Nine teams assembled for the start at Eight Ash Green.

Bill, Doreen, Colin and Rosie had traveled from the strange lands beyond the Essex borders.
Even Mike and Pat took a day off from Clubbing to be with us.

Obviously it was going to be a competitive afternoon.

Caroline had come straight from her Karate class to collect  names and food; the red outfit said .....  trifling was not on the menu!

13:20 and two solid signals from

Richard G4KKR    TX A   and

Philip     G0NXH     TX B.

Both stations being to the east, we head off round the Colchester by-pass. Bearing 1A goes through several rivers. We keep going well across the map, hoping to get a bearing to establish which one, and which side.

As we arrive at the north end of the path it is clear from the cars that many others think he is here. 

Andrew is ahead of us on the track, 700 m plus a bearing later we are standing between two wooded areas.

Here comes Tim from the southerly patch looking sickeningly pleased with himself, then Rosie and Colin.

Another signal, Graham is saying that Mike is emerging from the north wood and running for his car, but the signal peaks on the west of the southerly wood.

I have to run back a bit to gain access. Ian is just emerging and Peter is about.

Andrew is coming from the point I had chosen and tries to persuade me he is not there.

There are liars, damn liars and Dfers!

As I approach TX B I can see Peter’s feet sticking out, b..... definitely tail end Charlie today!

Graham and I run past Peter who is intent on trying to hold a discussion on the merits of the site. I tell him to save his breath and get running. After about 100 m he calls from 5 m behind  to point out just how much faster our running is than his walking.

Back to the car - it may be diesel and old but at times like this it is a welcome friend. We have not gone far when we hear TX A on the monitor and take a quick bearing  - 3A .  See the blue lines below, we still need another!

We stop for 4A, trying to decide which side of the river.

OK it’s St Osyth and probably the path running directly under 4A.

Which end do we run in from? I’m going for the bottom when Graham  spots that Peter has stopped at the top end. Perhaps he knows something we don’t!

We turn around to park up at the top with him. As we approach he drives off towards  St Osyth. We turn around again, and head for the bottom of the path once more. As we go to turn right we meet him again,  yes you’ve guest it - Peter is coming back! 

Having established that Peter doesn’t  know which end of the path the TX is at either, Graham and I decide to wait for another bearing.

What a disaster, obviously we are going to be last today... Come on Richard give us another signal .....! 

Right,  now we have 5A, he is at the bottom of the path.  We park up in front of the PH. As I get out of the car Graham says “Wait, I can’t see where the footpath goes from here”. However. I am in my favourite Dfing mode - headless chicken - “It’s OK I can see Andrew and he is just running down it”. 

As we follow, I think, ‘Hang on, this isn’t the path, we are on the wrong side of the water’. But what’s this, Mike, Rosie and Colin are coming towards us, walking....  they have been in......  Mike says “Hard luck Roy”!   Obviously my bearings were out, he is this side of the water and, yes we are definitely going to be last - groan. .... Something made me turn around - I see Mike and Rosie have started to run - the little ....‘Dfers’.

OK, this IS the right path now. Unfortunately it was much more crowded than the picture shows (taken about an hour later)  Mike, Rosie, Colin, Andrew, Graham and myself all ‘running’ (poetic licence) down it. The path can be seen to the right in this picture, but remember it was taken an hour later!  As we rounded the corner the tide was in and the only way through was to wade!!  The hardened old sea dogs amongst us jumped in and suddenly Mike and I were on our own.  He might be old but he still has legs! And he has been over the other side of the river and doubtless has a bearing to the precise bush. Better stick with him. How much further, these wet jeans are no fun?  It starts to dawn on me that there are now several people behind - I might not be last. If I can just get in before Mike I could even be in with a chance.  The brain is enthusiastic but the legs are ... well my legs.  Suddenly in the distance I see Bill walking towards us. Obviously it is further on, in second childhood mode I get past Mike and head to where Bill has come from.   Hmm not enough detail, there are a lot of thick bushes here. I keep my eye on Mike to get a clue. He dives through a gap in the hedge, I look up and see the aerial, if I follow Mike then he has the advantage, so I decide to go for the other end of the aerial and BINGO!  Richard tells me I am 2nd; has Bill been to the other station?  After the traditional diversionary tactics to confuse the others, Graham and I discuss Bill’s demeanour. Was he walking because this was his second TX or because he was knackered?

Eventually we get back to where the cars are parked, is Bill’s car still here?  B...., yes there it is. I recognise it, blue with an aerial matcher clipped to the window. Just like the Colchester qualifier, Bill has done it again.  No sign of them though, suspect they are in the pub celebrating.   Never mind we could still be second if no one has done it quicker the other way.   Back to Graham’s for a quick change.  Now I remember why I do DFs - dry jeans, isn’t life wonderful.  Graham, poor soul hasn’t escaped from teaching yet and decided he better get some marking out of the way. I set off for tea at Philip and Caroline’s.

For those of you who have not sampled DF yet, the second very good reason for taking part is that Caroline produces a wicked tea ...... Excellent, thanks Caroline   -  Tea, hot food, more tea, cakes ...bliss!

"Well done mate..... " No, Bill beat me in ..... I saw his car .......  " No, he said it was his first TX ... Doreen was having to keep the car running, their car starter was broken; they drove off to the second TX.   But  ....."   Oh, Dick also has a blue car with an aerial box on the window ....

Peter, stop telling everyone how we chased each other backwards and forwards around St.Osyth, I have a certain position to maintain here - I am the leader of the A team!!!  Never doubted we would win for a minute - you just can’t get the competition .....

Young Raymond had been busy with the camera at Station B. We never saw Philip's car but clearly others did! Tim

Andrew - bit cheeky!

Doreen - Is this a clue?

Bill (jumper lead) Pechey makes it with 3 mins. to spare.
The smile says it's still good to find that second TX, no matter what the time is.

Don't let that angelic smile fool you -

Chief decoy and ace photographer Ray.

Thanks to Philip and Richard for running the stations. Solid signals all afternoon and challenging sites without huge amounts of driving. All teams in, but with a good spread of times. Good event!

In addition to the trophy, the first two competitors were given a New Chelmsford Map. The new roads around Stanstead give very easy access from the motorways, so we are hoping for a good turnout next year. See Y’all in 2005?