Colchester Multi DF  Friday  20/07/12
DFers like to think they are up for a challenge and this certainly was one. Gary had really gone to town organising:
  • Maxi A
  • Minis H, I, J, K, L
  • Micros W, X, Y, Z
  • Heavy rain throughout afternoon and evening.
  • Closure of the A12
  • Extensive sea defenses  - (well, a river)
  • Fortunately he did give us a whole one and three quarter hours to complete the task.
What happened next?    Would any one make it to the start, let alone the finish?
Definitely one for the GDFMA  ........................... (Great DF Memory Archive)

Really enjoyed setting up the event - thanks for the comments!

If anyone had gone to the right side of the river it could have been a clean sweep of 10 40 points!

 I've attached a copy of the map...think I've got them roughly in the right place!

 Gary










Right -  Katherine gives DFing a try, here seen homing in on Micro W.

No - Gary

The map I need is the one that shows:-
Where I got out of the car, some miles away.
The (wrong) track I ran down,
Cut hay meadow I ran through & the wetland meadow I trudged across to find myself on the other side of the river to Z.
Field where I mixed it up with the sheep,
Fence I climbed through to get back onto the road,
Bridge by the Mill & the footpath along the river that disappeared into nothing,
Meadow with the very long grass I could barely walk through (where I got soaked),
The face high stinging nettles just before I got into the wood by H,
Mud slide I went down by X,
Finally a map showing the pub tour we took round Wickham Bishops, would really help make sense of an otherwise pleasant evening!
Next time, perhaps a map at the start showing the TX car park (to be sited no more than 100 yards away from the first 2 stations) would be a rule change we might all sign up to.

Great site and event. Top marks for making it all work.
 
Philip
Perhaps I can help ..

Below is the direct route that I took to the site.

Good to see that my leadership qualities are not fading, never do it the easy way when you can follow the dyslexic MNE.

Bit of a bad show that young Timbo took a shortcut over a fallen tree - this is not shown as a public right of way - disqualification I think.

Really enjoyed the event from about 8:40 when I suddenly realised I wasn't last after all!

Well done Gary, you will never know what a welcome sight you and Katherine were after my little trot around the river!

Roy

PS
High performance serious quality  99 p torch  works much better after a 40 deg C  intensive clean wash cycle - it always pays to buy the best.

Wet afternoon, wet trip to DF start, nose-to-tail traffic en-route to Colchester (might even have to work out alternative route back to Colchester) --- the signs not looking good.

Wet at the start, but hey! a good strong signal to the west from A.  Spirits are lifted, do not have to battle with traffic.  Off we go towards Witham, bearing from Braxted Park wier to give a cross at Little Braxted.  On arrival at Little Braxted church find others standing in the road awaiting inspiration.and signal.  Signals not convincing from here so decide to drive around to Blue Mill via Chantry Wood.  Nice footpath indicated along Ishams Chase, so off we go---Signal from A  improving, can hear minis, some micros too. Signals from A turn, so off into undergrowth, reed-beds, marshy area all very wet, but all most promising. Keep going, almost at A, all gain controls turned back and antenna attenuator now switched in, micro W coming up too.  As I reach the banks of River Blackwater the thoughts of deja vu are overwhelming. Yet again lured by the attractive but worthless charms of the Blackwaters. Back to the car cursing. Try the footpath on west side of river, through high wet grass of water meadows and corn fields.  Now 8.45pm and nothing found yet, but A signal improving again and W now a possibility.   Meet and greet Roy as he passes by W, and I jump in the ditch to grab 40 points.

Very close to A, so up the bank to find yet another river. Heart sinks, not yet more water. Not going in there but can get to that later from nearer the A12. Hear Y, so go looking, and joy again, another 40 points. Hang around listening for associated mini and find that it is I, my JOKER.  Let joy be unconfined, another 40 points. Things are decidedly looking much better. Find A, post tickets then off to J across wet fields again . . . . .timed-out.

 I console myself afterwards that I am not the only mug in this merry group who once again fell for the alluring temptations of the Black Waters. We should all know better by now.

Great DF Gary, well done especially with such awful weather.  A true "baptism by water", and someone up there will now be looking after you.  Looking at your map of the TX locations later, it all now appears so simple.  Many thanks again for giving us all a challenging and entertaining evening.  

Ian
Over to our winner - Timbo

"If you take lots of negatives and multiply them together, an even number gives a positive result."

 Things started badly when news of  the closure of the A12 meant a rush to get ready and an extended journey via the Hythe to the start. Just had time to apply deep heat and strapping to wounded knee.

On arrival, found that I had no map board. (Thanks for the loan, Roy)

Good strong signal at start; bearing says Little Braxted area or over in Witham. No traffic hold ups in that direction !

Stopped along road to Rivenhall but missed maxi transmission, so bearing taken on strong mini. Little Braxted confirmed.

Took wrong road and ended up in Wickham Bishops; but a further bearing confirmed Little Braxted area. Thoughts turned to a drive round to park in a layby on the A12.

Headed towards Coleman's Bridge on the A12, but was lured out of my car by Phil's and Roy's abandoned vehicles.
Headed of down the footpath after Colin, but further signals from the minis only took me down to the riverside. Given the Noah like weather recently. and no sudden Red Sea moment, the hunt for a bridge was on ! Tracked North along the river and found a fallen tree straddling the swollen river - bit risky but no other option in sight !

Before crossing had phone call (8:25 pm) from Gary to ask if there was a problem - there was no-one on site yet !. The fallen tree was covered in slime so I chose the sit and shove option rather than the tightrope technique. Relieved to reach the opposite bank but was now soaked to the waist. The next obstacle was grass waist high in the water meadow, but there was no turning back now.


Arrived at a small wood; quite dark so time for the torch ! Duh ! NO torch. (Later found back in the car.) But mini H was now very strong. Found H quickly and was surprised to get 32 points. Phil whistled by like the wind and after a 26 at X hopes of a good result faded. Took a path along the riverbank; exchanged pleasantries with Colin on the other side, but signals suggested that I needed to be nearer the A12. Aimed for K but overshot and accidentally found Z with 40 points still intact ! K took one more transmission and as it was now close to 9.00 pm decided to bag the tickets and the maxi. Again I was surprised to get 32 at A. Posed for photoshoot by Gary and Katherine. 

By now I had long given up hope of securing a decent stash of points from my joker - L. I was expecting it to be further SW but the next signal took me into the middle of the open area of the reserve and pointed to a likely bush. Although the signal had stopped by the time I got there, circumnavigation of the aforesaid bush revealed its triffid, and incredibly 40 points. The ticket was sent home immediately.

Now could I get something else in the last ten minutes ? Opted for "I" in preference to J; another mistake as I and its micro Y needed torchlight. Headed back to A ticketless  to see a crowd awaiting. Pleased at least to have found at least half of the stations. Had real problems trying to retrieve "I" and "Y" after the close of play without torchlight !

Problems continued as finding the right pub turned into a multi-event ! Got there eventually only to hear that everybody else had been thwarted by the river too !

Thank you Gary for a well planned event; we didn't really do all of your efforts justice. At least you can be satisfied that you gave 7 experienced competitors the run around.

Tim

Lague table is here