Club Arnage

 ;D
Just over 8 weeks to go!!  I know its close to the big race, sitting in meetings I am already at La Sarthe...BBQs and beer, surrounded by racing cars.  Sitting in dull meetings counting down the days work takes a back seat from now.  The world of Pharmaceuticals can wait!  More importantly, the MG is still in pieces all over the garage floor..will it be ready in time for the ferry!  Have we bought the artillery (fireworks)..who gets the fridge...ferry tickets, camping passes from ACO.....

You certainly aren't the only one!!

There's a couple of us going from work that have a chat about it regularly.

I'm preparing for the drinking by going out a lot more & drinking more, the better weather helps!! :)

I've got a countdown timer in firefox to remind me how many days before the journey begins!! ;D

And maybe it's the fact that I'm playing plenty of GT4 but I'm sure I can hear a line of prototypes scything through the porsche curves right now...

I will start counting down on fingers and toes in the next couple of weeks!!!

Group planning meeting set for tomorrow night :)

Yeah right!

(http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/388769/2/Drinking_man.jpg)

Lol - and there I was wondering if I was the only one!

I think you can tell by the number of replies on this thread already (during what might be considered to be "normal working hours")  that a lot of time is being spent checking out the CA forums regularly....

Mind you... .I do seem to be drifting into LM dreamland earlier than usual this year!  :)

F

Have you noticed that the number of members on line at any one time is starting to increase too.

Right there with you.
Ferry booked, camping booked, hotel booked for the way home, car serviced (ouch!), liver in training etc etc....

It does seem to have clicked in a bit early this year !

We never really stop thinking about it, and it normally starts on the return ferry from the previous trip. There's always something to be planned, done, reminisced about etc. etc.....

Good to see more activity on the boards as it does give a sense of proximity to this years event.

I agree, on the Sunday afternoon following the end of the race, we always have a chat about 'next year' (prior to drinking more beer and burning all the plastic tables and chairs!).
We muse as to what to bring next year, will it rain, will Audi win again - the usual crap.

The next couple of months is spent reminiscing on this forum about drunken escapades and speeding fines.

Then, in about October, the ACO ticket / ferry booking paranoia sets in.

This year I got all keen and excited earlier than normal (from Xmas on) as I went to Sebring (did I say I went to SEBRING).

And now everyone is getting fired up and I'm thinking I really ought to drag the big black beast out of the garage and have a look under the bonnet.

Only 2 months now folks.................... Stella bar here we come.

Hi
You are so right about the planning and reminiscing, after a few sheberts I start waffling to anyone that will listen down at the club, and the cars are always faster, the corners always taken quicker, the campfires always bigger and the fireworks are bloody enormous, better wipe the tear from my eye and go and have a drink.

 Innit bloody brilliant!

Martini.

Coming Saturday night Big Rehearsal in some bar in Malmedy ;D
Coming Sunday first time to see the cars racing again 8)



Ooh yes, Le Mans will be warmer than Spa, the atmosphere will be better and the race will take longer!

Can you include your friends in France ?

You havn't got time for that Chris - you should be researching Mr Fiamma!!!

DB

I had a meeting yesterday. The guy was wearing a Bentley Racing watch! Turns out he's been going to LM for donkeys years.

We spent most of the meeting talking about motorsport instead.

This coming Monday, we will have our first meeting in the pub. The Le Mans virgins will be initiated by Father Time and King Neptune... Oh no wrong celebration, hmm..
We expect about nine of us this year, for some of whom camping will be a serious culture shock, so it will be "out with the pictures from earlier times" and nudges from one of us if anyone looks as if he hasn't got the stamina for gently boozing for the full time...
Deciding who takes what and whether to "Carrefour" before getting in to HA or going after building the campsite and gazebos!
Three carloads of us hitting HA on Wednesday evening and the rest on Thursday.

Bill

 8)

Damn - all these planning meetings n practice booze ups!! Any of them in Manchester by any chance?  :) or have i got to practice on my own this time?

Just come down to Spa for the weekend, Fran.
You get to see the cars too :o

;D

Just mailed you kpy - sorry it took so long!

You would be welcome... :)

Sorry Fran, the only other regular I'm aware of from Manchester was Paula, but she moved to NZ!!  :'(

I travel to Manchester on business every month or so, so does that count?

(http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~ctm/virtual/railway/manchester-picc/sign.jpg)

whilst most of you are at work im spending a lot of my time revising for exams (honestly!), but i have been procrastinating a hell of a lot. spending too much time browsing these forums and now i cant wait to go either!

Lets face it, there isn't a day that goes by during the year when we don't have at least one Le Mans thought or reminiscence. Particularly when planning for a group of 20+!! Even when we were at Sebring, and we had a fantastic time, thoughts were still creeping in about what ideas we could take from there and incorporate into our Le Mans plans.

But at this time of the year it's hard to think of anything else. Have we got a big enough van, how many packets of English bacon will we need, is the gazebo fire proof if Stu does his fire eating trick, how to convince the missus that I need to go to PQ's the weekend before I leave for the race proper, how many planning sessions can we squeeze in between now and the 12th June.

I'm getting at least 5 phone calls a day from other members of our group about plans too so it's not just a CA thing!!

Not long now!!!!!

I'm at work making stuff to take Wih us to Le Mans. Shower tray, toilet stands etc ..... Beats doing work!  ;D

I cant wait!!!!!!!!!

So we in our office are normal then.  There's 3 of us go from the office and basically it seems that we talk LM at least once a day.

