Club 80-90 Forums

Morning everyone!
I'm absolutely pissed off about not being able, for a variety of reasons, to make it to the Shipston Do. Hopefully, I shall get to the next one.

Anyway, I'd like to take the grand-kids to experience a short easy off-roading trip in my area over this weekend .... say within a 40 ml radius from Caerphilly. I shall be on my own with them and in view of the fact I have ZERO experience of off-roading, it can't be, er ... `testing.` I'm looking for just a couple of miles of rocking and rolling through gorgeous countryside, but nothing where I might, through total inexperience, find myself in `hot water` so to speak. Perhaps a ford or two may be nice as well.

I've shown them the various vids of off-roading/lanes etc and have had the usual "cor and wows" from them, especially the 13 yr old lad.

Can anyone help with a route?

Regards to all and thanks.

Eric.

.......... perhaps a FORD or two might be nice.

That's odd.
It's not accepting the word: F
O
R
D
for some reason.

Don't attempt any off-road route on your own Eric, especially with children on board. Better you look for some nice country roads (tarmacced!).

I bow my head to your experience HM ....... and thank you for your advice.

I shall put the whole idea into touch for the time being until A/ I gain some experience with the off-roading boys and girls at the next meet, together with B/ Experienced company.

Eric.

Wise words from uncle harryman .....

Never go offroad alone and never without a decent rope / recovery kit. Its tempting but a painful lesson if it goes wrong

Well, there's off-road and there's off road.

In my area I could name you a few forestry logging roads and such that are suitably potholed, mucky, waterlogged, ondulated and silly-cambered to dirty up the van well and good and bring a smile to any 13 year olds face without any real danger of getting into trouble.


But i'm not from Caerphilly

I was not going to post/admit the following, but after a few large liveners (quad vodkas), to calm down and get some Dutch courage, I've had seconds thoughts purely for the sake of silly billies like me who might learn a bit of do's and dont's.

After my initial post I visited my LPG station nr Ystrad Mynach (7 ml north of me) to fill up and en route saw a sign for Penallty Forestry Park (something like that anyway) so popped into the visitor centre. I asked them whether they knew of a stretch of off-roading facility nearby and was directed me to a place a mile or two from their office. The trail is called a BOAT!! The guy I spoke to said it would be perfect for me, even when I explained I would be on my own, with kids. I believe it was called Eglwysyllyn (?) Common. He added that I could go over by tarmaced road or the BOAT (which stands for Byways Open to All Traffic, I believe) trail.

It was a cracking morning so donning my shades and shoving a cancer-stick in my gob I set off for the common.

After travelling along the country lane taking in the ewes and their little ones (the 5 yr old would be delighted), the views also being gorgeous, I came across the trail. I could only see about 50 yrds or so cos it was going uphill, was steep and very rugged. I gunned my beloved machine up and over ..... god, what fun!

I stopped at the top and looked. I could see old slag-heaps and a pine forest in the distance and my trail went right by them. Along the trail I noticed there were loads of pot-holes filled with water and this sight caused me to think back to a recent post where one poor sod got trapped and one of the girls pulled him out. Hmmm, I deliberated for a few minutes and had another fag. Ten minutes later I decided ... bugger it and taking it easy, crept along.

There were loads of deep ditches probably caused by those inferior pieces of crap ..... landies I think they're called? Nevertheless, I pushed on sliding, bashing along. I was quite concerned about my two cylindrical gas tanks underneath being hit mind. I have to say though, I was in my element. All I needed was a bit of skirt with me for forest manoeuvres.

The trail went past the forest, but noticed a rough trail going into it, so I pulled off the main drag and entered. It was dark and very spooky .... reminded me of a fairy tale. Odd thing was, I could not hear any birds. As I travelled through it, I observed everywhere I looked there was a green tinge to everything. And before some smart-ass says `well what the "frell" did you expect it's a bloody forest for god's sake` let me add that all the main trunks had a sort of green stuff covering them ............ very strange. Quite disturbing really.

Anyway, on I went. I suddenly found myself going downhill steeply twisting and turning all the while, until I met a huge fallen tree at the bottom, seemingly laid across the trail, preventing further progress. Dick-head me decided, even though there was insufficient room to attempt a `3 point turn` and made a pigs ear of it!! I got stuck. I stopped the engine and thought through my options. I didn't know where the hell I was to tell the RAC and/or AA my location, I had no wellies, no tow-rope, no wheel-brace, no spade and running low on fags. So I slid out of the cab and reconnoitred the wheels and with dry flat stones slowly and surely improved the ground. I got back into the bus and even though I'm agnostic, I gave a silent prayer. I finished my 27 point turn and succeeded in extracting myself. Methinks the 4WD worked (courtesy of Aidan's VC and CJ's coping with my incessant babble when fitting it).

Got back to the main trail and made it to civilisation. Phew!

The brakes, however, when pressed hard(ish), now make a hell of a LOUD sort of grinding/rubbing noise. Muddy water?

Eric.
ps: I'm now pissed!

Sounds like you had a good time to me I get into just those kind of scrapes on my tod... maybe take a bit more time to scout before you leap... (not that I allways manage to )

If you don't scare yourself sometimes, how do you know you're alive?

Dave

Me thinks you got away with that one....

I cant bring the doka down just yet (really need to do some jobs on it and ideally get a good 2.1 engine), but would be more than happy to meet up say on a fri eve on my way home to check out any further trails and offer some experience.. I have a legacy estate wich can cope pretty well with slippery conditions, but wont do deep ruts etc...

Any pay and play sites near you?? we could go do an eveing at one of them and get some experience under your belt...