It's here things start to take shape. Aprrox 3 hrs ago Simon and Hayley arrived and started their part. The recce. This is where they travel the circuit and take pace notes. I am sure if you ask nicely Hayley will tell you all about the pace notes. We arrived at about 10:30. We parked up in the designated area and took a quick walk around to find out where everything is. I wasn't aware but the actual rally was going to take place in a MOD area in the hills some 8 miles away.

I was feeling a bit useless at this point and was trying to take in as much as I could. This was a big learning curve for me and I needed for own reasons to be as alert as I could be, which was hard considering the lack of sleep I had had. We strolled down to rally HQ and had a look around. Ken met up with some old facesand shared a few comments with them.

The car needed to go through scrutineering and a noise check before being allowed to race. I am still not sure what the car has to pass to get through but it does get a through inspection, the noise is an easy one. The car passed and now all was left was for Simon & Hayley to register as the driver and navigator. It wasn't all plain sailing though, the car wouldn't start.....

Just before taking the car to scrutineering the car wouldn't start (once it was stopped) out with the jump starter!!!! This worked after a while and off Ken went to get the car through. Of course the car was stopped again and they couldn't get it going again!!!!! The problems have started already.

The starter motor was going to prove difficult for the remainder of the tour.

So the car and crew had been registered etc it was time to get off for some tea and get to the B & B for the night. Tea was fish & chips in the nearby village of Builth Wells and damned fine it was too. The digs for the night were a small cottage B & B just off the beaten track to Cym Bach.

On the way out Ken took the intercom radio aerial off the roof and then took a wrong turn (something that was going to later prove to be a common occurance for the Selby's). When we got to the B & B it really became apparent the level these guys were at. Its a small thing I know but to be able to fix it on the side of the road just brings home the level of detail these guys go to. Inside the service van Ken has a life time of tools and gadgets stored away. He pulls out his drill and plugs it in to the vans internal 240V supply. Then out comes the taps and die kit. Oops he snapped the drill bit but never mind out came the grinder and Ken recut the drill to new and sharp. Within 30 minutes the aerial was fixed and probably better than the original fitting.