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NASC Nat'sSaturday:
I wasn't intending going to the Nat's at all, but got talking at the NSRA Supernats with my Mate Pudzz. I was telling him what it was like and he really fancied it as he has never been. We all agreed to go, but later found out my Daughter was in a Modeling competition on the Friday and we had arranged to go on the Thursday. Have a leisurely drive down and stop at a Travelodge overnight to get a fresh early start the Friday morning and make a full holiday of it.. But it wasn't to be, I phoned Pudzz up but he had already pre-booked and was pee'd off I was now saying I wouldn't be going... "Hum?" I could go to a Rod run anytime, but this would be a one off I could not have missed. My whole family would be there cheering her on and I wanted to be there to, memories are all you are at the end of the day and this memory I wanted. My miss's said just go on your own, it was disappointing but just how it was. Then on the Friday she wished she was coming, the offer was still there mind, but she would have to stay in a tent and she wasn't having any of that oh no siree. "It wouldn't take much to tow the caravan down" she said... but it does. It changes the whole deal, what is a real fun drive, becomes a arduous task. So I did go on my own, with all my gear chucked in the back of the pick-up bed I could enjoy the drive and enjoy it I did. It is just so much harder with the van on the back, it takes much more concentration and a lot more time. I was promised the competition would be over by 10pm but it was 1:30am before I got to bed. The journey to the Nat's would be about 6hour and I wanted to be there early morning to get the tent rigged then relax before the cruise and no doubt the truck would need a bit of sprucing up to, I had planned to be away by 2am, but it wasn't to be. I just said I would close my eyes and if I opened them and felt ok I would set off at what ever time it was. I woke first time and felt kak, so I dozed off again, no idea what time it was. Then I woke again and felt brand new and quite excited about the prospect of driving my Truck a fair old distance and not with a friggin caravan on tow. I could hike up the speed and get into the whole experience of what I had built. I just got washed, dressed and looked at the clock it was 3:35am, that was Ok I could still get there fairly early I thought. It sure felt fantastic firing the Truck up in the quietness of the early morning. I edged out as quietly as I could passed my neighbors houses and out onto the open road. There had been the last few nights a couple of bikers hairing past our house about 2:30am I live in a small village but I am right on the main road and they come past I guess by the sound at about 100mph and I just prayed they wouldn't come howling round the corner right now as I didn't fancy traveling down with a bike stuck in the bed... ;o) Not a thing in sight, so I then wound it up a bit and enjoyed the sound of the Truck for the first few miles. Man it was just the best feeling, after a few miles I cranked up the Stereo and got really into the whole deal with the way the Truck was driving the quietness of the Roads and listening to tunes I like. The sound of the exhaust and whine of the gear drive when the music was at a quiet part of in between tunes just made me chuckle with enjoyment like I had never felt before.. Fuk I was on a high. I get about 3/4hr into the journey. There is not much on the Motorway and I am sat just above the speed limit in the middle lane. I pass this car not paying any attention to it, then I am aware who ever it was has sped up and was now passing me? Then it pulls quickly in from the third lane right into the inside lane?? I think maybe he or they are wanting a better look of at the truck.. Then as I pass he sticks his lights on full beam??? I think what the and gesticulate to let him know he is a tw4t ? So I slow down still in the middle lane so he comes out from the inside right out into the outside lane and so I thought maybe its a numpty trying to show me how fast his car was. It was a sporty looking saloon thing. So I stay in 5th and deck it and we get up to a few mile an hour more than the speed limit remember this is about 4:15am and he slowly edges past as I back it off so I can give him/her/them the full beam treatment. The twat then pulls in front of me stays in the middle lane I put my lights in full beam and he put his knobbing fog lights on??? I could feel myself getting madder and madder the cheeky cnut had invaded my enjoyable ride and I was ready to kill. I stayed close behind and slowly boiled and boiled. I was tingling all over and I thought my arms were going to burst, right then I would of smacked Mike Tyson. ;o) Then I started to