I fancied getting back to my Turbogirl roots in combination with the woodland fun I've found here so thought I'd suss out the local off road club for a combination bimble today 
I even saved a flock of sheep wandering in the road on the way, SuperTurbo to the rescue, don't hold back on the mint sauce 
There was quite a cross section of vehicles, some road taxed, some specials that were trailered in, almost all with or carrying decent mud tyres and about 20 in all...
I'd've made a rare fool of myself with the disco and its road tyres so, regretably, Kigher Management was right to ban me from competing It was a good premise for some petrol based fun, with waymarkers that had to be found and clicked on attached to the drivers side dash from punches on trees. Basically you paid your £25 which covered membership and 5 hours of driving round a big wooded quarry, much better than a standard trial like back in the day where you trogged around in a big group waiting for your turn to drive a section.
It did look wierd having traffic jams of V8s in the woodlands! But wander a little way from the tracks and the wildlife was present. I spotted a huuuuge buzzard on the way in (possibly some other large raptor but I'm making assumptions here as I'm not a twitcher)
The thing that drew me to this group was the fact they're not an Association of Rover Club (ARC) so as long as you cover all the points under scrutineering, you can run what you brung. Lannies were the order of the day with a few discos, some rangie chassis special and a smattering of Jap stuff
A lot of the boards were set up with some fine lateral thinking so getting the vehicle presented right involved some manouvering. I remember helping set up trials back in the 80s and actually the workparties to lay the course and the subsequent camp were brilliant fun... I think that bit is missing now from what I've heard/ seen, I might have to work on that
There seems to be some folk who enjoy the getting stuck and recovery at least as much as the actual off roading, nothings changed there then! It was a bit like bushcraft ethos, everyone pitches in to help others out.... niiiiice
And here we have a lannie, beautifully camoflaged in its natural environment
There were gentler bits for road taxed vehicles and a good handicap scheme to level the playing field for overall winners. I wouldn't take the stock because all vehicles were getting some branch brushing but other clubs might be more user freindly, especially if not woodland event based
At this point, I had to jump into a blackthorn bush to avoid a trialler on the 30 degree slope I was sliding down ar5e first so after spending a good 10 minutes dangling by my hair, I realised I might as well give up and shoot some more piccies
I finally released myself and slid further... I think I should have gotten a prize for being the only person to make all the waymarkers on 2 legs (if you can include buttock cheeks in that!)
I realised how much H&S I've forgotton from my youthful offroading... like the safest place to stand when you're recovering with a winch
Well, I was about tuckered from all that hill walking so I headed off for a brew as there was so much wood about, it'd've been rude not to... it was VERY surreal after the peace and beauty of North Wood, to be listening to engine song and catching glimpses of rampaging 4x4 herds while I was having my coffee
In essence, I'd love to go back with a vehicle and relive the youth- although if I took hubbies without permission, I doubt I'd get to reach my old age! I was the only spectator and I can see why, but I'm used to folk not knowing quite what to make of me and it was a laugh. Find your local group, head along to their meets, try the trials, orienteering (this type) or get involved in the green laning, it's a giggle and having the opportunity to learn what you and your vehicle are capable of is a real eye-opener!
I even saved a flock of sheep wandering in the road on the way, SuperTurbo to the rescue, don't hold back on the mint sauce There was quite a cross section of vehicles, some road taxed, some specials that were trailered in, almost all with or carrying decent mud tyres and about 20 in all...
I'd've made a rare fool of myself with the disco and its road tyres so, regretably, Kigher Management was right to ban me from competing
It was a good premise for some petrol based fun, with waymarkers that had to be found and clicked on attached to the drivers side dash from punches on trees. Basically you paid your £25 which covered membership and 5 hours of driving round a big wooded quarry, much better than a standard trial like back in the day where you trogged around in a big group waiting for your turn to drive a section.
It did look wierd having traffic jams of V8s in the woodlands! But wander a little way from the tracks and the wildlife was present. I spotted a huuuuge buzzard on the way in (possibly some other large raptor but I'm making assumptions here as I'm not a twitcher)
The thing that drew me to this group was the fact they're not an Association of Rover Club (ARC) so as long as you cover all the points under scrutineering, you can run what you brung. Lannies were the order of the day with a few discos, some rangie chassis special and a smattering of Jap stuff
A lot of the boards were set up with some fine lateral thinking so getting the vehicle presented right involved some manouvering. I remember helping set up trials back in the 80s and actually the workparties to lay the course and the subsequent camp were brilliant fun... I think that bit is missing now from what I've heard/ seen, I might have to work on that
There seems to be some folk who enjoy the getting stuck and recovery at least as much as the actual off roading, nothings changed there then! It was a bit like bushcraft ethos, everyone pitches in to help others out.... niiiiice
And here we have a lannie, beautifully camoflaged in its natural environment
There were gentler bits for road taxed vehicles and a good handicap scheme to level the playing field for overall winners. I wouldn't take the stock because all vehicles were getting some branch brushing but other clubs might be more user freindly, especially if not woodland event based
At this point, I had to jump into a blackthorn bush to avoid a trialler on the 30 degree slope I was sliding down ar5e first so after spending a good 10 minutes dangling by my hair, I realised I might as well give up and shoot some more piccies
I finally released myself and slid further... I think I should have gotten a prize for being the only person to make all the waymarkers on 2 legs (if you can include buttock cheeks in that!)
I realised how much H&S I've forgotton from my youthful offroading... like the safest place to stand when you're recovering with a winch
Well, I was about tuckered from all that hill walking so I headed off for a brew as there was so much wood about, it'd've been rude not to... it was VERY surreal after the peace and beauty of North Wood, to be listening to engine song and catching glimpses of rampaging 4x4 herds while I was having my coffee
In essence, I'd love to go back with a vehicle and relive the youth- although if I took hubbies without permission, I doubt I'd get to reach my old age! I was the only spectator and I can see why, but I'm used to folk not knowing quite what to make of me and it was a laugh. Find your local group, head along to their meets, try the trials, orienteering (this type) or get involved in the green laning, it's a giggle and having the opportunity to learn what you and your vehicle are capable of is a real eye-opener!
okenest:
