Rally - Mull beckons

Just had a call from Lucky Sturrock who is on the Isle of Mull at present saying it's not too cold, but it's damp. Also had a look at the BBC weather website. According to it, it was supposed to be dry today, showery tomorrow, heavy showers on Saturday and dry again on Sunday. So who knows? I reckon the safest thing to do is stick your hand out when you open the door. If the hand comes back in wet put on an anorak, if it's dry, still put on an anorak.

Last year was a one-off. It was dry all weekend and warm-ish. That big orange thing in the sky also came out to play occasionally causing a rapid divestment of winter clothing at times. It was only the second time in 40 years that I recall such a good weekend for the rally.

On the Sunday morning after the rally I was sitting outside the Tobermory Hotel on a bench overlooking Tobermory Bay with the late Bill Troughear. I had carried out my breakfast coffee and he was sitting there making smoke signals with his pipe. The sky was blue, the bay was blue, and the sun was sparkling on the wave tops and sailboat rigging. All was right with the world. Sad to think that just a week later he was no longer with us.

This year's Tunnock's Mull Rally will be the second under its new management and the route is quite different this year as it visits the south end of the island. The entry looks good too. Not quite the 140+ numbers of the past, but 120 rally cars whizzing round the island will ensure busy times for all.

The organisers have had a wee last minute panic with the recent wet weather causing a bit of a road collapse on the Hill Road stage. That's all they need with the event due to get underway tomorrow night. But the matter is in hand, and nothing is ever a problem for the ever inventive islanders.

Goodness knows what this weekend will bring. Can Calum 'The Comet' Duffy score a seventh win? Paul MacKinnonn ran him awfy close last year and James MacGillivray had a fierce old battle with Dougi Hall who finished third - but that all-elusive first victory still escapes Dougi. Maybe this year?