Club Arnage

Hi all,

I'm just working on the race week schedule for 2010 for the CA Guide and realize, that our traditional CA Forum gathering on Saturday will collide with the England-USA footie which will start at 8:30 pm. May be it is best we choose another day/time.

Last year the CA forum gathering was not very busy - some people told me that it has lost its purpose for them because most of us already know eachother face-to-face now and there are plenty of other options to meet, e.g. the Friday nite parties.

Nevertheless, I think we should still arange a CA Gathering so at least the forum newbies can meet some of the old hands. The location from last year (Back of "Les Courbes" inside Dunlop Curve) was OK from my point of view - we could chat but still watch the race - but the Guiness tent might be another option.

So, when should we meet?
Same time / location as last year (despite the football)?
Or a CA gathering Friday night on BN because many of us camp there already?
Or at Mad friday at the Houx Annexe roundabout?
Or something completely different?

Opinions and suggestion please - so I can put something in the CA Guide schedule!

Cheers

Werner

Naturally I am biased but I really enjoyed last year as it didn't interfere with the race but I got to see a few people - and there was one Newbie there!  I don't understand footie or the people who enjoy it though.  Maybe have it at 10.00 (as many people didn't turn up until then anyway) or even later? - this is the 24 hours and if anybody can't stay up that late they shouldn't be there!  Friday night party is all very fine but not everybody is there (some campsites are  a very long way from BN).

I have to admit, I quite like the idea of a later gathering.

Its always been a struggle for me to make 9pm, because we watch the race till about 6pm and then head back to BN for tea, by the time we've managed to get the BBQ anywhere near ready to cook on its around 8pm, so a later time around 10 pm would be more favourable.

If peoepel are watching the footie, then that won't fininsh until about 10.30, then of course depending on wheer people are watching it they will have to get to the location. So 10 at the earliest I would say, maybe even later.

Is there a concert this year? Has anyone heard who/when/where? That also clashed last year!

Later works for me - I'm normally up most of the night anyhow ;D

Now, about this football thing....

Either way, I will try and get there before midnight this time, my only recollection is seeing JPC in a baby's butterfly hat........ I think!

 :-\

10:00 clock? Oh no I was hoping for an early night ;D

I think a midnight meeting would be cool.

Could call it:

0:00 Midnight Mass.

Given that everyone will likely be plastered by midnight, might I suggest that maybe we arrange some kind of large space, where a barbeque can be put up, and that people bring beer and food at midnight, for consumption whilst watching racing, and doing more drinking.

The area in front of Maison Blanche would be good for this? Next to the track??

Just ideas really - but might be cool to pull the whole crew together at Midnight?

Or we could just agree to descend on the Guiness Bar at midnight??

Brad

I think the UK kick off time is 8:30 but then add the hour on for French time so kick off 9:30

Midnight Mass.......I like it!!

The Guinness bar (or near it) sounds like a good idea (in fact wasn't it very near to where Debs said we should hold the meet again?) But can any of us really be trusted with a hot BBQ in a public place at midnight? Something tells me there's a likelihood that most of us will have consumed a lomonade or two by then.

And someone is bound to get hurt when they try to jump it!!!  ::)

Midnight Mass - sounds cool. But I agree to JPC - better no BBQ-Games. I'll bring a box of Champage!

with a bit of planning, I think we could be up for BBQ-games.

I'm sure I have seen these CA members before  (http://www.westernsafety.com/chicagoprotective/cppg4-Entry-Suit.jpg)

I like the idea of a traditional gathering especially for newbies. If we are to change the time let's do so for the future not just a football game. 10pm  though 11 pm would work too makes sense to my thinking. The location from last  year (see Termies post for directions) made a lot of sense too so i would like to continue that .  By midnight I am off on my "rounds" with Andy et al.
 Canada Phil

Some sort of midnight nosh sounds good but my personal worry is that it all gets too formal and complicated.  Bowling up trackside with a bottle or a pint worked well.  The problem with the bars (certainly was true for the 'poo bar) is that one feels obliged to buy their stuff and I CAN'T SEE THE CARS.  I love you guys but sorry, they are the reason I go to LM and I hate to miss them.  At the Courbe we could do both - meet and watch that race thing that's going on.  Any good reason why we couldn't BBQ there if we wanted to? Or maybe not a BBQ but a picnic of some sort - a shared comunal nosh?

I was a noob in 2008 and enjoyed meeting everyone at the Champagne bar.

Last year I brought a noob with me.

This year we'll be bringing a noob, or two, with us.

I say keep the meet and I do like the idea of midnight mass at the Guinness Bar

Paul [aka Landman]

Black Mass?

Guilty of being last year's "noob"  ;D

The midnight mass at Maison Blanche gets my vote every time.
I think anywhere in "Le Village" has lost it's appeal to me now that you aren't kicking up clouds of dust and broken plastic cups. It's all got a bit F1 for me.
I say midnight, trackside, on the banking just after the Porsche curves.

Or, if that's a bit far away, nearer to the tribunes infront of where Motor Racing International have their place.

To be honest, I'll meet anywhere if I'm invited!!

