Devon lanes happened ...
Posted: 04 Aug 2009, 15:46
Despite uncertainty August Devon lanes 5 happened for a few of us and we drove some cracking lanes too. Although they were the same as last year's they felt very different because it had been very wet over the past week or two. It held off for us though.
Starting with a Friday night communal curry to warm us up ready for the Saturday off, we had an 8 hour stint with a short lunch break at Bickleigh by the raging Exe river. This was shortly after a massed attack on a steep well washed out lane, that needed all our civil engineering resources to 'rearrange'. All bar but one of us got down it, just with a few scrapes, dents and end caps coming to grief.
The afternoon lanes involved quite a few splashes and a few longer river runs, all the fords being quite full.
With plenty of curry left to supplement our traditional barbie nobody was hungry after the campfire was lit in Roger's magnificent oil drum burner.
As arranged those who wanted (five of us) went out for a wonderful tour of Exmoor, taking in plenty of fords and beauty spots, reaching the Valley of the Rocks at 3 o'clock for a good stretch of the lungs followed by a cream tea.
On Monday, after having snaffled some bargain tools in Cullompton, we headed north west to Excelerate (the new west country Syncrospares outfit). We met Jon, Philippa and Ashley, who made us very welcome with tea and home-made cake. Very good set up, plenty of space, lovely clean workshop and plenty of activity. We found out that they are keen off-roaders and hope to be able to come and support the event next year.
Starting with a Friday night communal curry to warm us up ready for the Saturday off, we had an 8 hour stint with a short lunch break at Bickleigh by the raging Exe river. This was shortly after a massed attack on a steep well washed out lane, that needed all our civil engineering resources to 'rearrange'. All bar but one of us got down it, just with a few scrapes, dents and end caps coming to grief.
The afternoon lanes involved quite a few splashes and a few longer river runs, all the fords being quite full.
With plenty of curry left to supplement our traditional barbie nobody was hungry after the campfire was lit in Roger's magnificent oil drum burner.
As arranged those who wanted (five of us) went out for a wonderful tour of Exmoor, taking in plenty of fords and beauty spots, reaching the Valley of the Rocks at 3 o'clock for a good stretch of the lungs followed by a cream tea.
On Monday, after having snaffled some bargain tools in Cullompton, we headed north west to Excelerate (the new west country Syncrospares outfit). We met Jon, Philippa and Ashley, who made us very welcome with tea and home-made cake. Very good set up, plenty of space, lovely clean workshop and plenty of activity. We found out that they are keen off-roaders and hope to be able to come and support the event next year.
