Blimey - that rain we had.
Posted: 13 Feb 2011, 22:08
Since the Iltis was legal I've not really had opertunity to get out much, twice infact.
Anyway, couple of weeks ago Michael (the bloke who answers the phone and puts stuff in Jiffy Bags for you..) and me went out and did some of the local lanes, nice simple stuff, good afternoon driving about.
Anyway, 'ar lass decided to arrange some child care and offered up a meal at the Fleece in Holme (fantastic pub, amazing food) not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth we took the Iltis.
So, I'm sure some of you have done some of the lanes, you start off driving up Holme Moss and then detour off down Rake head lane, and Holme Woods lane, now they have done some work on the Reservoirs and also some forestry and the road has been graded to a certain extent so they have gone a little bit dull but the scenery is nice.
Anyway, merily driving about and then we get to Ramsden road Blimey, lane has turned from a bumpy little up hill track to what now looks like a river bed!
20 or so Metres in and ......shkadoing! slid sideways and stuck in a rut, literally! 'ar lass is nearly wetting herself laughing!
So, rear diff lock in and reverse out, have another go and kept sliding into the stream!
Not wanting to be beat I slowly gave it a wide berth nearly scraping my mirror against the dry stone wall I sneaked past.
Further up and the lane is so washed out, totally different experience from the 2 weekends previous.
Now, I used to live very near here, spent ages walking, cycling, driving about up here, I know the area well and I have seen it change and evolve over the last few years but I have never seen it like this!
Theres not many places I would drive solo, but I do here though after today I don't think I would again.
Anyway, I follow the lane up and around the corner and I'm met with a rather exagerated version of the rutted lane thats on my Iltis video on YouTube.
Now, I'm between a rock and a hard place, literally, I don't really want to go back, and I'm a little bit concerned about what lies ahead! Not that I let on to ar' lass, off we go, 4WD on, rear diff lock in, into G and off we pop.
That was hard driving!
It went up it, through it, over it, properly pumped up on adrenaline, nearly tipped it over! Got to the top and stopped, properly buzzing, never, ever had that from driving before, I release some expletives then she cottoned on I was Kacking my keks! she said I hid it well!
After that, we did some lanes that used to be like freshly laid motorways, not so anymore, rut central but nothing compared Ramsden.
Moral, you think it's safe to go somewhere you know well, not always so. The lanes were just within the capabilities of the 30 year old Iltis, probably worse than my driving skill, I managed okay but made me think about going places alone.
This is what it used to look like 12 months ago coming down <<click>>
It don't look like that no more!
Left camera on mantlepiece, soz.
Anyway, couple of weeks ago Michael (the bloke who answers the phone and puts stuff in Jiffy Bags for you..) and me went out and did some of the local lanes, nice simple stuff, good afternoon driving about.
Anyway, 'ar lass decided to arrange some child care and offered up a meal at the Fleece in Holme (fantastic pub, amazing food) not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth we took the Iltis.
So, I'm sure some of you have done some of the lanes, you start off driving up Holme Moss and then detour off down Rake head lane, and Holme Woods lane, now they have done some work on the Reservoirs and also some forestry and the road has been graded to a certain extent so they have gone a little bit dull but the scenery is nice.
Anyway, merily driving about and then we get to Ramsden road Blimey, lane has turned from a bumpy little up hill track to what now looks like a river bed!
20 or so Metres in and ......shkadoing! slid sideways and stuck in a rut, literally! 'ar lass is nearly wetting herself laughing!
So, rear diff lock in and reverse out, have another go and kept sliding into the stream!
Not wanting to be beat I slowly gave it a wide berth nearly scraping my mirror against the dry stone wall I sneaked past.
Further up and the lane is so washed out, totally different experience from the 2 weekends previous.
Now, I used to live very near here, spent ages walking, cycling, driving about up here, I know the area well and I have seen it change and evolve over the last few years but I have never seen it like this!
Theres not many places I would drive solo, but I do here though after today I don't think I would again.
Anyway, I follow the lane up and around the corner and I'm met with a rather exagerated version of the rutted lane thats on my Iltis video on YouTube.
Now, I'm between a rock and a hard place, literally, I don't really want to go back, and I'm a little bit concerned about what lies ahead! Not that I let on to ar' lass, off we go, 4WD on, rear diff lock in, into G and off we pop.
That was hard driving!
It went up it, through it, over it, properly pumped up on adrenaline, nearly tipped it over! Got to the top and stopped, properly buzzing, never, ever had that from driving before, I release some expletives then she cottoned on I was Kacking my keks! she said I hid it well!
After that, we did some lanes that used to be like freshly laid motorways, not so anymore, rut central but nothing compared Ramsden.
Moral, you think it's safe to go somewhere you know well, not always so. The lanes were just within the capabilities of the 30 year old Iltis, probably worse than my driving skill, I managed okay but made me think about going places alone.
This is what it used to look like 12 months ago coming down <<click>>
It don't look like that no more!
Left camera on mantlepiece, soz.