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Oooohh... I saw the "Northern" bit in the title and got all excited. Then realised that Shap is 215 miles (or 3hrs 45mins) south of home and is even in another country!! Gotta be some contravention of the Trades Descriptions Act or sommat.
In saying that, I've been on a few runs in that area in the past and all have been memorable.... and wet. Perhaps I'll have something suitable to join in with next year... passport controls, immigration formalities and hard border barricades permitting.
Hiya Bob, had an idea you might show up somewhere along the route! We're leaving Shap at 10 so I'd have said a couple of hours to Kielder, maybe a bit longer. And you know how these things go....it's not a procession so peeps will be well spread out by then! My suggestion: have the teas ready and waiting with a nice piece of cake :)
Jim - you don't need a Stratos to come along, in fact there are usually only a couple. And there's a group of peeps who aren't even Stratos Enthusiasts (specifically) who'll be there!
The one thing you do need to know, though, is that anyone coming from north of that daft "border" has to bring a supply of Irn-Bru and Tunnocks, as a sort of guarantee of good faith. I know it's a long way for you... even if you decided to just pop down to Kielder to say Hello on this one, it's still a good schlep. There's a goodly number of folks from Dahn Sarf who can't make it for the same reason - too far. Ah well, c'est la vie, as they say in the other half of the Auld Alliance....
Keilder's not far towards the equator from me, indeed I was there a month or two ago on the way back from Newcastle airport when they shut the A68. But there's no wheels on my wagon, and I'll be in midge central near Oban at the weekend now, so I'll miss you this year. Do look out for motorcyclists and MAMILS; there's a lot about and a steady cull of them at weekends doesn't seem to put them off.
Cheers Chris, shame you can't pop over. Maybe next time.
As a biker meself, I try to be aware of them, but as we all know there are usually a few who think they're invincible and have a God-given right to be in front of all cars, and can overtake whenever and wherever they want... forecast isn't looking too good for the weekend, but the upside of that is that it might keep many of them indoors... ;)
I've no other plans for the weekend so, if the weather forecast changes, I might jump in something suitable for a car run (Japanese, but still suitable) and pop down to Kielder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Normb666
Great! See ya there (if you're not careful).
Getting ready to set off within the next hour !!............ see you all soon........ great news about the weather forecast !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, just a little extra challenge I arranged to have thrown in...
Enjoy your run everyone
Oh yes!....Quote:
Originally Posted by Longtimefan
Dont open any clams in the gales tomorrow... Have fun.
Weather update, just looked out of the window and it is persisting down !!! And I really mean persisting down.
Hi Norm,
Hope you all survived the weather today and apologies for not meeting up with you all in the Kielder area as planned.
I know I said rain or shine I'd be there in my car and I nearly got there.
My route approaching Bellingham from the east was very wet lots of standing water and some flooding was probably pushing my luck getting through in some places.
About 1130 I was within half mile of Bellingham to find road completely flooded at least a foot deep over quite a long stretch.
Decided to retreat and head home as my alternatives if passable would add more time and I'd just be too late to meet.
rgds Bob
rgds Bob
Bob, absolutely b---dy marvalous, quite a few of the party didn't get any further than Bellingham either and finished up spending most of the day there, gracing the local hostalries with there custom, and they were all in modern vehicles. As Norman commented in his address to those assembled for dinner, this must be the first drive out organised by the SEC that didn't have a single Stratos, replica or otherwise, attending.
BUT HE HADN'T RECKONED ON YOU. I THINK A SPECIAL MEDAL SHOULD BE STRUCK !!!!!!
Robin
I guess a 50-year old MGB counts as a modern car, but only to those of a certain age :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Longtimefan
Well that was an event and a half, wasn't it? :) :) "Wet" doesn't really cover it...maybe we're the wrong SEC - shoulda been "Speedboat Enthusiasts Club"!
Big Thanks to all who attended the inaugural Noah's Ark Rally - I really appreciate you showing such faith in my organisational abilities, and also your inability to take any notice of the weather forecast. As noted by Robin, this was probably the first SEC event where there were no Strats at all (apart from Bob's valiant effort, but a fail is still a fail, haha!) Congrats to all those who completed the whole route, cos it was something of a challenge - it was more akin to fording rivers than going through a bit of water across the road! I was particularly impressed by what Porsche call a "shower cap" on my 987 Boxster Spyder, which despite being out for two nights in some seriously heavy rain and being inundated by passing traffic, refused to let in a drop of water.
Many commented on the route itself being spectacular, with fantastic roads (which are now amazingly clean after a thorough washing...), so I think we should re-run it and have another go at it, maybe in the Summer next time ;)
Of course, that means another visit to what turned out to be Not-So-Fawlty-Towers, as they seem to have upped their game considerably this year. We even had our own banqueting room for the evening meal, whether for our protection or the safety of other guests wasn't said, but the hotel was actually great value for money.
