WHATS HAPPENING WHEN….

November 14th..Club meeting at Talbot hotel..Ripley

November Sat 18th 2CVGB AGM AT MILTON KEYNES - SEVERAL OF US GOING, PHONE GILL FOR DETAILS

French Xmas markets on Saturdays in Calais/Rouen,etc or tremendous Sunday market in Caen …..any one up for a 2CV trip before Xmas ?? 

December 12th Club meeting TALBOT HOTEL RIPLEY 

SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER 6PM ON TUNNEL TO CALAIS FOR XMAS MEAL IN FRANCE FOR ONLY £13 PER CAR PLUS COST OF DINNER, RETURN BEFORE 12PM?????? DETAILS SOON….

December 13th Portsdown pub/raid pompey puddleducks Xmas night?

Dec 16th Wessex ducks Xmas munchies.. The Tap and Railway, West Moors
(see editor for details)

December 27th Xmas Common ramble,-meet at Lammas or Colne Valley Park,Staines, at 10am, Goto Cristmas Common (between Henley/Oxford,then the pub at the bottom of the hill for sustenance

2001………………………………………………………
Tuesday 9th January..Club Meeting...Talbot Hotel,Ripley

VIVE LA FRANCE EXIBITION..19TH/21ST EARLS COURT (may be worth the trip for cheap Eurotunnel tickets)

Future events..A visit to Chislehurst caves organised by the Madhatters seems a good idea, on a Sunday there is a one and a half hour tour of these caves with Roman/Medieval/Druid remains, and air raid shelters, a date is not yet finalised,, prob Jan/Feb would be good, the weather will not matter if we are underground

February 17./25th
National boat/caravan/camping show N.E.C. Birm.. tent deals?

2001..the new year.,.summer's coming…….date tba

April 2001 Belgium Jumble (brilliant this year..a must do event in 2001)

25/29 July 2001 world meeting, Carinthia, Austria (book your holidays now!!!) will reissue booking forms next year but should book ferries to get cheaper rates before jan (see back page for details) so we are all on the same ferry?

August 2001 Tamworth International 2CVGB (that's in the Midlands!)

the spa 24hr race (SEE FURTHER DOWN THE PAGE)

Saturday dawned a bit better and arrived to watch a late and mist bound start to the 2hr race. After this was finished and with some 200 2cvs lined up in the paddock, the tour of the circuit took place with all of us doing two laps round the full formula 1 circuit, a great event.. and a surprise for me when one of the Marshalls leapt out on me ,a well known Puddleducks racing enthusiast member who was helping with the circuit marshalling.
Have I got pictures of this event.?.well..yes and no, I dropped the camera in a rubbish bin full of water (don't ask) and its not working as yet The 24hr race started at 4pm, some 80 starters including an Engish team (Ecas) mixed with some 2cvs that only just resemmbled 2cvs and produced some very powerful engines. Did I stay up for 24hrs...eerm, no but the thought was there as I returned to mon cheap hotel (sorry but weather was not camping weather) after a party in the paddock tent.

Next morning saw the cars still going strong, the Ecas car was still going (a lot had gone out) and it finished in a very respectable 17th (I think) full details will be in 2cvgb I am sure.

I headed off for Lille for overnight stop, then spent the day around Calais before catching the 5pm return Ferry…. Who picked one of the worst weather nights to return?, Storm force 10 winds turned a 2hr ferry trip into 4hrs, plus another hour in Dover trying to dock with tugs helping.. then a truly horrendous late night drive up the M20 in tremendous winds and rain.. have I cured all the leaks in the 2cv...eerm..no1 (yes it was the blue one, not the Blueberries and custard)

Then to add insult to thingy I was swamped when nearly home by a Volvo truck as I carefully negotiated a flooded stream...1 hour to dry out.. a very late night but an excellent event. .we should make it a Club trip next year!!!!!

A GRAND DAY OUT WITH THE Fils de Vitesse birthday duck race and the Blackmore farm apple tasting (a small selection of retrobates shown here.. curtesy of Dick Roberts web site pages..

SPA 24 HOUR RACE
DAVE SHOVE.. INTREPID REPORTER.. Being a racing enthusiast for several years, in a moment of enthusiasm I booked a ticket on the new Norfolk line ferry Dover-Dunkerque and set off for Spa, Belgium,on a wet Thursday. The new ferry is excellent(£79 5 day return), food was superb( full roast beef etc, £5) and first night was spent in Formula 1 hotel near Liege, about a four hour drive, about 20 mins from circuit.., Friday dawned and arrived at circuit to find Belgium camp set up ,and British racing 2CVs setting up for their two hour race on Saturday morning,, entrance to the camp AND entrance to the paddock with our 2cvs was about 7 squid, very good, and lots of food and drink Belgium style was available (quite expensive)...watched practise during the afternoon, unfortunatly the weather was not kind and I am afraid cheating ocurred, I was set to camp (iwas, iwas)but I am afraid the comforts of a cheap hotel appeared to win the day……..sorry Belgiums.. (Bev and Pete Abbot were also in hotel so there!)

