The National 4x4 Show and Off Road Motors port Show
1st and 2nd of September2001

By DAVID LOVEJOY

Early on the morning of the 31st of August we packed up the trusty Auverland with enough kit to last a fortnight. A quick side journey to drop off the small child with Granny and then we were away.

After a steady, uneventful and noisy journey north, taking a mere three and a half hours, we arrived at Trentham Gardens. Mind you it's a good job we knew where we were going as the signs for the event were about A4 sized! Upon reaching the final destination in the organisational chain and handing in our passes all we had to do was find a place to camp. From out of the throng of people milling around the command post emerged the smiling form of 'Auntie Liz', the better half of Martin and Liz Lewis of Malaysian Rainforest Challenge. After a big hug she instructed us to follow her up to their campsite behind the MRC stand.

Big campsite or what! The only drawbacks were the state that some animals left the showers in and the slightly over zealous security guards on their quadsí. Due to various personal matters I havenít been to a show for some time and it was good to see so many old friends. The way the camping was allocated definitely helped the social side of the show (which is what we come for really) in allowing friends to camp together (ooer).

Saturday dawned early thanks to a git with a reversing buzzer and despite our early to bed after a short bible meeting and one or two beers I still had a bad head. Having been collared by the lovely Diana Andrews of Off Road Motorsport to sell her superb magazine, my better half (the delightful and wanton Suzy) and I wondered off to look at the exhibitors (and sell them the magazine). Content wise this was a damn good show, everybody who is anybody was there.

However some things were not so good. The off road course was a rip off, I was so enraged at the high price, minimal content, lack of interest by our 'escort marshal', ridiculously short course and production line grouping that I can'At even remember how much I paid. I was later able (thru' the auspices of a press pass to wonder freely along the off road course, recovering stranded motorists and assisting in traffic management as is my want. Deja vu form Weston Park! Not good enough by far.

Next on the list of moans was the Marshalling for the trial held on the Saturday. In the first fifteen minutes we were there I saw more near misses on spectators than in a whole seasons trialling. Marshals wondering aimlessly around, even standing in way of competitors, was the forte. Most of the competitors I spoke to raised concerns. Next year swap the off-road marshals with the Trials marshals - we all know that the AWDC is a benchmark for competition safety standards.

Despite the gripes, this was a damn good show all in all and when we left on the Sunday, still hung over from yet another prayer meeting (thank you Ireland for the Poteen) we were both looking forward to next year.