Long mynd recon trip

[Road Hog]

Well just had a phone call,seems a good time has been had by all.

One breakdown deffo & one possible,more to follow on this
Found some lanes & fords to add to the main route later in the month.
Piccy`s & video`s to follow later this evening when they get home

[jellybaby]

wish they would hurry up

[alex]

Ok its official, my camera is great when staionary and pants on mobile, so nothing worth posting.

Our recon was 2 cars, Graeme's with Weave and Mark (Weaves brother in law), mine with me and the rugrat.

The plan was to run the begginer route we did last year to check surfaces, 2 possible fords and 5 more lanes to make up for the scratchy stuff we were omitting from the TOR route.

The day started well, a quick coffee in Telford and a run down the A49 past Church Stretton.

The first Ford was a blind entrance from a main road, tight, but well used dirt lane to a footbridge. There was a steep descent into about 3 feet of water, turn upstream slightly for a short climb up the bank and 1/2 mile to the next road. It was a blinder, nothing difficult, but different enough and very pretty.

Just up the road we came back across the river down an equally short and pretty hidden lane, here the water was broader and more shallow. Both a tad beyond a novice day, but perfect for any experienced group.

Unfortunately, as I ran bewtween the lanes I had my manual hubs locked in 2wd (nothing new) and there were some unpleasant bangs as we drove, I dropped the hubs and ran the next bits in either 2hi or 4low hubs open without issue.

We climed the Mynd, ice made some tough going on tarmac and we both slid here and there, descended the regular lanes, all fine and excellent condition.

Climbing a steep tarmac section I totally lost traction and with all 4 locked started slowly at first, then more rapidly sliding backwards. A bank stopped me, but 4wd and hubs in brought loads of noise and it was obvious there was no 4wd, either the diff,cv,half shaft or hub (or all) have died .

A run got us up, but ice on the lane meant several tug and tow's from Graeme were needed as 2wd just couldnt cut it.

We didnt want to quit without the recon and couldnt risk lanes with 1 car, so decided to quit the ones we know and just do the new ones with me 2wd and Graeme up front to help tug.

On route Graeme developed a bang on his rear (no the car). More descissions and a bacon butty later we decided to throw caution and run the lanes. (Oh hindsight... ).

Out of the 5 lanes all were good surface, none too icy and we ran them without the need of the tow rope on the back of the white truck. One is a bit scratchy for newbies, one has a lovely ford, another some frozen pools.

The day was great, with the exception of the increasing bang on Graemes rear (No still the car) and my slight mechanical upset. The warm drinks and butties were great in the feezing cold picture postcard setting.

Needless to say we did spend the last hour waithing for The RAC to come out to the white truck. It became obvious the knock was either a part of the rear drivers brake mechanism being eaten by the hub or a very quickly deteriorating bearing. I Havent heard how he got home, but left him with them as I ran Dave and Mark home. Hopefully Dave will sort the truck out and I can run the novice group in 2wd, the only sticking point the whole day was the ice, mainly on roads. Still a great day, great company and hopefully all the legwork for a great day to come.

[jellybaby]

as usual i'll make myself usefull when a repair is done

[Drift]

Nice write up Alex, sounds more like a hub issue to me, did any front wheel lock?

Hope Graeme is ok, let us know fella

[alex]

We were in somesideways movement, cant tell from theroad, cv's appear in one peice and hubs do switch ok, but until I get under to try and manipulate its hard to tell.

TBH I hope its the lockers as although a few quid, I'm lazy int the winter and thats a simple one As it happened in 2wd with the hubs locked there could be wind up, but my fingers are crossed the diff might be ok. Cant tell TBH.

As one of them oddities Goldfinder was following in 4wd with hubs locked on tarmac road and had no issues

As for Graeme, we hope all the bits he needs are on the shell at Daves, Bearinator will be on route for the weekend.

[Drift]

You wont get wind up with the hubs locked in two wheel drive, I drive miles with mine like that, and I drive fast.
I had an issue with mine once a couple of months ago, the spring in the hub had clicked out of its seating, it was stuck locked but the same could happen the other way around.

[Postfinder]

Well got home on the back of a lowloader, driver was an old fella of about 70, into range rovers and also owns an x5, not sure if he was suffering from dementia, but an entertaining conversationist.
Great day out had by all, Alex forgot to tell ya we had tea n cakes parked in the outer bailey of a castle, thought that was pretty cool.
Only took a couple of photos as my camera batteries would not operate in the sub zero temps, but will post em tomorrow when I can get round to it.
Thanks again for a brill day chaps.
I see the avatar fairy has been doing devious deeds again
G.

[Drift]

Glad you got home safe

[Road Hog]

Home safe & sound well done bud hope it`s an easy fix

[Postfinder]

Cheers Muckas!
Dont forget its the Black Country night thisTuesday Bern, ya still coming over ?
G.

[Road Hog]

Graeme you mentioned brewery ...............does Carmen Miranda wear fruit ????

[Postfinder]

[FUDDY MUCKER]

I leave you alone for 1 day and all hell lets loose.

I hope you pair will be fixed ready for the 18th, need a leader especially.

[weave67]

well what a day of adventure i will post photos when i get home from work

[weave67]

ok people here we go
The first lane with a cracking little ford

Alex and spence,dropping gently in

over they go,

followed by postfinder,

second ford even better,



Alex,On the side,slip and slide

hardly suprising with this amount of ice



bit of a suprise



Our worn out gate keeper

obligatory nature shot

time to head for home,


a long cold day,but good company and bacon baps and hot steeming tea,made this trip into a excellent adventure

[bobbinsjob]

cracking pics again and an eventfull day out

[john boy]

Cracking pics folks looked cold day though is that your first trip out since peak ditrict in december alex bet the steps at roych did a bit of damage.

[weave67]

cold aint the word we were chatting with some walkers on the mynd and the one lad (about seventeen) his nose had been running,and it had frozen on his top lip

[alex]

Yes Jphn and it had seen some action, but nothing its not eaten before. Too damp and cold today to contemplate looking, hopefully before the weekend will have a sniff under it. From a quick glance all is fine, so its gonna need spanners to look.

As long as the temperature is a bit warmer I can run the lanes 2wd as its all very forgiving and only 2 bits of ice caught us out all day.