(58 Chevy Apache cruises the grounds)
(58 Chevy Apache cruises the grounds)
Jeeeeez...... woke up Sat morning remembered the barny the night afore and you could of cut the air in our caravan with a knife *hum?* I had to apologise if we were to salvage anything for the rest of the weekend so I did my big speech made us all a coffee and tried to wake up in the already sweltering awning......*hum*
A 1/2 hour in the onsite bogs freed my mind somewhat and I was ready to attack the day and enjoy it to the full, I thought frig it! principles or not swolla ya pride and make it all as enjoyable as poss... The wife and daughter where still struggling to speak to me but at least they were speaking... The misses made us a full cooked brek'y so things were looking up and I gave the 34 a light cleaning job so it would look half decent for the mid day cruise.
Saturday Morning, a site sorry sight to wake any Rodder Up!
Mike Key was talking to Langy as he was to do a photos shoot for a mag and had to give Langy's Truck a wash and brush up for the privilege. Hey the fun of being a Hot Rod photographer eh, apparently he has to do that fairly often. I had now worked up quite a sweat and so a shower was in order and yep the excellent showers were still just that.... We had a jaunt out to the local Sainsbury's and stocked up for the days barby's and the camp site was buzzing with Rods driving (slowly) everywhere you looked when we got back which was fantastic... The cruise was a multi choice affair with a couple of museums or USAutomotive as a third venue.... I thought about it for a second and USAutomotive was my preferred destination and really the only one that interested me.
Making our way to the cruise departure point there were Rods & Trucks coming in all directions!
There seemed to be hundreds of Rods lining up for the Saturday Cruise venues and a bit chaotic to say the least, though I think it was organised chaos :>) I was not sure of which group was which or how to get to USAutomotive so I went into the NSRA hospitality tent which was packed.. Sat at the desk was Dave Brown (Hi-Tec A40 Van) he had been commandeered into giving out maps for the cruise and recognised me which was great... I said I wanted to go to the USAutomotive place and he said he was going there aswell so to follow him. A few of us went one way with many going in other directions, I guess this is so we don't cause any road chaos and also it is brilliant when you see Rods passing the other way when you are also part of a group of Rods.
(Left) Leaving the Grounds (right) Driving down the hot tar
lanes....... aint that a great sight!
With the awesome heat the tarmac was melting and the chippings were being splattered everywhere which made it rather slow progress the route we took but it was neat to see Rods to the front and the rear..... We arrived at the USAutomotive shop and were some of the first Rods there, Dave treated us to a demonstration of his hydraulically lifted flip body and hood, now I could get a proper look and I must say the new paint job is Freaking brilliant, I love it, it so different, Cool Car Cool Guy! After a long checking out session, we were about to go over to sample the Free Barbecue and drinks that was laid on by the USAutomotive people, when a massive line of Beautiful Rods rounded the top of the industrial area and we just stood and enjoyed the rolling Rod show... I looked about and what with the glorious sunshine and superb Rods that were everywhere you looked you could of been in America Awesome!! There were Rods everywhere.
Dave Brown shows us his A40's Tricks..
Hot Hot Hot but not for some eh Jeans shoes and shirt verses shorts and
sandles only...... oh and shorts and bikini if ya have wobbly bits :>)
USAutomotive did a fantastic job of entertaining us all, with free COLD
drinks of what ever you fancied Bud for those not driving Coke, Orange, Lemon Or
Water even Hot coffee if ya wanted and not just one if you wanted more you just went
and helped yourself.. There were big proper sausage Hot Dogs and Real Burgers
Excellent stuff. The lovely Lynn Stafford was running her self ragged keeping
the bin filled with Ice and cans for the thirsty Hot
Rodders... We sat in the sun had a good natter with anyone and everyone
around us.. enjoyed the Grub and Drinks and watched the rods leave with the
mandatory show of power :>) There were people having water fights some
looking well out numbered at times by kids with cups of freezing water from the
melted ice that was keeping the cans cold! We stayed till we thought everyone
had done their thing, then left. As we reached the top of the road there was
another line of Rods waiting at the junction to go to USAutomotive Wild!!
And they were still coming in!
Even More Rods descend onto the USAutomotive Location!
Looked like one Speed bump to many
Nige Lockley enjoys a drive in Keith Atkinson's 32 Lucky Bleeder!
Once back at camp, it was time to break open some cool ones and kick back, after a drive round the camp site again. Man was it bloody Hot now *phew*..........
Big Billeted Sedan sits in the sun while everyone watches this guy who is about to fit a suppository
Only thing
left to do was park the Rod get out the deckchair sit
with ya mates, talk bollix and drink cold beer *ahhhhh* There seemed
like there was a lot of activity all day and even into the early evening both at our
camp and all around us.. I'd stand up meet someone have a crack, sit down have a
crack.......and so on. Then a Tot Rod would come hurtling by, some are so bloody
quick it will only end in tears I am sure. Rods would burble by and we would
stop and watch it, then get back to our conversations... It is just such a great
way to idle away a day or two when you love our scene so much Heaven!! but now
it was Barby time, as a treat my misses and me'sen had bought some thick Salmon steaks
for ourselves and some prawns to chuck on the Barby.......Hey we were on our Holidays remember :>) Suitably
Fed we all gathered round Langys caravan and just had a reet good laugh, Gary
Bennett ( Ex blown Green Devon) joined us had us in stitches with his jokes and
banter... I had a good old crack with him.. Langy told Joke after Joke and Puddz
made us laugh with his real life antics and I just talked Bollix as usual Ha
Ha...... I tried to tell some jokes but I gave up as everyone kept laughing at me.
Later we all set off down to the Marquee's for the nights entertainment and to hopefully meet people we had yet to meet. While Langy and the crew went to the Marquee's we went to the fair again to keep the kids happy.. After an hour or so we eventually made it to the Marquee/Beer tents and as we walked toward the marquee's we became aware that we were walking against the flow?????????? There wasn't just one or two going the opposite way there where heaps of em??? I asked in a general way as only a Pissed Git can " Hey why are all you lot going the opposite way to us?" pretty much in one voice they said "don't bother going in there its terrible" or was it crap?? "why?" I asked "Its too Hot, not enough bar staff and the beers warm" and they even added no atmosphere????? WoW doesn't sound like the usual excellent NSRA do ta me. So I said "apart from that it alright isn't it?". Terrrrrrrrr!
I thought oww they were just A load of old Moaning Minnie's who are never satisfied and we ventured on. To only get the same reaction from several more people who were coming out of the place??? It now started to make us wonder if it really was a nightmare in there. We were still determined to find out for ourselves though as I needed a large COLD beer and really To meet up with a few of the Rodders I have gotten to know but had yet to meet. My Daughter wanted to listen to some music and meet some people her own age as she usually does at the other Runs she has been to and I was desperate to get my misses and her to enjoy this run........... then we met our crew Langy and the gang coming out and saying exactly the same thing as the others had. Well that was enough for us and we about turned and spent the night pretty much as it began, laughing and drinkin........ with Me Puddz and Langy staying up till 4am *teenagers eh*........... I can remember Jon Denton coming and visiting us about 2am or 3am I think and I called him Steve I was so Peeeshed *hic* .....Jon stopped and had a bit of a crack with us then left us three stalwarts to it! Night Night Seeya Sunday bright and early to polish the car ready for the show and shine..........er ....... or not :>).
.
ooolaa la Mon Cherie... The French brought some Cool rides over. The big beige
one finding its way into the top ten on the Sunday!
Just a thought: If it was so crap in the marquee how come it was so packed that the bar staff couldn't cope?? must of been something keeping people in there?