Milk and Planes

 Met up with the Porksters again for a short drive from Denbies to the Milk Churn, a nice little cafe out in the sticks. Weirdly, they didn't do eggs, so I had to have just a plain bacon roll...and it was very expensive - I'll probably forget but may give that place a miss from now on.

One of our number decided to bring 'one of their other cars':

Yes, a Ferrari 812 - that's a nice 'other' car! Sounded awesome as well...

Vic also joined us for the first time and we discussed the Alps trip. After the Milk Churn, Vic and I had a nice run to the Torque Motors Cafe. He's not bothered about the Le Mans Classic so we're not doing that - just direct from Calais to the Alps. My son has invited 3 of his mates from work, so now there are 6 of us! They want to go to the Nurburgring, so I've planned routes up there and booked 7 nights of hotels already (organised, hey?). I must admit, the roads up through Germany look great on StreetView, so very excited. My son's friends are all young and I wouldn't be surprised if they drop out nearer the time, so I'm not counting on them - I'm just happy to have 1 fellow traveller.

This weekend, Vic and I decided to do a longer trip out to Compton Abbas airfield. The Porksters went to the Owl for a Porsche meet but I've done that a couple of times - it's a bit dull and only 20 minutes down the road.

My son joined us and we had a nice, 2 hour run down to the airfield, which was supposed to be hosting a vintage aircraft fly-in. A few did turn up but it wasn't quite Gatwick. 

The whole airfield is now owned by Guy Ritchie and has had a complete re-vamp since I last went there years ago - but more cafe weirdness; this large, very modern cafe had 3 items on the breakfast menu, one of which was jam and toast! Fortunately, one was an egg and bacon roll but no full English, or omelette etc? Very strange...

After 2 uncontrolled slides on roundabouts (my son insists he wasn't trying but I'm not sure...), he has ordered some new rear tyres - the current budget tyres are almost bald. On the way back, we got separated and he ended up stuck on the M3 for an hour after an accident. Luckily for me, I hate the M3 so I came off much earlier. I had an enjoyable run back - my new exhaust sounds better on every trip. At 6.5k revs in 2nd gear, it sounds like a V12 - beautiful!!

Britpack

 So today was a 200 mile return trip to the British Motor Museum at Gaydon - and it was very good. I didn't realise that the title meant, museum of British cars, which is why there were so many MGs, Ford's, Vauxhall, Jags etc, etc. But it was interesting for that reason - I see lots of Porsches, BMWs, Ferraris etc at meets so it was nice to see some Brit history for a change. 

The drive up was pretty good - I devised a good route avoiding all the main roads and had a blast. My new exhaust is really settling in and is actually pretty loud - even my son was impressed as I drove up the drive. I left just after 7am, all alone as explained in my last post but I really enjoyed it. Not worrying about trying to keep a group together is actually more relaxing - maybe I should just do these runs on my own?

The museum is very well set up and modern looking with some fascinating cars - below is the last EVER E-Type built in 1974:

The museums collection of one Jag prototypes is amazing - some lovely stuff, especially the interiors:

This is a Project 7 F-Type - beautiful:

A 4WD XJS:

The 1st prototype XJ220 had scissor doors!!

If I was going to buy a classic, I'd like this SS100 - probably damn expensive:

This is an EV from 2008, a Lightning GT. Amazing, isn't it - I don't know why it never went into production:

This is the first ever BMW - based on an Austin 7!!

This 1930 Austin 7 was driven from Buenos Aires to New York in 1960, 11k miles in 8 months!!

One of the most interesting exhibits was a timeline of British car makers - did you know that the first ever UK car maker was Lanchester, in 1895? And that the oldest still going is Morgan, who started in 1910, a year before Ford arrived? Fascinating stuff...

I had a fun day - my route back was less exciting as I hadn't planned anything. I thought my TomTom would be able to reverse my original route but it couldn't, so I just set it for home and it took me on lots of boring, busy A roads. I did have a fun blat with a motorbike, though - they hate being shown up by a car so you can always guarantee they'll chase you!! Damn, Barry is quick and loud now - huge fun!

In other great news, Vic, one of the guys who came to Wales earlier in the year wants to do my Euro tour! Woohoo, I have a driving buddy...the tour is afoot!

Butt-clencher

 Today was a milestone - my first MOT with Barry. 

With a new exhaust that has lost 2 of the original 4 cats, emissions were my biggest worry but it all seemed to go well and a pass with 2 advisories for discoloured side indicators. Strange because they look fine to me...

Been on holiday last week but I'm planning a long-ish drive up to the British Car Museum at Gaydon on Saturday. I have invited people from my Porkers group and the Boxa forum but no takers so I may be on my own. Weather forecast is looking quite good so unless it goes downhill, I'll be Billy-no-mates...

I'm having a struggle at the moment to get any enthusiasm from others for road trips. I really want to go to Europe next year but no-one else seems even vaguely interested. Even my son is not that keen; for him the problem is money - his car is costing him so much, he can hardly afford to drive it. In fact, he is looking to sell it but he refuses to get anything much cheaper, so I cannot see his position changing.

My Porkers group don't really do long trips together ( a couple have done their own thing) and I don't really know anyone well enough on the Boxa forum. My kit car people refuse to go abroad and want to do Scotland again next year. Scotland is just as far as the Alps and I know everyone says the roads are great BUT there is NO WAY they are better than France and the Alps - and the weather certainly isn't.

So it looks like, if I want to go, it'll be alone. I don't mind during the day but being alone in a hotel all evening is a tad dull. So my choice:

Go somewhere I don't really want to but with company OR

Go somewhere I do want to go but alone.

I've also had an interesting idea of going to the Le Mans Classic, which seems to be a French version of Goodwood. I've found a company who offer a package for around £650 which includes the ferry crossing, 3 nights on a campsite on the side of the track and entry ticket. They've also confirmed that I can book the return ferry leg a week AFTER the Le Mans event, so I could go to Le Mans AND then do a week round France. Genius idea!

So that is my current vague plan - just see if I can get a driving buddy to come with me.