Targa

Targa 2019 Prologue Day 1 - Tuesday 29th October 2019 Day 2 - Wednesday 30th October 2019 Day 3 - Thursday 31st October 2019 Day 4 - Friday 1st November 2019 Day 5 - Saturday 2nd November 2019 Targa 2019 - Epilogue Targa 2019 Prologue

Later today (Mon 28th Oct2019) we all gather at Taupo to pickup our gear, and attend a Timing Team Briefing.

This year our team consists of: David (Chief), Wazza (Boss), Johann and Josh

Once cleared from Taupo we head for Otorohanga where we stay the night ready for our stage in the morning.

When we have done that we head off to Stratford, where we stay for two nights.

One Stage at Inglewood on Wed.

Another 2 stages in the Stratford area on Thursday then heading for Taihape so we can do our stage on Fri morning just out of Waiouru then after our afternoon stage near Feilding we head over the hill to stay at Pahiatua for Friday night then our final stage of the event out the back of Masterton.

A long drive home once cleared from there on Sat afternoon, getting home as I have said before TIRED BUT HAPPY - (I hope)

Once more if you have no wish to receive these emails let me know so you can be removed from the list - otherwise I intend once more to do a writeup each night with our 'trials and tribulations' for the day in question.

Dale has his own Start team which consists of: Dale himself, Bruce, Kevin and Darryl. But although they are doing starts for the stages for which we are doing the finishes we tend not to be staying together very often and our paths probably won't cross all that much.

More tomorrow

Day 1 - Tuesday 29th October 2019

Most important things first! I managed to find a stockist of Ngahere Gold in STRATFORD !!!!!

But back to some sort of chronological order...

After collecting all the gear and attending the Timing Crews Briefing in Taupo yesterday - 4hrs from home -we headed for Otorohanga holiday park where we had a very nice 2 bedroom family motel - Another 2 hrs drive.

We well and truly met our out the gate time of 0900.

So,here were are at Stratford having done one stage (SS3) today - just down the road from where we stayed last night.

Josh set up and operated the Flying Finish, David was our Finish Control logwriter, Johann did the cards and I did road and a 'mini board'.

We were cleared about 1230, Johann and I had a pie etc at Te Kuiti, at which stage it looked like 'left behind' had struck again (remember James?), but problem solved later!!

We were heading for Stratford, where we were to stay tonight.

But coming into Inglewood (about 20k from the destination) I stopped at an intersection whereupon the water temp on Goldie moved imperceptively upwards so i knew we had to do 'something about the water' Yeah Right. The engine stalled!! And not only would it not start, it wouldn't even turn over - OH BOTHER (or worse) being in the middle of an intersection did not help but Johann managed to push the car over to the left a bit.

The AA tech was of the opinion that the engine had cooked, but having cooled down for over half an hour and then refilling it with water it SEEMS to be o.k. Dale is holding his breath - how good is it having a mechanic of his standing as part of the team?

We all had chinese for tea, have determined an out the gate time of 0700 in the morning had a couple of Ngas, and am off to bed shortly.

More tomorrow (when we are back here) I HOPE!!

Day 2 - Wednesday 30th October 2019

Here we are still at Stratford.

Out the gate at 0700 this morning, drove the 36km to our stage - no more vehicle problems as yet anyway.

Johann on Flying Finish, with a handheld radio that although indicating being fully charged was not. At least with Rallysafe we do not rely on them anywhere near as much.

While waiting at Finish control, Josh (who we always have to look up to) said (among other things) " I guess I had better play with myself", then a short time later "see three noughts in a row" (yes we had been playing noughts and crosses!!! What else?)

David did log writing, said Josh settled into reading the tablet and writing up the competitor's cards and I managed time to do a 'proper' board. Once more Rallysafe showed its importantance as Josh was able to give me the stage time usually before the competitor actually arrived at our control and I was able to already have it displayed before they arrived.

We had only minimal problems with 'start orders', and the one rally car we 'lost' was determined to be pulled over safely and presented no safety concern.

We did however lose one of the tour cars, but believe they too are o.k.

We all have this afternoon and evening off, and have another out the gate time of 0700 tomorrow morning.

