on the ground through section 8, also witnessed by a marshal. Again on checking Nick and James were the first car to complete that section as well.

So it would appear that someone drove the sections (not always correctly, but visiting the punches).

How weird is that...

[Boothy]

Section 8 could have been me Neil, first punch of the day no 8, went to it correctly but the cyber key would not under any circumstances work, so we lowered backwards out of the section into the stream at the bottom (because we couldn't find a marshall) and reported it to Carol, who suggested we swop the cyber key, that may answer the question, but I only did the one punch in the section.

Nobby, I was struggling with erratic steering i.e. sometimes it turned, most times it didn't......especially when under pressure....

[treebloke]

How do you get an odd number of punches if the punches only count if you complete the whole section surely you would do both punches in that section if you were driving past it anyway?

Not all of the punches were 'on route', in fact quite a few were within the section but off to one side. With only one winch some punches were achievable wearas others were not, yet we could still drive the section.

James, I bet your glad Nick's welding held out this time. Must be so much easier with two axles .

[najw]

Not all of the punches were 'on route', in fact quite a few were within the section but off to one side. With only one winch some punches were achievable wearas others were not, yet we could still drive the section.

Which is how it was intended

Unfortunately I have had to re-publish the results as there was an error.

As a result Paul Church & Cliff Garrod move into 3rd place in Class 1.

Sorry Saley & Glynn, hopefully Paul & Cliff will be satisfied with the glory and the trophies (which I will arrange for the next event) and won't demand the return of the First Aid kit prizes which you have probably ate on the way home anyway

[team gunit]

Gunit FM live from the valleys were you never hear the same song twice

infact you never hear all of any song......

TIP OF THE DAY... dont turn up to a challenge on friday night,

start drinking have a meal and a party. Get up saturday BBQ a full

english and wash down with pedigree sit in sun and cook drinking,

another BBQ, bit of a disco then hit the night club TILL 2.30.

and then..........

Run round a welsh wood all day in a confused state?

BRILLIANT... we all had a great time and once again the

spirit of the event from everyone was great...

Mark & crew Team Gunit

[sam coulton]

Me and Dawn had a good time but Bert Dan broke down early on and was back on the car park by 11am.

Baskerville is a good site all round but had a hard time getting a TV signal for the England game, just about got one in the end.

Found some the sections hard to decipher if you were first in but once they had been driven it wasn't to bad. Agree that you could clearly see some punches had been done without driving the course. Having said that I understand it would be a right PITA to tape all those sections especially when at the top of the site, maybe just needs more tape or more substatial trees, quite a few of the smaller trees got trashed early on. Anyway it was well thought out and some good sections, I like the two punches in section theme.

How close was this.

12 19 Sam Coulton Matthew Martin 3 1700 495 2195

13 8 Bob Smith Dawn Smith 3 1700 488 2188

We had time to do another punch but Dawn was worn out so we came back, I bet she wish's we had done it now.

Only one complaint, who was in control of the Gunit disco. Someone kept stopping the tracks to soon and not playing all the record, sack the DJ.

i dont think you could get much closer between me and bob was a good day and pleased with the result and great prizes thanks to dan and the frogs island team i had a few problems with over heating and lost around a hour. As for the marking out of section was abit confusing at the start once you got your head round it seemed ok much like a trial as long as you keep red on your right your ok or was yellow on your right