A Grand Day Out.

Today I have christened the Land Rover. She is to be known as Ella (as in LR, geddit?) and her baptism was at a "play day" organised by the Midland Rover Owners Club. This is an event where people with a 4x4 can simply turn up, and provided their vehicle is safe, drive round a course with various off road hazards. I stuck primarily to the "easy" path, with a few forays into the more challenging tracks. The baptism took place on one of these more challenging sections where I got completely stuck in some liquid clay and managed to spray a fair amount of said clay down the sides of my Land Rover. Tomorrow, it will have to be taken to a jet wash and have the clay cleaned off.

One of the most enjoyable aspects to these days is the time spent nattering to other enthusiasts. Some of the projects they undertake confirm my view that much of this vehicle related hobby is to get out of the way of spouses. I was also delighted to be driven round the course in a Series II, which was celebrating its 50th birthday. It coped manfully with the terrain, but boy, the difference between that with leaf springs and mine with coil springs was huge. I am now might glad that I bought a vehicle with coil springs. A dozen or so people will be going home with very, very dirty vehicles.

All, in all, a good day out.