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Saturday, June 8, 7 crews, total distance of 13.2km in the mud, desert, forest, rivers... This is the launch of the first
Challenge RCCTLC (RC Camel Trophy Club Geneva) For the second and third steps: this time, we are at Arthaz-Pont-Notre-Dame, 3.7 km with mud, mud and more mud. A little
forest, but mostly mud. All under a continuous rain.
List of teams:
Crew 1 - Pierrot (Land Rover Defender 90 - beige sand)
Crew 2 - Pierre (Land Rover Defender 90 green bottle)
Crew 3 - Stephane (Land Rover Defender 90 Fire & Ice (orange and black))
6 crew - Thomas (replaced by Sam for this step) (Land Rover Defender 90 Camel color)
Lunch quickly swallowed the instructions, vehicles set off while the rain threat.
Here's the video of the second stage coupled to the third:
The second stage begins with ... lowering, no surprises in relation to the previous step, except that here no sand, but mud
still quite dense, but the rain begins to fall and do not leave us all day, making the ground more moist.
After this'' small'' descent serious things we start: root, mud and dégringolage to sink into the forest. Several times
vehicles will do a somersault. When tracking, two weeks earlier, there was a fall of 20m 3 team, unfortunately with the case. This does not prevent
not be present in steps. As car # 2 was offered a new rear deck, she is back in the mud. The crew carried out the 7 steps 2 Eve
duet with 6 crew for medical reasons (an infestation of mosquitoes).
The route rises, falls, slips, trudge in all directions when the wheels do not touch the mud, they keys of roots or rocks made slippery by rain.
Advanced is a bit complicated when you have to climb. Unfortunately, there is no ground to help anchor to climb (at least, not auucne has been used). As a result,
everyone help, pushes, the winch to pull out, so that all crews can get to the end of the journey.
About half of the journey, the famous Muddy Canyon. 350m long, 1.5m deep, 1m LATGE and mud all over 20cm thick. Defender flow in with
enthusiasm, but some are beginning to regret it when after a few tens of meters are stranded in the mud and dead branches hidden in the mud.
The crew number 2 with concerns frame stuck in the mud, not other cars out of its enclave. The only solution: Divine Intervention, a gigantic hand
just leave the vehicle and its crew away. Many fear but no damage, the vehicle is out of business. After a few minutes of rest, the convoy set off again, always
in the famous Canyon.
We must continue this ravine is far from over. And reaching a plateau, crews can breathe a moment. Some take the opportunity to try to climb a steep slope,
as was to be expected of such a field, slips and falls are frequent and in the end, only one vehicle will succeed its own.
Once the rest of the vehicles above, they line up for a photo, while headlights on to counter the beginning of this darkness under the trees and rain.
Once taken, the photo must be down there to continue the journey into the ravine. The descent is done without too much trouble, but the arrival is
somewhat complicated by the mud. A vehicle is stuck there, soon rescued by others.
Back in the ravine, this time, there is more water, so less mud advance is much faster than the first part. And while
the teams 1, 2 and 6 Carry into the ravine, his three crew decides to go through the ridge, which is a gigantic mass of thick roots.
If it misses, the fall will be fatal: on one side the cliff on the other the ravine, with the risk of remaining roots should get caught between the frame or placed on
one of them. But strength, Def eventually pass.
It should also go a long way before out of the ravine, which paroies are less high.
It is a wet and muddy road ahead crews to take over the ravine when it busquement turn left towards the vacuum and the river
several waterfalls.
Rolling is going pretty well, path, even if it is muddy, there are only very few obstacles and they are not consistent.
But after half a mile, you must back up the hill to reach the upper path. For that, several ascents. Some shorter and less steep than others,
but all made slippery by the incessant rain. This is an opportunity to pilot several bowls, some are inexplicable ...
Then comes the last climb .... unforgiveness:'' LAST UP''. 20 vertical meters with a slope of 60 °. A single vehicle could go ... after a fall to the bottom
when he was almost there. Other vehicles are transported by a summers Divine Intervention ... although the deities in question also had a lot of trouble ...
After this episode, funny for some grueling for others in all cases: sliding a hole through the trees reveals the end of the stage. Unfortunately, the vehicle will have a No. 6
accrochag with a branch, suddenly snatching the ROPS. Once all the convoy arrived, the stage is over. We took the opportunity to control all vehicles, there will have been the case ...
Rache an arch, two hand-breezes stir, a gallery almost torn off. The event has been challenging for vehicles and crews.
This completes the second step. But the day is not over as the third stage begins mainteant!
After a short break, recovering vehicles on the road. The next step will happen in the mud (amazing!). But that will change this time is that the mud, there
about 1km long, it is 20 inches deep, it is saturated with water, slimy and sticky, the true natural glue.
Vehicles are often blocked,'' glued'' to see some drowned. The winch, mutual and even Divine Intervention will often solicités for this step
To avoid getting stuck, the drivers have their technique. Some roll slowly to allow the tires to hang properly without slipping while
others take the momentum and darken to have suffisemment inertia to cross without having time to get bogged down.
A slow vehicle and / or heavy favor the former, while a light vehicle and / or fast second.
But when you're stuck moving slowly, a blow of gas will get by ... sometimes.
On the finish, a light mist begins to form. The rain still maintenance, coupled with fog and the fact that we
let under trees requires us to put the headlights. At least those that are not covered with sludge.
Leaving the area of mud, step 3 ends. The rain has made many false contacts on vehicles and on my own camera equipment.
Besides the different cases on vehicles, they have got all wheels.
But ... it does not prevent them to be ready for the next steps, which hopefully will be just as exciting as the last 3.
Meanwhile, the vehicles will have all summer to rest and prepare. Crates of equipment are en route to prepare
all eventualities. Food to the toolbox, through clothes parts for pilots and medical equipment, the crews will receive
large quantities of material.
