Dirty Dragons

21-03-09-Reccy-Coal Tips

March 22, 2009 on 7:51 am | In Blogs, USIN's Blogs | No Comments

WAS was in town, for one night only, and he fancied a trip.

We decided to do a reccy again, and to see if we could peice together some more info from the last reccy trip.

We headed staight (ish) to the lane entrance we found last time. Towards the top, we had a quick look at some tracks we had seen on google. As it was dark, it was just enought to get the idea, but as it was night, we didn’t go too far off the main roads.

Down to the roundabout, to confirm if Camo had spotted a different track. He mentioned it on the last trip, but we thought he menat a different one, and dismissed it. However, I had re checked on google, and he was right!

In this area, there were a few little ups and downs, and a little go was had. WAS’s brother was on board, and he had a bit of a go too!

Then we headed towards a track that connected the two areas we had seen on google.

We may have found it, hard to tell at night. We did, we believe, find the one area. I did a foot reccy, and do beleive I found an area we had seen being driven on you tube. Due to the darkness, and the fact the conditions could not be completely known, we followed a track Camo had foot reccied, up towards the start area. We will have to look at this in daylight! (However, my hill walking is getting back into use!)

On the way out, we had a bit of a play on the tump by the roundabout, and gave WAS the opportunity to try out low versus low with Diff Lock. He like!

We folled a diff lane out, and found a little area that had a hill climb, with a choice of 4 routes. One was easish, one ok, one a little greassy, and one, well……step, then a bump, a big dip (wheren people spin after hitting it after the little jump cuased by the bump, and more general spin ruts…..

Was had a go, and as expected had issues with the bump and spin ruts. He came up a diff route. He did go down it, but that bump caused as much problems heading down as up! It launched him enough to loose some of the engine breaking, so had a little run away until it had the time to control it, near the bottom.

We then found the reason why we missed this the last time. These came out a t asection of the lane that had a large contrete platform. Last time we were looking outof the wrong windows!

We had a look around this area, and possibly found some sort of covered shaft. There were evendance of lots of heave beams, for some sort of structure, and an odd…..cover, with a pole attached. Some pictures are in the gallery!

From here, we headed back, going back along the track, and out the other way, heading west. A gentle, slightly rutted track. From here it was back to main roads, and a cruise back home!

Reccy successsfull, a bit of fun, and little sleep until the next possible out!

Will we get to the gap, at around 08:00?

If you look at the time of this post, you can see I am just about to load up, and head out!

Check back here later, and see if there is a trip report for today! (If more pics of work done on the landy are in the gallery instead, then it was probably a no!)

08-03-09 -Mind the GAP (Kniting Dog Walkers Birthday Bash!)

March 22, 2009 on 7:35 am | In Blogs, USIN's Blogs | No Comments

A bit of a special trip this one. It was a combined objective trip!

One Birthday Girl, off road (passenger) newbie. One newbie, and lots of interested passnegers…..

We were heading to the Gap (GAP ROAD Brecon). This lane is only open (at present) in March, then for 6 weeks later in the year. So, to make the most of it, this was the selected lane for the day.

I arrived at Minx’s and Camouflgaues noce and early, was there at 08:00. We knew there was a little job to be done on Cavemans’ sport trax before the off. We were due to leave at 10:00/ Sadly he wasn’t due to arrive untill 09:00. He had a leaf spring to swap out.

We got a few things ready, and when he got there, he cracked on. It didn’t go as smoothly as it could have, and we ended up leaving at around 13:30.

We cracked on with heading up. We had, Camo driving the Disco. Minx in Sport Trax, Spud in sport trax and Caveman in Sport Trax.

We got to the start of the land, and headed, after photo op, and a natter, to the first obsticle, the Blown Bridge. To be honest we came accross this quicker than I thought we would. (We went south to north). By the time we got there, it was fairly obvious the track had been well used that day, and the decent into the stream was failry boogy and chruned up. Plenty of water carried up (from the other way), making it a little tricky.

As it was a fun day, it was decided to turn around, and head to the other end. Eventually we got everyone turned around, and I was picked back up. (I had gone on a walk, to look at the bottom road).

We travelled to the other end, through Brecon, so the kids could have a pit stop. Caveman also did, so we beat a hasty retreat, and got to the lane ASAP.

At the first opportunity, when we hit open ground on the lane, we had a picnic. (It was a duel purpose trip, and there was a birthday girl on board!)

After eating, we spoke to someone dropping off, and sadly, his views on the conditions made us cautious.

We had (me) doing foot walk up, camoflage doing a vehicle check. The conditions were fine. At one point spud came up to see what was going on. He reversed down, and Camo waited for me to return. I had tried to get to the steps, to see if they were as bad as we had been told. I ran out of time.

Returned to camo, and helped him to see his way down. Reversed at a save location, and trundled down to the others. Time for a quick coffee, then we headed off the hills.

Returned home, with a generally pleasent day had by all.

Not the most etreme off roading trip, however, a good intro to the birthday girl, who is interested in going again, and for a newbie driver, who has now some experience in off roading, and doing a nce controlled downhill using the transfer box, and not the brakes!

Put in the dairy to try to get back there, before the TRO kicks back in!