Despite what I said when giving my wee speech last night, I really did have an ace time, and once again, thanks millions to all who came (or almost made it...Bob). I didn't get to have a good chat with everyone for one reason or another, so apols to anyone who thinks I might have snubbed them. Maybe we should do a full week in future... noooo, could you imagine!!!
Cheers, Guys and Gals! :) :)
Once in a life time drive with biblical amounts amounts of rain the roads around Kieider akin to rivers with small lakes at the bottom of every depression in the road, water was even bubbling out of the carriageway on the A68. Many thanks to Norm and everyone for making this weekend so enjoyable.
Funnily enough the crap weather added an extra dimension to the drive that will never be repeated again I doubt.
David & Pat
Well... Boxster rinsed off and back in garage... it's roof too did not let in 1 drop of water... clever those Germans !
Great weekend that will live long in the memory banks, great company with laughs all the way.
Hope you all got home safely
Thanks again Norm !!... great weekend
Cheers
Phil and Helen
What rain? Epic adventure. Great event, Great company and quite simply a hoot. The weather perversely actually made for a great experience. Norm once again Thankyou for the time and effort in organising. (The Sheep must of thought I was a Forest Fan turning their backs on me!)
Fab Time all the best
Neil & Debs
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Thanks to Norm for organising another weekend of hilarity... even the weather was laughable! We both had a great time and can't wait for the next one. Maybe it'll be snowing next time?
Bob, shame you didn't get to Bellingham, you could have had lunch on a railway carriage with Sara and myself, along with a load of Belgian Porsche owners who were stranded too. Not to mention the group of riders on 60s and 70s BMW motorbikes...!!
Didn't take many photos but Sara took this one which I think probably sums it all up:
Attachment 15284
Thankfully MEG took everything in her stride, must say I'm glad I changed my mind at the last minute and left the Stratos at home!
Attachment 15285
PS... I took this photo on one of the practice runs... this is what the horizon was supposed to look like on Hartside!
Attachment 15286
Thanks All, glad you enjoyed it! And as mentioned, the weather kinda made the whole thing seem more of an adventure. That and the overturned van on the Bellingham road, right on the blind bend. At least the tyres were pointing "outwards" so anyone hitting it woulda bounced off....maybe ;)
Poor old Dave in his V6 Exige (not a club member, but ex-Hawk owner) got inundated, so much so that he ended up with 3" of water in the passenger footwell. I'll be dropping off his prize of a white whale for "Best Captain Nemo Impersonation" later in the week. (OK, not a whale, it'll be a goldfish so he can keep it in the footwell.)
Some good pix there too - thanks for sharing! Neil, the sheep were showing you their arses cos they thought that was how you liked 'em :) :) Shameless temptresses. And Richard's shot of the Spyder at Hartside back in June proves my suspicion that I used up all the sun I booked for the event, during the sighting runs (the follow-on check run a fortnight last Thursday was in temps of 32 degrees...)
Norman, now reflecting on a memorable weekend. As David J has already said the rain was of Biblical proportions, we now know what must have prompted Noah to set out on his project!!
We were lucky on the way up to Keilder as we were following some very, very enthusiastic Road Racing Cyclists, and were able to judge the depth of the "pop up lakes" by whether their feet and chain wheels were under water.
The run and weekend had everything, great fun, copious laughter, aching sides, views to look at noted in the route instructions that couldn't be viewed due to being in the clouds!!! and never ending vertical stair rod rain.
We managed to cover the whole of your route which will be remembered by us for ever. (not for the route, as we could only see water for most of it).
Norman, we do have great faith in you, you're organisation was great, but please stop singing, especially in the week before the next one!!!!
Robin & Carol, founder members of the SEC Sub Aqua Section.
PS. Official record for rainfall shows that Kielder Castle had 132mm on Saturday 10th Aug.
That wasn't singing, it was Leah causing me pain...again :)
Just goes to prove, though, that it's the people that ultimately make the event. So Thanks for coming, and trusting me to show you a good time (ooer)....you fools.
I'm seriously considering Carol's suggestion that next year, we do the same route again, and this time fingers X'ed you can actually see something rather than what seems like being inside a power shower. Her suggestion of some sort of short-cut breakout in case the drive gets a bit much, has been duly noted and already acted upon!
Record rainfall? Yeah, felt like it too, and I think most of it ended up inside Dave's Exige :)
A Plea because of memory loss!!!
Can whoever it was that I was discussing Scissor Lifts with at the Hotel the other weekend, when I said I was trying to locate the maker of one that I had seen at the 'The International Autosport Show' a couple of years ago, and who suggested a possible maker, please remind me who that was!!!.
I have already tried the possible suspects to no avail.
Robin
Hi Robin,
It wasn't me, but could it have been these:
https://sm-t.co.uk/product-category/.../mobile-lifts/
The company is called Strongman Tools, based in Southam, Warwickshire.
BR
Dave
Hi Robin,
It may have been me but have other things on my mind... Have a look here https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/ those are the ones I bought a fair selection
Regards
Ian
I got mine from here Robin..... http://www.bhrepairs.co.uk/