RBR REPORT

RRB RUN 08 Team No6 1967 Triumph 2000 MK1, (CARIO TAXI) Andy Pearce, Ben “Homer" Hobson This year’s event was our 6th and by rights since 1996 we should have had at least one DNF in the previous 5 starts but somehow I’ve always managed, hook or by crook to get the cars sorted enough to finish, this year I was a bit more concerned as for various reasons the Taxi hadn’t been on the road for over 12 months A test run two weeks before the start to North Wales from our Devon home threw up plenty of issues, these were sorted as best as possible using limited resources and used up most of the useful spares and second hand bits I had stashed in better times- for a rainy day so to speak (and it DID rain on the RBR) The run up to the London start went fine until the M25 car park, what a pain in the arse that road is, Engine temp creeping up and a misfire setting in (something that never happen on the test run) we ducked off the M25 and tried to cut out the clogged up bits rejoining after Junction 19 -I was fuming as it meant I didn’t have time for a cup of Tea at Dales -the misfire went once underway and the temperature decreased but this problem reared its head again when held up on the A1,I richend up the mixture which seemed to help a tad, with no high temperatures noted post adjustment but why the misfire when hot I don’t know, suggestions on a postcard please- My plan is to try and cut down the under bonnet heat i.e. wrap the exhaust manifold and see if that helps with the high hot idle , running on and said hot misfire The start was great catching up with the usual suspects checking out the Atlast van was a highlight along with laughing at Tim climb about the children’s playground equipment to deliver his last minute drivers brief. Our theme for this run was taken from the wise words of Raider Randle first voiced on the 2003 10CR “lets not fanny about and crack on” so we did -Blyth was made in good time a quick PPF (pie,pee,and fuel) and we back on the road I enjoyed the road to corbridge so much this year we forgot turn off and head for Edinburgh –no hassle Ben did a quick cut and we were soon back on route and I had the pleasure of overtaking the cars we had passed ½ an hour before Ben took over the driving from the Airport to Inverness- I slept waking occasionally to a vision of heavy rain and blinding spray (whilst stuck behind trucks) Ben as ever doing a great job of driving through the dodgy conditions and dispatching slower moving traffic to “get clear air” He commented on how planted the car felt, which was pleasing as funds hadn’t allowed for new (bigger) wheels and tyres –we were running on standard 13” with 5 year old 185 profile Good Year Eagles in fact we didn’t really have any “big moments” with grip all run I took over again from Inverness, The last 40 miles into JOG was hard work as the weather wasn’t the best, my arse had gone numb (I needed to re-arrange my seat padding) and all I wanted was my breakfast -I also witnessed another nameless event driver taking the piss out of a 40mph zone in a built up area not a great idea but hey ho there is always one! Breakfast was excellent I had mine first while Homer showered; I then grabbed a shower myself my arse coming back to life! As soon as we could we got the book signed and tootled off, I must admit to being a bit lazy on the next section letting a group of 2000s go past then tagging along with them for the single track leg – it’s always easier to follow rather than lead on this section! The car was running fine and we made the Conon Bridge stop in good time stuffing our faces with the excellent sarnies and taking on plenty of caffeine whilst having a gossip in the car park with the other crews, once suitably refreshed we headed off into the watery sunshine for a great drive through Glencoe-we didn’t stop for fish and chips en-route this time deciding to head straight for the pies at Stirling, by now the punishment being handed out to digestive systems overwhelmed Homer and he finally let a “loch monster” drop that made me gag http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=stR3Lnw3UTE -Parental guidance recommended flatulence and swearing! Once the Pies were dispatched at Stirling Homer took over the driving nailing it through some awful weather along the M6 over shap – the intermittent windscreen wipe circuit I had made using a timer relay and an interposing relay proving itself really useful- anyway onto Forton services where we had double whoppers waiting for us, we had also shipped in some of Cumbria’s finest virgins to put on a floor show for Control Marshall Raider Randle and the other crews, we left as soon as possible! I took over the driving and bored with the route book we took a tour through Chester on the way to Gledrid services -again the car running great apart from getting a bit damp inside- everything was fine -the twisty section through Wales was fun again tagging along with 3 or 4 other 2000s the highlight being a five car U turn with a local police patrol looking on Gordano was reached where my back exercises performed in the cafeteria were confused with someone suffering a cardiac arrest I managed to slip in a meat based savoury product whilst Homer was fuelling the car for his next stint down the M5/A30 -again he took over just as the weather got worse – he was quickly taking on the mantle of rain king! I woke up around Bodmin and took over for the final run in to Lands End ,reached through thick fog at around 06.30am ish . Time for a couple of hours kip before breakfast which was served with an extra helping of sulkiness from the imported labour for the morning, my highlight being I found a lizard in the disabled toilets, thinking I was hallucinating I got Homer to confirm this, and it was in fact a small lizard –maybe it was the point..(Sorry) The next stop was two minutes down the road at the life boat station –inspired stop- the fog had lifted and we could see the sea admire the life boat and stock up with pasties and fags from the local shop . It was then time to bumble through the local Sunday traffic on route to Badgers holt Dartmoor, the trip broken by a 20 minute "emergency stop" when Homer over estimated his “holding power” and a stainless steel latrine was duly rendered useless at a park and ride car park on the outskirts of Liskeard in sympathy a passing seagull emptied its bowel on Homer as he was getting back into the car- I didn’t laugh at all The halt at Badgers was great -a coffee and pie shed along with a really laid back atmosphere from the crews taking in the surroundings, swapping thier driving and car tales of the last 40 hours or so, there was also a lot of talk of the cakes awaiting us at the pimperne village hall so we put idle chat aside deciding some “pudding” might settle things down a bit We were held up at Honiton due to an accident so did a U turn and cut to the old A30 getting back on route with plenty of time to savour the cakes at Pimperne- what a stop! What more can be said and SO much cake! Fully laden the car was still behaving its self and we followed the route to the TR register control sticking to the route from there to the Plough we ended up following the wonderful Stag saloon –I had my head out the window listen into the lovely V8 tune in front! The route cut out a lot of the M25 and was fun once Homer sussed the navigation and we got passed the speed bumps- The Taxi coping fine with them but the lower slung Stag saloon in front was having a few more issues with them, the final few miles on the M25 went ok the traffic not dropping below 40 mph, but we knew we would have to tackle the anti clockwise section - which was solid - to get back to the M3/303 to get home to Devon . We reached the Plough around 19.30 ish filled up with coffee and chatted to other crews until around 21.30 when the traffic had cleared off the M25 allowing us a clear 180 mile run back to Devon- that was the longest 180 miles ever! We were knackered the car behaved faultlessly and we were back at Shedtune base for a decent kip at around 12.30am All in all a great RBR one of the most enjoyable I have done thanks a lot to all concerned in organising it, the spirit of all the crews , and Homer for putting up with me - it was great!