London to Brighton 2008

Well with a 7am at Crystal Palace start due to Kirky's over exuberant meet time. First there was Neil followed by Doc, who really has no excuse as he lives only minuets down the road. Doc's Frosty wearing his brand new tyre after a quick repair from the blow out on the Riv Run. Everyone looking blurry eyed Kirky finally arrived at last in tow with Liane, Dan and hopefully new member Juju (Juiliete) in her fine black mini. The standard excuses came flying out. Traffic this, traffic that.

After a quick wonder round the campsite and the main set off point, it was fire up your engines and ready for the off. Now this in the point when some of us turn into little children. Being egged on by the steward he just couldn't help himself. Handbrake up and lighting up the tyres Kirky spins off in a cloud of tyre smoke which followed him down the road, closely followed by Doc. A check on the state of his A008 proved that this probably wasn't a wise idea. With no water on the road Kirky managed to remove about 2cm worth of rubber from his front tyres. Ah well you only live once.

So off to Brighton we head. A very spirited drive with lots of heads turning from passers by and plenty of noise created from the array of musical horns before the convoy split, those with official tickets going to find their spaces, the rest off to the marina to park up for the day.
As ever the show was a maze of all types of minis, shame about the Binis taking up valuable parking space. John Snr had come down with the mini cooper register and was found talking to strangers telling tales of past mini adventures. Ollie and Claire arrived a lot later with their alien looking dogs. The lost man was found when we bumped into Charlie sporting his beerbandits t-shirt.
Another success with no break downs, we must be doing something right.

Riviera Run 2008

Well the first event of the season was pretty much a damp squib. Luckily for us the drive down was a dry one.
Our annual stop off at the best cafe in the world led up to an amazing surprise. Our normal "really helpful, friendly" cafe owner was overcome for love with our convoy's furry four legged friend. To all our amazement the proprietor sat with us feeding Zack free sausages with a giant smile on his face telling us stories about his own pets. Amazing. The whole run down there was pretty insignificant, no break downs in our group. Kirky and Doc did there good Samaritan deed for the weekend. Seeing a black mini broken down on the A303 at the lead up to a roundabout, quickly pulled over, as the others rushed off, to lend a hand. A quick push of the mini down the hill and off the roundabout with a police escort and the black mini was safely parked up. The couple that had broken down were on their honeymoon to Newquay, a quality place and way to spend it. A quick dizzy change and all was good and we were back on our way, catching up with the convoy and off to the Trevelgue.
"Sunday and the heavens opened. They clear up for a bit and we all decide that a trip to Port Isaac is a good idea, except for Doc who was to be proved right. After getting lost as Mr Kirk couldn't quite remember the way we finally arrived. As we parked up on the beach the water began to fall. Everyone stepped out of their minis, walked to the top of the hill and got soaked. Unanimously we decided that was that and to head back with the words "no one every listens to me!" ringing in people's ears from Doc. The moment we sat back down in the minis and drove off the sun came out drying the roads and making the run look like a good idea
A good run this year well planned and a good length, which involved some good traffic cone slalom at the near road works. No space for any overtaking though.
That evening it was off for the traditional curry. Kirky yet again doesn't heed the warnings of last year and goes for something far too nuclear for his own taste buds, when will he learn.
Monday and the weekend had gone smoothly, so far.... No breakdowns for anyone in the group all weekend. That was all about to change. On the long journey home Doc has a tyre blow out, luckily on passenger side rear. A hair raising experience but a quick tyre change and he was back on his way and safely home.
A good weekend all round.

Beaulieu 2007

Well un-typical for me, I was very well prepared for this day. A full picnic and frozen drinks all ready and waiting for the day ahead. We couldn't of asked for more, bright blue skies and blazing sunshine and clear open roads at 6am on a Sunday morning. Great for a spirited drive to our start off point.
With meeting up with the others it was then a gentile drive down the M3-M27 to Beaulieu. It wasn't that easy. No one new the way just the general direction. We did come across one other mini on the way down and the idea was to follow as he was obviously off to the show but sorry mate, 50mph is just not going to cut it with us so we had to leave him behind.

We managed to pick up the sign off of the M27 and made it to the show without too much of a hic-up but just a little bit overheating.

