Need a lift to Le Mans this year....

[JHarber]

Hi Lads and Ladies,

          this is a strange request but here goes.
My name is James im 17 years old and have been going to Le Mans for 6 years with my dad and younger brother, this year would be my 7th, my brother is 14 and he has been going for the same amount of time.
2 and a half years ago my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and unfortunately lost his battle early this year.
Now one thing he would have wanted us to do is go on our annual pilgrimage to Le Mans. I can only ask if someone will take us under there wing for those few days.
Its a strange and wierd request but i know all you Le Mans old timers understand how much Le Mans meens when youve been going for quite a time.
My uncle has offered to take me, but with my uncle nothing is deffinate so cant rely on it, it meens so much if we could go this year.
Thanks for reading,
James   

[Mr. Rick]

Hi James

Firstly very sorry to hear of your loss but can totally understand your Dad's wishes!

Guess the next step is to establish where you are based and what days you were thinking of going and coming back.

For example I'm going on Tuesday 12th from Lincolnshire, returning Monday 18th.

Cheers

Rick

[Bob U]

Hi James.

I sure your father would be proud to know that you are carrying on the tradition.

If it is of any help I will be leaving on Thursday 17th evening from the South Bucks area and returning on Monday 21st. You are most welcome to join us.

bob

[Piglet]

Hi James

This sounds like a fab tribute to your dad and I'm sure it's something we can acomplish. 

As said - when can you go - presumably late in the week if you're brother is in school? and where would you be travelling from?

[Nobby Diesel]

James,

[Nobby Diesel]

James,

That last post didn't quite go as expected!

It seems as though you are trying to do something your dad would be proud of - well done.

As previously stated, I'm sure that the good people on here will help all they can.

At present, I'm going on Thursday and coming back on Monday. I will be leaving south Bucks EARLY on Thursday morning and heading for Dover.
Let us know a little more about your situation and I'm sure something will be sorted.

I too will be pleased to help - once I've sorted a new car to be going in!

I'll keep an eye on this thread.

[Piglet]

On a practical point ( sorry I can't help being grown up!) how does your Mum feel about the two of your going with people you've met on a website? 

[mgmark]

Hi James,

            Sad events and I am sorry to hear of them - you are, though, fortunate to have a legacy that cannot be bought, namely having had a father with the foresight to take you and your brother to Le Mans every year from the age of 11, with the good memories that will always remain of those trips.  And what a great tribute to go this year.  

I'm sorry that I can't help personally, as my MGA only has room for 2 people including the driver.  A couple of thoughts that might help the process of making sure that the pair of you get to La Sarthe and back in June:

1)  It would help people to know where you are located, when you can and cannot travel, and when you need to be back.
2)  I understand your concern that your uncle might not appear to be the most reliable solution, but as the scheme you propose involves what would effectively be a complete stranger to your family taking the pair of you (at age 17 and 14) to a foreign country for up to a week, unless you are going to do a sneaky runner from home and then appear on the front page of the newspapers a week or so later having returned "safe and sound", I suspect that, at some point, a little more formal family approval of the scheme will be needed for the peace of mind of both your family and those offering to take you - best involve them early, probably only once you have a string of positive replies to this thread to show them.

The second point is pretty vital - it is meant in the best way, to help sort it properly, so that everyone involved is happy with whatever scheme is concocted and a great and memorable trip ensues.  As well as bringing offers of lifts - there are three offers on the thread already - the replies to the thread could also be a very powerful persuader to the family that they need to allow you to go and guarantee your trip, rather than "offer".  The replies can also provide some reassurance to them that there are a whole bunch of good-natured people on CA who genuinely want to help for all the right reasons.  

Of course next year you will be 18, hopefully driving and owning a car of your own (or borrowing one), and can take off at will!  I do wish both of you the very best for getting there this year, and hopefully we'll see you at one of the CA gatherings.