DFH is planning on rolling over a bar onto MB on the sat. before race start. We will set up just at the exit of the last porsche curve, so we can have beer, do some grilling and watch the car go by. We are not likely to leave the bar once the race starts, so we could host the CA meet there. Just a thought!

Interesting Suggestion. I think I'll probably wait for more ideas to come up during March and may be we'll have a poll beginning of April.

So, to summarize the ideas up to now:

1. Usual time (approx. 8pm) at "Les Courbes"
2. Midnight mass at "Les Courbes"
3. Midnight mass at the DfH bar at the exit of the last Porsche Curve

The Flying Baguettes are still pitched in MB so if you need any logistical help with that let us know

Number 3 gets my vote

Number 3

Number 3

Number 42... why - read on

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The number 42 is in Douglas Adams' book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which the number 42 is The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything, as calculated by an enormous supercomputer over a period of 7.5 million years. According to the fifth Hitchhiker volume, Mostly Harmless, 42 is the location of Stavromula Beta. In 1994, Adams created the 42 Puzzle, a game based on the number 42.
[edit] In the works of Lewis Carroll

Also

    * Fox Mulder, one of the main characters in The X-Files lived in Apartment 42 at 2630 Hegal Place, Alexandria, Virginia.[9]
    * The Kumars at No. 42 television series. In 2003, Sanjeev Bhaskar hosted a BBC show nominating The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as Britain's Best Loved Book.
    * 42 is one of The Numbers - 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 - featured in Lost. It is also the number tied to the character "Kwon".
    * A made for TV movie 42: Forty Two Up - an installment in a series of documentaries wherein the director revisits the same group of British-born individuals every 7 years.[10]
    * 42 is an episode of Doctor Who, set in real time lasting approximately 42 minutes.
    * In the Doctor Who episode Voyage of the Damned, the Tenth Doctor attempts to control a rogue host robot by randomly shouting numbers, including of course, 42.
    * 42 is the name of Buzz Lightyear's space ship from Pixar's animated science fiction series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
    * In an episode of "House M.D" Dr. House claims that his favorite number is 42.
    * In Monty Python's film And Now for Something Completely Different, the famous "How Not to be Seen" sketch is presented as "H.M. Government Public Service film No. 42."
    * In A Clockwork Orange Alex browses through records in a record store and we see a record of the, at this time fictional, band Level 42.
    * In an episode of "Stargate Atlantis" it is revealed that Rodney Mckay's password is made up of the birth years of several notable minds throughout history, and ends with the number 42. The character John Sheppard reveals that the number is the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything, to the confusion of his alien companion.

I know I think I might have got the wrong end of this  -  BUT I will not be there anyway, going to the Classic. Whatever you choose have a good one.

>Martini...LB

As I'll be on BSJ this year, I recommend the DfH bar at the Porsche Curves.

There's a good viewing area and I'll only be a short stagger from my tent.

Anywhere would work for me with the later timing, Number 3 would be ideal  ;D

MG Mark

I think they mean the exit of the Porsche Curves which is within the MB camp site - not the viewing area at the start of the Porsche curves!

If there's ale and drunken shenanigans involved, I'll be there.

For the liver is evil and must be punished...

MOOHAHAHAHAAAAAA!

Yup, that is the spot.

Hi Martini,
              Don't forget your towel  ;D I will miss you in June.
 Phil

You will miss me in March too as I will not be at Sebring either, still the Classic is worth looking forward to.

And I may be able to go to the Silverstone Classic.

>Martini...LB

As Team Booze'n'tabs are getting old and decided not to cycle everywhere we are in MB so would go for that. Would even bring along some of my highly alcoholic with chili kick ginger beer  ;D

 :o - May be we should make a "Who brings the strangest drink - competition?  ;D

Despite to other years the DFH bar this year will be a sellf build one on a little trailer.
200l, a tap, a gernie and a small fridge.
Because of logistical problems and probably lack of space on BN we are thinking of rebuilding a small 2 meter trailer into a mobile supply unit to park next to the curves on MB.

This will supply our drinks on BN during the week and is easy to tow / push to MB to have a drink during the race.


.

Assuming the gate police will let it in to MB!

Hah! We have ze cunning plan!! ::) 8)

Tunnel, airship, stealth paint, disguised as a Peugeot ???

Or a Peugeot branded corporate pop up tent?

Nothing that complicated.  You just need someone with an MB pass with a towbar.  They drive out, hook up and drive back in.  Saves all that pushing - thirsty work though, I'm sure

Sorry, I'm in Blue Nord again

that won't work, the Peugeot tents have nobody in them on any where near them. Can't belive that will happen to DFH  ;D

Ah yes, and them 'toopid Dutch misspell the brand, of course ;D

Hi all,

I just reviewed this thread and there seems to be a clear majority for a Midnight Mass at the DfH beer stand at Maison Blanche - at the exit of the last Porsche Curve inside the MB campsite. It will be a BYOB event and I will announce it like this in the 2010 CA Guide as our official annual gathering.

At least a few of us should wear CA shirts from one of the last years so the forum newbies can identify us.

