The field of skodas

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Found in a field

This one has been buried in a bramble hedge for a while. I am sure that with a little care and a coat of paint it could be as good as new.............
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Spent a couple of days down in the west country marshalling and photographing the Exeter Trial. Pictures are all at http://tinyurl.com/382x2x9 Is this a very small marshall or a very big hi-vis jacket?

Look what came out with the gearbox oil!

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Finished

We got to the finish having cleared everything and on time so another Lands End medal will be on the way.

Then on the way home there was a bang from the rear end. Stopped to investigate and thought we had blown a driveshaft oil seal. Further investigation showed a large hole in the top of the gearbox. No idea what has broken inside to make the hole as we drove all the way home with no problem. Will investigate further when time allows.
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We finished!

We took the easy option at Bluehills and followed our class o route instead of risking the main trial route and breaking something on the last hill. It'4 the drivers choice but the navigator made the right decision for me.

We went back to Bluehills after we finished and even the trials specials in class 7 and 8 were struggling.

Great meal last night we went out with the MGCC midland centre members to a pub in Perranporth for beers and steak. Just had breakfast, walking on the beach, quick look in the Perranpoth shops then home.
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Well we finished even though the navigator nodded off.

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Cardinham woods

The sections were evil. They had mud,rocks, deviations and restarts. But we cleared them all.

The Lady Vale restart had been set so you had to turn in and turn out. By pure luck we were travelling sideways on arrival nicely lined up for a straight exit.

Mays was long rocky and slippy and just when you thought it was over it did a 90 right and climbed even steeper. Had to lift off to get any steering at the 90 right but managed to keep enough power on to get up the climb out and span the wheels all tge way to the top.

Silver lead mine had a ledftrightleft half way up the climb which I wasn't expecting and neither Lauren or I know how we got round it but we did. The hairpin was badly rutted on the inside so we went wide and found some grip and some level ground.


Just done the bishops path special test and in the queue for Bishops Wood.
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All still going well

We are waiting for the first section in Cardinham woods. It's very wet and muddy but under it all there is some stone.

Petherwin old hill proved we shoukld never listen to marshalls. The start marshall said not to bother dropping tyre pressures as there was plenty of grip and no one els had. Well there was no grip at all for the steepest part on 26psi but somehow the skoda bounced on up with the wheels spinning.

Ruses mill was late opening so we arrived to a queue. When we did get going it was full throttle wioth a lift off to get some turn in at each of the 4 hairpins. Made a last minute decision to stay low in the restart box and it paid off as we found some grip and got away before the camber of the corner set the wheels spinning.
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You can trial anything

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Widemouth Bay

Molland rise was easy today,wet but plenty of grip. Wargery was horrible, very slippery and badly washed out. We went sideways up the hill scraping the sump guard all the way.

Now running slightly ahead of time so wasting some time posting photos before we check into Widemouth Bay control.
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Going good

Up the first section, Catsash like a rat up a drainpipe, bouncing off of the banks. Very muddy but plenty of grip.

Now sat in the queue for crook horn hill special test. In the forest on a muddy track miles from everywhere.
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Passed scrutineering

Signed on and eating sausage and chips. Will have time for forty winks before our start time of 00:38. Unless of course we bump into anyone we know and end up chatting.
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We are off

All loaded up and ready to go. Lands end here we come.
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Finished!

Well we've got to the end. Cleared 14 failed 15. In the pub waiting for a sunday roast.


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Ivinghoe and on

Didn't quite clear the Ivinghoe section so will get a six got that. Just cleared section 12 was amazing, huge washout V gulley up it with a wheel either side on the bank.

Just cleared 13. Including sideways off the restart.
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Brickhill

Got a 3 and failed a restart. Chatted to gill cotton in the car park.
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Some interesting stuff

Just had a disaster in the field. Failed a restart on one secction and got lost on another. Think that gives us a 6 and an 8.


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Three sections and all cleanrd

Ed says its the ballast.
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Anyone got a 205?

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Start of the scrutineering Q

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Testing

Well I have changed the address and will see if that cures the spam problem.
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Well the Skoda Blog email address has been hijacked by spammers. That means that live email posts from events may be a bit difficult in the future, but I will see what I can do.

The Skoda will be out on The March Hare trial on March 7th and we also have an entry for the Lands End at Easter. If I can't find a way of posting from the mobile I will post after the events.