wonder just who does this sort of thing on a mostly deserted motorway at 4:15am. I began to get some sense back and calmed slightly, as I thought maybe it is a couple of young lads out for some fun and possibly a victim?? Maybe they are armed or out to prove something to each other. I stay right behind them deciding my next move? I wasn't about to pass them but stayed close enough to let them know I was not intimidated and hopefully intimidate them who ever they may be. Then after about 20mile more we reach a well lit area of the motorway and I thought right I am going to see just who I am up against here. As I pulled along side at around 70mph, I peered into the car and fuk me it's a bleeding Numpty who looked like he played with model trains at home.. I felt relief but absolute anger aswel the bloody twat I could of knocked the friggin prick into next week. I moved into the slow lane and he passed not looking sideways with his piss ugly wife doing the same, arggghhhh. I pulled out and sat behind him as he picked the speed up and stayed there hoping he would pull into the services and I could see just what his game was. But I knew what it was really, its all since them motorway police program's with their in car camera's showed one traffic cop calling and flashing at middle lane hogger's as he called them. Now then this is how I see it and I am very passionate about this, when I learned to drive 1971 the three lanes of the motorway were called slow lane, fast lane, overtaking lane and if used thus they are safe and work well. Now you see fukkers doing anything from 70 - 100mph darting from the overtaking lane to the slow lane in very dangerous maneuvers thinking they are doing the right thing. Now I aint about to travel at 80mph in no slow lane you can if you wish but don't expect me to and most certainly am not going to swerve as fast as I can from overtaking lane to slow lane at 80mph as many do only to pull out again a few more yards up the road. You cant be a lane hogger if you are doing 70mph in the middle lane (fast lane) surely. In theory nothing should ever catch you up let alone pass you unless they are speeding. So fuk him and fuk anyone else that shares his views.. I stayed with him for about 100mile until he left the motorway FHZ 1728 was his reg and I would like to meet him again someday ;o) But not when I am in a rush and enjoying the drive to a rod Run... Sorry about that blurt, but I had to get it out of my system.. Right on with the show. I got to Ipswich at a little before 8:30am 320 miles in just under 5hrs was ok by me and one stop for Fuel (LPG) £34 made it even better.
Saw one Rod as I arrived at the Nat's and that was all. The Guys and Galls (volunteers) who greeted me were very friendly and helpful and made the signing in a very enjoyable experience. I had no idea what time they had started but I think they had done the night shift, they sure did the NASC proud, they were a pleasure to be met by after a longish journey and all weekend in fact who ever I spoke with from the NASC they were very helpful and seemed happy to be there.
I parked up and Pudzz was already up, he was there with his wife Sue who didn't mind being in a tent. Mark (Pudzz) said this guy here pointing to a Tent and Gazebo says he knows you and remembers you from years ago when you knocked about with Smax, Odgie and the rest of the Rainy City guys in the 70's. When he drove up (must of been to the showers) he pulled up in a very cool 36 Ford Pick-up and as he got out I recognized him right away, my memory cells were still working, as it must of been over 28yrs ago since I last saw him. I couldn't remember his name or entirely when and where I knew him from. I just knew I knew him and had spent a lot of time in his company in the past. I was now just trying to piece it all together. Mark very cleverly asked him his name again and I could feel the memories coming back. As we spoke all the great times we had on the Rainy City Sunday runs out and Friday night meets slotted it all into Place it was Walt and it was like it was only yesterday I had seen him.. How spooky is that to be camped at the very same place in such a massive place as the Nats eh.
Today was the Cruise out to the coast and I enjoyed that last time I was here so wanted to do that for sure. Once the tent was pitched, I just wiped the truck with my chamois leather and that would do I cant be arsed with all that polishing malarkey and it looked Ok most of the bugs must of been asleep as I drove down so it wasn't as bad as it usually is. Pudzz on the other hand was washing waxing and polishing his 32 Sedan as he always is, I wish I could be more like him but I just cant.
Time pasted quick as we sat drank tea and watched the Cars drive by some stopping for a chat which was cool.