Do keep us up to speed with what is going on via the thread

MG Mark

[Snoring Rhino]

James, you have my PM, as Piglet and Mark say, you should ensure your Mum is OK with this, its a tough time for her as well. However it works out, I'm sure we can give her the peace of mind she would need, you should hook up with a group rather than indeviduals, we have pre LM planning meetings, where she could meet them, all the best.   

[JHarber]

Hi again guys,

  im overwhelmed by the response from this thread so far.
Sorry i didnt put alot of detail into the first thread, i was just seeing if there was a possibility of this happening before getting my hopes up.
I live in Norwich in Norfolk, we have good train links to almost anywhere, and also a good national flight network.
We normally went on the wednesday, and came back on sunday after the race but on a couple of occasions we stayed the sunday night and drove to the ferry monday morning.
Taking my brother out of schoool is no problem, they expect the absense form every year without fail 
Myself, im working at the minute, but working towards going to college and Uni and studying motorsport engineering  , thought id slip that in.
I have spoken to mum about it and we both agree that it would be great to be able to get down to Le Mans, and if there was a trustworthy group, then she is happy to see us go, prior to meeting you guys obviously.
We have our own tent(s) and we also have alot of camping gear.
Thanks for the replies so far, for any other questions, just post them and i will get back to you asap.
Thanks again,
James
 

[Piglet]

We're off out on the Sunday before the race so won't be any good to you unless you fancy leaving from Brands on the Sunday night before (you can get in a camping trip to DTM if you go that way!). 

We may have a little campsite space to spare but we might be getting a bit tight if the ACO are clamping down (we've got Trevor & his son from Canada with us already) so someone else might be better to deal with that aspect. 

We have a pretty good kitchen set up though so can help out with providing food etc. if you aren't planning to take much down. 

Hopefully someone will be in the right location that your Mum can meet them ahead of the trip.  I'm just waiting for someone to use the words "responsible adult" in connection with CA and Le Mans!!   

[oldtimer]

James,

I am absolutely delighted that you and your brother are determined to carry on the tradition established by your father of visiting Le Mans each year... It only seems like yesterday that I started my annual pilgramage under the same circumstances that you did.

It is difficult to explain exactly why - perhaps it is because I used to travel to Le Mans with my father or perhaps it is because I now travel with my young son (and other family members) - but I feel very moved by your gesture.  I am absolutely sure your father would be proud of you.

Although I am unable to assist with your search for a lift I am sure you will find one from someone on this site.

Well done to all of you who have already offered to help James and his brother.  You should be proud of yourselves too.

[Andy Zarse]

I can only echo what has been so well said above.

This year we have a Le Mans newby with us, he's the 20 year old son of an old friend of ours who died at the end of last year. He loved his motor sport and was quite knowlegeable about fifties racing and encouraged his son to take an interest. I know he'd be delighted that we were taking his son with us to Le mans this year. James, I can only assume your father would be equally pleased.

Sounds like you've got the School and your Mum squared away ok,  but it might be worth showing her this page on CA so she can see precisely who is involved. Also, I know there are several CAers from the Norwich area, so I'm quite sure something can be arranged.

Further, I do think you'd be well advised to heed all the good advice here, in my opinion it's wonderfully encapsulated by MG Mark.

Good luck!

[Jay (Team Cannonball)]

Its a pity I've just moved from Norwich, otherwise I'm sure I could have found you a few seats in our convoy. And with me and my girlfriend both becoming Dr's in the next month, I'm sure we would have fitted the responsible adult banner to put your mums mind at rest regarding CA.

Good luck and I hope we can manage to sort you out some travel.

[nickliv]

James.

If I was going this year, I'd drive by Norwich to pick you both up, it would be an honour, but to my shame and discredit I'm not going this year due to work commitments. I wish you every success in finding a lift. I'm certain that you'll have no problems finding an adult shaped child on here who will help out.

I took my Dad last year, first time for both of us, but we're both itching for 2008.

Have a great LM 07, make sure you do your old man proud.