Syncropendence 2023

[JennyTyger]

Pleased you like the piccies…

These are two of our newest members Tamara and AJ by the white van.

[Splurt]

Definitely not a thing to be desired!

Thanks for sharing the pics, it really does make a difference imho.

Who knows , I might just make it next year!

Ditto. The pictures are greatly appreciated. As our wedding was called off (dodged a depleted uranium shell, there) I departed for the homeland instead. Will be there next year in the Gaddafi Bus. 

Wow Scnipple that sounds like you have had an eventful time. That can't have been nice, although it's better to have happened before signing at the dotted line and before any kids.

Good luck with the new chapter

[Splurt]

Yes thanks for sharing the pics, really nice to see.

Sorry we couldn't make it. Eimear had been shortlisted to participate in the Galway Film Festival pitching competition, which sadly took priority over SP.

It was a tough weekend of practicing the pitch and keeping the baby entertained in wet and windy Irish summer weather.




She only went a won it

So proud, the goal of professional (paid!) screen writer is tantalizingly close.

So fingers crossed we can make SP next year, I have missed it and all the beautiful people

[HarryMann]

Congratulations Elmear! Well Won
Thanks for posting your weak excuses Ryan you missed epic mud year only comes once a decade
but lovely baby photo so you're let off

[AIR_CHILLED]

This year was truly an adventure. The weather made for a very challenging environment, picking the right line crucial. There was lots of failed ascents and interesting descents!
A smaller turn out this year; I feel this only helped create a closer group.

On the Saturday there was a full days driving. The wind helped dry out the top layer of grass in between rain showers giving surprising amounts of grip. Jason & John were kept busy throughout the day with multiple recoveries.
The usual evening bonfire was rained off but most if not all of us managed to fit inside the event shelter for superb cake, baked by Tamara.

Sunday was a chilled out day, the sunshine helped dry out all of the camping equipment while some of carried out repairs ready for the journey home. A handful of us went up the hill for a play before heading off. The driving did not disappoint.

Thanks to everyone who got involved and helped organise the event. Every year is always very different and for me this one was the best so far.

[Schnippzle]

Definitely not a thing to be desired!

Thanks for sharing the pics, it really does make a difference imho.

Who knows , I might just make it next year!

Ditto. The pictures are greatly appreciated. As our wedding was called off (dodged a depleted uranium shell, there) I departed for the homeland instead. Will be there next year in the Gaddafi Bus. 

Wow Scnipple that sounds like you have had an eventful time. That can't have been nice, although it's better to have happened before signing at the dotted line and before any kids.

Good luck with the new chapter

Thanks, buddy!

[HarryMann]

Thanks Michael, that’s a very good write up. Good photos too (showing what you lads were up to when we weren't looking )

PS. Did Chris get a drive ?

[HarryMann]

Sunday was a chilled out day, the sunshine helped dry out all of the camping equipment while some of carried out repairs ready for the journey home.

Yes, Simon TMT with support from son Alex worked hard at getting Roger’s rear difflock disengaged, no easy task.
Simon also helped me clear areas of lovely fresh cowpats when we first arrived, cows this year not sheep had been in the field.
First time Alex (as a driver) proved his Subaru could match a Syncro, albeit maybe not for towing others out.
Gotta say though, well up to collecting loadsa Fish ‘n Chips for everyone

Was nice that some with young children so many years ago, now return as young adults which participate, drive and enjoy the event in different ways.

Jed and Isaac in a 2WD (with good mud tyres mind you) showed what’s possible, as someone said getting out the site gate was one of the biggest challenges being on a steep side slope, so needed roping up later as it became a muddy morass… which brings me to Jason, who was always on hand to help there, having arrived…
..with his lovely family, wife Reicke, Hugo and Phoebe (and a good few spare parts )

So, afrer due consideration of parameter of driver and vehicle and after reading every report from my spies and after ruling Alex offside for being in a Subaru, despite a gallant effort; Subaru single-cab John, another top contender, didn’t though travel across the globe to get there (albeit did fix a breakdown on the way ); Jed another gallant effort but non-Syncro so wouldn’t know what to do with a VC goblet ; Geoff who really deserved a mention in dispatches for just being Geoff and getting stuck in his fuss-free way and helping at the drop of a hat (unless he was cooking up another tasty looking meal) but without Jane this time , so failed at the final hurdle ;

