20 February 2005

After chatting on messenger for a months and months, I finally got to meet Will, and his rather tasty Jimny.

There, just like brothers. (The trucks, that is)

Also at the event is Andy Whalley (pronounced 'way-lee', right?), and that makes three Jimnys or tri-mnys. Nevermind...

Also in attendance are the usual crew; Alex, James, Greg, Tim and that other bloke who's name I can't remember, sorry!

First off for a play in the twister section, and James drives straight into a big hole.

Yes, I know, we were all hoping he would as well!

He tries winching forward but to no avail.

But eventually gets hauled out backwards.

A little later in the day, and Will leads us down a track that runs round the back of the twisty section mud run. Having watched Will's and Andy's Jimny lean alarmingly towards the end of this track, I feel its better to reverse out than risk rolling.

Just the one slight snag, being on a side-slope, when I try to reverse I slide out of the ruts and come perilously close to a deep sloppy mud run. Going forward is no help either. I know, Ill use the winch, but there's no trees nearby to us as they're all on the other side of a bramble hedge.

So the next best think - a bush! Yes, I really did winch off a bush, it looked a bit shakey at one point but held firm and got me out!

Next we head off to the quarry section where I direct Will down a very sloppy track, and the inevitable happens.

Stuck fast.

I hook up my winch, and he's free again.

Greg acts as an icebreaker in the freezing cold water.

We head off in convoy through the woods, and Alex gets wedged in a deep hole.

Swiftly rescued by Andy.

Me, Will and Andy break off from the pack and head towards the other end of the site. En-route we have a play in one of the several bomb-holes.

Ah, yes, a little bit delayed there.

And guess who left the winch on the back, which is now sitting in the mud!

I get pulled out, and Andy has a go.

Except he thinks he's a snowplough, and also needs winching out.

We move on to see the other mud run.

Just like the Italian Job. Sort of.

Watching the mud run.

Guess who gets stuck again!?

Once again, I winch him out...

...while using Andy as a ground anchor

Back to the twisty section.

Marky B

And back to the car park for a jetwash and natter.

We fill up with fuel and head off home.