Night Navigation [Archive] - Land Rover UK Forums

fisha

4th Nov 2002, 23:37

friday night - go see harry potter at the cinema
saturday - night navigation
sunday - drumclog

that means that i'll have to get up extra early to switch the tyres on the landie on sunday morning - go feed the horse, then pootle down to drumclog for 9:30am - i bet its raining that morning.

Drumclog has to have been one of the bests sites i have been to. I would say its a medium to difficult site depending on which bits you go through.

The river is interesting ( or more to the point i was kacking it ) as the water was about 3-4 inches away from the air intake and i couldn't see any dips in the river bottom. It started raining last time and the water was higher than than in the morning on the way back up stream - a few close calls.

I also got stuck with the back end sitting in the water. The water was going in a line from the middle of the driver door back and up to just under the rear door window. My thoughts were:

" hmm pretty deep, but the engine is out the water so i'll keep it running to stop water going in the exhaust."

i then thought:

" that waters quite high at the back - wonder how good my door seals are"

i then looked into the back at the bottom of the door to see this flat pool of muddy water slowly rising up from the bottom of the door.

In fact it was at this bit - except the water was lapping up over the grass..... it does look like the water has eroded it to be deeper in this photo than when i went across it.......

Depending on how high it is this weekend i may give the river a miss - i cant afford a hydro-locked engine.

SWAT is Scotland West All Terrain Club - of which i am a member. Its a 4x4 club rather than a LR club so there are a vareity of vehicles at the events. Overall i've been made very welcome

maggie

5th Nov 2002, 00:05

Oi Hamish McFart
its not ghosts and ghoullies (is that how you spell ghoullies?) Im scared off... its going a*s over t*t down a gully in the landie. (Im still paying for it):D

Thinking about Drumclog Fisha, might just go and have a look at how the professionals do it. Where is Drumclog?:confused:

I had to take the bull bars off the front last week my, insurance wouldnt cover me with them on...feel naked without them!:(

Highway star..everytime I look at your wee pic I think...what happened next?

Spacemutt

5th Nov 2002, 02:10

E-mail in today...

Forget Popstars and the National Lottery, there is only one place this Saturday - the Range Rover Register night navigation run. Starts at 18.30 from the Bannockburn Heritage Centre , Stirling and ends at the Carron Valley hotel at around 22.00. Run is all on tarmac roads although some are a bit pot holed, narrow and flooded. Don't worry if you have never read a map reference before we'll show you how. More details on our website http://www.key-advantageconsulting.com/rrindex.html go to events page.

If you need any more information please drop me an email. Please also drop me a mail if you are coming along - it helps with the organisation.

Regards
Kim

PS the Register cannot be held responsible for any major domestics that occur as a result of this event!

Start point is at NS 795 910.

maggie

5th Nov 2002, 05:28

Don't worry if you have never read a map reference before we'll show you how.

:D Told you.... Ive got the concentration span of a goldfish! I'd end up in the Outer Hebrides.

Start point is at NS 795 910. :confused:

Highway_Star

5th Nov 2002, 13:14

lol Maggie, what happened next....

Gentle throttle, back end of Rangie drops into burn, front rises and I drove out without incident. Question is, how? Seeing as this was a crossing with sides so steep that '90's and SJ's were having trouble with approach and departure angles. If you had a spare tyre on the rear door of your 90, you wouldn't have when you came out the other side.

The black SJ behind me is a SWAT motor, can't remember who's though.

maggie

6th Nov 2002, 02:00

Well Ive been in touch with Andy Thomlinson (organiser) and he told me its ok to come along.
Depending on the head on Sunday morning:rolleyes: I'll be there.

fisha

6th Nov 2002, 02:31

Andy is a nice chap - you should see his FC101 - it simply has to be the best 101 i have ever seen.

The club secretary is Billy and its his wife who normally collects the money ( Sally ) right at the start. You hardly get out the car and she's at with palm out towards you with a big cheery smile. Its a great pity that they are retiring form their club posts after this weekend.

Maggie - have you been given directions to get there? or are you wanting to follow me?

maggie

6th Nov 2002, 02:39

I will let you know on Saturday Fisha (if that's ok). Ive got your number.
I did look at the map :confused: But If you are passing it might be wiser for me to follow you. cos I am quite likely to get completely lost.

