FROM THE MUD OST 1 - Gilderoy Sunday 18th May

Finally after our long hot summer, season 2003 has commenced with a fine muddy debut at Gilderoy.

In what can only be a good omen, the rain fell prior to the event and produced some sterling gumbo mud sections at this new venue out Warburton way.

Driving over to the property it looked like we were all in for a very wet day but come drivers briefing time at 10.00am the clouds parted to reveal the start of a blue sky day that lasted well until the drive home again at 6.00pm.

First section of the day and season saw us negotiating an artificial mound created by the property owner for the Motor Cross brigade to jump over. Event Director John Cox put an interesting twist into the section however by pegging it sideways across the jump instead of fore and aft which made the approach steeper and more challenging for our four wheeled warriors.

It was great to get back into it and most managed to get to the 8 peg before the rear wheels started to dig holes downwards instead of push the cars forward. Comeback kid Don Hunt had is debut cut short at the 4 peg however when a fiddle brake broke which took him out for the rest of the morning whilst he effected repairs.

The Saturday pegging party were not anticipating the overnight deluge of rain and after a rapid slide down section 2 by Keith Mitchell, the section was abandoned in search of less challenging and less rope pulling ground.

It took until section 4 until the first 10 of the season was declared as Grant Campbell eased his newly painted special over the final mound of earth and squeezed through the red pegs. (Have a look here for great details of this car). Craig Hansen also got up to the 10 but the final squeeze was just too much and the back end clipped the peg as he drove through.

The final sections of the morning were set on a path that went down the side of a gully with the exit a sharp right and slippy climb up where there was no path intended.

First time through the section most struggled once leaving the path and we re ran this one again with a widening of the 6 peg. This time Geoff Taylor managed to get as far as Grant to the nine peg and newcomer Mark Filsell drove the wheels off the ex Steve Mason car to reach the 7.

Lunchtime was spent around the fire and catching up with old mates after the summer break. Don also managed to get his fiddle to work again in preparation for the afternoon session. The myriad of kids have all grown another two inches since last season and were busy playing in puddles or riding their pushbikes over the motor cross mounds at high speed.

Lunchtime was also an opportunity for our honorary scorer, Dot Moyle to meet the drivers again as due to a crook leg she was restricted to a chair by the fire and connected via two way radio to Coxy for relaying the drivers achievements. This technology worked very well but was a bit of a lonely job. Had we known Dot had baked all the goodies she produced during lunch, I'm sure a few drivers would have been returning to the pits more frequently during the morning for a top up!

Into the afternoon and a new set of mostly uphill sections in this expansive 100-acre bush setting.

With Dot's sustenance, Graham Moyle attached the first couple of sections with renewed vigour and kept the score up to Grant and Craig, whilst Don put in a blinder of a second section to be rewarded with an 8 score and cheering and clapping from the onlookers. Another newcomer to trialing, Dean Hunt (son of Don) was also enjoying his debut outing with consistent good runs through the sections.

As we moved further up the hillside and into the final sections it was apparent that Geoff Taylor had also started to shake off the summer cobwebs and rust. Equipped with his recently renovated blood pump the consistency of high scores kept him within cooee of Craig and Grant.

Close behind and also enjoying his day, Greg Cox kept plugging away and was rewarded with his first 10 of the season on the penultimate section 12. Joining Greg for his first ever 10, Mark Filsell was beaming from ear to ear as he emerged from between the final pegs.

Final section of the day had Grant out in front, followed by Craig with Geoff a close third. It would have taken a disaster to have changed the order and despite Craig getting a further 10, Grant came out a well deserved winner of the day. It was also great to see that all cars that started eventually finished the event despite Don performing running repairs during the afternoon to a slipping clutch.

Many thanks to our officials team, Coxy, Dot, Mark Taylor, Steve Mason and to our section peggers who produced some great sections for us all to drive.

Next important event is to support Winton and then onto OST 2 at Panton Hill on Sunday June 15th. Panton Hill is a very spectator friendly site and a great drive out. Directions are on the club website.

See you In the Mud.