Planning to avoid gaining the Monkey Club Badge at all costs!!
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Audi 1, 2, 3…….
Fantastic result – the French were not amused but a great race nonetheless. Pity it wasn’t the Kristensen/McNish car that won though.
We’re now heading back to the port – definitely a great idea to wait for a couple of hours after the race, have a meal, pack up and then miss all the traffic.
Sun is shining (unlike the UK at the moment I believe) and the SDK is still doing her job – although she does need a bit of a scrub when she gets back to Blighty……..
Final Race Day
It’s now Sunday and due to data connectivity problems yesterday this post is later and longer than originally planned. Technology, eh ?
Anyway, Friday was pretty uneventful and we didn’t leave the ‘Crime Scene’ (so called due to the police tape around our campsite pitches) all day so no cycling and no collection of our Kangeroo TV, yet…….
Most of the day was very sunny and several bottles of alcohol kept us adequately hydrated. We’ve now been christened ‘the 3 Daves’ by the guys in the tent across from us – with Joey now having a new nickname of ‘American Dave’ – methinks this one will stick !
Mad Friday went ahead as is the normal ritual with the road being just behind our tent so just a hop and a spit for us to watch the antics of the obvious lunatics. To be honest it didn’t rate as highly as previous years, although we did see the odd great car.
Returning to the SDK our crime scene had been infiltrated and there had been a murder. Chadders proceeded to investigate the obvious suspects before quickly identifying that it was the grinning buffoons across from us – marking the body with a combination of sugar and couscous was a stroke of genius !
Today was the first time anyone received a Le Mans injury and, unsurprisingly with hindsight, it was American Dave. He kicked a ten peg from a nearby tent completely out of the ground, ripped his toe and the peg hit the front of a nearby Porsche – oh dear !
We watched the opening World Cup game on our satellite television setup interspersed with poor ‘adult TV’ channels – the best of a really terrible set of options being ‘Tease Me!’ – not recommended.
It rained heavily all night and after a quick breakfast, in comparison with previous mornings, we loaded up the Sac du Mans with beer and headed down t’ track. Finally we collected the Kangaroo TV – quite impressive technology it is too – and settled into our seats in the grandstand – goosebumps started pretty soon after.
Seeing the herringbone start, even though contrived, was still quite special and we prepared for the start of the race. In a moment of madness when we visited the supermarket for liquid provision on Wednesday morning we purchased a single can of what can only be described as being lighter fluid. The plan was to drink it at the start so with a heavy heart with pulled the ringpull, took a deep breath and drank heavily……euuurrrgghh!
Absolutely filthy…..
The grandstand seats as last year were excellent and gave us a great view of the action, although not Mansell’s disappointing 4th lap crash which cancelled the race for the BeechDean car. Having said that I did get some stick from Chadders for watching the Kangaroo rather than the action in the pitlane – you just can’t please some people ;o)
Great viewing!
Enroute back to the SDK to restock provisions we decided to indulge ourselves with Cheezy Peas – 21 Euros for three portions !! Times really have changed……we remember when it was 20 Francs to see ‘the ladies of Le Mans’ !!
The England match came and went with expected disappointment – why do we always make it difficult for ourselves? – and we decided to watch some night racing down by the Esses/Tertre Rouge. That was impressive as always !
Finally a comedy photo from a looky-likey…..
Hopefully I’ll get a data connection at some point this morning – bring on the final part of the race – come on Audi !!
Friday, 11 June 2010
We’re HD ready !!
It’s Friday today and the campsite is now getting full as per usual. Yesterday afternoon turned into an alcohol fueled haze but not before our very own satellite engineer fine-tuned our satellite and we now have HD in the SDK – who’d have thunk it ? He actually got sunburn on his face from standing on the SDK’s roof!!
The afternoon’s festivities took a turn for the amusing when we had our traditional jalapeno eating contest. We expected Joey to fall by the wayside but he actually put up a storming show and I seem to remember that we declared it a draw……although seeing the sweat coming off Joey was highly amusing.
You’d think he’d know better!
It’s not big and it’s not clever…..
The glasses didn’t help…..
Definitely suffering……
More alcohol followed, and Sniffer’s luxury fish pie finished off the day, but not before the spot next to us was filled with three very nice cars – including a Ferrari Dino…..we’re still arguing between ourselves as to whether it is actually real and not a replica.
The sun is out and we’re planning to use the bikes today and pick up the Kangaroo TV……
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Surely...not
I am currently taking annual leave. My first day back will be Tuesday 15th June. If you have an urgent request, please call me on my mobile. I will NOT be checking my emails. Thanks.
Ian
Rain, rain and more rain…..