Gary wont be there this time :(

So If I do have a stab at the off road course... I may need someone to run over what that 'stubby gearstick' is used for... again:D

Highway_Star

6th Nov 2002, 05:39

Are Bill Fisher and Andy Prentice still in that club? Not seen those guys for a couple of years now.

fisha

6th Nov 2002, 06:50

Andy - Yes, Andy bashes about in a white suzuki.
Bill - Think so. Billy the secretary always confuses me with him.

Highway_Star

6th Nov 2002, 17:17

Yeah Andy did have a white Suzi.

Bill drove a red 90, and has a strong Irish accent.

hingmy

7th Nov 2002, 11:11

Red card - stop that seditious talk or you'll be doing night nav. wearing a deerstalker and a XXL tracksuit. Pay pennance for all that talk and fit NATO hitches front and rear to the pimpwagon.

Spacemutt

10th Nov 2002, 09:32

Well, that was a fun night!:D We turned up late as we had trouble finding the camp site (not a good start on a navigation event!!) but were soon off on the hunt. We missed the checkpoint at the Wallace Monument, so we decided to press on with finding the other checkpoints. We found 8 point, 7 letters, and 3 lambs (including the one at the castle in the middle of the dark woods full of werewolfs) . :) Mind you, we did decide to miss the 9 o'clock deadline and go for victory or death! We met Fisha, Mean Green and Steve RR in Bannockburn at about 11........technically we still haven't finnished!:D

I think we should get extra points for annoying the fisherman in the tent in the middle of nowhere!

Sorry I missed you Hingmy and Highway Star...mabey next time. What's this I hear about GPS linked laptops and mapping systems then?:D

Highway_Star

10th Nov 2002, 10:44

*ahem*

Well now we thought Mr Cobby had dissapeared somewhere!

A big thanks to the RRR guys for what must have been quite an effort in organizing this event. Having now tried a RRR event, my filled in membership form will be in the post very soon. Great fun without the death or glory comptetitveness that some clubs have.

To clarify. I carry GPS and a laptop. The laptop runs Autoroute and various other bits of mapping/navigation/GPS software. However the single biggest use we made of the laptop was to download all the control points into the GPS, as to be honest, all the mapping software in the world isn't of any help when you can't find the wee bit of paper with the letter on it! The real navigation was done by Hingmy with an OS map and a head torch. GPS just tells you where on that map you are.
Added to that it got quickly comandeered by SWMBO to sit and play games in the back whilst me and Hingmy run about in the dark like loonies, going 'it's around here somewhere, the GPS says so!' The only reason we got into the points and prizes was a wild guess taken at the anagram, and much to our amazement we (ok, ok I admit if here and now, Lee) got it right! She may be no use with a map, but being a journalist, words do not fail her!

Was good to put faces to names, some of the guys I've met
before at various All Rover Rally's.

ps Hingmy collected a pink sheep from the castle, on his own , whilst yours truly ducked behind a tree to look for rare woodland plants, honest that's what I was doing.

All the way home we were rolling a bit on the bends and making a worrying clonking over bumps from the F/N/S somewhere, stopped and checked the obvious, wheel nuts loose etc, and found nothing, this morning I had a proper look and found to my amazement that the F/N/S shock turret had broken, the cup shaped part at the top where the shock is bolted to had come adrift from the body. A quick visit to the welding facilities of DuncT in Bridge of Allan, and normal service was resumed. All the mad things I did with my old Rangie I never broke anything other than a tailpipe and mudflaps, and somehow on a gentle road run I manage to break a shock turret!

Spacemutt

10th Nov 2002, 10:49

lol, gentle road run?! In our persuite of sheep we went hurtling round some of the tracks and through potholes, so much so, it shook a couple of wires loose on the radio.

At the castle, I sent my 2 navigators off into the woods. I gave them a few minutes before I started my werewolf howls, and all I could here was them shouting 'oh ****!'. You see, due to the trees, it sounded as if the howl come from thier left, and they know the Land Rover was ahead of them. :D:D hehehehe

Did you find the fisherman in his tent at Fintry? My navigators managed to annoy him while looking for the check point. :D

So have I seen you at a Rover Rally then?:confused: I have met a few people there, but I don't know if any were you.