Day 3 - Thursday 31st October 2019

Here we are again at Rusty Nail Backpackers in Taihape, where we last stayed when on Big Targa 2016. At that stage we had Dale, Kevin, Kriss, Phillip, (there was no room for James and Sophia) and the rest of us - that was when we also met Poko, Leigh, Dinny, Denise, Kia etc - but I reminisce, back to the present.

Today we had the usual suspects 1. Left behind AGAIN 2. Positioning the car in JUST the right place to stop the SVC light on the radio flashing 3. Rogue Cars - see below.

Out the gate from Stratford at 0700 again, on site for SS11 at the appropriate time.

Lovely day again, this time we had Dave on Flying Finish, Johann doing Logs Josh on Cards and I did road and also a proper board (much appreciated by competitors). Once cleared pies for lunch and then to SS15.

It was at SS15 that we htought we had a communication problem but managed to reposition the car, to achieve the necessary comms. The sun was so hot that Josh was in danger of getting his arm sunburnt!!!

ROGUE CARS Once again we were plauged by rogue cars - those that have no business being there. Because we are a finish crew, in conjunction with our Block Marshals, are faced with people demanding to drive Wrong Direction straight into oncoming competitors (who could, be driving up to say 180kmh, and expecting a closed road are likely to be using it all) !! HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET ????

1. The 'good' One person claimed that the road closure wasn't supposed to start untill 8.30 (instead of 8 a.m.) He agreed to go and have a look at the sign at the end of the road- he did and we didn't see him again.

2. The 'not so good' A local vet claimed to be attending an emergency and didn't mind 'taking his chances'. What rubbish - as if any dog is worth more than a human life.

3. The 'Really Bloody Awful" A woman driving a First Security vehicle Rego KQJ 823 and claiming to work for Corrections, DEMANDED access. The block marshals had attempted to stop her and had rung Targa base (unsuccessfully as it happens) whereupon she charged up to our control zone (which is an offence in itself). As mentioned she claimed she could do whatever she wanted, asked for my credentials which I was happy to provide, but I was not going to allow her in no matter what. Regardless of her assertion that the competitors should simply avoid her.

In point of fact I was told to try and take her keys, and otherwise actually pull her out of the car and hold her until the police arrived.

We did have a news photographer there too, he said he couln't get involved directly but could only film the confrontation.

Despite a very tense situation she eventualy turned around and roared off. If indeed she was Corrections Dept employee I would hope her days of employment are numbered!.

Tomorrow we do SS20, the 2nd stage of the day - at Waiouru, then SS24 near Kimbolton then on to Woodville for the night. More then I hope.

Day 4 - Friday 1st November 2019

Tonight we are at Masters Hall In Pahiatua - just down the road from Woodville,as expected it suits us fine - individual beds, in individual rooms, out the gate a 9 a.m. tomorrow.

But back to today; Out of the gate 8.15, and although the water problem seemed to have resolved itself, on the way to SS20, the alternator decided it had done enough work and gave up the ghost -apparently anyway.

However I must have hit a bump or something and it started working again.

Just as well as without any cell coverage we just had to use our big fleetlink radio.

We had no problems with rogue vehicles at all today, but instead Rallysafe went back to its 'original roots' and for SS20 all cars had NRT (No Rallysafe Time) written on their cards!!

Buck 'had a go at it at the Taihape lunch break and changed the aerial etc, and during the afternoonSS24 it worked almost half the time!!

We did have a rather bigger problem however in that the Goldie water problem reared its ugly head again! BUT we did get to our stage more or less on time BUT we once more encountered an angry farmer and despite being positioned in EXACTLY the correct place had to move up quite close to the Flying Finish, leaving minimal distance to stop from say 180 kmph.

The brains trust decided to advise competitors by notice board at the start and putting double cautions in the 300m. I also comandeered another official to 'do a paddle' i.e. wave cars to a stop. A few scary moments but no real danger!

Once cleared we proceeded over Saddle Hill Road, through Woodville down to Masters Hall.

As is my wont on the last night, I took the team out to a nice meal, Josh and Johann shared a seafood platter - and couldn't actually finish it !!!!. One last day tomorrow, the head for home tired but happy hopefully.

We have settled down with semi permanent positions, David on FF, Josh on cards, Johann logwriting and myself road an board (when Rallysafe works!)

Day 5 - Saturday 2nd November 2019

Hi all,

Well this was our final day.

Thurs night 1st Nov we stayed at Masters Hall in Pahiatua, all in separate rooms each with a queen sized bed. Something Josh was able to make the very best use of!!

