Dirty Dragons

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!