On the evening of Tuesday 25th November, 2008, Peter Ingram died as a result of complications with his MS.
He was a good, and true, friend... and will be missed by many.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Peter Ingram, RIP
On the evening of Tuesday 25th November, 2008, Peter Ingram died as a result of complications with his MS.
He was a good, and true, friend... and will be missed by many.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The future of Hill Rallies
People have been concerned about the future of Hill Rallies in Scotland - indeed, I've been hearing that there have been some people going around proclaiming they are actually dead already.
Well, from a purely selfish point of view, Hill Rallies need to be kept alive in scotland:
If there is no Hill Rally, why should people spend tens of thousands of pounds buying the likes of WildCats or ProTrucks?
Ignoring the Hill Rally, which we are postulating as dead, there are basically 4 groups running off-road speed events, as far as I can tell: AWDC (which doesn't really come north of about Manchester); BCCC (which has, erm... Zero scottish entries, and a token event north of the border); NORC (who are also mostly south-ish); and SCCC (ie, the events I run.) Now, AWDC, NORC, SCCC & BCCC all run comp safari events: going round a single circuit lots of times. BCCC are the best for this, as they tend to have 10-mile circuits rather than 3-milers... but BCCC is also Nat A, so is not a club-level event.
So - for Scottish drivers, there are the 3-miler Comp Safari events (7 a year, mostly central belt or southern Scotland)... all run to a 30mph max average, all in the 3-miler category, all sub £50 to enter.
For Scottish competitors to have a challenge, to have a reason to go on from the SCCC, we need Hill Rallies: They need something that is more than 3 miles; more than 30mph max ave; and more than driving round in circles on your own... nice as BCCC is, you can do it as a single driver... there's no TEAMWORK!
That event would be the Hill Rally.
Likewise, the Hill Rally needs the SCCC: where-else will the future entrants come from? Where else will future marshal & senior officials come from?
No - for either to survive, they need each other.
Trying to promote anything else is just shooting yourself in the foot.
Well, from a purely selfish point of view, Hill Rallies need to be kept alive in scotland:
If there is no Hill Rally, why should people spend tens of thousands of pounds buying the likes of WildCats or ProTrucks?
Ignoring the Hill Rally, which we are postulating as dead, there are basically 4 groups running off-road speed events, as far as I can tell: AWDC (which doesn't really come north of about Manchester); BCCC (which has, erm... Zero scottish entries, and a token event north of the border); NORC (who are also mostly south-ish); and SCCC (ie, the events I run.) Now, AWDC, NORC, SCCC & BCCC all run comp safari events: going round a single circuit lots of times. BCCC are the best for this, as they tend to have 10-mile circuits rather than 3-milers... but BCCC is also Nat A, so is not a club-level event.
So - for Scottish drivers, there are the 3-miler Comp Safari events (7 a year, mostly central belt or southern Scotland)... all run to a 30mph max average, all in the 3-miler category, all sub £50 to enter.
For Scottish competitors to have a challenge, to have a reason to go on from the SCCC, we need Hill Rallies: They need something that is more than 3 miles; more than 30mph max ave; and more than driving round in circles on your own... nice as BCCC is, you can do it as a single driver... there's no TEAMWORK!
That event would be the Hill Rally.
Likewise, the Hill Rally needs the SCCC: where-else will the future entrants come from? Where else will future marshal & senior officials come from?
No - for either to survive, they need each other.
Trying to promote anything else is just shooting yourself in the foot.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Borders Hill Rally countdown
Well, two days before I head down to run the setup for the borders hill rally.
I don't know why, but this year it's more stressful than ever before: there have been a number of times when I've had to mediate between disgruntled factions; sort out things that others should take on; and worry about tasks that are someone else's responsibility.
This event will run, and I really really don't want it to be the last hill rally we ever run... but I can see a number of teddies being thrown at the de-brief meeting.
Such is life.....
I don't know why, but this year it's more stressful than ever before: there have been a number of times when I've had to mediate between disgruntled factions; sort out things that others should take on; and worry about tasks that are someone else's responsibility.
This event will run, and I really really don't want it to be the last hill rally we ever run... but I can see a number of teddies being thrown at the de-brief meeting.
Such is life.....
Monday, November 10, 2008
Borders is back on!
The Borders Hill Rally is back on!
A reduced mileage and a reduced cost.... but it's on!
£385 for ~75 miles.
£45 for !WARM! bunkhouse accommodation, £35 for a caravan/tent, with access to the commonrooms, kitchens & showers.)
A reduced mileage and a reduced cost.... but it's on!
£385 for ~75 miles.
£45 for !WARM! bunkhouse accommodation, £35 for a caravan/tent, with access to the commonrooms, kitchens & showers.)
Monday, October 13, 2008
SCCC, Round 7 - Galashiels
This is the final event of the season, and with less that ten points seperating the top five drivers, the championship is still to play for!
Number two, Brian Hilditch, is not expected to enter, having totalled his engine in August, and hard-charging Johnny Drysdale in his big 110 has been steadily improving event on event. Malc Millar, absolutely flying in his diesel 90, may not make a podium finish for the championship, but he has definitely shaken a few drivers out of their complacency.
The ASRs for the event are here
The SSRs for the event are, as ever, here
Number two, Brian Hilditch, is not expected to enter, having totalled his engine in August, and hard-charging Johnny Drysdale in his big 110 has been steadily improving event on event. Malc Millar, absolutely flying in his diesel 90, may not make a podium finish for the championship, but he has definitely shaken a few drivers out of their complacency.
The ASRs for the event are here
The SSRs for the event are, as ever, here
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A happy PR person
OK, so maybe not a PR person, per sae (and that's a lot of "P"s!)
Sunday was a drive in the country: I have dropped PR letters and posters along the route from Keilder to Newcastleton.
I've still to do Hexam to Keilder, Newcastlton to Castle O'er, and Castle O'er to Moffat.
Sunday was a drive in the country: I have dropped PR letters and posters along the route from Keilder to Newcastleton.
I've still to do Hexam to Keilder, Newcastlton to Castle O'er, and Castle O'er to Moffat.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Galashiels
Popped over to Galashils to look at the bridges we'd built, the hardcore we'd bought, and agree a route with the farmer.
The bridges have stood up to their first test: a field-full of cattle has wandered over them (you can tell, there is cow-shit on them), with zero damage :)
We need more hardcore, but he's going to source that from stuff he already has, and dump it in place (for a fee, of course)
We have a 3 mile route... with almost a mile lost due to politics (the farmer is going to stop renting to one of his tenants, and doesn't want to give them a bargaining chip by asking them to move cattle for the weekend)
The bridges have stood up to their first test: a field-full of cattle has wandered over them (you can tell, there is cow-shit on them), with zero damage :)
We need more hardcore, but he's going to source that from stuff he already has, and dump it in place (for a fee, of course)
We have a 3 mile route... with almost a mile lost due to politics (the farmer is going to stop renting to one of his tenants, and doesn't want to give them a bargaining chip by asking them to move cattle for the weekend)
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