Mean Green

10th Nov 2002, 11:08

HEHEHE ... Good fun was had by all!! :D

We didnt annoy the fisherman, but did get chased by a gamekeeper who thought that we were poachers!!!

Highway_Star - you must have gone like a Bat out of Hell from the Hotel ... we were in convoy behind you, you disappeared over a crest and when we came over there was no sign of you ...

You should have joined us in a well earned chippy in Bannockburn... at least there would have been one Rangie - after all it was the end of an RRR event - and all that was left was 4 Defenders. (well 3 Defenders and a 110)

Spacemutt

10th Nov 2002, 11:13

And I needed the back-up. I was the only one there with a real engine. :D

Highway_Star

10th Nov 2002, 11:37

Ah yes, we too found the gamekeeper, he was ok when we told him what we were up to.

We also found the fisherman, well I was leaning outta da window with the big spotlight in my hand, when the beam found his wee tent. Still never found the letter round there though! I reckon extra points should have been given for the number of neds discovered in there cars up the hills at Cambusbarron, what they were doing up there at that time of night I shudder to think. Did anyone else spot the discarded lingerie near the one on the wee wooden bridge? Maybe Hingmy just has a 'nose' for such things!

I did kinda apply a bit of throttle over that wee hill, I was munching a bag of crisps until that wee crest, and once I'd finished them I could put two hands on the wheel and get a bit of a wiggle on. Yes I was moving on a bit, that's what tuned 3.9 V8's are for. A couple of annoying little 'rice boy', 'neds in sheds' or whatever the phrase is, got the fright of their Kappa shellsuit wearing, Nova driving lives when I hit the M9 at Stirling services, 'c'moan man, let's burn oaf yoan Range Rover'. 'Aw naw man, it's jist burned us oaf'.

I'd loved to have visited the chippy, however SWMBO has decreed that yours truly has eaten enough chips of late, something to do with my clothes shrinking. Dunno what she means meself.

Mr Cobby, I can't remember if I met you. Were you at the East Fortune All Rover Rally a couple of years back? I'd met Kimbo and Steve Potter at one or other of those events. A good time was had by all and we shall be back for more.

Highway_Star

10th Nov 2002, 11:38

Originally posted by stephen cobby
And I needed the back-up. I was the only one there with a real engine. :D

Hence why I was able to dissapear at such a rate of knots!

hingmy

10th Nov 2002, 13:12

Hmm Mr Star, I seem to recall that she who you must obey was playing with drinks coolers and bacardi alco-pops when the question of elephant warning signs appeared.
Thanks to all the organising bods - good layout and compact area to do it in. Nicely thought out - we may have a plan regarding this sort of event. (Cue evil glint in eye as demonic horns grow out of temples).
Sorry to miss ye Mr Cobby - I was expressly forbidden to bring the hybrid since Mr Star's SWMBO couldn't find her way out of a paper bag and wanted an armchair fitting in the back tub, nae ******'ll will get in my motor, otherwise I would've brought it and been able to get home indepently of the Highway star taxi and air to air fuel service and would have gone to the chippy an'all. Could we have one of these events on a long summer's evening when open top hybrid power can be displayed to its best. Hats off though to the chap who drove, did his own nav and managed to control the bratpack at the same time - good work fella you know who you are.
One last thing. If Highway star - that well known 8-cyl fetishist and knower of many petrol stations - tries to tell you which garages are and aren't 24 hour: IGNORE EVERY WORD HE SAYS. Sorry to shout but 1.5 hours flagging taxis to petrol stations in dodgy areas of Dunfermline is not a good way to end the evening. (Yes the hybrid sulked at not going out to play and being bored had eaten all its munchables sooner than expected).
Oh one last thing - all the toys! Its just a boy thing. They look flash, and compensate for the Range-Rover's lack of checkerplate or BIG wheels. As navigator I can honestly stand up and say hand on heart that I haven't a clue how to use them.

Spacemutt

10th Nov 2002, 13:29

I wonder what the local thought was going on. :D An invasion of Land Rover driving nutters out in the middle of nowhere in the dark.