I went for a shower and when I had got back Pudzz had gone and lined up early for the cruise. When I finally got round to going to line up at the Cruise the place was rammed. I had Pudzz wife in with me so I just passed all the queuing cars to drop her off near the front where Pudzz was. There were about 5 rows of cars and I just went up the outside and stopped to drop her (Sue) off, got talking to someone and the next minute people had followed me and were now forming another line behind me ;o) Mike Shepherd had seen me drive past everyone patiently queuing behind the proper lines and zoomed up and parked in front of me aswel ;o) So I thought I may aswel just stay put now. It was getting very near 12pm the set off time and wanting to do the cruise with my mate Pudzz I said Me and Mick would set off and stop at a lay bye down the road and you can let us out which he agreed to. So me and Mick set off and unbeknown to us, that started everyone running to their cars to follow us out ;o) There were people lining the exit out of Trinity park with camera's and Videos and we seemed to take them by surprise with there just being the 2 of us. Every lay bye for the first mile or so was also full of cars (same idea?) we eventually found a suitable place to stop and wondered why only a few seconds later the Cruise started to pass us. With a couple stopping to let us out, which we just waved by. Then Brian Crossley in his A Delivery who was in front of Pudzz stopped and flashed us out. I decked it and was surprised to snake up the road whoo... but not as surprised as Mick who I splattered with stones ...Sorry Mick ;o)
The streets were lined with many residents who applauded and waved as we passed, even a few Rodder's had stopped to watch the cars go by. Then onto the Prom which was also lined with people some happy to see us, some a bit bemused.
As I was making my way slowly up the prom, I saw someone from my home town, down visiting one of his golfing friends.. He was the land lord of one of my local pubs many many years ago and I knew him well. I gave him a wave and he politely waved back, so I waved again and he waved again but with a confused look on his face this time as his hard drive whirred into life.... then he realized it was me and just couldn't believe it, 330 odd miles away from home driving down the Prom in a Truck that look like it had just landed from Mars Ha Ha... This meeting was getting weirder what are the chances if that? The people along the prom were amazed at the cars on display especially the kids, when we were stopped one time, I opened my door to get a bit cooler and this guy with his two small sons, said whooo look at this one.One of the young lads said I like this Gold one best (mine) and so I let them sit in it and they were over the moon, then as we set off again they said whoaaa look at that one, his is driving with his door open I like that one best... It was Mick Shepherd trying to get cool and looking real cool to these two young lads, making his way up the prom with his door open.. that made me smile. It was a bit embarrassing driving past everyone I must admit, but it was to late now to go all coy. Seeing Gaz O'Connor and his miss's faces as we made our way was a welcoming sight and Brian Lucas and his wife also. Had a bit of a crack with them before we got ushered further down the prom to park. Once parked we got us shirts off and looked like holiday makers as we walked the line back down the prom ;o)
It did look impressive as not only was the prom full but so was every available parking space and some none parking spaces to. It was chocked full of, Rods, Trucks, Yanks, Customs, Brit Tin in just about every conceivable style known, quite mind blowing really, yeah there was some shit but each to there own eh!
We sat back enjoyed a beer and swatted a few wasps as we soaked up the atmosphere. We didn't venture down to where the band was playing as we had walked enough, but I regret it now as I bet that was an even better way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon. We sampled one of the burgers apiece from the Cruise barby and then decided to get make our way back to camp to get into the Nat's Party spirit. Funny every Car was going on the opposite direction to us but we made our way back. We did found our way out onto the Ipswich road all the same and I loved seeing Rods driving past in what seemed like every direction.
We came round a roundabout and I saw a Chevy Truck a bit up the dual carriageway and something just pinged in my head. I thought I am going to have him and I booted it, sorry Mick *again* as I showered him in gravel again.. Whoops! I did him though ha ha and in doing so I zoomed past my turning... it was a good few mile when it dawned on me I was lost, so I thought may aswel look for some LPG as I was now getting low. I tried several petrol stations with no luck and asked at one who told me where I could get some. But again a fruitless journey I must of done about 50-60 mile looking and was now just about out Derrrr. So thoroughly lost I had to get the Sat Nav out to get me back to camp.
Once back I just wanted to keep driving so had a mooch round with Dusty in his A coupe and me in my Truck...
After a good cruise round the camp site I got into the party spirit and the crack just flowed, with people coming up all the time looking at My Truck, Pudzz'z 32 and Walt's cool 36 Pickup. It really was a fukking blinding great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon and early evening cracking with some really great and genuine people really into what we do. It is good no matter what anyone says to have compliments made to you about your Car especially when it has taken so much effort to build I was well chuffed.
Saturday Night Is Pardy night.
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