Monday was the first part of what is known as the Common Leg and comprised a loop across the Ardeche plateau: a 400Km dash from Valence and back across some classic rally roads. It was raining in the city as the cars lined up for the start and this mean that the likelihood of snow in the mountains was high. The team were excited as Minis have an inherent advantage in snow whereas dryer conditions favour the faster cars. On a transit section the team performed an amazingly fast service. Points and tyres were changed, brakes adjusted and fluid levels checked and topped up all within 15 minutes. The car was transformed. We reached the first of the stages, a nearly 50km run from St Pierreville to Antraigues over very mixed terrain and took off. We were shod with our studded tyres but here was very little snow -just some icy patches in the sun shadow of the mountains. We completed the stage quite successfully and were then informed by a Marshal that the next stage was cancelled due to snow. Conditions change very quickly in the Ardeche!

After another quick service and a stop at the famous Jouannay bakery for traditional apple strudel (Monsieur Jouanny is a former rally driver and loves to support the Monte Carlo crews) we raced for the time control at St Agreve and then thrashed on to the next regularity stage, a relatively straightforward 20Km loop at St Bonnet Le Froid. This we completed uneventful and then pressed on to the final stage at Lamastre. This was a tricky stage with several turns (and therefore the possibility of wrong slotting) . By now it was also dark and raining. We attacked the stage energetically sensing that we’d had a fairly good day.

However we were not destined to be so lucky. About three kilometres before the end we wrong slotted at an ambiguous junction. We realised our mistake within 10 metres and I put the Halda in reverse as we prepared to quickly get back on the main route. This was a comparatively small error and we had ample time to make up. But then the mysterious gearbox problem that we first experienced on arrival in Monte Carlo two days previously again reared its ugly head, only this time we found ourselves stuck in first gear! The crew were waiting for us at the end of the stage but even their wizardry wasn’t enough and the gearbox remained obstinately stuck. There was nothing for it but to cover the final 20Km into Valence in first gear: an interesting experience to say the least. Amazingly we made our time at the final control. The Minispares-Mad Dog rallying team convened over dinner, fought off gloom over dinner and made a plan for the following day. Things were about to become very interesting.
To be continued….