It seems to me that weather forecasters can never actually get it right.
We notice this most when they forecast good weather and we get rubbish and
this seems to have applied most of this year except for FolkMog events and
especially not for the annual Gymkhana. Yet again this year there had been
a grim forecast which would have prevented normal mortals from driving a
distance in an open topped sports car to perform devious driving tests in
the open air. FolkMoggers are made of sterner stuff, however, and twenty
four competitors and passengers made there way to Ian and Dylis’ garden to
do battle in the annual FolkMog Gymkhana.
We had left home in the pouring rain but by the time we arrived at the place of testing the rain had stopped and apart from a brief shower just after we arrived did not put in an appearance again during the day. In fact several folkMoggers were a little caught out by the sunshine and ended the day a little sunburnt. As usual Ian and Dylis were the model hosts and welcomed us with cups of tea before we set to putting up the tests. There were to be three in the morning, followed by a break for a picnic lunch before completing three more test in the afternoon. Anyone arriving early was immediately roped into the tasks of placing cones, carrying water, and placing pieces of wood on the ground.
All the competitors and their passengers had arrived by eleven so after
coffee and biscuits, courtesy of Ian and Dylis, Maurice blew his whistle
and called us all together for a briefing and walk through of the first three
tests. Martin and Caroline Page turned up at this point with Martin in a
heavily modified Morgan so a brief pause was in order to welcome them before
the briefing continued. The tests all sounded deceptively easy if in one
case a little worrying.
The first test was called ‘Bisect the angle’ and sounded the
easiest of all. All we had to do was start between two cones and drive forward
and stop between two pieces of wood that formed a V on the floor. The trick
was to get both front wheels as close to the pieces of wood as possible without
driving over them. The more difficult part was to turn the car around and
repeat the manoeuvre in reverse. The distances from each front wheel to the
piece of wood were added to the same distance for the back wheels to produce
the score. A penalty of forty centimetres would be given for touching the
wood. You can imagine my chagrin when I discovered that one of the distances
I achieved was over forty centimetres – I would have been better off
taking the penalty.
The second test was a repeat from last year and was called the cross country
tour. Leaping from the car the passenger had to fill a bucket of water and
return to the car which would then be driven round a course. The passenger
had then to leap back into life and carry the bucket of water to the start
point where the remaining water was measured. Of course, there was also a
hole in the bucket. I had a bright idea of putting the bucket on the ground
before climbing back in to car. My theory was that this would slow the flow
of water and stop me spilling water as climbed in. This would have been perfect
had I not put the bucket just out of my reach once in the seat.
The third test was the scary one. The blindfold drive was exactly as it
sounds. Starting in a garage formed from cones and tape the blindfolded driver
had to drive around two cones and back into the garage under the sole guidance
of his or her passenger. Everyone said that they were chocked by how quickly
the test seemed. So that when they were actually attempting to get back into
the garage it felt like that they had only just gone round the first cone.
The disorientation was extraordinary. Still good fun and I am glad to say
that the suggestion that a marriage guidance counsellor stand by was not
required.
After everyone had completed the first three tests there was a break while
the busy scorers took in the competition sheets and the marks recorded. Meanwhile,
we consumed our picnic lunches. There was still no sight of the forecast
rain and everyone did what we seem enjoy so much and that is sit around talking
to old friends over a bite to eat
Maurice is a hard taskmaster, however, and we were soon called to set up the afternoon’s three tests.
The Ring was to start in the same garage set up for the blindfold drive but extra cones were added to form a slightly more complex course. The passenger received a bucket of six golf balls and the idea was to drive around the ring of cones placing a ball on each cone. Points were deducted for any cones missing a golf ball or any cones hit. Any cones missing a golf ball were then given one by the adjudicators and the driver had to reverse around the ring picking up the balls. The idea was to end back in the garage with six balls. Again points were lost for not collecting all the balls. The key to this test was to choose a good route with a good balance of driver and passenger placing and collecting balls. Or at least I think that this was the key. My ‘key ring’ seemed to be missing this particular key though.
What turned out to be the demise of our front number plate was the beach
ball shoot out. A large beach ball was part filled with water to give it
a bit of stability and the idea was to push it with a Morgan through some
cones and then score a goal. If you got a bit too enthusiastic, as I did,
the beach ball got stuck under the number plate and then bursts which is
how we went home with a wooden number plate held on by gaffer tape. I am
not sure what the trick for achieving this test was as I didn’t find
it. Many did though so it was clearly possible.
The final test was called the ‘Tower of Babel’. Maurice had
brought along a set of wooden building bricks which were placed on a table.
The idea was to reverse to the table with the bricks, pick up a brick and
then drive forward to another table and build the highest tower that you
could. This required a passenger with a steady hand and precise driving to
get close enough to the tables.
Once
more, when all tests had been completed the scores were recorded and a final
result was produced. The leading lady runner up was Pat Braithwaite, with
Alan has her passenger and the leading male runner up was David Kennett ably
assisted by Heather. (pictures of both are to the left just roll the mouse
of the picture) The winner was, Diana Biddlecombe, the first lady winner
of the Gymkhana.
This was another brilliant day of Morgan fun which would have been entirely
missed if we had listened to the weather forecasters. Well done to everyone
that turned up and special thanks go to Maurice and Eileen for being the
driving force behind the Gymkhana and Ian and Dylis for being such good hosts.
I am already looking forward to next year.
For the complete set of pictures go here. Where you will find pictures taken by Diana, Maurice and Ian.
For the complete set of results click here