I just wanted to thank everyone who was involved in making this past weekend as awesome as it was - a frankly brilliant weekend had by myself & Low Standards (plus Tom and Daz, also in attendance).
This was my second Gathering; last years was a little sombre for me due to a death in the family and Gimp/Low Standards car not being ready, so after a little persuasion from the Wife to attend, I did so.
It was great to get around the campsite talking to people (although my memory for names is abysmal); in particular note the HUUGE white hearse - loved that! Nice to get the chance to have a good look around too (also thanks to the chap parked next to you in the green Vauxhall 2300(L?).
Plus it was nice to finaly see that Land Rover in the flesh, and also Dez's awesome creation too. I do follow a lot of the Readers Rides threads and I bow down to your fab skills (note to self - I really must learn to weld now...!).
I do agree with some of the sentiments about the Security team, however I personaly didn't get much grief from them; we were asked at curfew time to turn down the music a touch, which we did and they were happy enough (we were about to turn in for bed anyway) and the issue with the parking away from the cars made a little sense, however we decided we weren't likely to shift the cars until Sunday anyway so take a chance - and as it dried up over the weekend it worked out OK.
Highlights for me would be KFW doing his sterling best with the Tat auction, (even if i did spend £40 on a cherrybomb i really didn't need; however it will be fitted to the Midget in time for next years Gathering), Gimp donating the Trike (which he spent most of the weekend starting up and playing with despite my hangovers...!) and the fact that Tom donated a plastic boob and managed to raise £15 for charity in doing so.
The show day itself was a spectacle, and although i do prefer Prescott for the longer hillclimb (and more photo opportunities) I understand the need to accomodate that many cars - Prescott did struggle somewhat last year, whereas there was plently of room at Shelsley.
And to top off a great wekeend, we had a slight detour home - my Sat Nav got us there fine, but i couldn't manage to reverse the 2 hour route down there. So we ended up taking 3 1/2 hours to get back, taking in the City centre of Birmingham.
Bad enough in itself in a daily, but when the A38 tunnels are shut you go all through the suburbs of Birmingham, which with two noisy retros, one with a rubber dildo hanging off the windscreen, gets you a lot of strange looks.....
Oh and one final thing; for those of you who witnessed the 'prosthetic manhood' attached to Low Standards car - on the Sunday we were having a rest behind the cars on the field, when a young boy (perhaps 5 or 6 years old) asked his Dad - 'What's that for Daddy?', to which his Father hastilly and totally deadpan replied 'It's for Ladies' and moved swiftly on to the next car...
I think Mr Low Standards wanted the ground to swallow him up at that point judging by the apology he gave.....
So - see you next year!
This was my second Gathering; last years was a little sombre for me due to a death in the family and Gimp/Low Standards car not being ready, so after a little persuasion from the Wife to attend, I did so.
It was great to get around the campsite talking to people (although my memory for names is abysmal); in particular note the HUUGE white hearse - loved that! Nice to get the chance to have a good look around too (also thanks to the chap parked next to you in the green Vauxhall 2300(L?).
Plus it was nice to finaly see that Land Rover in the flesh, and also Dez's awesome creation too. I do follow a lot of the Readers Rides threads and I bow down to your fab skills (note to self - I really must learn to weld now...!).
I do agree with some of the sentiments about the Security team, however I personaly didn't get much grief from them; we were asked at curfew time to turn down the music a touch, which we did and they were happy enough (we were about to turn in for bed anyway) and the issue with the parking away from the cars made a little sense, however we decided we weren't likely to shift the cars until Sunday anyway so take a chance - and as it dried up over the weekend it worked out OK.
Highlights for me would be KFW doing his sterling best with the Tat auction, (even if i did spend £40 on a cherrybomb i really didn't need; however it will be fitted to the Midget in time for next years Gathering), Gimp donating the Trike (which he spent most of the weekend starting up and playing with despite my hangovers...!) and the fact that Tom donated a plastic boob and managed to raise £15 for charity in doing so.
The show day itself was a spectacle, and although i do prefer Prescott for the longer hillclimb (and more photo opportunities) I understand the need to accomodate that many cars - Prescott did struggle somewhat last year, whereas there was plently of room at Shelsley.
And to top off a great wekeend, we had a slight detour home - my Sat Nav got us there fine, but i couldn't manage to reverse the 2 hour route down there. So we ended up taking 3 1/2 hours to get back, taking in the City centre of Birmingham.
Bad enough in itself in a daily, but when the A38 tunnels are shut you go all through the suburbs of Birmingham, which with two noisy retros, one with a rubber dildo hanging off the windscreen, gets you a lot of strange looks.....
Oh and one final thing; for those of you who witnessed the 'prosthetic manhood' attached to Low Standards car - on the Sunday we were having a rest behind the cars on the field, when a young boy (perhaps 5 or 6 years old) asked his Dad - 'What's that for Daddy?', to which his Father hastilly and totally deadpan replied 'It's for Ladies' and moved swiftly on to the next car...
I think Mr Low Standards wanted the ground to swallow him up at that point judging by the apology he gave.....
So - see you next year!
.
I'm pleased that it pleased you that it was there, contemplating something bigger and louder for next year now, as i came away with some much needed enthusiasm for this project i have in hand