A very wet night and we almost had a calamity with the awning being very full of water – foolishly we didn’t wind it back in but I think we managed to empty the water with no major damage to the SDK….hopefully……
Even though his Royal Highness has not made the trip this year Chadders decided to repeat the ‘Monkey See, Monkey Poo’ disaster that occurred last year with the SDK’s toilet capability……needless to say we’ve only just stopped laughing – the quality line of the morning was Chadders saying ‘……but I thought there was enough room in there..!!!’. After much kitchen roll and manual intervention later the SDK is back to working adequately.
The weather now is scorchio and we’re happily drinking the rest of the morning away before embarking on an afternoon of finalising the settings on the satellite dish. No HD yet but hopefully that will be sorted by the end of the day.
Team effort for breakfast
Breakfast in the East Wing – this is the life!
Have you ever seen a more ridiculous pair of shades?
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
A New Day at LM
We’re almost at the end of our first day at LM 2010 and what a splendid day it has been. To recap, we met Joey at Portsmouth around 21.00 last night and it was as if he’d never been away. His irritating Canadian accent (only kidding !!) has become milder over the last 24 hours and he almost sounds normal now !
Anyway, we had a few Murphy’s (probably a few more than was wise) and eventually retired to our palatial cabin a little later than planned. None of us heard the ‘wakey-wakey’ music that comes on to tell us we’re almost at the port (We’re not convinced that they ever played it but we would say that….) but we were able to throw some clothes on and run down to the SDK to get her off the deck and drive away.
We arrived in Le Mans around 10.00 and went for fuel and to a new Carrefour Market for some beers and some croissants for breakfast (Joey’s idea and what a good one !)
After a quick trip to the ‘usual’ Super U for wine for me we turned up at our Houx Annexe pitches around 13.00 and proceeded to unpack and set up. We’re in a completely different part this year with actual, real life grass !!
Drinks in the East Wing
Coupled with lunch we spent the day pottering around and setting up the gear including the satellite dish – it really works ! We need some further fine-tuning to get the most out of it but it should be good to watch the England game on Saturday.
Beef Rendang for our evening meal (preceded by Beatles Rock Band) and we’re now sat in the SDK putting the world to rights and drinking port….what, what ?
Off out on the bikes tomorrow……….
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
It’s Business as Usual at Teatime
It would be rude to avoid the traditional pie dinner on the road to the port so although there are only two of us at this point of the journey this year we decided to continue with the tradition.
This year’s selection was Hot Pot with the obligatory mushy peas and gravy….Yum !
We also had a smashing cup of fresh coffee – I couldn’t resist having a ‘winky’ in mine but obviously none for the designated driver :o(
Only an hour to Portsmouth…….
We're Enroute
our expectations immensely by her enormous storage capability.
We really do have everything including the kitchen sink - we've even
got HD tv now (thanks Pie Boy for the rental!)
We are meeting Joey at around 21.00 and all looks good with the
traffic - bring it on!!
More updates to follow.
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Friday, 4 June 2010
It’s going to be an old-fashioned ‘proper’ start
Wow – a Le Mans herringbone start!
56 drivers will cross the track and get into their cars at 14h15 on Saturday at the start of the 78th Le Mans 24 Hours. The tradition of the herringbone start adapted to modern requirement will make its great comeback to Le Mans, and will be one of the highlights of this exceptional event.
The ACO will enable the crowd at the 78th Le Mans 24 Hours to relive the herringbone start. It is one of the symbols of this great race and was also called the Le Mans-type start when it was used from 1925 until 1969. It will be a prelude to the real flying start for the cars at 15h00 on Saturday.
After the official photo on 12th June at 13h55, the 168 drivers will line up per crew opposite their car parked in herringbone style according to the starting order. The driver nominated to take the start at 15h00 will be in full racing kit with his two team-mates in their overalls by his side.
The winner’s trophy returned by Peugeot will arrive at the top of the pits straight at 14h05. As it passes by, the two team-mates of each driver taking the start will join the mechanics behind their respective cars.
Once the trophy has been given to President Jean-Claude Plassart the tension will rise a few notches, and the drivers lined up along the white line will be ready to cross the track.
The Clerk of the Course will give them the signal at 14h15. They will cross the track, and will have 7 minutes to get properly installed and belted up in their car with the help of their mechanics. At 14h22, the Clerk of the Course will give the green light successively to each car, which can go though the pit line until 14h37.
The cars will then line up on the grid for the flying start. The passage of the French Patrol (aerobatics) will be the signal to begin the formation lap before the flag falls at 15h00!
Seeing this will raise a goosebump or two !!
Four days to go……..
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