Well another event down and another pile of broken bits in the garage but hey what a way to break them!
The rain was stopped at 10 am on the Saturday and was not allowed to start until the gate was pulled closed on the Sunday! The timing was simply impeccable but that summed up the entire weekend. As a participant (allegedly), behind the wheel it was eye opening to have witnessed the sheer volume of work that goes into making these events happen. The course was cited a few weeks back and the first peg was bashed in on Monday morning, yup a full week ago. I now feel guilty every time I hit an arrow cause I know now that the Comp Safari Pixies had no hand whatsoever in planting it there. Nope, they were all carefully planned, seperately considered and then bashed in. Some were pulled out and moved to get a better course and having driven it. I must say, it was the dogs doo dah’s!
Big Eck, Sharon, Dougie T, Jools and Brian Reid the ever obliging landowner were often there in the pitch black last week bashing, building and shovelling. Eck was even heard shouting “Where’s the whip, I need some pain?!”, although it was dark and I may have misheard it…… Land Rover Club you say???
A few other thank you’s from me over the weekend….
For the timing and radio teams, I did spot a few new younger faces in the club trailer either that or DB’s efforts to install new illumination have knocked a few years off the regulars? To the marshalls around the course who day and night kept us or perhaps just me going round. Despite the fleeting glance we see of you all on the way, it’s great to see the encouragement and the keep it going gestures, we do see you. (Hope the wedding goes equally well).
To the scrutineers, you are there for our safety and those second set of eyes, pick up on the things that we missed or overseen often in the late hours prior to an event.
There will be so many that I have not listed above but your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Finally, thanks again to my fellow diesel competitors, for Robert for blowing the head gasket on his racer and donating his pushrods and for Mr Cool, aka Alan Crow, who despite Car 14’s willingness to go for an early bath, kept it going.
Hope you all had a safe journey home, some had much further than me to travel.
So as I was nodding off last night, a phrase seemed to sum it all up “Never in a comp safari was so much owed by so many to so few”.
Thank you again, hopefully to see you all at Drumclog.
Ps – And a special mention to Zander, two soddin years I’ve waited and finally, at last I got to overtake someone!! The crowd were going wild and then I heard you only had two wheel drive, burrger!! Oh well, in my little world I got to pass someone