This event is held at The Ranges Motorsport Centre Trawsfynydd, and run by Clwyd Motor Club. (www.cvmc.org.uk/clwydiancars.htm)

I had a phonecall of Alun Roberts a couple of weeks before this event to see if I would like to travel up and do this event with him basically to get a bit of mileage in the car seems we didn't get very far at all on the Somerset stages back in April.

Friday 16th May
I knew that my journey was over 100 miles so decided to set off about 4pm, knowing that I had to stop by Abergavenny and drop a trophy off to Damian Cole which had look very nice on my sideboard but sadly it was one that Damian and Craig won on the Wyedean so thought I better hand it over.
After stopping briefly and speaking to Damian and Kathy I set off on my long journey.

Now I knew most of my way upto Machynlleth so with my father giving me directions and a map just in case I got to Llanidloes and saw the road which I had been told to take which would cut a bit of time on my journey.
About 8 miles along this road there was a sign for Machynlleth so I thought ah that's the one I want and turned off not realising that this took me across no mans land and in the middle of nowhere for a good 10 miles eventually arriving in Machynlleth itself.
But Alun did tell me it took a good chunk out of my journey going that way instead of staying on the other road. As I am driving through Machynlleth heading for the clock tower and then finding Pennal which is where Alun lives my phone goes and it is Alun finding out where I am saying that he would meet me in Pennal village.
What I forgot to ask is what car he was in so driving through and just going round this bend I just spot him parked in the pub car park, I followed up to his mum and dad's house which is in the middle of nowhere basically and no Alun I probably would not of found it 1st time around.

After dodging a few sheep that had decided to escape out of the fields and onto the road (bit like home really) we arrived at their farm where I was greeted with this dog chasing the car tyres up to the house.
After saying hello to Alun's mum and dad and I get a nice cup of coffee Aluns Dad decides to show me some in car footage of the ranges where the rally is being held tomorrow (all I can say is certainly interesting and roll on tomorrow)! After sorting out a time to get up in the morning not a social time at all my alarm set for 5am and we planned to leave by 6.15am Yuk!
And also Alun reckoned it was going to be dry all day (yea right)
Ps Alun nice clip your dad showed me of you in the micra at sweet lamb visiting the scenery not sure if he was trying to put me off ha ha !

Saturday 17th May 2008
My alarm goes off (sometimes I do wonder why I do this sport as it is certainly not for the unsociable times I have to get up.)
I meet downstairs with Alun and his Dad who are busy packing last minute things, also competing today is aluns dad in his MK2 (but if anyone sees his wife he did course car)!

Alun's dad was towing his car on the trailer and Alun and myself go in his car, as the event is only 45 minutes from Alun's house.
We were meeting up with Tegid who helps service for us on the way and sure enough there he was waiting in the lay-by to follow us in.

We arrive at the ranges going through some lovely Holiday cottages (bet they were really pleased to hear rally cars driving through at that time in the morning. We get up to service and find a flattish spot and wait for Alun's dad to arrive (now the transit does struggle a little to say the least with hills).

Myself and Alun decide to take his car on through Scruitineering and get signed on, all ok and when I get to sign on I meet this lovely man doing entries secretary Pete who very kindly done service when I did Telford Stages with Andy Williams back in February.
After exchanging a few words mostly to do with the fact that Pete was fascinated with the Sports Bra icon on my home page on my website and that I had to say no it wasn't me in the picture (Alun just looked at me as if to say what are you two on about)! Not many people know about the sports bra!

Eventually Alun's dad arrives quite a bit later little did we realise but he had stopped to wait for Tegid to arrive not knowing he was following us. (Whoops). Anyway ground sheet laid out cars all sorted then I meet Em Hall who was sitting in with Alun's Dad. (Thanks Em for your little tips and help)

Now our start time was 9.12 so off we set Alun's dad was 9 cars in front so we could watch them first before we started.
Now all I had for the stages was a diagram of the stages and it was my call to tell Alun the bends, crests and the Nasty Camber on the Flying Finish of Stages 1,4,8 & 11. (Apparently always one car manages to go off and I didn't want this to be us especially with Severn Valley in 2 weeks time for us today was about making sure car ok)

The only thing that did concern me was A) it was raining and B) We were on slicks and everyone else seem to be on Intermediates (Could be fun)!

