THE PARTY IS ON !

[knetter]

Hi everybody,

Thanks for the info, I'm currently wading through the "CA Guide" which is proving very useful. Randy, are you guys still flying on that funny dutch airline out of Orlando? When are you flying home, and I ssume its from Amsterdam?

 Also, it looks like I'm going to be in the Ft. Myers area the week of 5/22. I may try and get some "pre-LeMans" interviews at that time. It would set the stage for the trip. How long of a drive is it to Tampa/St. Pete?

This is still not a done deal, gotta figure out the $ thing, and see if it threatens my marital status at all... (race weekend is fathers day and my birthday, and it might bum my family out that I choose to celebrate by leavin' the friggin' country!...)  

I did some research on the American Airlines site and it looks like I'm gonna have to call them to figure out the frequent Flyer thing.

If anybody has some shots of the DFH or Club Arnage camp sites I'd love to see them, as well as any car shots taken from areas mentioned in the guide.

I noticed in the race week schedule several "pit walks".  Whazat?

Oh, and you gotta explain the PooBar!

Randy- what are the chances of hooking up with Johnny O. and Jan M. during this visit?  It would make for good video (my producer voice rattling away...)

Is Canada Phil attending?

Thanks,
John

Hi John,

If you want to see pictures of the DFH campsite, just look up the website. www.drinkingforholland.nl There is a link to some galleries and also there is a written report on last years event. The website wil go offline after this years Le Mans, but will be replaced by a different one, which is already online at www.drinkingforholland.com, but it is far from completed.

We will have a scaffold this year at 8 meters high, we can see if we can get you up there, since it is not intended to be a viewing area this year, but more of a landmark at MB. There will be a stage for our live band, the flying baquettes on top of a dyke separating the track from the campsite, the view from that stage should also be good for video.

Pitwalks mean: acces for the public to see the teams at work in the garages. the ones early on in the week are nice and quiett, friday is really busy, specially since Sebastian Loeb is driving for Pescarolo again, he is very popular with the french.

As said before, sleeping gear can be arranged for you by many people.

[suthvid]

Hi Knetter,

Thanks for the links.  I've also been stumbling around the CA site and found lots of info. I'm releived to hear that one can get into the pits, and I've seen some shots on... well somewhere in my wanderings today, that show the kind of access I was hoping for.  It also looks like (with a proper lens) that looking back up towards the Dunlop bridge offers some nice shooting opportunties, and Arnage looks promising too.  Thanks for all the help.
John

[Snoring Rhino]

Suthvid, Wednesday and Thursday night qualifying is good for Pics and vid from above the pits in the grandstands as they are open to the public.
A big part of the LM weekend atmosphere is Mad Friday - no track activity on Friday (apart from the pit wallabout). In the morning the place to be is cruising the road sections of the track which are open (as they are normaly at any other time) however the machinery is awsome, just cruising and parking up along the Arnage, Indianapollise, and the Mulsane straight to Tetre Rouge roads. Its also worth getting out to St Saturnin (to the north of LM town) to the Great British Welcome. Its where many classic cars gather on Friday and Saturday mornings. Its a Local Community Centre with a big carpark, they then have a parade convoy to the drivers parade in the town on Friday afternoon the years featured marque is Aston Martin see http://www.greatbritishwelcome.co.uk/.  We found the actual drivers parade very drawn out and a bit of waste of time.
The in the evening the action is all around but in particular Arnage village centre, the road out side Blue and MB and the Houx Annex roundabout, The fun fair is good, the MB and blue camp sites try to out do each others Fireworks.

[amazing 1]

Drinking and fireworks do not mix,you might spill your drink and douse the fuse.  lol

[Andy Zarse]

Oh, and you gotta explain the PooBar!

Hi John,

The Yanks are coming! Glad to hear the US contingent is getting bigger, you gents will have a wonderful time and no mistake. If you have got loads of gear to bring I suggest you speak to John Evans III about the practicalities of getting from one Paris station to the other; he said it was hard going even for a Texan! Bumming a lift from the UK will be very easy and might save money too. Plus you get to see another country.

In terms of the Poo Bar, it's best described as a holographic animation of the Hogarth print entitled Gin Lane (see below).



-"In Hogarth's London, gin was cheap, and alcoholism was rampant. The pawnbroker, distiller, and funeral home are the only sturdy structures in this crumbling, desperate landscape. In 1751, the year in which these politically engaged and rather propagandistic prints were circulated, a Gin Act was passed in Parliament that finally exerted control over the distribution of gin".

[knetter]

Hey Woohooooooooooo as they say at SEBRING.

Look forward to giving you a big HUG Randy, (for those who do not know it is something they do over there)

Is the Gorilla suit coming?

WoooooooooooooooHoooooooooooooooo

We even have a smiley that does that:

[MiCarr]

 

[amazing 1]

MiCarr where are you learning all of this computer crap?You are beginning to scare me.

[Pieter]

By the way guys, don't forget to bring your bathing suits. We're going to have a pool. 

[gab]

...4 outstanding citizens, nice fotos Mike.

[MiCarr]

...4 outstanding citizens, nice fotos Mike.

Must give credit to Pieter for his great shots!! I just borrowed them.
 
Thanks Pieter, Hope you don't mind

[Pieter]

Of course I don't mind! But I can only take half the credit, only the top picture is mine.

[MiCarr]

Of course I don't mind! But I can only take half the credit, only the top picture is mine.

OOPS!    Sorry, thank's to Steve Brown for the second

[Steve Pyro]

The pleasures all mine Mike 

[Piglet]

Hi guys

I'm glad to see that the American contingent is looking good!!   We've got some gear that we're bringing for you and I've got a couple of spare tents as well if they're needed so I think we'll have enough to get you all sorted.

For atmosphere look at Keith's photo's here:
http://www.gtphotosport.com/welcome_page.htm and follow the Le Mans links (you'll find Sebring 2005 as well).   

Also for the Hawiian Tropic girls look here http://www.gtphotosport.com/hwtgirls/index.html

It's not long now