Club Arnage

Team Gulp has been at Le Mans for the last 8 years. We always venture into town for a few beers, to stalk the majorettes in the parade and try to avoid the old dear flashing the bearded clam.

Couldn't help thinking last year that the parade wasn't really worth bothering about. Something would come past then there would be a twenty minute wait for the next one.  I've seen more cars queing at my local drive thru.

Did we miss something?

Same for us, in the end we left before we got too p****ed to drive back!! Rather than waiting on a corner for them to come along, thought we might try going down to the Square area? is this accessable.

Haven't made it to the drivers parade yet and was thinking about trying it this year but you've now put a questionmark over it.

Perhaps we'll just head into Arnage?

Never done it in 6 years of going - always promise myself I will, but never quite raise the energy. Still, it gives me an excuse to go back next year (as if I need one...!)

The delay seemed to be caused by the dancers - two steps forward and one and 3/4 back... :-\

We always go, but last year we headed off before the end for the first time.

Hope it speeds up this year!

I've been in the parade for the last few years driving the MGA.   The Cathedral Square where the cars form up from early afternoon onwards is accessible, but last year, they actually fenced off the area and charged people 5 Euros to get a closer look at the cars.   Shame really, as one of the nice things about previous years was chatting to the throngs of people wandering around before the parade.    That said, you can styill see plenty without stumping up to get into the enclosure.   The parade is great fun, but I imagine can be as much of a pain for spectators waiting for things to happen as it is for drivers!   I think the key is to either go in and expect to spend all afternoon and most of the evening in town, or go in and head for the Cathedral Square for an hour or two anytime from about 4ish, have a wander, gaze, soak up the atmosphere and then head off for Arnage or somewhere similar.

Ye gads! They're charging for a peek at the cars before the parade now??

We went in a few years ago and watched from a bar not far away and across from the ramp where the cars and drivers were presented before they moved off for the circular tour. This was much enjoyed and we were thinking about doing it again as we hadn't for a while.

Probably won't bother now as charging for a look around the cars etc. seems a bit money grubbing to me..

Yeah, I remember....I thought I might have won last years compo to accompany you until some big chested bimbo displaced me...  >:( ;) >:(

Yeah, that's what we're doing! Wanna meet up for a few jars/verres JP?

 ;D

Only a bit of a money grubbing thing - it was basically aimed at making it easier to get the cars sorted out pre-parade and rolling - trying to do it the midst of throngs of people was always a complete shambles.   That said, they could have left it free and just cleared the area when it was time to start rolling

Sounds like a very civilised thing to do Rick!! Are you driving down or walking??

Not sure when on Friday our second group will arrive so the locality suits better too nstead of them trying to join us in Le mans itself!

Guys, last year we went to the square (as every other year) and we climbed over the fences. Naughty naughty... but look at the pics we made !!

Exept the nice talk  :-*(dah) we had with the HT girls, the parade pretty much sucked.

Looking at these pics makes me all teh more sad that I can't go this year (the mrs still hasn't given birth, the b**ch is keeping her legs crossed to keep me home >:()

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Hey Rick...
From one wings fan to another, I'll be in Arnage on Friday... Just look for the Welling shirt and I'll buy you a beer...
9th place this season...
Promotion to the conference next season.... I'm a dumd optimist  :) :)

It's a date then JP and Steve!! I'll try to remember to wear my (many seasons old - Welling Building Services!!!) Wings top too then. I had a nightmate the other night that Paul Parker had left and Keith the photographer had taken over!!!!!

Apologies for hijacking the thread to anyone else not the least bit interested!!

See you in Arnage then Steve and JP! And walking (not driving) BTW!

I can recommend it... Few beers, some fodder and then some more beers... Last year got a few in with a load of Danes... Bloody great night...

Only downside is getting back...

However, the thought of The HT Girls, even now, is making it twitch in anticipation... ;D

Are you sure DW?? We saw them walking around the circuit on the Saturday and they must have used Trowels to apply their make-up. If you got within 20 feet of them you realised they weren't that attractive at all.  :(

You have to bare in mind that most people have fully charged beer googles on from getting there until going home.

If you have not been into to watch the parade, it's worth doing once, only major hassle is getting back. As I've seen it the last 2 years, and it was very drawn out last year,  think I'll have a change of scene. Prehaps go down to Arnage and find out what caused them to block the road last year, which nearly made me have a heart attack wobbling back from the town in shorts, T-shirt and a dark visor at 1230.
 

We did it wrong last year by not grabbing a bar table early enough. Result was that we were about 10 rows back from seeing anything, the commentary was in French (whatever next ?!), and in a nutshell it sucked. The only exciting thing was the taxi ride back to Tetre Rouge which was hairy to say the least - I drive less erratically when I've got a dozen Stellas inside me  :o :o

Commentary? ???

I've obviously been watching frm the wrong place :-\

I have been to the parade for 4 years now and each year I say never again! It not the parade but the getting back.