@DfH: Could someone sketch a small map where exactly on MB you plan to set this up, may be copy a detail from google map and mark it there - so I can put it in the guide too

Cheers - and I think the JB fans can celebate - aaah celebrate today

Werner

Almost at the same place as the DFH campsite from 2008.

Far end of the MB site at the grid.

What Max means is the sandbox at the end of MB, the place where we torched our old fussball table! Just follow the main slab op concrete all the way to the end, the MB track connects to the exit of the Porsche curves, that is where we will try to set up!

And to be completely clear on the subject, it will be BYOB, or be thirsty, we don't have the cashflow nor the room to bring extra kegs just for the gathering, our budget has shrunk significantly compared to other years, damn you credit crunch!

Thanks for the directions, I`ll put it in the guide. And I will bring champagne with me ;D

Hope there's not too many FTBMB people ;)

We'll probably provide a few large buckets with ice to cool the stuff down :)

if you could fill the buckets with water too, that would be handy - then we can have an ice cold wet t-shirt competition.  I won't be entering...but I hear the attendance of the Melans is almost a given  >:D

Do you mean here?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=47.941503,0.208966&spn=0.003917,0.011362&t=h&z=17&msid=106168792136447262923.00048313a335ac719db76

Aaaah, what is "FTBMB"? Please enlighten me ;D

I'm guessing it's "Forgot To Bring My Booze" !?

Of course, I know him ;)

That is a picture of MB in the old days, but that is roughly were we will be, there is a new gravel trap just south of your arrow, it runs all the way up to the fence line. That is where we will be!

Good to see that Google is up to date then. Not!

Thought it might be useful for those not familiar with MB.

Paul.

Slightly out of context, but have a look at God's toolkit. When the map loads, scroll upwards.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Foxoak+St,+Cradley+Heath,+West+Midlands+B64,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=13.283564,27.817383&ie=UTF8&hnear=Foxoak+St,+Cradley+Heath,+West+Midlands+B64,+United+Kingdom&t=h&layer=c&cbll=52.470165,-2.082675&panoid=BI32I2U_eu0IucKblb4Tqg&cbp=12,325.31,,0,22.5&hq=&ll=52.472488,-2.078841&spn=0.004627,0.012242&z=17

Del

Delboy,

That links to somewhere in the West Midlands, is that correct?

Paul

...and what's with the 3D view? Can I do 3D on my 'puter now?

That's correct, sir! ;D


Is that your own set of pliers in the picture? ???

Nope - that's just as it comes from Google Maps.  Just as you say,  ??? ??? ???

Del

Is he going to be there?

a couple of us will be at le mans this year celebrating my big 50  so it has to be old gits getting older tour this year
any chance of us attending this event 

Gaz - The annual gathering is a completely open event - it's aimed at being a meet and greet, for some of us who have been going for years, and total newbies.  You and your friends would be most welcome, just make sure you bring beer - you're going to need it :)

As for the history - the group has been known to become embroiled in cork fights (champagne bar - very messy), human pyramids (there are photos to prove this), human piles of bodies (follows human pyramids quite closely) as well as the occassional out of hand moment (I seem to remember a bloke with a table!?!).

All in all, it's a great point in the weekend - the race is in full flow - you'll be amongst friends, and if the weathers good, it has that extra bit of something special to it.  It'll be interesting this year, as it's not until midnight - we've always previously had it at dusk, but it clashes with things like the concerts and the football.... We hope to welcome you there on the Saturday - just look for the t-shirts, you can't miss us :)

Alternatively aim for the noise you'll be able to hear over the sound of the cars.  That'll be Brad.    :)  

Dx

or look for the quiet patch....that'll be where Doris would normally be stood, but because she's a deserter, she's not coming this year, because APPARENTLY, New Zealand to France is too far to travel......

Yep no commitment some folk!!!!

Quote Doris & Charlie circa 2001 "Nothing would stop us going to Le Mans" .

What do you say to that Bitch!   >:D >:D >:D

And don't come the poverty stricken student line.  OK!!!!!

t.

Tom's started already - Hope he's not drinking on Friday @ The Frogs!!

At least I'm on the other side of the world.  What was your excuse last year when you were in England?

Dx

How many times do you need to be told?

It's "Miss Bitch" to you.

Dx

I think this is when they say in these parts: "Touché". ;D

I had a perfectly good reason.  I was "taking one for the team".  My plan may have seemed stupid, but the day I got married means that my wedding anniversary will never clash with:

Le-Mans
Football play-off finals
FA cup final

Short term pain, lomg term gain.

I am a genius.

How does missing one year in a manner which means you get to party as much as possible forever more benefit 'the team'?  Sounds all a bit self IMO.

I, on the otherhand, am making the ultimate sacrifice in order to learn how to make lovely lovely alcohol which could be shared amongst the great and the good of CA for many years to come.   :angel:

Dx

Doris; whatever your reason or excuse not to come to Le Mans this year, your early mornin' loud cider burps -and yourself, of course- will be sadly missed. Le Mans won't be the same without you :-\

dito!

Hear Hear