Reading the reports of the track day and yesterday's drive it looks as though everyone (with the possible exception of Steve) had a great weekend; the weather adding a final polish to another of Gary's brilliantly organised events.
Although I'm still not sure that track days are for me I have enjoyed several of the 997 register drives and would have joined in the Brecon drive had not uncertainty about plans prevented me from signing up before all the available places had been snapped up. However, I invited myself along for lunch as the opportunity to catch-up with so many "ex-Swissers" was not to be missed.
As a drive-out participant it is rarely possible to get a view of the cars in action but since on this occasion I wasn't going to be part of the group I thought there might be a chance to get some dynamic photographs of the convoy. Gary suggested that a suitable location would be about 4½ miles south of Point 8 on his route map.
There now follows a master class in what not to do.
Either because I left the flash card at home in the computer or the battery at home on charge I have recently missed the chance of some good pictures. So this time, because this was going to be an exceptional opportunity, and one a repeat of which might be a long time in coming, I made doubly sure that I had packed everything I needed.
Arriving on station in good time I carried out a reconnoitre of the area and took numerous photographs of passing cars with two or three different lenses from several different places and eventually settled on a suitable spot with a good panorama of the road. About the time I was expecting to hear the approach of a gaggle of flat sixes, and one V8, my ears were picking up the altogether different tone of my mobile phone; it was Judy to let me know that the group was running about 30 minutes late because of Steve's tyre trouble.
Rather than stand idly around I thought I might as well double check to see whether there was a better position. I also decided that the few white clouds would stand out better against the blue sky if I fitted the polarizing filter and just to confirm that all was working as planed I took a few more test shots. Finally I decided that an elevated position about a hundred yards back from the road with the Canon 300mm f4 lens and polarising filter would give the best opportunity for shots of cars as they approached and departed .
Eventually with the aid of the long-lens I spotted the group across the other side of the valley coming down the A40 near Bwlch and then making the turn onto the B4560
I took a few shots as Gary rounded the corner at the crest of the first stage of the climb.
But then I couldn't take any more. I pressed the shutter release time and again, but nothing. Valuable seconds ticked away. Finally I realised the flash card memory was full. Cursing all those test shots I scrambled in my camera bag for the spare memory card but by the time I had it installed in the camera the group was departing up the other side of the valley.
So, as I learned at business school, the six Ps can help (Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance) but you still need a brain, or failing that plenty of memory.
Great final venue: