A reminder and...

Summary of the 01/02 season....


Round 1

After what seemed an age, the first round of the 01/02 Challenge finally materialized and went ahead without problems. Except for the traffic lights! 

Think most enjoyed, shame Much Wenlock had been entered into the traffic lights-r-us competition without us being informed! Very well done Simon & Richard, Mr Smalley a little more surprised than most. New face on the block, (DuncanW,) guided (ish,) that olde hand Pete Beards around and picked up an award. Well done to all.

The route… Due W from Wenlock traveled along or close to the 00 Northing line.  S1, near Harley then meandered through Church Preen & Chatwall to take in the hectic downhill Lawley banks.  S2 started at Lower Wood, then NW to Smethcott, Picklescott & Betchcott!  S3 began at Comley taking in the quick Yell Bank section & on to Kenley finishing prior to Harley. Crossing the A458 allowed crews to complete the ultra short S4 through Wig Wig and on to the Wenlock finish venue.

Round 2
Think I'm in Julie's bad books. Said if we won I would buy her a curry. Did not win! 
Nice straightforward route, just enough to keep your `and on the rudder! One section for all, a nice touch was the 78 Easting line. Quatt, Birdsgreen, and S to Bellmans Cross directed us to the famed Sheepwalks sector, thankfully dry and luckily for us, routed uphill. North to Halfpenny Green, linking us to the feared Yellow W of Broughton. A tricky loop bringing crews across E 78 allowed use of the foggy Mose section, then to the finish venue located in Quatford.

Round Three: "H" & Andy are up to speed with their next offering. 127, A5 territory.

Fils Fact File: That was Mr. Claytons first win since the 97/98 season!! Well done that man. 
                         Solo event No 1 for 14yr old Nick Beards, 20 minutes prior knowledge to boot!

                       
 Round 3

Thanks to all those that rallied (!) around with route info whilst the sorting office sat on our mail shot for a while. Many crews seemed to have spare cash and take a hol last week so the slightly depleted entry was not a reflection on the event itself. Well done HAndy, take a well-earned rest for now.
Most struggled with the route info but after a few worries Ian & Anth trounced us all and showed a glimpse of the old form that earned them three c/s wins. Newcomers Jones/Harris walked away with the Novice award after admitting to a slight off in the very tricky conditions.

Out early because of pre-plot, we skirted the M54 past Albrighton, onto the awkward Stockings lanes and N then through the clever Upper Avenue triangle. Narrow-r-Us was the theme and most lanes N of Brewood are just that. A few reported problems along the mud logged Water Eaton yellow, but survived to take in four loops skirting further N and the super confusing maze at Bradley. An amendment allowed us to miss the flooded ford at Burlington, so a final mini loop directed us to the very clever finish S of Sheriffhales.  

Round Four: Corin is keeping detail close to his chest. 137 & Corfedale is where its at. See you on the 16th...

Interesting totals after three rounds; PaulB has slender lead, Pete/NickB & Mick/RichardC hold joint Novice lead.

Round 4

Bit like going back in time was it not? Age olde public house. Age olde organizers (!) & an age olde classic route.      We are lacking a little in the entry stakes this season but certainly not lacking in quality. A couple of crews reported in sick this time, but still entrants arrived from far and wide. Entries from Kingstanding, (Birmingham) and Stanton Long. Now that’s far and wide!

On his 50th Birthday, what a way to celebrate. Rik Smalley not only bagged 1st O/A, two birthday cakes & a bottle of bubbles but also accepted a seven-point lead in the Challenge to boot.     Elwyn & Pete did the business in their Discovery to lead the Nov's home. Cracker. Well done Corin & Brian "Hick" Povall.
 
The Route: Tulips for starters sent us NW from Aston Munslow through Middlehope, the tricky square right at Alcaston & on to the section end "at the next bridge" near Upper Affcot.  S2 began at the brilliantly utilized "yellow" lay-bye, 137/443 869. Traveling as far W as Edgton we sampled Laplow Bank on the way to the now infamous Wart Hill hairpin! S2 finishing close to the B4368 gave us little respite before starting the final section on the Roman road in sq 4282SSW. This proved tricky for some, but everyone managed the vicious climb up and around Aldon before descending to Onibury and the final run past Norton and back to base.

