Darn it!  Just learnt that my request was mentioned on Radio Le Mans and I missed it.

Didn't get there this year - but I did make cookies and cakes for the crew to take with them

Caught some of the qualifying on the net last night and have been listening to Radio Le Mans

I am off to London today for some fairly nasty dental work (having a root filling removed via the side of the jaw) - so will probably feel a bit groggy for the rest of the weekend.  Hopefully I will be well enough to go to Brands Hatch on Sunday to get a motorsport fix.

Had the odd tinge of withdrawal - but Sunday night's weather forecast is leaving me smug - 41mm of rain predicted.  We normally leave on Monday morning - nothing worse than de-camping in the wet.

Always use the squat and drop ones at Houx - wonderful invention as long as you learn not to pee in your shoes

Odd thing is that I keep feeling that I should be more upset about not going that I actually am.  But then we are on holiday in 4 weeks' time so I am looking forward to that .

Me too - I wont be there this year having been for the last five.

Got made redundant in February - managed to find another job 2 days later - but 10% less salary. 

But we decided at the end of last year that we would give it a miss for this year.  Partly because I wanted to use the holiday to celebrate my half century next month and partly because we didn't enjoy last year as much as we should have.  The event is much busier now and trying to walk around the track through the pedestrian tunnels can be a nightmare at certain times.  Plus too many stories of people getting stuff nicked or damaged - it is only a matter of time before we would be the unlucky ones.

I cannot imagine how bad it must be like to be stuck in a hospital since August - what a nightmare. 

I am really pleased there is some good news for you and hope you will be back to LM in 2010 with your camera.

Not going this year.

We both decided last year that we weren't really enjoying the Le Mans experience as much.  The racing is great - but it is becoming a hassle.

That decision has been reinforced with both of us working in the unstable construction industry and the weak pound making everything 40% more expensive.

Stone Roses - stone me!  My first Album was the Rolling Stones "let it bleed" in glorious mono - still have it.

Two main regrets - not buying the Triumph Bonneville Silver Jubilee I was offered and using the money to get married (divorced 10 years later)

Not going to Art school because everyone was telling me I should. 

For me it wasn't just the hooligan element.

We have always gone to the driver's parade on Friday night.  It is a great way to meet the drivers and enjoy the carnival atmosphere.  But this year only a handful of drivers actually made it out of the cars to give autographs/posters etc.  As a consequence, several people were jumping over the barriers and climbing on the cars to get to the them.  Now if I owned one of those classic cars, I would be pretty pissed off with someone jumping on the running board.  The French security seemed to be disinterested.   

As we went by tram, we had to pass through some of the roundabout antics. Betime we were there the Police were in full force so the activity was subdued.  But it was almost impossible to walk down the pavement due to people watching the cars.

Now I don't actually mind the music and with the aid of ear plugs, can sleep through it quite well.  The problem was Sunday night - we usually like to leave early to get back to the UK - can't use ear plugs or I will sleep through the alarm.  Thanks to some assholes playing their music loud until 3.20 am, I had three hours sleep.  Not what you need before a long drive.  Fairplay to the guys in the purple TVR Chimaera who left at 6.00 while we were packing up and used an air horn to make sure the whole camp knew of their departure. 

I have never had anything stolen from my tent or damage done to my car in five years - but it is only a matter of time. 

I have done Le Mans for the last five years and I never thought I would say this, but I think that I am going to take a break for a few years.

I love the racing - and this year was one of the best races ever - but I don't like the hooligan edge, crap French organisation and attitude. I have a limited understanding of French - enough to get buy - but the French shrug of shoulders to say "yes you have a point but I wont/cant do anything about it" is sooo irritating. 

Unfortunately I can't make this year's classic so will have to wait until 2010 - so is there anything else that is a suitable alternative?  I will be doing Britcar 24hr in September at Silverstone.

Difficult to tell in the dark - the woman had dark shoulder length hair.  Bloke was average build, average size etc 

Stayed in Houx again.

Got woken up at about 1.30 am this morning when someone knocked over our beer wall.  Thinking it was thieving pikeys, I got dressed.  Betime I had managed it in the dark, all was quiet - or so I thought.  Once I had focused my eyes - not less than 20 yards away was some bird giving a bloke a blow job.     Thinking I was dreaming, I went back into the tent and fetched my other half - who like most blokes had sent me out to investigate the noise.

When we got outside again, they were in full missionary position and totally oblivious to us watching. 

I was really tempted to take a photo, then leg it - but my OH talked me out of it.  We did stay and watch for a few minutes tho'   

Can't have been comfortable for them.

Nice photos

Where abouts were the majority taken?  Was it just before Tertre rouge?

Personally I have never experienced any theft at Le Mans - but I was married to a copper for 10 years and have a bit of an OCD thing about security.

I always lock valuables in the car boot when away from my pitch for any length of time.  During the start and finish I join the tent zippers with cable ties.  I have even devised an alarm using a rape alarm and a tent peg fixed to the tent zip - just need to remember it is there when you get back. 

OK - thieves will probably carry knives which can cut through the cable ties - but they are just as likely to pick another tent with easy access.

Not very romantic but my OH and I sleep at the sides of the tent and keep our clothes bags in the middle between us. 

The problems I have seen have often stemmed from thieves taking advantage of drunk people where their beer mask prevents them from being observant about their surroundings or taking care with possessions.  I don't often drink*, so will tend to keep an eye on others in our group that are a bit worse for wear.

Debs

*except for the one occasions at the drivers' parade where I failed to specify I needed a glass of wine at the restaurant and got a whole bottle and ended up with a temporary road sign as swag.   

Hopefully lucky

It will be my birthday tomorrow - I was born at the 7th hour of the 7th day of the 7th month - but I aint telling what year.   

Although anyone who knows me will say that I should have been born on the 6th hour of the 6th day of the 6th month 

So tomorrow it will be HIS turn to drive