Welsh Laning 23/24.7.11

[Jimbo4x4]

I was gonna say, Rob and Gav have both been through there in their 80's

I cycled that last lane last year and thought it woud probably catch a few people out being a BOAT n all. It gets narrower the further up the hill you get, to the point you can barely walk alongside your bike!

I see you got to do the bomber run after all

Currently uploading my pics from the weekend to photobucket, sorry for the hugemongous delay, I really don't get online much these days. Should have them up this evening though.

Thanks for the write-up Ben, t'was an awesome weekend

Jim.

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Okay, here we go....


Friday night's campsite

One of my favourite lanes, this section heads up to tal-y-bont

I like to call some lanes "fillers", these are the ones you use en route to the better, longer ones and never get given a name. Some are better than others and there's plenty of them south of Machynlleth...

I see the scouser's had gotten to this one first:

Sitting at the start of the Dyfi Junction forestry track, the one Ben et al affectionately call "the Bastard". Last I tried to drive it it'd been tro'd due to forestry work and this was the first time I'd been up when it's open.

Couple of nice technical sections to take in. I really need to get some wheel spacers sorted as stability became a real problem with the rooftent on. I had three people hanging off the n/s sidestep to get through this section unscathed. I'd love to try it without a roofload, I'd be able to enjoy it more I think!

My old man was a little nervous about stability too, but with no lift and a wider truck to start with he didn't have anything to worry about:

Is Mike trying to turn Gav's spare?

At the bottom, Mike makes us a bridge across the stream:

While those of us with better departure angles make light work of the obstacle

No prizes for guessing the name of the next lane:

Only the one pic from Happy Valley this time, and after that we decided to skip the bomber run and head straight for the coed-y-brenin stretch of Sarn Helen so we could set up camp before it got dark..

The hound playing in the river

Ben and I took our beers and the mutt up the hill to try and find some roman kilns that were marked on the map. But all we found was more amazing scenery:

The best part of any wild camp:

We broke camp fairly early the next morning as everyone had their own things to do. It was a cracking day laning and two nights camping though, hope to do it again soon

Jim.

 

[Red Oktober]

They're excellent pics jimbo ..

 

[Ben]

great pics Jim.

must be tight on those bridges in an 80, i didnt have very much clearance getting my 70 through and im sure 80's are wider?

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Gotta say how impressed I am with Mike's Isuzu... Much better than my LC. I needed the rear difflock and still couldn't tackle the lanes with as much ease as him. I dented mine just trying to keep up with his far superior vehicle choice and driving talents!
We've all made the wrong choice in vehicles!!!
Anyone wanna buy a 70?

 

[Gav Peter]

Surprising post that last one TBH Jim but fairdoos, if thats how you're feeling about things... Mike is a remarkable driver & does get the best out of his ZooZoo but I'm sure with a bit of practice you'd get up there with him in the skills department... Try a set of spacers on REX before changing trucks though dude

Great pics too - but I don't remember that giant statue overlooking the campsite on the first pic

 

[Jimbo4x4]

I hear what you're saying about the spacers Gav and it does make sense to try and improve the car to Isuzu levels of capability but I'm not sure my driving ability will ever equal Mike's, I was in awe following him . He's also very modest about it... a truly outstanding chap .

 

[Red Oktober]

Those Mk1 troopers are very good solid vehicles indeed ....a very underated truck.

I've got 30mm spacers on our 78 ... it does make a lot of difference

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Is Mike the guy in the pickup or the wagon? The pickup has much more aggressive tyres than yours Jim.

 

[Gav Peter]

Mikes in the pickup; Rob (Mike & Jim's dad) is in the wagon; Mike is the one thats been up to mischief on Jim's behalf this morning with one or two posts above

 

[TonyP]

Gotta say how impressed I am with Mike's Isuzu... Much better than my LC. I needed the rear difflock and still couldn't tackle the lanes with as much ease as him. I dented mine just trying to keep up with his far superior vehicle choice and driving talents!
We've all made the wrong choice in vehicles!!!
Anyone wanna buy a 70?

Mikes in the pickup; Rob (Mike & Jim's dad) is in the wagon; Mike is the one thats been up to mischief on Jim's behalf this morning with one or two posts above

Doh! It all makes sense now

 

[Gav Peter]

A bit of brotherly jousting!!! It'll serve Jim right to leave himself logged on if nothing else!!!

 

[Chris]

That is hillairyarse. Should we make it the intro to every thread in the future? It could be arranged. Poor old Jim it would haunt him forever.


Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

ah, very funny

 

[TonyP]

You could make it his sig.....

Common Chris, abuse those newly found super powers

 

[Gav Peter]

Although not a LC owner, I've suggested to Mike that he signs up on the forum which he has done but he can't actually get onto this thread to post

He'll be making his introductions later - would it be rude to ask if his post count can be amended to let him into the Green Laning section as this is what he will be able to contribute to...

 

[Jimbo4x4]

Surprising post that last one TBH Jim but fairdoos, if thats how you're feeling about things... Mike is a remarkable driver & does get the best out of his ZooZoo but I'm sure with a bit of practice you'd get up there with him in the skills department... Try a set of spacers on REX before changing trucks though dude

Great pics too - but I don't remember that giant statue overlooking the campsite on the first pic

Haha, thanks for the vote of confidence Gav! Skills??!!

Just to put everyone's mind's at rest, the 'cruiser is staying and I won't be defecting to any inferior brands in the near future, no matter how great Mike's DCab

In fact Mike is very much an admirer of the LC's and in a moment of weakness he confided in me that if he could have bought a DCab 'cruiser instead he would have.

 

[mike hatton]

Hello,
Just here for the credit of being a prat .

To be fair, I think Jim would be a liar to denounce his faith in a good Isuzu... He probably wouldn't have his 70 if it wasn't for a series of events sparked early in our childhood buy a certain white Trooper that was incapable of failure.