Can anyone explain why the ACO put on buses all day to get punters into town and then just 2 back when the parade finishes?

Thanks last year to the fluent french speaker that hijacked the taxi and let us share the ride back for free

Back in 97 I was waved down by 2 Japanese team mechanics after the parade.

Could I give them a lift back to the circuit?
My pleasure! We chatted on the way... and that was that. They got out at the entrance, said thatnks, and legged it.
Damn! No free pit pass :-[

I wondered after why they flagged down a white-and-rust clapped out English registered 1.1 Fiat Uno (with a slipping fan belt), as thier favoured method of transportation to get them back to the circuit.???

As I had been sleeping in it for the night or 2 before, it probably wasn't the most pleasant of environments either...  :-\

I've only been to 2 parades, 2003 & either 2001 or 2002.

Last year was a bit of a letdown, apart from the horrendous transport, getting the bus there in the heat was not fun.

The other time was much better, however this year its into Arnage for the evening after the trip to Indianapolis at 12:30 ish.


Good pic by cold beer man,

JP

As Stu says, the trusty beer goggles are worn for the duration of the trip... When you've got mine on, which work VERY well, as a number of my close friends will attest having seen some of the results of my wearing them on nites out over the years, I'll woo anyone... Even the missus if all else fails.... ;D

I'll make sure I bear your advice in mind this year...!!!

Having had Mrs Dreamracers with me the last few years at LM, (not a burden - quite the opposite), it is quite amusing walking along a few yards behind her and watching all the letcherous looks she was getting.  It amazed me how bad blokes get if left in a mostly male environment for a few days.  I didnt mind, I didnt need "the sock", may have to this year tho as she is off to visit the out-laws.

Blimey, I reckon my standards must be even lower than I thought. Not attractive? we're hardly talking Anne Widdicombe here...
H

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Thats Ann on the left isn't it... ? Didn't she do well on Celebrity Fit Club.... ;D

DW, may I suggest celebrity dynamite club? I think personal fitness just wouldn't be enough.
H

She looks fit enough to me ::)

It's strange how they look different with rubber gloves on and mop in one hand........

She must be a robot as my mates just said he would like to screw the arse of her.

I have had a couple of dealings with JPC now - and he always seemed so lucid, rational and reasonable. I suppose I now need to add "mad as a badger" and "potential screaming homosexual" to the list of compliments. Have a word with yourself, Mark.

Here's one for your mate Stu. I'm just trying to frame up a shot of the milkmans arse, and I'll post it up for JP as soon as poss...

One of our crew, or should I say 'friend of mine', from about Thursday last year, found he could only take pictures of womens arses. The first few frames are cars, bbq's, mates etc. From then on he was like Benny Hill chasing women around with his camera aimed at their behinds.

There's plenty more where these came from.
H

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I would say that the HT's are quiet a reason to go to the parade.
Every year we go there, we have a tradition:

- Take the bus
- Go to McDonalds to make a dump (The restaurant stinks when we leave!)
- Have some beer
- Buy some beer and bring them to the Roundabout
- Drink the beer
- Go and buy more beers
- Back to the roundabout
- Drink a bottle of Richard & Water (brought from the supermarket)
- Watch the parade while drinking beers
- Go to a cafe and drink some beers

What we use to do after that I can´t remember, but it's something with beers, taxi's and sleep

Cheers Matt!!!

And there I was about to head to the Post Office to post some Camping Permits  ;D

I still stick by my original post though..............they had so much make up on that it very well could have been Anne Widdicombe under it all.

I would also add that the fact that they have fantastic bodies (even if aided by the odd bit of silicon which isn't my personal taste, I prefer them natural) this does not necessarily make them "attractive".

That said, after a few days with no female company  and lots of beer I wouldn't say no!!

You've done yourself no favours there JPC, I've postponed the milkman snaps though, as his arse wasn't quite rough enough.

On the subject of badgers, I've always been tempted to stop whenever I see a fresh one by the side of the road, just to check out exactly how rough his a*sehole actually is.

Seeing as the 'how fast have you been' thread went all PC on us, maybe we could move on to a little bestiality?
H

JPC, if you like them natural here's one from our album that was taken in Newcastle last year, enjoy, sorry Stu.

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Has she got a couple of puppies stuck down her pants?

I also think that she should be arrested for wearing a g-string.

I am sure I have seen her standing outsie one of the bogs at Arnage wearing rubber gloves with a mop in one hand.....

I feel really offended .....that you should pick on my wife!!!!!

Wishy

Whishy, do not be offended you should be made up that she turns heads ;) The bloody trouble I had cropping that down to fit this thread, think I will stick to HT girls in future. Would it be possible to have her used thong to start off the fermentation process in our newly aquired ws.
call in for a beer on MB.
Brian. ;)

Purlease keep an element of taste here!!!  >:(

Speaking of used thongs, remind me to tell you about Sunday night on Expo a couple of years ago when we get to the Shampoo Bar on Saturday night!!