Wee car won another prize!

[alexblack13]

It got 2nd in its class this time at the Glamis transport extraviganza. Big show this, lots of very good cars. I am well chuffed.

Getting closer to that 1st place Mark!!

Alex B....

[trw99]

Alex

Congratulations, all that hard work paying off now. Hope it's no longer hurting when you laugh.

Tim

[Elanintheforest]

Good stuff, Alex.

But you know, the real target will be when Tim sets up his Master Class Sprint concours competition. It has to happen, as he's now gathering all the evidence (he calls it a register so as not to frighten people off) and one day you will be called for the examination. Be prepared for judgement day!!

Mark

[alexblack13]

Says he in an Arnie accent!!

I would be up for that though. Great Idea Mark. I would love an Elan.net get together. Howd's that sound?


Alex B...

[trw99]

I have been wondering if we could organise something and, as I have already said to Mark in a PM, it was most kind of him to volunteer to help (see above!).

Mark, have you ever been on one of those Jaguar long weekend trials? Somewhere that we can drive our cars along good Elan roads, enjoy good countryside and stay in well provisioned hostelleries. There are one or two companies that organise these sort of jollies.

Or I have always fancied doing something along the lines of the Fraser Nash section of the VSCC raids to the mountain passes in Europe.

Or we could arrange to meet up for a 'drive, picnic and drive' one sunny (huh) weekend.

Ideas?

Tim

[Elanintheforest]

I?ve never had time to go on a Jag Jolly, Tim. But I?m stopping work this year and becoming an Elan / E Type socialite!

The closest I?ve come to a Jag-do is the E Type meeting at Prescott hill climb each year. This is a little champagne-and-tweed for me. I always thought that flat caps made one look like a tit, unless accompanied by a whippet.

Club Lotus used to do a run / hotel jobbie, around Mid / North Wales if memory serves. Stunning roads and scenery, and there are now some good pubs as well. A couple of chums come over from Australia every year to do a similar journey, and it?s now known as the Supersize trip. The deal is that no prior bookings are made. Every night must be in a B&B or Pub accommodation. Every breakfast must be the full English. Every lunch must be 3 course, washed down with a bottle of red or two pints. Every evening meal must be 3 course, ending up with at least 4 pints at the pub. Burgers between meals are encouraged to keep you going ?till the next meal.

They were quite surprised that at the end of the first trip, which lasted 3 weeks, they had each gained about 16 lbs / 7 kilos.

My sort of road trip!

Still want me to organise something??!!

I can always slap a couple of Sprint stickers on the S4, along with a big valve cam cover, to be part of the gang!!

Mark

[alexblack13]

LOL...
Hi Mark / Tim.....
I am in a bike club called the Pan-Clan. St1100/1300 owners club and they have some super trips. 2007 I took 8 bikes and 16 nutters on a run down into Austria terminating just outside Vienna. We visited the 'Pan Gathering' which is held in a diff' country every year (Norway last year!). There was close to 600 people there. More pans than you could count and the meals/beer etc all free/included. (Honda sponsorship!)
Fabulous time. We routed down the Rhine & stopped in Rudisheim for 1 night. What a hoot. On then to Fussen on the German / Austrian border with 2 nights in the town then on to Garmisch Via trip up the Zugspitz. (Highest german mountain) Awsome. After the 'do' I brought them back via the Austrian lakes and on to Berchtesgaden to visit the Keilstine house. Hitlers Eagles nest. Over the Grossglockner and back in a loop to the Krimmle falls and a 1 night stop. Up to Insbruck next day to put the bikes on the train to Dusseldorf in north Germany (overnight train). Then short ride to Ijmuden for the ferry back to newcastle.

This is just a brief discription of a super 16 night trip which was a hoot from day 1.

I do know what you mean Mark. As I say, count me in... I have 'done' the stelvio pass in the z4, and on the pan. What a road!....

Where are we going then?

Alex B....

[alexblack13]

Ment to tell you all that Laughing is now not a problem. Pain is going day on day. I am much better now.

THANKS EVERYONE...

Alex B.....

