Saturday 20th February

Due to the frosty weather we make a quick change of work from where we were last week ("Bushell's Bend", etc) over to the other main area of focus - "Claggy Maggy", due to the frozen ground we hoped to make less mess. Due to the other track changes we have planned we not only want to renew the life expired fencing around this corner (right over the back by the water tanks, traditionally a muddy clay fest), but we want to take this opportunity to tie up the different bits of the track in a different and hopefully more exciting and competitive way.

Above : Looking along the longest straight on Canada Heights. Previously one would tackle the washboard hairpin, go over the large jump (marshal point 5/6) and sprint along and curve left (past marshal point 7/9) and drop down to the "Eastwood" bend (marshal point 8). We now intend for the track to bear right here, into "Claggy Maggy".

Above : The new right hand turn. Last winter's new fencing in "Eastwood" stopped at this gate.

Above : The already graded straight (graded in earlier frozen weather).

Above : The "island" on the left will be re-fenced, but with gates so we can use it for enduro use. Marshal point 10 will probable move from the inside to the outside by the tractor gate in the previous shots.

Above : Turning back around to look at the water tanks. These tanks provide us with water storage that can be filled slowly during the week, and then piped under the track to easy access point under the commentary tower, where there is an additional tank. This site is the highest point of the track so we can use gravity to move the water out onto the track.

Above : Facing the right way again, we can see the ground didn't stay frozen for long. The new fencing stops at the access gate on the left of the tractor. When this is complete most (80-90%) of the public's track fencing will be "railed" (leaving a few odd sections dotted around). Mark R, John H, Peter Burton, Dave P and Adam R.

Above : Staking the inside, we don't intend to rail this. The old marshal point is a legacy of the track running the other way around. While we don't use it we've never had reason to take it down. Mark R, John H and Peter Burton.

Above : Starting the fencing - Ivan and Colin B.

Above : Sophie P, John H, Sten P, Peter Burton and Colin B survey their work while more fencing arrives from stores.

Above : Colin B, John H and Sten P roll out another roll.

Above : Out of focus I know!, but looking through the gate you can see the stakes for the outside fencing on the right. To the left you can see that the "island" has been half fenced off already and there are gaps and both end to access the bomb-hole we used at both the enduro and cross country this year.

We've still a lot of chestnut to put up in this area but we've got the harder bit of it all done. We thus all clocked off early for Sidcup's annual Dinner & Dance taking place that evening, we'll see how well everyone is tomorrow....