The rally was on the 9th of February and well I remember the 6 am wake up that's for sure! My Dad said we had to leave by quarter to 7 so I got myself ready for that time but low and behold quarter to 7 he wasn't even at the house! He'd gone to get the papers! So at 7 am ish we set off on our big day trip down South!
It was on this part of the journey as we got onto the M54 that a strange system of events occurred. I got a iPod shuffle for Christmas and obviously quite a fan. I'm also a big Feeder fan so there is quite a lot of their music on my iTunes. I let iTunes automatically fill my shuffle for me, but due to the huge amount of Feeder there's always quite a lot on the shuffle play list. Yet despite it all being randomly selected and my shuffle being on, ahem, shuffle, I still managed to get six Feeder songs in a row!
Anyway back to the rallying :P We got there about well I don't know actually but either way we were lucky. We were m
eant to go to a certain car park so that I could walk across the road to meet JJ and Co on the second stage I was going to visit on the day, but the roads seemed to spear off on there own and we ended up at a completely different car park. Even the professional I blamed the signs! Even so we were lucky to get into the car park as about five cars after we had got in they closed the car park! The stage we were at was Serridge 1 and Car Park G if my memory is correct! After eating what was quite frankly a very nice bacon bap and negotiating the lethal mud strewn paths of the Forest of Dean we reached the stage. Despite parking space being small but once we'd got to the stage there were a large selection of spectators!
eant to go to a certain car park so that I could walk across the road to meet JJ and Co on the second stage I was going to visit on the day, but the roads seemed to spear off on there own and we ended up at a completely different car park. Even the professional I blamed the signs! Even so we were lucky to get into the car park as about five cars after we had got in they closed the car park! The stage we were at was Serridge 1 and Car Park G if my memory is correct! After eating what was quite frankly a very nice bacon bap and negotiating the lethal mud strewn paths of the Forest of Dean we reached the stage. Despite parking space being small but once we'd got to the stage there were a large selection of spectators!The area was a straight into a 90 right which I thought by standing further up from the corner we may get to see some sideways action. However I was to be disappointed by all the drivers behaving themselves, obviously the first event of the year it's vital to finish! However we did see one car pull up as it had just completely died and then a rather amusing moment involving a man sitting down and a Mitsubishi Lancer.
Now I frown upon sitting down when the rally stage is live. I don't mind sitting down when there is no action, but once the cars start coming, the same at track meetings, I stand. However this man was insistent on sitting down. Then came the Lancer, cutting the corner too much the back stepped out and into the ditch the car went. Keeping his foot to the floor he drove this car right through this ditch which was full of water, mud and all sorts. I think you can sense what's coming.
The man who was peacefully enjoying his rallying was now covered head to toe in mud and grass thanks to the exploits of the Lancer. The Lancer got out of the ditch but you could tell that someone had gone off when you looked back down the stage! The man however was soon dusting himself down and the centre of much amusement for the many spectators who were wise enough to stand. Ironically after the scene his chair was too wet and muddy to sit down on, so he stood for the rest of the stage!
We watched a couple more cars then decided that it was time to move on to give ourselves plenty of time to get to the next stage. And swapping into are more casual "travelling" clothes we moved onto the next car park, this time arriving where we were meant too. After just about finding a parking space with plenty of time to spare until the start of the stage we wasted some time in the car, my Dad reading the paper, myself reading my Nintendo mag. But soon we were getting back into the rally gear and set off into the stage, on foot, obviously.
Again we were on the Serridge stage but this time at Car Park D which is where we were supposed to go in the first place I think. After a small walk we reached the stage on what was a hairpin left. After having been disappointed at the lack of action at the last stages 90 right I went in search of some high speed action. So after a decent walk we came to a long straight which was after a 90 right and which the followed into a medium right and the hairpin left or second gear left after the medium right. We couldn't see the hairpin but I thought it was as good a place as any.
The smaller car Nova's etc.) were making a terrific noise as they came up the straight, as was Mr Burton's Peugeot. As we moved down the field one car came back through with some friend of his near us pointing at there watches as he drove past! After watching just over half the field we decided that with us having to still get back to Telford we'd call it a day and walk back to the car. On leaving the car park I saw a Aston Martin Vantage soft top. Don't think I'll see one of those at a rally again!
All in all was a good day out and was well organised. But was also great to see some rallying as it had been since Wales Rally GB since I'd seen any rallying action.
The next event for me is the Robin Hood Stages in March some time, my Dad doesn't know this yet so we'll see what happens there!
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