Targa Hawke’s Bay

This time we had agreed to allow Dale to sit this one out!!. But having had confirmation that James, Sophia and Roger would come up from Wellimgton it seemed that our commitment for one finish crew should be a 'piece of cake'. Particularly as it was to be a fully Rallysafe operation but with simple Targa style paper based handwritten logs for backup. It had been intended that I should collect Leigh and Luke on the way from here giving us 6 people, all meeting at Kennedy Park Holiday resort in Napier Friday night. I had collect the 'gear' from Targa a week or so previously including the 25W Radio (which I has subsequently installed in Chalkie), but no Rallysafe gear was not going to be available until the 'night before the start of the rally' !!! Oh Bugger - here we go again. I had asked that we be given a proper tablet at Finish Control, but was dissapointed to learn that it was, once more going to be the silly little thing we had to put up with at Whangarei - more of that later... Once Luke decided not to come we 'had a problem'. But Dinny promplty stepped up to the mark so we were back to our 6. I left home late morning on the Friday, collected Leigh at Putaruru then Dinny from Taupo (where he had bussed from Turangi) We arrived late that afternoon, Dinny and Leigh collect the silly rallysafe gear from Havelock North then we went out for dinner at 'hot chick', not quite what Leigh was hoping for I must say. James, Sophia and Roger arrived later that night. But guess what! We had been allocated the first stage of the rally (and then again the 1st stage after lunch) so we had an out the gate time of 5.30, and we had not managed to actually find the site in daylight the day before. But oh joy we found the FF and FC marked on the road just as it should be- and in fact was for the whole of the rally. With this so called 'new improved Rallysafe operation', the display at finish control gives only minimal information at Finish Control! It gives ONLY the car number and its Flying Finish time. Nothing else!! No start order, no start time, no stage time. So we were back to calulations! James/Sophia at FF, Roger doing road cards, Leigh on Calculations, Dinny on Log Writing and me as Post Chief manning the radio most of the time. The team worked really well. We were in plenty of time for our next stage - so some wanted fed. James and I (wise old hands) said 'no, we are saving stomach space for tonight'. As is, indeed, our wont. when in Napier (where I used to live some 30 years ago) I usually take the crew out to Restaurant Indonesia - a very nice top class place - as a sort of thank you for all their efforts. I was a little dissapointed that for the first time ever we diddn;t manage to eat everything provided. (Well James and I did, but the others seemed to just 'pick', What a pity!!!) Sun morning we had to be out of the gate atb 6.30 to get to our 1st stage of the day only a minute or two late. But otherwise all sweet The second stage of the day just out of Woodville (I think it may well have been where Dale/Kevin/Toby/and myself did Targa 2015. Once cleared James/Sophia/Roger head back to Wellington, Dinny/Leigh and I headed over Saddle Hill Rd back home. Dropped Dinney at Turangi, theh Leigh at Putaruru then had the final 2hrs driving on my own. Arriving home as they say 'tired but happy'. Delivered the gear back to Targa the Wednesday following. Once again many thanks to all those who helped. Leigh - really proving himself now

Dinny - stepped up at REALLY short notice

James

Sophia

Roger

All of whom came up from Wellington

And, of course myself as Post Chief

The next event we are committed to do is Far North Rally (the old Rally of the North) on Saturday 17th June.