We headed out with the CB fitted and headed for Heyfield. Great place heyfield and more importantly the Heyfield pub. We have been on our annual trek to this pub for more than 8 years. This year we decided to bed at the local motel heading into town, but we still eat, drank, played pool and darts at the pub with the local publican, an irishman called Jeremya. As usual the locals were very friendly to these city slickers, and we partied on into the wee ones.

Next morning and after getting the info that the Black Soil track was probably still open, off we set past Lake Glenmaggie and off to Licola. We had ventured to the west off the Licola road on a previous trip and had decided to explorer this area once more. With more technology curtosey of my mate Mark, we explored this area and discovered the tracks we had hope to intercept. Once again back to the main road and into Licola. The 2006/2007 fires and subsequent floods that occured had played havoc with the bridges, roads and rivers in the area. Travelling down the “Black Soil” Track and arriving at the Macalister  River was once again an enlightening experience. I had low expectation in achieving this route, but as always, set the expectation low and you always get pleasantly surprised.

Following consultation with a local dear hunter, we decided to set camp early in the afternoon and camped just prior to the 4th river crossing. The 5th crossing is a doosie and was better left till the morning.

To my dismay Parks and Wildlife have closed a number of the tracks that we were going to use due to the 2006/2007 bush fires in the region. Looks like we need a plan B.

I have also included my infamous check list for the average 4 wheel driver to use when travelling for a up to a week. I am sure there are more comprehensive lists, but this has served my friends and I well for a number of years, and it always catches something that you could easily forget to bring.

Anyway enjoy. All I ask is you leave my copyright on it, if you distribute it. It costs nothing so just send it the way it is. Any suggestions let me know and I will improve the list for everyone to use.

The car and crew returned with no dents, bumps or scratches.

As most people following us would know we have run the Michellin TB15 tyres the last 3 years waiting for rain. This year we pushed on with 4 Dunlop D02’s and 2 TB15’s as backups for the rain. No rain, so the Dunlop’s lasted the trip and to very good effect.

With the freshened engine, tyres and a great team we had a very good result.

Thanks go to Paul Girt (my navigator) for keeping things cool during the stress times, Porsche Centre Melbourne for the car preparation and on going roadside and night assistance during the event, and also to the car’s sponser, Dial Before You Dig, who this year ran 4 cars finishing, 1st, 3rd, 7th and 12th outright in Classic, and 2nd in handicap event.

I think this was a great result, and the TV advertising that correlated with the event seamed to help the message. We were approached a number of times with people asking if we were on the Tele.

I would like to thank John from wireless.ozcom.net who assisted us during the event with a wireless internet connection in Launceston, and even though we had some problems has been very responsive in rectifying the problem.

As we approached the start of the stage, instructions that a car was off on turn 2 were heeded. Sure enough someone within 150m of the start had ventured offroad, up a kerb and into someones front yard. With one bent left front wheel, we later saw it being towed backed to launceston. Sobering to think how much effort and money had gone into that campaign, but we will wait to see if it is all over.

All and all we had a great run on our newly reconditioned engine from Porsche Centre Melbourne. Thanks goes to Paul Girt (my navigator) and Peter Bowen (Porsche Master Technician) who looked after the purchasing of parts and building the engine respectively.

The car feels great, and apart from a problem bedding in the brakes (we had very little brakes during and after the event) the car performed beautifully. The boys performed their magic at servicing tonight, bled the brake system, and I tested it out to give us the confidence we will need tomorrow.

As discussed yesterday I mentioned the “Dial Before You Dig” team. The team members are

Rex Broadbent/John Lilleyman -577- 1974 Porsche RS Carrera
Peter Eames/Will Logan - 573 - 1974 Porsche 3.0 Carerra
John Ireland/Mike Ribot - 643 - 1977 Porsche Carrera
Duane Rodgers/Paul Girt - 727 - 1985 Porsche Carrera

Please do not take pity on the early porsche’s as they are all many kilo’s lighter and have more horsepower than the 1985.

Anyway this is the team and we look forward to finishes from everyone.

The traditional stop at “Strawberry farm” for breakfast on the Saturday didn’t disappoint us, and we then made our way into Launceston to collect our rental car ready to recckie.

A Nissan Tiida, and worst of all automatic, but no hassle, it was economical in place of being fast.

Saturday showed us some rain, and concern again on tyre choice as we contemplated a wet Targa. Fortunately Sunday and Monday have proved to be fantastic, so we think there is no worry of rain in the foreseeable future.

On Sunday we went through the quickest and easiest scrutineering in our history in Targa. With no hassle our car was given the “ready to start” sticker.

Monday has seen us shop in town, then meet our fellow “Dial Before You Dig” team and their cars for a group photo session.

More details on the participants will be forthcoming, but basically we have four cars of Porsche 911 model and classic vintage ranging from a 1973 RSR to our 1985 Carrera.

The car has had the engine out and reconditioned and that has only just been completed. I will go into the details of that job in the next view days. I unfortunately had a grand opportunity to get pictures with it out, and missed them.

The car is sporting a slightly different look this year as we (royal we, Paul and myself) have decide to run the car with spoilers front and back. In the past, based on the rules we couldn’t, but either the rules changed last year and we missed it, or they have lightened up on the strict criteria for standard classes. Any way we have read the rules and our interpretation means a tail, front spoiler and wider wheels. Basically this was how the car was delivered in Australia in 1985, so it is nothing new.