Knowing we had to drive right through SS27 to get to the start of our stage SS88, we had given ourselves an Out The Gate time of 0900 which we managed to achieve despite the 'late night' our younger members had had!!

Once we got to the start of our SS28 we had arranged for Josh to get a ride through the stage in a Promotional Vehicle while the 'workers' amongst us drove through the stage itself, where we 'did our stuff'.

I understand that once Josh was buckled in to the Lexus and ready to go he wondered whether he had perhaps overdone it the previous night.

We only had one rogue car (van) this time - but not wrong direction but all the way from the start - almost caught by Saftey One.

Anyway once Josh arrived we (again) had David on FF, Josh on Cards and Johann writing logs.

I again did road and the board. Rallysafe only failed for one car.

Once cleared we handed Rallysafe Equipment to Recovery1 and headed home well over 600 km. We did however have lunch in Dannevirke, then back over Saddle Hill Rd, dropped David in Turangi, Josh to collect his vehicle from Tirau, then Johann drove pretty much to Tairua, whereupon I came home arriving just after 1 a.m.

My face is quite sunburnt from being in the sun all day, Josh had the same problem with his arm (out the window).

As I have said many times before TIRED BUT HAPPY.

Epilogue in a few days.

Targa 2019 - Epilogue

Hi All,

Well Main Targa 2019 is now over, and once more we fulfilled all our obligations and returned home tired but happy.

In our case we did 2160 km in the 5/6 days.

SUMMARY:

Mon 28th Oct. Johann and I went to Tirau (some 2 hrs), collected Josh, then on to Taupo (another 2 hrs), there we met up with Dave who had travelled all the way from Christchurch - thanks Chief. After gear collection, another 2 hrs to Otorohanga - Stayed Kiwi Holiday Park.

Tues 29th Oct. Met our out the gate time and timed our appointed stage. Poor little Goldie found 'sustained high speed running' did not agree with it, but we made it to Stratford Kiwi Holiday Park happily.

Wed 30th Oct. Met our out the gate time again and fulfilled our obligations back to Stratford that night.

Thu 31st Oct. Out the gate at the correct time, timed both our stages and then headed for Taihape where we stayed at Rusty Nail Backpackers (where we last stayed in 2016)

Fri 1st Nov. Timed our stage just out of Waiouru, then headed for Kimbolton (just out of Feilding), then over Saddle Hill Road to stay at Masters Hall in Pahiatua.

Sat 2 Nov. To get to our position it was necessary to drive through two stages SS27 and SS28 - which we did, but arranged for Josh to get a ride in a promotional car (thanks Peter). Once cleared and lunch in Dannevirke we dropped Dave at Turangi, Josh back at Tirau, Johann at Tairua.

A couple of points

ACCOMMODATION As it happens we did not need sleeping bags after all. Monday night was in a 2 bed room 'family motel' - shower and toilet etc included Tues/Wed another 'self contained' unit but with bunks (I claimed the double) Thurs at the quirky Rusty Nail in Taihape - but as there were already 4 men in the 8 bed dorm room we had booked, Dave and I were given a nice big room to ourselves and the boys had the so called 'female dorm' to themselves. Fri at Masters Hall, where we each had a room to ourselves - with a queen bed.

ROGUE VEHICLES Once again the problem of rogue vehicles raised its ugly head. Being a finish crew any vehicle that actually gets past us (and our own block marshals) is driving WD (that is wrong direction) head on towards rally cars that could be travelling at up to 200 kmph, and not expecting anything coming the other way!! I say again HOW STUPID CAN YOU GET.

RALLYSAFE Usually worked really well, except on the occasions it didn't work at all and we had NRT (no rallysafe time) written on cards and logs - then even once Buck had fixed it it seemed to miss ONE car ( one car doesn't seem much - but is actually one car too many)

A titbit One of the competitors said to me ' Aren't you a trialist from way back?' Which I was happy to confirm. ' I thought I recognised your face, and then the name rang a loud bell too - we used to do all the Gold Star events!! This just had to be from the 1960s !!!

My crew was: David (Chief) Josh (Mr Popular ) Johann (Mr Left Behind) Wazza (Boss)

Dale's start crew (who were doing starts for the same stages) was: Dale Bruce Kevin Darryl

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