SHMC Harvest Rally 14th/15th October

It’s October, it’s cold, it’s almost bound to rain and we’ve agreed to spend the night stood beside a road somewhere in the South Hams…why did we do that, again?

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club and already we’re lost – where’s Marshals sign on? In the conservatory. Umm…where’s the conservatory?! After a bit of wandering around we’ve located the conservatory, signed on and been given the details of our controls. Our first posting is at TC18 out at West Alvington, opening 23.37 & closing 01.02. Then on to PC41…hang on a minute – what are we driving, the Delorian?! Opening 01.00…so minus two minutes to do about 9 miles! I think we’ll have to see how the night pans out, good job Chris has said it’s no worry if we don’t make this one. Our final one is TC60 at the top of Dean Prior – ideal for getting onto the A38 and down to Lee Mill for breakfast; the real reason we are here after all! With routes from control to control sorted we have time for a drink & a chat before we head out but at £5 for two soft drinks it’ll just be the one!

TC18 marks the end of what was obviously a pretty tight section – no one’s waiting at the control board, just flying in and screaming off. Dad has had one or two close calls with his feet! I definitely have the cosy option though; sat in the car filling in the control card but Dad’s not getting wet, I was wrong about the weather and the rains holding off. Maybe an old friend of rallying with inside information at the MET office has put in a good word for us with the man in charge? We’ve met our first local too; ‘Brian’ and he is not happy! Did we really ought to be out this late?! Shortly after he leaves the Course Closing pulls in at the same time as the final car (from the wrong direction – how did he manage that?!) That’s all 37 competitors through and we’re off.

It’s looking like we might make it to PC41 in time but with only about half a mile to go we’ve got to pull over to let Phil Harris pass us. O well, we’ll go and have a look at it anyway since its looks like an interesting corner. My photographic skills get called into question here – I’ve got plenty of photos of lights coming towards us, lights going away from us and even one or two of absolutely nothing but blackness but only 3 with actual cars in them!

On to TC60 and Dad’s back out in the road. “I can hear some lights coming!” Hmm…maybe not but you know what I mean! It’s all a bit less rushed here – nearly everyone arrives with time to spare and is counting down at the control board. Watching the time tick by makes you realise just how long a minute actually lasts (would you believe 60 seconds?!) 04.15 comes around before we know it – on to Lee Mill for a quick sleep then breakfast.

Who’s got the Breakfast Vouchers? Any ideas? Nope so we’ll just have to wait for Chris to arrive. More people are arriving and everyone’s chatting, the competitiveness from out on the road is put aside and the atmosphere is really good which is more than can be said for the coffee – bleugh! We’ve been sat here watching other people eat for over an hour only to be told that so long as we tell the guy taking the orders that we are marshals we can order with out vouchers…grr! After a much appreciated cooked breakfast and more vile coffee we wait until provisional results are announced but tiredness is taking over and thoughts of bed are filling my mind. This is the first all night rally I have been to and I have really enjoyed it, well done to everyone who competed, commiserations to those who didn’t finish and nice one to all the marshals – in my unbiased opinion we did a pretty good job. Who knows, I may even volunteer again next year but right now I just want SLEEP!