Well today is boat day, so by 4:00pm this afternoon I will knocked off work and we will be loading the car for the 7:30pm ferry.

Glad to have my regular followers back for this this event, and we hope to keep you up todate on our progress most nights. There is a new layout this year,so some exciting new stages.

Will keep you posted. DR

We attended the Targa Brunch at 10:30 and I was glad we did that. One of the main reasons for us attending Targa this year was to try and collect the Gold Targa Trophy plate if we could finish within the Targa Trophy times set for each stage. Paul and I were eligible for this coverted award, so we were fortunate enough to receive on stage this award with 14 other recipients.

Not only did we get this gold trophy, but also won our class and category. All in all we were safe, the car was safe and we collected some great trophies. We were happy.

Paul needed to get back to work on Tuesday, so opted to fly out from hobart, as our attempts to get on the Monday night sailing had failed. I dropped Paul at the airport and headed for Devonport. If I was standing at the counter on Monday night, maybe someone wouldn’t turn up and I could jump on.

I arrived in person and was told that it was so overbooked that even some freight would not be going, and if someone didn’t arrive, freight would have first priority. Ok that was it, time to find some accomodation in Devonport.

Driving around the port to the township side I pass Paul Stuart talking to his mechanic with car loaded on trailer and ute towing. I decided to do a u-turn and stop and small talk. I mentioned my problem, discussed the event and Paul suggested the day sailing boat in the morning. I headed off and was about to head into the TTlnes office when Paul Stuart rings and suggests I should return to where I had seen him, so I could enjoy and beer, as he had sorted out a slot on the boat for me.

The short of it was the ute had been booked twice, and Paul’s navigator Mike Herrod had flown back early. Thanks Paul it was great to stumple on that opportunity, so I arrive as need on Monday mornng off the boat and straight to work.

Targa 2007 is over and it was very kind to Paul Girt and me. We still have some photos and video to go up on the site, and we will compile a dvd of the in car action for the 5 days.

I thank everyone that has shown any interest in this site, and for all the support from family and friends. Stay posted as I will continue to document the post event stories as they unfold over the next few weeks.

“Dial Before You Dig” have been great supporters for us and this year with Rex Broadbent and Mike Goedheer winning the Classic section outright, we think that DBYD have received great media and public coverage of their community service. Thanks to the team at DBYD Vic/Tas including Mark Binks and Scott Reid, and also thanks for the team at PRPartners - David Rowell and Angela for there help and support.

We hope you got out of this event what you expected, I know we did.

We exit the car and meet the “Dial Before You Dig” group that are having a BBQ on the lawn at the Hotel. We help ourselves to a couple of beers, and proceed to the finsh line area to welcome fellow competitors and friends. Over the next 2 hours all the cars arrive and the outright winners are announced, and provide the mandatory spectacle of wine spraying on the podium.

Tonight at the Gala dinner, the winners will be announced. Paul and I opted not to attend the official dinner (Not everyone can due to the limited space) and head out for a dinner, then back to the after party.

I distinctly recall something about 4:00am before I closed my eyes, and grabbed what little sleep I could get before the targa breakfast next morning.

Out with the heat gun and screw drivers, and off we set on the front tyres trying to clean out the grooves that had filled with melted rubber. During the day and heat build up on the fronts, which had melted the tread into the grooves, making the tyre look like a slick. Within 20 minutes we had retored the tyres back to something that looked like it had tread.

Paul and I stayed out at Wynyard (35 kms from Burnie) as accomodation in Burnie is scarce. As usual the volunteers driving the buses are pushing more hours than we are. Up at 4:00am so they can shuttle competitors around, and no finishing until 10:00pm at night. That doesn’t leave them with alot of time for eating and sleeping, but as usual they all push on. Thanks Coal and his wife for your help over this event.

We were fortunately across the road from a pub, so we ate and headed for bed ready for the 6:45am pickup.

By day 4 lunch we had only completed 1/2 the competitive kms for this event. That means the tyres still have a long way to go on day 5, and it is a big one. We had to get to the lunch break in Queenstown with tyres they would let us run on. More conservative driving to protect what little rubber we had left.

The Straun stage of over 30kms was down graded to touring due to a crash. The driver was suspected of having spinal injuries, and a helicopter took him out. That incident probably saved us from elimination for the afternoon.

Queenstown lunch break and the Tyre scrutineers are out with there depth gauges checking the cars as they arrive. After lunch there is Queenstown, then Mt Arrowsmith (close to 50kms of competitive in one stage) and Tarraleah.

We obviously had protected our tyre’s well, so we get the green light, and off we head knowing we have 3 stages to, and dry weather ahead.

By tarraleah we had done it. Cruising back to Wrest Point in Hobart, I reflectd on this year and why it was so hard. We had similar conditions last year and our tyres made it relatively easily. I put it down to pushing harder on days 1, 2 and 3 and realise that you can never truely relax in Targa. There is always some challenge that becomes your Mt Everest. Our Porsche 911 has proved to be the best piece of machinary I have ever owned. She has never let us down and that takes a tremendous weight off your shoulders knowing that your equipment (if treated well) won’t let you down.