5,4,3,2,1 go! The Start set off into a track made out of tyres and certainly didn't look much like the diagram but after a few left and rights and then out of the tyres onto the ranges we were going ok A couple of hairpins and a few crests then we approached this nasty flying finish yes we had actually manage to complete a stage we both started laughing when we got to the end. (Considering we never even got to do a single stage on Somerset.)

On this event after the finish of the stage we had to turn around and wait for the stage to finish then we would start again. but it gave us chance to talk to other crews most of them who compete permantley on tarmac.

The event consisted of 12 stages with after every 3 we had service. when we arrived at our 1st service Alun's dad was already in.
Good old Tegid was looking after both of us so he didn't stop all day bless him
Now Alun and myself kept the fuel topped up and with the car checked over it was nearly time to go back out again for SS4 (now Alun had put the kettle on but I don't think he got his cup of tea)!!

5,4,3,2,1 go! Again SS4 to 6 was a repeat of the 1st 3 runs so by now we both had a fairly good idea of the stages.
As we came out of the tyres approaching a Hairpin Right to join the Ranges road all of a sudden the Bonnet came flying up against the Windscreen and all I can say is the words in the car off both of us I cannot repeat.

Alun slightly eased off due to not being able to see then the bonnet went back down so we carried on then it completely slid off and down under the car and over it we went and continued to the end of the stage by now we were both in fits of laughter as everyone faces when we pulled up at the finish line well I'm sure you can imagine I think the prize for the best face had to be Alun's dad as we drove by him !!!

By this time I just wanted to sink down in my seat because everyone was staring at us (look it was just the bonnet guys)! We were very lucky that it never cracked the windscreen when the lads behind us in the corsa pulled up I did ask them if they had run over our bonnet but luckily a quick thinking marshal had already picked it up and returned it to our service crew.

Now I'm still not quite sure who is to blame for the bonnet but Alun blamed his dad and his dad blamed him so I left them two to it !!

We continued and completed the following two stages without any further mishaps and pulled up at the finish and into service where yes our bonnet was waiting and surprisingly only a slight dent and the hinge on my side twisted.
After a bit of team work we managed to get the bonnet fixed back onto the car

SS7, 8 and 9 were slightly different on SS7 we did manage to clip the tyres at the triangle half way through the stage.
SS8 was started at the Road end and finished at the Forest End with the triangle halfway through now on approach to the triangle there was a crest and most drivers would probably brake before but no we decided to fly over the crest and then brake! All I could see was the red and white tape and the very dark tyre marks from someone else who had not stopped I'm still not quite sure how we got round there but we did.

Back into last service before the last 3 stages of the day and I decided that we would have 3 good clear runs the rain was still coming down but nothing too heavy
I checked on our times and they all matched with mine had a little chat with Pete and then went back to have a drink and yes Alun had actually managed to boil the kettle for the 3rd time and drink his Tea.

Sadly for his dad he had his share of problems throughout the day and was forced to retire on SS10.

We completed SS10 and SS11 with nothing happening apart from I think we did manage to clip a couple of tyres again.
So as we were waiting for the last stage I said to Alun that's it we are having a clean run through I know he said gonna use the handbrake round the Acute Right and see If we manage to miss those damn tyres ok I said !!

5,4,3,2,1 go! Off we set all I kept thinking was lets finish this stage just so I can say yes I finished a rally for the first time this year.
Approaching the triangle there was a lot of dirt etc on the road and you could see that someone had gone into the bank. Approaching the Acute Right Alun pulls the handbrake and get round their well tidy and off we went toward the finish through the track made from tyres for the last time and we both let off a big cheer when we crossed the finished line. HOORAY!

All I can say is I have never laughed so much all day it was great fun and a nice little event, well done to Clwyd Motor Club, Thanks to Alun for an entertaining day and your driving on tarmac was very good considering you do Forest mostly
Thanks to Tegid for his outstanding help and always and watch this space for Severn valley next.

 

Thanks to my sponsors for this event Car Tork (Ireland) and Chris Gibson (The Forest Trading Post)