 Round Five; The Mr. Andy Morris seems to send a shiver through your Roamer! People have been known to work overtime rather than turn up at 19:00hrs… Well, it's your choice members. Promises to be a barnstormer... 

 Round Five

With a slight degree of trepidation crew's converged on St James Garage forecourt. Once inside, the plotting began. Then, just when you thought it was all sorted... Mr. Morris gently handed us a major route amendment. This, of course, was planned... to unnerve us poor souls. And so began a night whereby you really did have to have your wits about you!

Section one directed us SE, through Mose & S past Wooton to take in the downhill sqL  sqR past Coton.
A long trek N sampled the Tuckhill h/pin, five ways junction, Hallon & Hartlebury. Dropping S now, the mud still aplenty,  
skated through Bromley & Burcote to finish sect 1 at the garage showroom. More plotting, more amendments (!) 
S2, across the Severn to Cross Houses & the inevitable (!) code board. More mud , then a run through the 
Sidbury loop, down past Chorley to take in the dry Netherton ford and the amazingly low Highley ford.
it me, but surely exiting said ford E to W is never "as-map"?) A final code board on the entrance to the 
yellow guided the mucky motors back to a welcome sight: The Bulls yed at Chelmish!

Thanks Andy, nice one. Chrys/Pete slipped one in again (!) Nice plottin. Mr. Manuel kept it in the family,
hired new driver Ian and accepted novice spoils. A shake up in the c/s standings then.

Round Six: 
  
 
 A thing of beauty it was not, but the now famous lay bye, southbound on the A491 held host to the much-anticipated NE round 6. Once again a good turn out, crew’s traveling from Knighton & Ironbridge no less. However, events were to include an interesting twist by the end of competition.

The Route: As is the norm for a Bunch/Clayton event, the route instruction was impeccably presented and a selection of “super tulips” guided us through the first & second section. A clockwise loop directed us through Clent Grange, across the 491 to skirt the forbidding Clent Hills at over 300 meters. S then past Rainbow Cottages, Romsley Hill & the serious slot h/pin left just west of Great Farley Wood. Nice. No let up through this yellow maze en-route to SF1 just S of The Gutter! On to Fairfield & Bourneheath, S2 introduced us to the intricacies of lanes such as Worms Ash & Alfreds Well. By now, Paul and Dave’s format was of concern to some crews due to the minimal use of code boards. Good ploy. Crossing the A450 seemed to untwist the lanes a little and a  higher average speed seemed possible whilst moving NW past Wannerton Farm to SF2 near Caunsell. Lay-bye’s-r-us just S of Whittington, here the orgs relieved crews of scorecard A also allowing us to open route info for the final section. At 13km S3 should have been a doddle, but, traveling due N from Stourton a “false” re-route was negotiated and at the Poolhouse Farm triangle a lovely fail board put paid to over half the competitors hopes. North through the familiar Bobbington lanes, Draycott & Long Common showed the way E to the long triangles at Trysull and an eagerly awaited plate of sandwiches at the now familiar Wombourne Fire Station finish venue.
 A noteworthy performance from Novice winners Nicolaou/Millard, 3rd o/a on 0F 090 on only their fourth event, whilst Nick & Julie D scored a rare(!) victory.  Interesting event, thanks Paul & Dave.  Smiles say it all…

Round Seven:

It was so good to resume after such a lengthy break. The weather seemed to be looking forward to it also...

It's a fair jaunt from Birmingham, Sedgley or even Wombourne but travel they did and I was heartened to see the support for R7, Jane & Jon. V Good.

Karen & I set out on a mission but it was she that pointed me in the right direction during plotting time. Thanks for that   my Dear!  As the Powis Arms disappeared into the gloom I was sad that our usual mount, the RS2, was not to enjoy the classic lanes ahead, they may well be both for selling shortly. But there lies another story...                
  The Route: Due W to the start at Colebatch. One section takes all so straight into it with loops through Cefn-Einion, Argoed, Bicton & the flooded pass through to Whitcott-Keysett. No respite & the Mardu "maze" loomed. This complex was to include the (slightly!) deep ford and caused problems for a few. (Confession time: We skirted then reversed the 1km back to the waters edge on the opposite side, worked though.) Following the maze, due W from SH 246 directed crews over the wicked Mount Bank pass, at 450 metres above even the sheep looked sad in that rain. A big loop due S to Newcastle and, without touching the B-road returned N through to Ale Oak & Clun Forest. Cattle grids-r-us on the run past Edenhope Hill and then back down to the pre-visited x-roads at Cefn-Einion. Clever use of the instructions allowed a 150-metre visit to Wales whilst a fail board was set to pounce on the unwary. A final (longest route) loop forced crews to enter Bishops Castle then travel back through Bankshead to a much-welcomed end of section at Upper-Broughton.  
Brilliant stuff, well done Jane, Jon & Matt. Well done Pete, Nick & Elwyn on another class win. Thank you to Karen, nice drive. (Where was that flat brow into...ooops flood.... ooops) anyway?

