Morning all :D Now back safe and sound, no accidents, no damage, no problems. Steve drove like a star, and we had a fabulous time, but spoke to him yesterday and its defo Knackered time ! I was able to do a few posts, but once we got to the main event the mobile signal was poor to non existent, the wi-fi, pretty much 100% non existent, so here is a overview of the event, the pros cons, what I learnt and some info generally should others consider doing it. (which I would hugelt recomend you do !) This was my 1st time on this event, Steves was No 3, but each time it does change !..this tiome a LOT ! Seems that with the passing of the Trophy Cevrenol event, which was a full blown serious competition it was closed down to the the land being made unavailable (much was in frances national parks) and it was a competition...the 1000 rivieres is a Randomee Event... NOT a competition.... as such more you against the terrian, which makes it in many ways better as you can expect help and give help, as it is very much the taking part, there are no 1st 2nd 3rd etc prizes etc ... The event is really 3 days + 1 The 1 is the signing on day, scrutineering and sticking up. We arrived promptly at the designated location at 2.00pm prompt and I was then introduced to Le Francey Laid Backness Stylee............. It was in English terms a bit of a slow shambles, but your in the South of France, its their game and their rules and YOU have to fit in with them. The laid backness of it all can either be frustrating with a sort of FFS Get on with it feeling, or in our case, we smiled and enjoyed the calm and easy going nature of the organisers. looking back the la sa fair attitude actually is very calming and relaxing if you go with the flow. Stickering done we were then free for the rest of the day until 8.00 for briefing number 1. This was done by the organisers and the Mayor of the Town, who welcomed us all and thanked us for coming, doubt many towns in the UK would do this ...., Mayor of Scotia challenge anyone ?...er yes right .... Genuinely there was a good feel in the air and the french were extremely friendly to us. I had some special Megasquirt V8 clothing done with Cacher la bière, les Anglais sont arrivés on the back which basically translates as Hide the Beer the English have arrived ...many did point laugh and comment. Steve had sorted us accomodation - which having been let down by a potential 2nd team coming with us meant he was late booking, so we had an out of town farm house and we had a Gite which is a building converted to let. old immense thick walls clean and the food there was superb, and outstanding value. few beers and bed as we knew we were up early ... Steve having done this before had requested to go in the 1st release of trucks, which is a 7.00am start, there is another at 8, and a final at 9, there are also starts for the Quads, and the Motorbikes, this spreads the entrants over a time period, but he advise 1st as you could find massive jams if in team 2 or 3 and also the risk of either a very very late finish or unable to do all the section. At the briefing amongst final words of do and do nots you are given a Road map, which consists of tulips and instructions,. These are very well done and accurate, but you have to have a terratrip, and (unlike us) get it absolutely spot on - ours was Near Enough and to be honest it would have been easier if we have zerod it a bit better, it wasnt far out at all, but a little out over say 6 kms is a lot !! So, day 1. This was around about 140kms, and a mixture of on / off road, prob around 50./50, it could be described as Greenlanning, except that many of the Lanes could be up to 3kms !!, varied terrain, some deep mud which caused many to be stuck, which caused minor tailbacks, but we made good progress, and finished in the light....and when the light faded the temps plumetted !! Half way through the road book we had a lunch stop. The organisers have basically agreed with a local restuarant etc to open,.... all day... , just for us.... and feed whoever turns up. Having arrived in good time, we sat, and a plate of salamis pickles and pate and fresh breads arrived, and we tucked in. Getting ready to think of starting again, the plate was returned with Roast Pork and Potatoes which were to die for, ate that. Getting ready to think of going, plate returned with a selection of cheeses and wines. Now defo full we thought about leaving ....and the desert plate arrived .... Some time later and stuffed we left to continue ... The lunches were this format every day and are inclusive in the entry fees.... Day 1 was good, some seriously beautiful scenery, and some really good tracks, tough but not anything extreme (good I hate that word :lol:) ... Day 2 Another 7.00am start road book MUCH shorter, and the driving switched to sort of 65 off road and 35 on road and defo tougher, some very very steep climbs, steep descents and some quite sobering sheer drops a few few from the passenger side ... Rocks, shales with little grip, and slide slopes (Steves Favourites lol ) but we had with the exception of the early start day 2 where it rained for 1 hr or so, we had sun all the days and the drive back... We finished Day 2 again in good time, this time we ended up at a location where the dinner was part of the event, and we had food and entertianment. again the food was fabulous, starters and a wild boar cassorole main was superb, with a singer and the atmosphere was really enjoyable. Unfortunately one the the Belguim team had destroyed their DC Propshaft, and Steve and I found ourselves outside in the dark and cold replacing the UJ with a claw hammer sockets and grease and torches, which we did and the team were back in for day 3. There was a fair amount of general body damage, there had been a Gentle roll which took out glass on a truck, few front end nose bleeds, and general panel damages, often this was either the size of the truck, or I am inclined to say lack of experience, This event was Steve thought much much tougher than previous years and thought peeps might of entered and found it rather tougher than they expected. Prop done and few other thing sorted we were back in the tent for the entertianment, and then bee boos.... Day 3. Today the road book was only around 40kms. Hmmm 40 ? ........ The guy who does the road books explained that by now we might have sussed that the shorter the road book the harder the day, and 1 was 140, 2 was 120 and today.... 40.... I speak virtaully no French but did understand Tres Dangerouz and Tres tres Difficule and it was announced day 3 was tough and hard and dangerous ....and all sections ooptional....yum yum .... Sounded superb. We were the 1st to leave, pitch black and misty and we got lost with 10 mins, we soon got back on track, and that track was a 1.2 km near sheer climb up the side of a mountain, with little grip, mist fog poor / to f all visibility and a bludy great drop on passenger side, once at the top we found ourselves needing to winch, and winch and winch. as it was cold I had about 4 layers on and shortly turned into a soggy mess, coupled with a cold and being all snot gurgly, by the time I was back in the cab dripping Steve though he had broken me. The ENTIRE day was tough as hell. On one memorable section a marshal shouted Ze Germans are coming. ............ Now I know you shouldnt label peeps or stick to generalizations, but if you wanted a caracture of Ze Germans the group of 3x in this event were the Arrogant, unfriendly, aloof, 3 x G wagons and F all clue what they were doing type. The marshals has asked / insisted we dropped tyre air pressures, we decided unbeadlocked and 1000 kms from home.... and having seen multiple tyres deflated due to to low a pressures we would go to 24psi and no less, but the Germans did nothing. They arrived at a sheer climb, 3 x G Wagons, and ALL of them had 45 PSI in tyres, and didnt actually mange between all 3 of them to enagage BOTH Lockers AND / OR centre diff in ANY of the 3 G Wagons... One had centre diff unlocked,but both lockers in, one had front locker switched out and the otherone same on the rear. A portly stroppy female german shouted and shouted though the PWR she had and they just got horribly horribly stuck, it took an age for the marshals (who we helped) get them out, no thanks at all, the only really good bit was that one wifey passenger looked white as a sheet and fumed at husband who then shouted at each other,.... she was not amused....everyone else was ... When they finally left the marshals cheered and made inappropriate guestures, seems they or those germans were Not loved. Steve then started his ascent from the base up this mad climb, which nobody had managed without multiple winches up, and I was ready with strops and recover gear half way up...... I heard a Tedious 5 on its rev limiter and saw the 90 bouncing all over the F place but still climbing, then the rattle shot past me and continued to the top only having to stop because the F Germans were still there shouting at each other / everytone, But he was up in one, as was Marc & Annette. who are ex pats we meet and sort of teamed up with part of the day ... and THAT ladies and Gentlemen is the way to do it. lol... Marshalls cheered and clapped, prob as much praise as relief they could have a rest not having to recover us. Some motorbikes tried to get up, they literally fell over with the bikes on top of them, they looked absolutely knackered, when at the top most finally collapsed for a breather !... And so the day went on, we did so well we arrived at the lunchstop before they were ready, but the sun shones and we chatted,. We found the french but particularly the Belguim and Dutch were both amazingly polite and friendly but spoke superb English that really puts us to shame, and, after another Satifisying lunch we restarted. I could go on about how tough etc, but it was we were right on the last section of the day just before the finish when we came across a great French crew, highly highly experienced drivers who had on a climb slipped sideways and had a big roll. The RR was defo a right off, the screen was out and the tailgate twisted and the entire top body had moved, we stopped and checked they both ok, they said Bon thanked us and said they were fine But.....ter eum take care there... There was a nasty short climb, hairpin Right hand turn and a F steep severe drop on the entire left (where he has rolled down) Steve didnt make it up 1st go, and on stopping the 90 slipped back and the pass rear wheel dangled over the drop, another blast and it slipped more and dangled more. I remember I dont F like this Barker as the comment, ....no humour at all, .....we agreed one more ...go then winch, Steve jiggled the 90 as best he could for best approached and floored it, and then clambered right and up and out. The final Night was a huge supper of buffet stylee, butquite fabulous,.... and the shock for us was that we won a Bon Ammie prize. !! These are team(s) selected by the marshals who have made the event better for them being there. We knew Marc & Annette.(ex pats) we met had won as the organizer had to tell them as they were planning to leave (and had no idea) equally Steve and I were stunned too, and had a lovely selection of local food and goods given whilst the Mayor took our and others pictures (erm, and in the UK the picture would be for the police probabl by antis !!). This was a brilliant final topping to a superb 3 day event, I have all of the event on video, but there are a few sections pics worthy of posting up, either views or the terrain or both, We have had a superb time, knackered doesnt come close to how we both are, but we would both recomend this event as a Winner ... Nige
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 13:51:34 +0000
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