[Elanintheforest]

Crikey, Alex, that's the Grand Tour. That's more places than I've been in the last 10 years, and puts my pub crawl in its place.

I wonder what Tim has in mind? As he's a sailor ( ) perhaps it will include getting wet? In which case the Welsh tour could be on!!

Mark

[elansprint71]

...............

I can always slap a couple of Sprint stickers on the S4, along with a big valve cam cover, to be part of the gang!!

Mark

You've met Club Lotus North West then?

[alexblack13]

Hows about a 2 weekender with the (5 days in the middle) Do a couple of alpine passes and a visit or two her n there. No huge miles with nice Gasthauses for 2 nights at a time. (say)

Fancy then putting the cars on the Autozug for overnight to Dusselldorf? Half day drive then to the ferry and gives an extra day/night where you want to be. Alpine itis is a Bad thing.... We could do this. It is not difficult and very enjoyable. And the beer...!!!

I would be well up for doing the organizing / leading the drive.... No bother.

I recon you would enjoy that and make it an annual event

Names on a poscard.......

Alex B....

[trw99]

Alex

That sounds like just the thing! I suspect that we need to plan the whole raid before putting it to the listers. I also suggest that we give everyone plenty of time to plan in advance, 12-18 months. That will probably get more folk involved and any North American visitors to get organised. At the same time we can get a LotusElan.net badge struck, raid attendance medals etc. Might even be worth looking at getting some sponsorship too.

Now look what you've started, Mark

Tim

[alexblack13]

Hi Tim,
Right... Step one.. Form a planning committe./ Org' team. We need a couple of helpers. I would recon' a team of 4/5 listers.

Agenda. Date. Budget!! (will dictate) Departure point / Duration / Destination / Miles we want to do? / Route / Hotels / guesthouses. Medals? We just have t shirts or polos made.. E.G. 2010 Lotus elan Alpine run. Invasion of the alps? Or whatever. All up for discussion.

We don't NEED to go balistic. (CL already do a stelvio type run) North Holland? Scottish west coast (weather!! & Midges!!!!) Wales /Lakes. etc etc. Possibilities are endless.. Our group on the pans usually make a two week holiday out of it but not every year. Last year we did nothing. This year we are off on 21st Aug down the rhine (again!) and visiting the Hartz mountains (Braunlage) for the 'Pan - Gathering.
Some 300 bikes signed up. I however will not be on my Honda ST1100 Pan as my Doc has advised against. Mrs B therfore has snatched my keys (I kid you not!) We are using our car (Z4), and we have a little posse' of 4 bikes and 1 car..Me!!

I would love this trip to get up and going. Suggest. Tim (you!) Mark, Me, and any others willing to pitch in. Lets do it...

Alex B....

[trw99]

Alex

Mark started this so he definitely volunteered himself to be on the committee! Me too.

There may be one or two lurkers out there prepared to help - if so, put your hands up!

Otherwise I suspect we are on our own. You are right in that first time around we should not over-extend ourselves and perhaps a few days in the UK would be better. We could have several assembly points where groups can meet up before all converging on the location we decide upon. I do think we need to differentiate this from CL organised past and present outings. I have always wanted to do something like one of these: http://www.frazernash.co.uk/news/story.asp?pageID=727
but I suspect that is being ambitious first time around!

Tim

[alexblack13]

Hi Tim /All,
I had a look at th F N site just then and I think the 'after Bolzano' shot is poss of the the Stelvio pass. Whilst it is very drivable you are limited to a short summer window to get over it. Often snowed up in Late May / June. So first off I would say keep that one for later. BUT.. A drive down the Rhine and over to Bregenze on the Bodensee would give a great 2-3 day base for a rest/tours/etc. I know a few good Gasthofs' there too.
A couple of days/nights on the way down in either Bacharach or Rudishim (say). Two night on the boat? (for me anyway)
gives us 3 days to play still. So I would suggest the krimmle nat' park with a couple of nights. Pick a town! (great tours from there) up to Insbruke (say) cars onto the autozug and bingo next morning wee are in Dusselldorf. 150 mls ish to the ferries various.

Brill... Just a suggestion.

Alex B....