I've just surfaced from the pile of client tax returns (oh how I love January) and can get back to normal business and the plans for Tour of Cheshire.

However, January has not, fortunately, been all about tax returns. We were at Gaydon for the recent HRCR open day where our stand was busy and received the 'Best in Show' award which we will share with competitors at 'signing on' on March 6th!

Lorna and I have been able to find the remainder of the rally route which has revealed itself from under the snow covered lanes of Cheshire and Wales, although as I scribe the Rally HQ is again snow covered! The road surface is nicely breaking up in some places so you can expect a few potholes! However, those yellow signs are beginning to appear as the councils begin to spend their tarmac budgets before the end of March so there is hope. The route was flooded in one or two places, so Tony there is hope for the water splash photo opportunity. Stephen Wild will again be producing an event DVD and his ideas for the revised MSA friendly format look great.

I am delighted that Jean Chmura will be joining the organising team for the Tour of Cheshire and I'm sure many of you will look forward to seeing her on the 'signing on' team.

Our test designer and I have visited our new test sites to look in detail at how we can get the most out of the sites and our plans will certainly do that - the drivers will enjoy, but can their navigators keep them on the right side, or is it the left, of the cones especially M.

Your lunch halt is in a new facility at a magnificent stately home so a bit classier that last year's cattle market café, but we will as last year incorporate tests either side of your meal break.

Looking at the entry we look as if we will beat last year's record, with a full entry ! There are a number of entrants who have not yet paid - time to dust off the cheque book guys!

Mike Harrison - 30 January 2010