As the results show, the Novice class lead has changed hands again whilst things are super close at the top of the shop.
 

Round Eight:

A start venue opposite Blackgraves Copse in the Wyre forest complex didn't exactly instill us all with confidence, but however, a serious dose of c/s points were up for grabs on this, the penultimate round. For some they were to slip through the fingers...                
 Confidence...
Fat Louis Motor Sport welcomed us, generator & all, dosed crews with mirror image spot heights(!) & after an hour's plotting we made our way to the first of three sections. Buttonbridge opened the bidding. Dropping S then, using little red, we skirted Buckridge, Gorst Hill, an elusive code board just W of Dunley to drop crews ever S to SF1 via the lovely Abberley yellow. No time to pop up Shelsley Walsh hill climb, the compass thankfully pointing N, the route passing through Pensax & Frith Common. Crossing the River Rea near Ninevah to reach the 66% point just prior to good olde Cleobury Mortimer. The final section contained the sting. This contained tulips & water feature crossings which rocked many - including your scribe! No Neen Savage or Prescott ford's this night but a sexy run E through the Stotty & Chorley lanes including the serious square right just W of Sidbury. At this point most cars were "on the pipe" to reach the calm atmosphere (& stew) at the Cape of Good Hope PH.
Lewis bros had popped in another stormer, thanks to them for that. Not content with taking a class win Beards/Manuel decided upon 1st O/A. Class winners Bonds/Bonds & newcomers Green/Lawrence showing most of us the way home.

Consider F1 (!) having a finish this close! Even Bernie would be sweating.

All to play for then. The final happens on March 15th,  Mr. & Mrs. Bonds host this blockbuster. Some will be shaken... some stirred.

Frenzy at the results table...

Round Nine:
                                                                                                                                                                                              
Running an event the eve prior to a popular local road rally is always a risk but crews arrived and arrived... and arrived... What a turn out, hope the Moonbeam doesn't suffer chaps!  
As a finale to the NE c/ship everyone seemed to be engrossed and concentrating just that little bit more during plotting time. Weather wise, the rain had abated and it looked to be a perfect night for it. The elements though, had other ideas.                                                                   
Different format this time then, the non-use of code boards promising an unusual test for all.  
A short run out to start one of four sections, The Lye followed by the sweeping lanes up over Lightwood, through Ditton to Cleobury North. By this time, already the rain had decided to play and whilst ascending steadily toward Loughton the fog joined in. With a vengeance. Above the 300m mark, visibility reduced quite dramatically, making the navs job even more important. A small loop near Besom Farm allowed crews to feel thier way toward Hopton Cangeford and due S to Henley. Through the shallow ford fed by dogditch brook (!) we skirted the Clee hill and edged on to Cleeton St Mary. The views were understandably non-viewable! By now most cars would have overshot at least once whilst Roberts/Smalley survived a 200m tankslapper. Descending a little now, sore-eyed crews navigated the Foxholes and with the finish in sight (!) only the Prescott weir (no h/pin left on exit this time,) and Oreton stood between a chicken curry and us.  
Applause for all...
Whilst said curry was consumed, results computed we had time to reflect on another season over. Amazing turn out for the final round. Thanks for that. A solid win by our Darkin duo allowed the Ellis/Jarman combo to take the position required to ensure c/s victory. Third then, not enough this time for your scribe & family, but a good result non the less. Smashing class win on the night, after minor probs on R8, went to Green/Lawrence, PeteB closely followed by ElwynM took o/a class honors.
  So near yet so far Phil...   Anth deserved the bubbly though...