CR’s MG Trial Starting at Huntly

There were reputed to be a number of tracks on this trial, and some gravel sections (which is why I overcame my laziness and fired up the Escort, of course). The start (for Aucklanders) was at the service area on the Southern Motorway, followed by a odo check down State Highway One all the way to Huntly - first time I've been on SH1 south of Rangiriri for years. No gravel though. No corners. Too many cars. Not of interest. Avoid it.

The trial proper started at the most scenic spot in Huntly (this is not as much of a compliment as it might sound, considering the competition), beside Lake Hakanoa. Then across the Waikato bridge, past the power station, and Lake Waahi appeared on the left. A 60kph average was a bit high for track-hunting, so I just forgot about timing (which is boring) and drove at an enjoyable speed while watching for tracks. I gather most others did too.

A right onto Rotongaro Road, which would be a very nice winding sealed road if I wasn't lamenting that it used to be gravel. Lake Rotongaro appeared below on the right. This might not have been quite the Thousand Lakes Rally, but it certainly did seem to encounter a large number of lakes - I had no idea there were so many around here. West up Glen Murray Road, and I encountered Ewan and Lorna in a track down to a boat ramp by Lake Whangape (or maybe that was at Lake Waahi earlier, I forget. It was a lake, anyway). Then Tikotiko Road, gravel at last, with just one really nice corner in it, the rest was fast and reasonably smooth. On to Route 22, and a track on the left for those who remembered that the 'Ahead' instruction from Tikotiko Road had finished.

Then at Naike, the gravel option started. Woodleigh Road, Matira Road which was getting adequately nice, then Waikorea Valley Road. If there was ever a road just made for rear-drive cars with a quick rack and guaranteed not to understeer, it was Waikorea Valley Road! Tight, loose, not too rough and with corners you can see through. ('Tight, loose' sounds like an oxymoron - what I mean is tight corners and a loose surface, ideal for second gear and a bit of opposite lock). It's gone straight into my list of favourites. And then the best bit of the coastal route from Port Waikato, Te Akau Coast Road - smooth, a bit faster (but watch those downhill corners), and with some interesting limestone scenery, which would have looked better but for the rain. Never mind, gravel still works in the rain.

The final section was on seal, back to Huntly. I missed a few checks (and tracks?) through not noticing that the overriding 'left' applied to the whole trial, not just the first sub-section. But a 'left' into a U-turn check in Otorohaea Trig Road made no sense without it, as I eventually worked out. Paul, who was doing tail car, was obliged to drive the entire length of Otorohaea Trig Road and back just to make sure the U-turn check was genuine. Or to find somewhere to turn. Or something. I think maybe his car has a quick rack and doesn't understeer...

A left at Weavers Crossing sign (and I probably forgot to U-turn at 1/4 mile) brought me to a sign 'Look For Trains', but since I couldn't find any, I turned at a rest area by yet another lake (Waahi again, the map said) before running suddenly into the back end of Huntly, across the bridge and to the finish at McDonalds. The good thing about Huntly from this direction is, it doesn't sprawl.

It was an interesting drive in some sufficiently remote country, pity the weather was not good for sports cars (or mine, the sunroof leaks!). Still, the roads made up for the weather. I only saw two competitors in the whole trial - Ewan and Lorna, and Alison and Don Jamieson from Waikato. Never saw Rob and Barry, or Daniel Richardson and Valerie Leese, or even Paul and Bronnie. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. Many thanks to Andrew and Jennie for the plotting.