I was at East Fortune a couple of years ago, that was a good weekend. Beter than this year, but mabey that was due to the weather and me not staying overnight. Don't know where it is this year.

This was me in the SIII.

hingmy

10th Nov 2002, 13:33

Steve - glad to see the qualifying statement after the picture. I was getting worried when I saw, at first glance, what looked like a picture of a Feesty.

Spacemutt

10th Nov 2002, 13:43

That Fester belongs to my ginger friend (one of the navigators last night). He's done a proper ned job on it, as it now has big bumpers and a 'well wicked ICE'. :rolleyes: Although he says he wouldn't want a Land Rover/Range Rover/Disco, I am trying to wear him down into getting a Freelander. :D

hingmy

10th Nov 2002, 14:00

What an unfortunate start in life - oh woe is him to be both ginger and a ned-dustbin feesty driver. Still we could wear him down by repeatedly running him over using Maxi-cross or jungle trekkers.
Oh I shouldn't be nasty and abuse the poor misguided fool - I 've just bought a flipping Polo since in a week the hybrid consumes more money at the government tax collection centre (A Shell, Bp, Esso franchised concession) than I eat in a month. But rest assured the Polo will continue a fine tradition of vehicles that double up as sheds (aka on street storage).

Spacemutt

10th Nov 2002, 15:49

He has a web site, here (http://members.tripod.com/neridum/archive/pics/pics1/index.html) is a picture page from it if you can bear his gingerness. I took most of the pictures on that page though. :rolleyes: :D

fisha

10th Nov 2002, 22:54

the night nav was a good laugh.

we get there roughly on time - west kilbride to stirling in 1h 10mins is pretty good going in my landie.

i get out get the crib sheet from kim, scan through it and thinks - that looks OK. Pass the sheet to Steph and ask "can you navigate?" Steph: "Nope". Looks like she was driving then :)

Managed to get to a number of points but couldn't find the paper bits. Mind you it didn't help by not having a torch until Greg lent us one.

The chippy was nice at the end of the night. It was funny, we all stood in the chippy looking at people looking at the landies. 2x110's and 2x90's all parked in a row taking up all the space. I Laughed at Dennis when he wolfed down Steph's leftovers from the chinese.

So all in all a good night. Getting up for Drumclog the next morning and having to change the wheels at 6:30am wasn't enjoyable, but the day was fun overall.

kimbo

11th Nov 2002, 08:14

Pleased you guys had fun. It was fun setting it out.

Great roads in the Carron Valley for some heavy right footedness.
Was the fisherman carping atrout your presence?

Scottish All Rover Rally 2003 is back at Kelburn again in 2003 - it cant rain that heavily two years in a row. See www.sarr.co.uk

Pre - entry is essential for 2003 ( is this an offence?)
Any ideas for a better 4x4 event in the Largs area?

Steve RR

11th Nov 2002, 11:04

Yes a very good night, and a big thanks to Kimbo, Mrs Kimbo and wee bumpy Kimbo for all the running about.

We will try to get a good snow run organised next month (weather permitting) so keep an eye on your email if the white stuff cometh!

Cheers

Spacemutt

11th Nov 2002, 12:08

YAY!! SNOW!! :snowman:

I will need to get the thinking cap on for events in the Largs area. Hmmm.......what can we get up to?.....:D

Mean Green

11th Nov 2002, 12:46

Hmm Dont suppose you know any friendly land owners who dont mind a squad of Land Rovers tearing up the turf??

The Blackshaw site is OK, but something different would be nice.

Looking forward to the snow run too, forest tracks similar to last year would be good.... anyone volunteering to trailblaze with an LSE, only to get stuck up to the axles, and need to be dug/winched/pulled back out!! :D :banghead:

hingmy

11th Nov 2002, 14:06

I'll do it, er just lend me some gloves 'cos the heater switch has expired.

fisha

11th Nov 2002, 22:58

i'm up for a snow run - if we get any snow.

as for off road sites round the largs area? not sure of any. Kelburn itself has a large moorland area up the back that you might be allowed to explore - maybe - but there would be concerns about all the landies scaring the horses.

