VMR Summer Rally 2009

[Ian Grace]

Entries received from Terry Synnott and Ronald Hogg - also delighted to receive an entry today from Mike Taylor with his Austin 12

[Ian Grace]

Entry received today from Pete Williams (1930 Cowley special).

We now have at least 7 entries for the nav rally, so this will be reinstated, albeit in a relatively simple form, but hopefully no less fun. Unless we get a burst of late entries, the Roy Hogg Trophy will stay in the trophy cupboard for a second year - it seems pointless for it to be competed for by only three or four Minors.

For less than 12 cars, no RAC MSA approval is required, and we will probably only just exceed this if we add in the scenic tourists, some of whom are in moderns anyway!

Incidentally, if we ignore Simon Hodgins' OHC-engined Jensen, out of 77 SV-owning members (and this number is growing rapidly), we have ONE SV Minor entered. Don't you SV guys do rallies? And no, Sears, you won't get a prize for the best SV Minor!

[Ian Grace]

After working hard on the nav rally route, have decided to change the lunctime venue from the Inn for All Seasons at Barrington to the Howard Arms at Ilmington - quite a bit further north. Lovely pub. The Rally page has been updated.

[Ian Grace]

And I have edited the start to the car park at the Plough Inn, Ford (the location of the finish and cream teas) because the warden at Sudeley Castle would have to unlock the Castle gates early for us, and this seems an imposition for so few cars.

However, the route is developing nicely and will pass through some superb Cotswold localities not seen on either of our first two rallies in the area.

[Ian Grace]

Hacking down my endless Rally 'To Do' list.

I could do with a volunteer to stand by at Toddington station on Sunday morning - to keep an eye on our parked cars during the train trip to Cheltenham and back. That is, if we all wanrt to keep our calormeters!

if you would like to step forward but have already requestewd a train ticket, then a refund will be made.

And, as is VMR tradition, all rally marshals and helpers get FREE BEER at the pub on Sunday evening (in this case, the Royal Oak at Gretton).

[Ian Grace]

OK - numbers so far, and declared to the various players for ticketing/catering purposes:

Cream teas at the Plough Saturday afternoon - 28
Buffet dinner, The Gardener's Arms, Alderton Saturday evening - 21
GWR steam trip to Cheltenham Sunday morning - 15
VSCC Prescott discount tickets, Sunday - 13

This includes entries already received and others known to be in the pipeline.

Tickets for all but Prescott will be distributed from VMR HQ shortly, Prescott tickets wil be available Friday evenijng/Saturday/Sunday morning

Late entries CAN be accepted - there will be spare tickets available on the day (all except Prescott)

I currently have six cars confirmed for the reinstated nav rally. Those of you who entered the tour - perhaps because the nav rally was scrubbed - would any of you like to switch to the nav rally? It really won't be difficult. I currently have 3 Minors in the nav rally, and five in the tour. If I can shift some of the tourists to the nav rally, then it will be worth competing for the Roy Hogg Trophy - its up to you guys!

[Ronald]

Ian, move me across to the Nav rally....... i would always have prefered that option, but as it wasn't happening i entered the scenic tour.... so there you go.... one more entry for the trophy.....

[Simon]

Ian,
Not sure if opted for the tour or the rally. If I am not in the rally please put me there. I am not going to get a new set of maps so may be at a disadvantage. Is it too much to assume that you will be checking the new editions against the old ones

[Ian Grace]

Simon,

I have you in the nav rally - I'll try to make sure the nav clues are OS edition-independent - as far as I can without having every edition in front of me!

Spot heights are usually the issue - they often change by a few feet between editions and can screw up number sequnces, etc. I learned that the hard way on an early VMR nav rally, when I planned the rally on an old map, and everyone turned up with new ones!

[Toby]

We have bought the suggested map centred on Icombe so hope this will still be relevant PS spot heights, blimey thats detailed

[Ian Grace]

Tony,

That map will be fine - that's what I am using for planning purposes.

As for spot height - its' simple really. You get a clue like 6759555448 to somewhere or other. This converts to spot heights 67, 59, 55, 54, and 48 - you find these leading from where you are and it takes you to where you need to go! I can tell you this as I won't be using this sort of clue this year - but remember for 2010! With nav rallies its always a good idea to study the map before the event and use a highlighter to highlight every spot height you can find - it will save you a ton of time on the day.

[Toby]

Regretting entering the nav rally already

[Ian Grace]

Sorry, no backing out now!

The following have entered the LC rally at VSCC 75:

Ken and Kate Martin - 1930 Minor saloon
Robin Hawrcourt-Smith and Dawn Tebbett - 1930 Minor CMS Special
Dave & Wendy Cooksey - C Type MG Montlhery (that's a vintage light car?!)
Cliff & Janet Bradshaw - 1930 M Type
Dave & Clare Aston - 1930 Minor tourer
The McCormacks - 1930 M Type
Colin & Catherine Lee - 1929 Minor saloon
Clare & David Rolfe - 1930 Minor saloon

So five vintage Minors, two M's and a C. There are 38 (thirty eight) Austin Sevens entered.

Other VMR members entered:

Clive & Toddy are entering their Citroen
Jon Rose and Gavin Barnett are entering a Morgan

[Ian Grace]

Tickets and final instructions being posted directly to entrants today - all except the Prescott tickets which are going to David Roscoe who will distribute them at the Rally.

[Ronald]

Pre run shakedonw has been completed....... ie, about 60 odd miles today, running better and better with each mile...... i've given up with the vertical dynamo, it was only giving max 4 amps.... and discharging most of the time due to low revs...... so for the rally the strap on one is back.....