Our newest members (yes you’re not joining any other clubs now!) AJ, Tamara and Elijah, ran a close second for the ? Wait for it ? award, having risked driving a van of uncertain provenance, to a meeting of uncertain provenance, certainly of unknown characters, to a place in a strange country far far away, full of sheep, cows and their assorted doings, well you get the idea, a special place in Syncropendence history will be ordained upon them, but not the secret ‘Goblet’ (this time) ;

… of course I’m not going to suggest Michael (and Chris’?) driving was not up to wet SP standard, very good effort with ATs and only got slithered and slathered and suckered onto the subframe and that only inches from a clear crossing of the mud-hole of mire… but a failure is a failure albeit handing around freshly cooked hot dogs to everyone Saturday night so nearly swayed the decision until…

I was informed of Roger’s gallante efforts, with locked rear locker locked, broken power steering, lots of commitment (keyword for the weekend), having brought lovely Julia still convalescing from her hip hop op and daily reading a novel of mammoth proportions, all the way from Cornish Cornwall, or Devilish Devon, or sitting on the Tamar as their cottage does, probably one foot in each camp, to avoid internecine cross border strife.. now where was I, Ooh yes, Roger was up there at 9/10 until it he was ‘dobbed-in’. Apparently ’Rosie van’, full to overflowing with medicaments and tarpaulins, had been ‘lifted up away from terra firma’ somewhat and had knobbly wobblies of the mud terranean variety fitted - sorry, too much of an advantage, notwithstanding setback three, a gear-lever not of the washy-machine-lucky-dippy varietude, but one of the sticky-nasty won’t budge-an-inch-itude ! Well done Roger for sheer grit (but in the wrong place );

Yes, my mucky muddy friends, we’re now left with Sharon to dispense with, though the problem is, Sharon’s very indispensable, especially when "pooh" "pooh" "pooh" is pushy comes to shovel and panicky settling oe’r the hills, alive or otherwise. Having proved her mettle (and her metal) before upon noteworthy hill and dale and rock and vertical drop, and as no doubt, supporting partner Gav will attest, a crisis she will rise to, and a solution found… our new friends from London of the southness will attest too, and possibly three, when a stuttering van won’t go straight up a hill, try finding a bit of an alternate route of course being a co-organiser like Simon of the Fens, one has to slip those two cards back into the pack, and despite my stunningly professional exposition of 16 inch ness, in its tip toed dexterity amongst so many ungainly cross-lateralled fellow four-wheelers, I was told quite rudely that self-presentation was out of the question, not having two pairs of arms, let alone four hands.

So here we are, only by extreme default of course, but by driving from Vikingsland sans incidence, oop to the top of the Welshhill and all the way back down again, towing any and all at the drop of a hat, 4 up, bringing his family and being cheeky and cheery the whole time…
The re-spun, re-balanced, re-coated renewed Goblet of what was Mire, but from the day forth The Goblet of Desire, becomes lodged with Jason and his intrepid Syncronauts…
(please bring it back one day)

S-P-E-E-C-H

And Jenny.pretty well.organised the whole thing in case anyone is in doubt

[Schnippzle]

After due consideration of every salient parameter of driver and vehicle and after reading every report from my spies and after ruling Alex offside for being in a Subaru,

Wasn't that a donor vehicle? :p

Great write-up. Thank you!

[toomanytoys]

On arrival to camp, I had a welcoming party...

Was good to get away, it's been too long.. despite the weather, I had a good time, Alex first time driving off-road propper, certainly tested out the scoobs capabilities and we both laughed at how it made easy work of some bits we were convinced it couldn't do.. I have a recommendation for anyone looking for some all seasons for there daily drive car etc. Vredestien Quatrac 6.. they seemed to find traction on any surface they encountered. And work extremely well on the road too.
Was good to observe the mayhem others got themselves into..

"Rosie van" did provide a challenge on Sunday trying to release the rear difflocks for Roger and Julia's trip home.. but we got there.