On entry it was a shame that the marshals split us all up in different directions but I suppose that is how they are running the show this year.
After regrouping and within minuets of heading into the show we came across an old friend who we thought had left our midst. Pinx, was lovely to see him and see that his new owner has kept him pretty much how he bought him apart from a new centre exit exhaust.
On display were some lovely examples of classic and modified minis and to see all the ex-works coopers all lined up on display, including the soon to be Top Gear mini was a sight to behold. It was a great sight for our latest member Lauren to experience the mini scene and what it's all about.
With a walk round the museum, being in touching distance of the almighty Bugatti Veron an Enzo and others of similar magnitude, a trip on the monorail and a visit to the James Bond exhibition it was pretty much time to go. So we stayed for the final award ceremonies packed all our stuff up and headed home in the still perfect weather. A great day all round, just wished I had taken more photos.

London to Brighton 2007

To be honest I wasn't looking forward to doing the L2B, because every year something always goes wrong with my car and this time was no exception. With the weather looking pretty poor all week I thought it was going to be the same as last year, heavy rain and electrical problems. So to my surprise on Saturday afternoon when I woke up it was sunny. Throwing some stuff in the mini I set off to the services on the M23, to meet up with some L2B 'virgins' in a Bini Cooper S. We couldn't exactly say what we were thinking as we would have got a beating but plenty of people gave some abuse at Crystal Palace.

We set off for Crystal Palace after filling up with petrol, giving the cars a good loosen up up the M23. So far my car had been fine and hadn't leaked water everywhere. Once we hit Croydon I had the heater on full blast trying to keep the temperature down, it helped a bit but I still had to pull over. After a short stop, I followed the satnav to Crystal Palace, hoping the mini wouldn't overheat. I managed to lose the Bini after a few sets of traffic lights, there's just no way they could keep up.

Finally got to Crystal Palace, and just as the marshal checked my ticket it dumped all the water out of the radiator and the fan stopped working, so that's a job for this weekend (again). I parked up, the Bini eventually found me and parked up next to me, they bought everything but the kitchen sink. While I wandered off to cause trouble, they spent an hour putting up the tent, and all the other bits and bobs they had, and decided to tie a pink Xmas tree to the roof of my car. While everyone was messing about with bbq's and gas stoves I thought sod it I'll order a pizza, and got it delivered. Doc turned up, with the sound of screeching tyres as he tore round the car park scaring the crap out of his new girlfriend.
I didn't bother packing a tent because you never get any sleep if you camp, so I managed to kip for a few hours in the back of the mini, it wasn't too uncomfortable but I'm not doing that again. The chavy kids near me kept half the campsite awake with their loud noise, they got bored when they realised nobody really cared.

3am Sunday morning, woke up and cracked open a can of red bull and a couple of proplus. I saw two lines of cars queued up already so fired my car up, backed it up to the chav tent and woke them all up to the smell of unburnt fuel. Parked in line, and got me a bacon, sausage and egg roll for £4 - it was OK but my dog could have cooked better food. Waited hours and hours, and eventually we got going, well slowly anyway. Neil was somewhere near the front as his car was in show n shine, maybe that's why we were getting there slowly so his motor wouldn't get dirty.
As soon as I saw the exit for the M23 I booted it, in the hope that I would get there earlier but for some reason I always end up at the marina end. I eventually got to Brighton, and sat in the queue for Madeira drive for about 2 hours. With the fact the electric fan didn't work, and I didn't have any coolant in the rad, just plain water, everything started to steam a bit. I whacked the heater on and that seemed to cure it. Just as I got into Madeira drive, it spewed out a fair bit of water on to passers by. It was like driving a greenhouse. After steam cleaning half the cars in Madeira drive, I parked up, locked up and went off to see what was going on.

Same things every year, loads of people, lots of minis, and some trade stands. I had a look round, found Neil, Tina and baby Sam who gave me some advice to sort my car out. Luckily I had bought some stilts so Neil didn't have to look down. I saw Russell who was wearing a skin tight fluorescent jacket and cleaning the finger marks off his newly restored van. It does look nice. Bumped into Mr Kirk for a brief moment.

I picked up a few bits for the car, and wandered back to fill her up with water. Managed to get out of Brighton quite easily, it helps when you know the back roads, took me an hour to get back to Horsham without any overheating, but I did have the heater on all the time.

