This month I will start the report with an account of our trials and tribulations on this year’s National Rally. We started off with two teams of three Hinckleys and Dennis as our sole member on a Meriden, but a couple of days before the start, Keith had to drop out because he was laid up in bed with a strained back and Roger ended up back in hospital with a recurring medical problem. Under normal circumstances this would not be too bad but trust our luck, they were both entered in different teams, so that put the team prize out of bounds (typical comment from Dennis, was they both had "poor excuses" for not entering!)

Tim and Dennis set off from different starting points to go their own separate ways to complete the Platinum award, which they had done the first part, down at MIRA, the previous week-end (both doing reasonably well except on the off-road section, on a trials machine, where they "failed miserably"), John, Pete and Stuart decided to ride together to try and complete the Special Gold Award. Also with them was a friend who just went along for the run! Some run!

Dennis, as usual, on his T100A managed to complete the course without too many problems, just a couple of wrong turns here and there, doing his 540 miles and visiting 24 controls, for which we hope he will receive his well earned Platinum Award in the near future.

John, Pete and Stuart, more or less newcomers to the event, managed to complete the 540miles, with a frenetic dash over the last couple of checkpoints to get to Rugby on time, only to find they had covered only 21 controls rather than the 24 expected, so they expect to receive the Gold Award rather than the Special Gold they were hoping for. If things couldn’t be worse, Tim first of all got mixed up in the traffic at the Waddington air show, losing precious time, then took a wrong turning and ended up trapped in the one way system that is Cambridge, losing that much time that when he reached Congleton for his second compulsory stop, he only had 18 minutes to cover the 25 miles to Stoke (before the control closed), down "camera alley" which he considered unsafe and impossible. So here ended his rally! Better luck next time Tim!

I would like to offer congratulations and commiserations to those concerned and a "very well done" for having a good try. As one who has done it, I would like to say to anyone who hasn’t done so, have a go your-selves, and then you will realise how tough it really is, specially if you do it on your own.

Well I’ll have to close now as I have to get ready for our trip to the Beezumph tomorrow, really looking forward to this trip, look for my report in the next edition of "The Carbrook Echo"

GLOVEBOX.