Looking at this forum is mandatory at least twice a day.

Ferries paid for, camp sites were booked with Just Tickets on the Monday after last years race.

Planning meeting will take place at Chester Races 5 May !

Jem

Ya lucky bugga Jem - all my work colleagues talk about is Coronation Street and footy..... every now n then they will mention the F1 in a deeply misguided attempt to humour my love of cars and motor racing ...  ::)

and Steve, coming to Manc for work once a month doesnt count unless you go to a pub and talk about planning your next LM trip and get all sentimental going on about previous trips!  (btw, in the pic -  is that another of the flags/roadsigns that go missing whenever CA'ers are around?)

F

PS.  oops - i seem to have wandered into the forums during working hours again!  :-[

Only One? I think not.

Everything booked at last. Finally got round to booking the hotel for the Sunday night this morning.

So its:
Folkestone Wednesday night
Eurotunnel at crack of sparrows fart Thursday
Houx by mid afternoon Thursday (in time for some qualifying)
Friday pit lane walkabout, and drive mulsanne etc. Never tried the driver's parade may give it a go this year. Any advice, is it worth the effort?
Sunday leave after the race and drive to Bernay, Hotel Acrapole, (not a-crap-hole) , basic hotel but very welcome shower and great food.
Monday - back home and start the wait for another year!

Now where did I leave the tent?

 ???

Stuey,
Watch out for the scuffers just before you get into Bernay - that's where they got me last year.

Thanks for that.

It seems to be a favourite spot for them. They have used it for at least the last 3 years, revenue must be good in June!!

10 Members and 11 Guests as I type this!!

It's now 13 and 11. Ah, lunchtime I see.

This hotel is a good hotel and cheap. Same town with lots of eateries and bars.

http://www.bernay.net/berhot.htm

....or try this hotel http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004YVDN.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg (http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004YVDN.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)

yes. been 3/4 years and it usually forms one of the highlights of the week. but that has nothing to do with seeing the cars or the drivers...

So what is the best way to get to the drivers parade, starting from Houx and not using the car, I might have had a beer by then  ;D

If you have never been before it's definately worth a look, good French style event, looks total chaos, but somehow works really well, and the bars round the square are open all the time it's going on, great fun.

they run shuttle busses from outside the museum/main entrance of the circuit. i think it was a couple of euros last year. they started running at about 3pm which gives you plenty of time to find a bar on the route of the parade and then get some bevvies lined up for the 6pm start

they run shuttle busses from outside the museum/main entrance of the circuit. i think it was a couple of euros last year. they started running at about 3pm which gives you plenty of time to find a bar on the route of the parade and then get some bevvies lined up for the 6pm start

http://www.24hourlemons.co.uk/images/Rob.jpg

If you go out of the gate by the museum and turn right, walk under the flyover, past the bar on the right and expo campsite on the left you will come to a bus stop outside the cemetery.

We go late morning and it drops you off in the main square.  Amble to the train station to get a taxi back.

Jem

Good advice Jem. The bus does return until 8:00pm but that is way too early to be going back. The shuttle bus is usually packed so leave early fo that one. it too is unpredictable.
Canada Phil

Thanks for the info everyone, drivers parade it is then  :D

Last year we ended up in the bar by Arnage station having a drink or two  ;). It's then a short train ride into town for the Drivers Parade.

I made the mistake of wearing my prescription sunglasses - they were fine until I had to ride a goped back in the dark. I couldn't see a thing!

Hi
Normally go to LM central, on a friday at about 3pm, to the Globe bar by the terminus and stay there until it gets dark. Last year there was a very late bus, about 10.30 I think, and it was jammed full. The year before I got a taxi back for about 20euros. Then went and found a bar!

Martini....any time etc.

Is 10:30 late in Guernsey then?  :o

Or perhaps it was meant to turn up at 9 so by 10.30 it was very late ;D

No Smokerama, I mean it was late for their service. No late buses over here though I think they finish at around 9pm, Clubs kick out at around 2.30am then it is walk or fork out for a cab.

M.

Made a similar error year before last, stayed to long in the square, and had to ride back with a dark visor on my lid.

Done that too! Not at Le Mans, but the week before we went. An evening ride out, new boots on the bike, dark visor, following 2 would be GP riders and then a thunder storm. NICE!

Sounds like a typical British summer evening rideout, get home and empty the water out your boots ;D ;D

I'm getting soooooo keen to go to Le Mans, not helped by everyone else bogging of to Spa when I can't go  :(  

We're in final negotiations of space planning - how to get too many people and too much kit to Le Mans in not enough space.  Does anyone have a contact who sells roof bars for Saabs - I'm going to need to invest?!

Here you go, investing in this will surely solve all your problems...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4543553580&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:UK:1

Now THAT is a good idea......getting it ready in six weeks might be pushing it just a little though!!   I'm actually quite tempted by that or something similar though.....

LOL Mr Zarse - u never miss a chance to preach the Commer gospel !!!

 :)

F

I too have been drifting away to le mans while working over the last few weeks. can't wait now

As for anyone in manchester fran although I am of the liverpool boys I actually live in warrington 15 mins on train to picadilly or oxford road so can always do a planning event in manchester I did start a thread on this once before and there wern't much intrest but I'll try again maybe.

Chris, I'm in Manchester this Wednesday evening 20th April.

Fancy a beer then??

Sounds good.
I'll be coming up on the train from Euston so may arrive in Manc around 9 pm though!

Let me know I'll pm you my mob number will have to check train times bakc home for me too