Sunday, September 25, 2011

10 CR report

MOE was mostly well behaved, radio/CD player kept blowing the fuse so for a while or two no horn or headlamp flasher and when towing a herald out of an Italian tunnel we kangerooed into a layby, two cars both with different fuel problems cutting out within 200 metres, what were the chances of that, the herald needed a fuel pump, and MOE was suffering from a blocked fuel tank vent, both cars repaired and on their way in 20 mins. Unfortunately we were both well behind schedule and missed a couple of passes.

It was great to be part of such a fantastic event, well done to the organising team Eliss and co and great to see old friends and club members, We kept seeing Goody from the States in Dollyroo, a TR7 powered Dolomite 18/50, they had an exciting time after having the windscreen shattered, by a speeding motorist throwing up debris form the road on the first night, they had a two temporary screens before a Dutch enthusiast delivered a new windscreen at the last night halt..

Team Brum, the 13/60 estate and my Mk1 2.5 powered 2000 set off on Wednesday evening, stopped in a travel lodge near to the start of the event (The Plough pub where a lot of Club triumph events start from)The teams were in good spirits, I however had a slipped disc and was in so much pain I nearly pulled out, but I persevered and the took some serious pain killers and carried on.
We stuck together for the first two days, got separated on day three, and lost track of them after a rear axle problem in Austria and had to pull out of the event, they got home after a lot of messing about by the Austrian AA.

We stopped and helped pull/push a hurricane kit car out of a ditch, they had overtaken us earlier in fog on a blind bend, so it wasn't a complete surprise to find them there, or to hear they stuffed it at the Nuremberg track later on, hope no one was injured.

Photos 1/ Team Brum, 2/ Me and Bill Goodwin (Goody)3/ Hotel Rolduc last night of event Holland 4/A pit stop 5/Ferry 6/ Cooling off after a huge climb in Austria 7/Somewhere! 8/Helicopter attempting to bring aid to motorcyclist, but too late9/ Sitting in the traffic jam waiting to get passed the accident.






T




The scenery, descents and climbs in Italy and Austria were spectacular, the behavior of some of the motorcyclists was tantamount to being suicidal, when they pulled in a small gap between me and another triumph going downhill at speed, I wonder if they realised I was driving a 48 year old car without ABS etc, crazy. Three motorcyclist accidents we came across on one day, one fatal.

The return crossing on the boat was rough, high winds caused the landing to be delayed by three hours, Steve Hudson and Jayson Murray were the other two members of my team, we got on very well, they proved to be both excellent company and drivers, they can come out to play any time!!

Goody came with me and my wife to Wales for a couple of days to Aberystwyth after the event, last photo MOE on holiday by the Traier home.