Riviera Run 2007

Well it's official, she is back. Katie is back on the road and don't half the small villages in Cornwall know about it. She fired up after a couple of attempts and the SEMOC Riviera Run 2007 was officially under way. This trip was all about Katie's long awaited return.
Meeting up with the rest of our small party at Fleet services we headed off down on the A30 onto our final destination. But not all went to plan. All going swimmingly we decided to look under the bonnet of Katie. That was probably a mistake. With the engine only doing 60 miles before the mega journey there were bound to be teething problems. On first inspection it seemed that it was a minor nick in the top hose. "Better replace that, I just know my luck" pipes up Andy. So into the car park and a quick top hose change and away we go. 2 minuets down the road Andy can be seen with his hand hanging out the window with what looked like the 2 finger salute so Doc gave him the 1 finger back. It then became obvious that there was a problem, pulling into the next lay by there was water spitting on his windscreen and steam pouring out from under the bonnet. The bonnet popped revealed an ill sealing top hose. Break down number 1 of 7. Another top hose put on we were off and arrived in the campsite with no further problems, which all could of been avoided had the advise of our resident mini mechanic Minidave, "for the the cost of a couple of quid you may as well change all those hoses for new ones",
"Nah", was the reply from Andy. Good move mate.
That day at the campsite, a cable tie, the very thing that keeps most of our minis in one piece was to be the minor downfall for Katie. Jumping into the cabin, turning the key... nothing. A quick look a loose wire connected and we were back under way to the shops.
The campsite now has a new area, Chav alley, with too many cars that seem more likely to be featured on www.barryboys.co.uk rather than at any mini show. Far to much crappy fibre glass and filler to make any mini purest sick at the sight.
This was all followed by a night out on the tiles in the fine town of Newquay, plenty of hen nights and stag dos for any person to endure.
Sunday and the show opens, a quick walk round and we bump into our own travelling hobo, Charlie who came down in yet another different mini. With the show checked out and a few purchases, including some new attire for newest member Sam at 11 weeks old, we headed off to the caravan to kit Katie out with a brand new top hose and to sort out a fumage problem in the cabin.
On to the run, and what a run. Great fun and perfect pace notes, even though it was noticeable that some people were going wrong but not us. It didn't start perfectly to plan for Katie with a loose wire meaning no lights or horn, quickly sorted.
A perfect photo opportunity for Karen from Mini World who got some cracking action shots of Katie and Neil and all was going well. Then came a moment that was too much for Andy to resist. 5 normal cars and a small mini convoy in front on a wide road there was only one option. Indicate right and overtake the lot of them. Whizzing past them was not a problem, with a roundabout up ahead on to the breaks and down a gear and then 'ping'. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah I heard something... Mate... I've got no gears!"
"Whatever, stop taking the piss!"
"Seriously fella, I'm stuck in 4th..."
We struggle over to the next layby. Bonnet popped, jack out and car up. Under the car we go to see that the gear selector roll pin is clearly missing. "That'll be that 'ping then!" A modified brake calliper split pin and we're back off again, but not for long. The heavens open and water started to get under the bonnet through the new commercial grill. With Katie getting slower and slower she finally cuts out going up a hill before a blind apex. With things dried off, a new bit of emergency wireing and copeius amounts of WD40 and we crawled back to the campsite.
With Sunday morning upon us the drizzle was coming down and this upset Katie for the ride home. Not even a mile out of the campsite and she cut out. With Neil and Doc pushing her down the road we got her into a comfy parking area. A new set of HT leads (how many spare parts do you carry in the back of your mini Neil?) and all seemed to be cured.
The traffic was atrocious on the way home and Katie suffered her final problem with overheating issues. A stop off in a garage and the electric fan hard wired to a switch in the cabin and all was good for the ride home. With the traffic and Neil having to stop for fuel every 20 minuets to feed his supercharged beast it looked like a long journey. We thought we had it bad but some poor couple decided to take the route home back to Sheffield via Lands End and then along the A30 just so the could see Stone Henge. Big mistake mate, you should of just looked it up on the internet you would of got better pictures.
Our final member got in through his front door at 9.30 after leaving Newquay at 1pm. Still worth the trip and good to so many other London minis making the journey.

