Five go to Le Mans

[Gill E]

When Shaun asked me if I'd like to go to the Le Mans Classic in the 'mid season' break I thought "yes that might be nice, a leisurely drive through the French countryside in the 7, watch some lovely old cars racing, a thoroughly more civilised affair than the 24", so I gave the plan the .

 

Little did I know that the rest of Class 5 would be joining us on our 'romantic mini-break'.

 

So next week Simon, Adrian, Rob M, David, Kevin, MarkD, Al (OK he is class 1 but either he has asperations or Simon has somehow 'persuaded' him to be his chauffeur for the weekend), Class 5 champion-in-waiting Dom, Shaun and I are off to sample the delights of an allegedly classier Le Mans event.

 

The more astute amongst you will have spotted that Shaun and I are the only seasoned campers in the merry band (unless you count Simon sleeping in the back of his van) and that we are about to go off to spend 4 nights under canvas!

 

And how are plans going? Well, Dom has put a ban on Adrian putting ANYTHING on the car that will change its profile (meaning NOTHING attached to the roll bar, no E-bag etc); Simon is working out how much 'Bow he can squeeze into any Caterham because "they won't have it in France" (I have suggesterd he might like to try the hood bag trick introduced to me by those seasoned Tourers Les Calverts); And if anyone noticed the bunch of Robo Cop impersonators lurking around the paddock last Saturday, that was the aeroscreen boys checking out their new headgear.

 

What have I let myself in for?

 

to be continued ......

 

 

Gill

Damp Rat Racing

Team Trailer Trash

[CaterBram]

😬 Fun Fun Fun

 

Q469 WET, 1990 1690 Xflow Long Cockpit in Ali except for the red bits. .CaterBram on Facebook

[Charlies Angel]

Gill, I had a chat with Dom on Saturday and he has promised that he will look after you, as he recognises that he is the most responsible members of the team - as his concern for aesthetics shows.

The rest of us would like you to keep us updated on Blatchat (as David did on his last trip), but please, no photos - or only ones of old cars.

 

As for romance, that Shaun knows how to show his Lotus Lady a good time 🥰

[The Headmaster]

I hope there are not going to be any "Romantic" pictures of Shaun and Gill posted.

 

Or may be there will be. My iPhone is a wonderful thing. 😳

[Mark Durrant]

The more astute amongst you will have spotted that Shaun and I are the only seasoned campers

 

Gillian, your not off to a good start bearing in mind that I have camped at Le Mans on three previous occasions and also slept in my last 7 on one trip

 

As for Dom he has assured me that he will not throw up in his Dad's tent and his recent vomiting exploits whilst in Belgium was caused by drinking too quickly, so that will be a large double at the start of every session to wet his whistle

 

Mark D

[Gill E]

Oh, I do apologise Mark. I was mixing you up with the person who has been heard to say more than one "I don't do camping" and who put his tent up inside the ESV because it was a little cold outside!!

 

As for Dom, I didn't know he had drinking 'form'! Better start stocking the first aid kit up

 

 

 

Gill

Damp Rat Racing

Team Trailer Trash

[Tam]

Bang goes our offer of quarterlight bags, hood bags and satchel to go on the boot cover then 😬*

 

Simon - the French make quite good cider. It's the ale drinkers who need to worry

 

Gill - I have found the Definitive Le Mans Kit List from our previous forays - it is winging its way to you now

 

Can't wait to see the (edited) pics and hear the tales.

 

 

*Adrian - when Dom's not looking you're welcome to any of the above

 

Tam

Drowned Rat Racing

 

[Adrian Williams]

Many thanks Tam but I fear the chances of getting them past the 'style policeman' are zero. 😬

 

I tried to introduce Simon to some proper scrumpy a while back but he didn't like it, something about it being cloudy and having bits in it. Will the French stuff be more to his liking 🤔

 

 

Adrian

[Tam]

Well it's flatter than the Bow, and a bit cloudier but give him enough of it and he'll never know the difference

 

Bon voyages

 

 

 

Tam

Drowned Rat Racing

 

[NoLimits]

I have experience of "cloudy" scrumpy.

 

It was bad enough chewing on the bits as they went down let alone when they came back up 😳

 

A Blast from the Past

www.7tips.co.uk - for all 7 related parts and upgrades.

[robmar]

maybe you should have stuck to only 7 pints, maybe it was that didgy 8th pint that caused the problems... 😬

[Mark Durrant]

..at least Dom will have a honking partner for the trip

 

Mark D

[The Headmaster]

You'd better put a bucket on the list of things to take. 😳

 

And thats just for Dom's old man's driving 😬

 

 

[Adrian Williams]

A honk bucket, oh how civilised.

[Gill E]

So, we're all back, safe and sound, if not a lot pinker and more tired than when we set off. An interesting weekend in so many ways but great, great fun.

 

Edited highlights ....

 

The East Berkshire & Welsh contingents met up for a curry the night before leaving on the Great Le Man Adventure - The Welsh crew arrived late as they got lost IN WALES (something to do with Kev's SatNav throwing a wobbler, as if you couldn't have guessed!).

 

David's car decided it didn't like the idea of travelling on a train under the sea and some key component of the starter mechanism (a solenoid or some other technical bit - you can tell I was paying attention) packed up, so various of us spent the rest of the weekend push starting his car

 

The journey down was VERY VERY hot and at every stop we made, there were many and various classic cars to look at.

 

Kev and Simon/Al were at the back of our convoy and we temporarily lost them in Rouen when Kev was stopped by 2 Gendarmes on motorbikes for going through a red light and asked to part with some of his hard earned Euros. Simon and Al's contribution to Kev's predicament was to watch, giggle and take photos

 

Arrived safely at the campsite, hit the bar then put the tents up (amazingly well, considering). Speed Chills have really got this campsite lark totally sorted - great facilities.

 

The rest of the weekend consisted of lots of walking, trying to find some shade to sit/stand in, ale quaffing (some members of the group should put themselves forward for the Olympic beer drinking squad), Mark passing on to Dom his worldly advise on women (OMG ), everyone sharing with Dom experiences of the demon drink (didn't seem to put him off). I did my best to give the female perspective but was fighting a losing battle. Oh, and watching some lovely cars racing.

 

The journey home was more or less without incident - except that Mark's car decided it wanted more attention so developed a loose connection meaning we now had 2 cars to push start.

 

The lovely people at Euro Tunnel split our convoy up for the return trip, with Mark, David / Rob, Shaun & I all together - meaning Rob, Mark and I had to push start David off of the train then Rob and I had to push start Mark off the train!!!

 

When coming back into the UK, Rob had forgotten that he'd decided that his passport was the best place to keep his ££s - until the nice man in the Border Control kiosk asked him if the folded notes were his

 

So, what have I learnt? ..... that 6 Caterhams driven by 6 big kids going through 2 long tunnels sound similar to sitting in the middle of the world cup final (speed limit - what speed limit?); all boys over the age of about 15 can talk endlessly about cars and girls (even when not fuelled by beer - but beer does add another dimension); I can now identify certain people by the sound of their snoring; Mark's car is harder to push than David's; I can surprise people by wearing a dress.

 

All in all everyone had a good time and I couldn't have wished for a nicer bunch of blokes to share the weekend with.

 

 

 

 

 

Gill

Damp Rat Racing

Team Trailer Trash