UK Caving Blog post: Cardiff Canon Ball Run
Mon 10 Jul 2023
James Waite
James Waite
Blog Author: Babyhagrid
Canon Ball Run - Austria (Attempted)
Three blokes from Cardiff Uni on their first Expo with CUCC. Left a house at Reading with the goal of getting to Bad Ausse in a single day. A task deemed challenging at best, stupid at worse. The saga begun at 1:30 am. With a base camp eta of 9pm we excitedly exited the ferry hitting the motorway heading for Germany.
It was cool runnings for the first 700 km. Until the dreaded check engine light appeared with the car going into limp mode on the scary lane of the Autobahn. A maccies and petrol station near Stuttgart were quickly found, breakdown was called. The wait for rescue was painful wondering if we would make it to Austria. Support arrived with grim news. Problem with the turbo, needs to be taken to a garage which is open in the morning. Arrangements were made at a local hotel to the cost of the drivers entire expo budget.
The morning came with a nervous trip to the local garage with baited breath. Good news came with the problem quickly being diagnosed as a sensor issue. After the pricey hotel breakfast the Autobahn was returned to making it to Munich in good time. Passing Munich on the last stretch to Austria, things were looking up.
This was until a black bmw slowly changed into our lane with the feared follow me sign in the back window. We nervously followed the Rozzers to a nearby police station where our papers were thoroughly checked, with one of them quizzing a passenger on whether they "smoked". Thankfully we were back on our way, we thought that we had a clean journey to the border ahead.
Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Another check without the fishing for drugs. After this whole ordeal we arrived at base camp, one day late, with a breakdown and two stops from the police. A beer was cracked with relief!
Three blokes from Cardiff Uni on their first Expo with CUCC. Left a house at Reading with the goal of getting to Bad Ausse in a single day. A task deemed challenging at best, stupid at worse. The saga begun at 1:30 am. With a base camp eta of 9pm we excitedly exited the ferry hitting the motorway heading for Germany.
It was cool runnings for the first 700 km. Until the dreaded check engine light appeared with the car going into limp mode on the scary lane of the Autobahn. A maccies and petrol station near Stuttgart were quickly found, breakdown was called. The wait for rescue was painful wondering if we would make it to Austria. Support arrived with grim news. Problem with the turbo, needs to be taken to a garage which is open in the morning. Arrangements were made at a local hotel to the cost of the drivers entire expo budget.
The morning came with a nervous trip to the local garage with baited breath. Good news came with the problem quickly being diagnosed as a sensor issue. After the pricey hotel breakfast the Autobahn was returned to making it to Munich in good time. Passing Munich on the last stretch to Austria, things were looking up.
This was until a black bmw slowly changed into our lane with the feared follow me sign in the back window. We nervously followed the Rozzers to a nearby police station where our papers were thoroughly checked, with one of them quizzing a passenger on whether they "smoked". Thankfully we were back on our way, we thought that we had a clean journey to the border ahead.
Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Another check without the fishing for drugs. After this whole ordeal we arrived at base camp, one day late, with a breakdown and two stops from the police. A beer was cracked with relief!