Fairmile Arms Annual BBQ 2006

What a cracking event. Cars of all types from the willie waving mid life crises Corvette brigade to Austin Sevens and even the Barried up Chav mobiles put at the back behind us. There were some lovely examples of all types of cars with the pick of the bunch, probably the Shelby GT 500. What a car and in perfect condition. I am a little bit worried about the condition of the clutch on the Lambo Diablo with the blonde lady driving. As powerful as the car is, it doesn’t need to be revved so hard to get it to move 2 yards, lol. Our section was well attended and it was good to meet a new mini face. Darren we all hope to see you again soon. Also the Supra and Subaru owners club were also well filled out.
Plenty of willie waving from the Corvette owners club with a lot of “my Corvette sounds better than yours”, “mines quicker than yours” etc. All good fun to have a giggle at and at the end of the day they could back it up with the horse power to boot.
The BBQ was good and went down well with all those that had it. Shame about the queue but if you got in quick it was fine. The band were a little bit to be desired for. I offered them our services as our Karejokey skills were probably far superior to this band. Even their recorded backing singers were awful, bad enough to crack glass.
The weather, for the best part managed to hold out and with the odd shower it was funny to watch all the convertible owners run out in a hurry to get all their tops up, only for the light spitting to stop.
We all left at about 10 o’clock, even though the event went on till 1am. It is a shame we didn’t stay till later as the Corvette owners club had an organised “burn out” which they do every year. This is a must to stay for next year.
Overall a terrific event and a must to attend for lovers of all types of motoring. There were plenty more cars on show but too many for me list at once and even remember. A top, top event, well done to the Fairmile Arms and those that organised it.

Mini In The Park 2006

Well what can one say, apart from it was a blinding weekend. Sadly due to drinking too much I can’t comment on the show, as I never made it. However what I can tell you about is the camping part of MITP. Oh I’d better mention who was there.

Andrew - That’s me lol
Doc - He is the lazy one
Petrina – She is the one who doesn’t wear much and god we love it
Laura – How could we fault the wee lass she is an angel, well she thinks so
Vicky – The one with a damn fine arse
Andy – He is the big guy with a wicked sense of humour
Lou & Jack – Andy and Liane’s kiddies

Then were joined later in the evening by:
Liane & John – don’t mess with them cos Liane makes a mean bacon sarnie
Claire & Ollie – God she is noisy and he is quiet lol

Well as usual it started off with everyone being late to meet up in Tesco’s (Well we got to get the food and drinks in) You can’t camp without any. Anyway nothing new they’re then, as we never end up meeting on time. The excuses people come up with ay!
As normal we convoyed up to Cornbury Park, although I admit I did shoot off, and apologise, but being a courier, I’m not used to going slow.

Anyway we all got there in one piece despite the heavy rain and the poor quality of driving from other people Anyway its piddling down with rain upon arrival, so being cleaver we thought lets get the little marquee up (9m x 3m), so after battling with all the poles, sheets we finally have a marquee up, although the poles were falling off left right and centre, but it was shelter from the rain. Next step was to get peoples tents up, but while we were sorting the tents a little gust of wind took the marquee across the field lol, snapping the connectors.

You guessed it, like a bunch of idiots we didn’t bother with putting enough guide ropes on. Funny how people look at a flying marquee. So we soon dismantled that thinking that we had a small gazebo that might have been more suitable. So once the tents were up we set about with the small gazebo to find half the parts were missing.

So what were we to do, try and fix the broken marquee or spend the night getting wet? Well like all good minis owners we fabricated the parts (Bodged to you and me) with good old electrical tape and yes you guessed it cable ties. Have to say it worked a treat and we soon had somewhere to stay dry and boogie the night through, especially as we used some of those guide rope things lol.

Anyway the rain continued the wind kept blowing, but despite this we kept drinking and eating, this soon led to some rather dodgy karaoke and some interesting dancing.
I’d love to say we were singing but it sounded like people were in severe pain not only from those who were singing, but also from those who had to listen to us.
Lets face it do other mini clubs offer karaoke, and have other clubs joining in while camping? Well no of course not, other clubs have taste. Sadly for you lot, you’re going to have to put up with a lot more of this next year.

Well I could bore you with more rubbish, just as all the attention our female members seemed to be getting from others, or the interesting driving in the field the next day, or even that Doc spent all night being sick, cos he had a little to much to drink.

Yes that’s right, Doc our big strong rugby player spent the night being sick, as he can’t handle his drink, and I thought I was a lightweight.

Anyway that’s it from me, if you want to find out what we get up to, then you will have to come along and join us.