The SWAT club were in talks this year with a farmer from Skelmorlie ( Skelmorlie Mains I think ) about using some of the moorland behind skelmorlie - but i think the farmer backed out worried about damage to the land.

Other than that i dont know of anywhere - its a pity, because there is a lot of land that would be suitable aroundabout

OldFart

12th Nov 2002, 00:00

Did someone mention .....

SNOW ....... :chin:

kimbo

12th Nov 2002, 01:04

Hey Fisha
Wanna pick up trailblazing a possible track around Kelburn ? We were offered some moreland at top of estate( on one of the tennant farms) nr main road last year but didnt have enough time to work out a route around it. can give you the contact at Kelburn.
Dont worry was away from the horses - my only concern was lambing.

fisha

12th Nov 2002, 01:42

Kim,

OK - if you want to pass me the contact number i can look into it.

I'd need to know a bit more about when we would like to use it, how many are likely to use it etc etc. Would we charge people a fee and how much money would they want to charge.

My only concern is trailblazing away without some method of recovery. From experience, i've become stuck by parking in a bit of land i through was OK- only to come back 10 mins later to find the landie sunk nearly upto the axles.

Did you go up and look at the area yourself? or was it all just over the phone?

maggie

12th Nov 2002, 03:35

action shot of the night navigation:p

Mean Green

12th Nov 2002, 04:18

Fisha,

I can come down Kelburn way to give you some support, if you like.

I'm sure we can convince SteveRR to make it vehicles three, then we "should" be OK.
:bravo: :super:

fisha

12th Nov 2002, 04:32

like i say, if you pass me the contact details, and some general info about when, where, how many etc we can take it from there.

Greg,

Good offer - i'll probably get stuck - but we have to make it suitable for the rangies so it could be fun.

Never know, Kelburn might like it so much they make it available more often.

Highway_Star

12th Nov 2002, 10:34

"Make it suitable for the Rangies" !??

The nerve of it! ;)

You have no idea the number of 90's that have been on the receiving end of 'Highway_Star & Hingmy Recovery Services'! Not to mention the odd 101" and inumerate Suzukis. My best moment is either a New Holland combine or possibly a 28 ton Scania artic in the snow a couple of years back.

Like I said before, the wee burn at Drumclog on the left

<---

was removing rear door mounted 90 spare wheels, Hi Lifts, bumper mounted spots, and don't even go near it with a winch on the front. Yet somehow me and my fat pie eating Rangie got through without a scuff. It ain't what you drive it's how you drive it!

AND!! This from a man who is actively looking for a Rangie for off roading! :D

Spacemutt

12th Nov 2002, 15:18

Just got my pictures developed.

This is the start point.

Spacemutt

12th Nov 2002, 15:19

The castle with the werewolfs.

Spacemutt

12th Nov 2002, 15:20

Us lost somewhere.

Mean Green

12th Nov 2002, 23:44

Ah these pics bring back memories!! :D

I especially recognise the 3rd one, I think we turned left just passed that point. :D :bowdown: :rotfl:

hingmy

12th Nov 2002, 23:52

Aw Mr Cobby,

WOT NO NIGHT VISION?

Highway_Star

13th Nov 2002, 05:10

Originally posted by hingmy
Aw Mr Cobby,

WOT NO NIGHT VISION?

I knew there was one gadget I omitted to put on board!

hingmy

13th Nov 2002, 13:00

At the end of the game he who is deemed to possess the most toys wins?

Steve RR

14th Nov 2002, 11:07

Mean Green - is that the left you took AWAY from the chippy!!!:axe:

Mean Green

14th Nov 2002, 14:37

Hmmm !!!!

Well you see, err..... hmmm

I just wanted to make sure that everyone was hungry and not go to the chippy to early..... :chill: :nonono: :D

Kevin

3rd Dec 2002, 21:24

We don't enjoy the same support here in the Western States as you do in the UK; to my irritation. Most of my fellow LR owner's are seen only at the grocer's or in front of the school, etc.

Your night navigation gathering sounds like a blast. I have driven military night qualification courses, using night vision goggles and our US Humvee. Fun.

Too bad.. maybe next year, eh?

From a tad farther west than Maggie.