Right where do I start here...

I think I should really start by saying that I really enjoyed the weekend, it was really great seeing some of you again and others for the first time, and I enjoyed the whole thing. Shame the time went so quickly, but there will be other things to look forwards to later on.

Going back to the beginning now and through the weekend in order. Glad that everyone eventually managed to get up here alright on Friday even with the probs with Gareths sat nav sending everyone the wrong way, trying to get people to go to a mysterious fifth exit coming off an island! And also that everyone loved the twisty roads getting here through the lakes. Just looking again at that pic of my car on Friday outside the Travel Inn, just makes me appreciate once more how immaculate I'd managed to get her, the time I'd put in on Friday morning was really worth it. Shame its not quite like that now, especially after doing 200 miles today lol, but always the weekend to clean her up again.

Like Scotty said, it was a real shame that the crows nest(lamppost) and wave(wavey thing) wern't switched on for everyone to see. Hopefully some time I'll get my tripod taken down and manage to get a few DECENT shots of them.

As for that man in the Lupo, that was just hilarious. Whether we was right or not in what we was thinking I'll never know, but he certainly seemed to be very happy about something!!

Oops, we did then kind of lose Scott at the back of our convoy down the back lanes (St Bees to Beckermet for anyone that knows the area), whilst the rest of us was enjoying the drive too much. I know you're all a bit envious of the 2 choice I've got driving to and from work - those back roads or the other way with the fast dual carriageway heading up hill.

Brave man there for talking a pic of PC Plod on the way back. I'll tell you what though when we pulled into the retail park just after that and Scott didn't immediately follow us(he'd simply been held up at traffic lights as it happennned), my first thought was that he'd been pulled for having his foggies switched on!!!

Like Scott I won't mention any name as to who was worse for wear, other than to say that I wasn't one of them! Washing a car afterwards at midnight was madness in a way, I know one of my neighbours certainly wondered what was going on, just lucky that neither of us got run over by the taxis going VRMMMMMMMMM inches from us.

Onto Saturday and m-sport was amazing, you got to find out a lot of real interesting information there on the tour. Such as the fact that a clutch for some of the cars costs £12,000, or that they are only built to run for 600km, so you need a LOT of money to be able to buy and run one.

It was a real shame that we wasn't able to get any pics taken inside the facilities. Understandable in a way since the current cars will need to be kept secret, but given they were off limits for going near just a shame that they couldn't have covered the 2006 cars up. Of the cars that we got to see, the highlights for me were the Super 1600, and also the Fiesta with the style kit on it. I think everyone knows by now how much I love the Fiesta RS, but had never seen one up front, seeing that made me appreciate just how great it would have looked and how menacing it would have been seeing that in your rear window. Damn Ford again for not bringing it out.

The museum was great also, loved that RS 1700T. If you hadn't known the history then you might think it was simply a modified Escort, but it did look real special. Heres a pic also of one of the wheels in the museum, its been well damaged!



The Focus parked outside really looked special. I've got to admit that it is something that I've questionned a few times as to whether and how much I like that car, but seeing it in silver I do think it looks awesome, and out the colours I've seen is definitely the best for it IMO.

Was nice that we was able to get a load of pics taken outisde the hall, even if we did get the attention of security, who was getting worried as to what we was doing with the amount of time we took to get them all done.

Onto Saturday evening, and I'll fill in now that story as to Scotty finishing his dinner. Basically everyone had finished their meals before him, in fact the waitress had come and taken away everyone elses plates while he was still eating. We was all making comments about how slow he was. Anyways, he finally finished his now very cold pie, like an hour after everyone else, and then the waitress came up and cheered and applauded him for finally cleaned up his plate!!

Moving now onto out last day Sunday. We did get some nice shots there by the coast and also in the mountains. It was good that Amanda and her partner was able to join up with us and I hope they both enjoyed their day.

I know that everyone really enjoyed the drive through the mountains, with it mainly being single track roads, and also with the sheer drops that are experienced going down one side. I think here I should make a confession to everyone. I had got things planned out as to a route we would take from Harrington (the coastal town where we started that day at), going into the mountains (and which would have taken us the opposite way to the way we eventually went on). Now when we decided to go for something to eat instead straight away, which was an epic in itself lol, although I was leading us I wasn't entirely sure where I was going. It was just fortunate that I managed to fairly quickly get everyone on the right road so that you could all experience that scenery, and also the amazing drives that you get there.

It was an odd place to have an ice cream van, though glad everyone enjoyed the stop there even if it was freezing by that point. Was also a good place for us all to test out our s alarms!!

Sadly after that it was all over, but like I said before I did have a great weekend, and it is great that here gives me the opportunity to get everything written down so that the memories can't get faded away.

I look forwards to seeing yous again, and hope also that everyone has enjoyed reading the posts about the weekend, maybe encourage some more of you to come and join us in the Summer, which should be an even better event!!

Take care
ChrisC (moderator)