FERRY OFFERS
CURRENT OFFERS ..NORFOLK LINE, Brand new (Excellent) boat from DOVER TO DUNKERQUE, next to Calais) 5day return £79..book before March 2001,telephone 0870 8701020 for details (ideal for Austria/Italy/Belguim)
P and O offering 3 day returns, Portsmouth Cherbourg incl cabin £78,up to Xmas..
Seafrance..book before 10th Jan,5day return £79..over 5 days £119,or book and pay before 4th April 2001 £89 for 5 day or £169 for over 5 days
P and O Stena same as above but £89/£129,etc(so £10 more all round
Remember 15%discount of P&O ferries from Portsmouth if you quote 2cv Club
If your on the web look at ferrysavers.co.uk
Euro tunnel..best for day trip, go for £15 return after 2pm,or after6pm fri/sat and turn up two hours early,they will just put you on the next train...trust me….or £29 after 1500 any day and arrive two hours early….(saves over an hour and a quarter on the ferry trip as well)

ONE OF A LARGE RANGE OF ROOFS FOUND ON A NEW FRENCH WE SITE (EUROPE2CV.COM)( also sunroofs, transfer sets for charlestons,etc), 
you can get the blue/yellow E.E.C. flag with stars on as well, (if you must!) at about £150 ish, (Ecas still best bet for normal roofs) or matt softops for more unusual but expensive ones

This months “spot the stuffed finch” competition
Yuk

THE APPLE TASTING DAY...
About 25 cars turned out for the birthday bash duck race and apple tasting day . A fine day made the duck race an excellent turnout as a hoard of ducks swept down the river at Farnham, to the amazement of onlookers with Bob (the wader) in control as duckmaster.
A convoy then made its way to the apple farm for lots of tasting, cider drinking , eating of nice but overpriced pork roast, and apples, apples and apples.. Together with craft stands.. a good day out.. make it a date for next year to all those who missed it this year…maybe an opportunity for us to sell our 2cv jewellery?….Dave (Intrepid reporter..)(.picture shows the birthday cake…).

CHAT FROM THE CHAIR 

It was lovely to see all of you at the last meeting, we were spared the fuel crisis, at least we can use LRP IF unleaded fails, we had the last laugh for once. W e had a chat about some events that we might want to plan for the future, a trip to Brusasels on Eurostar for the Xmas market was one, another was a trip to Chislehurst Caves,, have you any other ideas out there? (SEE EVENTS LIST EDITOR)

We spoke about the Xmas festivities, a meal on a steam train was looked at but was rather expensive, or a long way away so we will think again, maybe with families and work we could celebrate after the new year or I am quite happy to cook a Chilli/rice/curry if we want and have an informal gathering at home.

On a totally different topic may I remind you that 2CVGB has its AGM at Milton Keynes on Nov 18th.I have been nominated for the committee and Kathryn Doddington is up for Secretary so we will need your support, do come if you can. I will have some maps photocopied for the next meeting so you will have no excuse. This is one chance you have of taking part in the running of the National Club.

2002 INTERNATIONAL
We have been to Beaulieu (dave and I) to make enquires about them, as a possible venue. It seems very good, it is a lovely place with lots to do, we will have some expenses like extra loos, showers, marquee, but the charges seem reasonable for what you are getting including entrance to the museum and the house we will put our ideas forward at the AGM and hope for the best. I have heard that there may be a group from East of England wants to do it too, so it will be up to the committee to decide. I must admit the the Esast has never had an event (Sreens Park is South Essex, it didn't really count)

GILL

A TRIP TO NORTHERN FRANCE..

Bill and I went on holiday to a Gite near Alberte Peronne. 

Picardie is an area that we always rush through to get to the ferry or to go to another exiting bit of france. Well I am glad we stopped, poor James is still covered in mud from the Somme , we had mixed weather but on a dull day you could imagine the mud in the trenches and how awful it all was. The memorials to the dead were moving with many thousands and thousands of names on them. It is the waste that makes you really sad nothing has changed, the fighting goes on and thousands still die.

We had a lovely Gite-so luxurious-it was better than home. In the village was a resaturant which opened if you booked. The second time we went there we were the only guests , each time we had a 5 course meal for only £36 incl wine etc for the two of us..not bad, why cant we find such value at home.

We did not see many 2cvs -a few good dyanes and a couple of vans and a mehari. We went to a srap yard but to no avail.. However we enjoyed the rest. GILL

THE TOUR
Cultural tour with the off-piste ducks..

Mike and Kirstern from South Africa will soon be going home (without their 2cv) so on Sunday 22 their club organised a cultural tour of farewell. About 10 of us left the Newport Inn and went on a real cross country route to Stonehenge, the place was really busy but we got to park all the cars together (well done Nikki). I think the cars got more attention than the stones, even the Americans admitted they were cute, then we went on to Woodhenge (looked like concrete henge to me.. editor)and Avebury. It was really sunny but a bit breezy ,this group of stones are huge and amazing,, the plan was to go to West Kennet Long Barrow but the time was running out by then so Bill and I left, as did Dave Shove, while everyone was still lurking around the stones. Well done Off-piste ducks for a great day and Bon Voyage to Kirsten and Neil.
GILL