So, club highlight of the year was?

garyw · Dec 10, 2009

Well with no new car for me to cheer about this year [

], I've picked these...

Looking through this years diary I have had some great days out, however...
The Poole weekend and Llandow weekends were both fabulous weekends for all the right reasons, highlight of a trip out to sea really added to it for me...
Again great weather and great people

My most favorite road.... a very hard choice but I think the road in and out of mid Wales that we drove in April, which flowed and weaved wonderfully, it was aided by great weather and a traffic free run...

In overall terms we have been quite lucky with the weather this year!! with the majority of the days out remaining dry [

]

And more importantly... my wifes was the Llandow weekend

Anyone want to add their own thoughts ??

garyw

tscaptain · Dec 11, 2009

After some debate here we reckon the Saturday of the Poole weekend with a great drive, Lulworth Cove and Julia's House and the blast in Bob's rib is #1 closely followed by the track day at Llandow. Indeed that weekend had unbelievably good weather - shame about the puncture! We love the sense of fun that all the events bring with them and, once again, much gratitude to those who give up so much free time to plan and get us organized!
Bring on next year - IOM trip already booked- and a new car to look forward to...........[8D] Are we doing the South West next year Gary...................?[

]

pwebb · Dec 11, 2009

Llandow was great fun and my first, and second, runs in turbos, (thanks, Mike, Bob) first in a Scud (thanks Clive), and a first for Lesley on the track. First ever concours in a six month old car at Castle Coombe, another successful day with the register.

Also, but not with the register, the Club trip to the factory back in March was epic, new Mercedes and Porsche museums, Panamera on view at the factory, Schlumpf museum, the Essen Classic Car Show and some great drives through the Black Forest. All in four days, phew.

dereksharpuk · Dec 11, 2009

Sadly I did not venture abroad, but as usual I really enjoyed the Club outing to the Isle of Man. Interestingly my maximum speed gets lower each year! I acheived 140 mph in a lowly Boxster 2.5 in 2000. This year my max was just 107 in a Gen 2 997 C4S. Now why is that?

Porsche & Polo gets better each year and I note that with no major event in 2010, Porsche & Polo will have a greater profile.

Alex L · Dec 11, 2009

Of course nothing this year comes even slightly close to the jaw-dropingly amazing Swiss 08 trip but my favourite drives this year were actually all test runs with Gary - especially the Peak district run with that last open/twisty/fast section of road coming into Hartington. I guess I haven't managed to make many of the actual club events this year, just quite a few of my own Reading drive ones [&:]

garyw · Dec 11, 2009

ORIGINAL: Alex L
Of course nothing this year comes even slightly close to the jaw-dropingly amazing Swiss 08 trip

I was actually going through the photos of the swiss trip and thats what got me thinking about starting this thread [

]
I thought it best to just do a 12 month period though [

]

Me and Jo had quite a long discussion about our results as we did have had some great trips this year considering we had no trip abroad. ( hopefully change that in 2010) as well as yes to Alan that we will hopefully be having a weekend in the South West (its a shame that the Poole event clashes with the Modern cars event [

])

There was also a road on the Reading drive that I really enjoyed but was pipped by the Welsh one mainly to the traffic....[

]

garyw

Alex L · Dec 11, 2009

ORIGINAL: garyw

There was also a road on the Reading drive that I really enjoyed but was pipped by the Welsh one mainly to the traffic....[]

Yes these roads are awesome except when there is a lot of traffic.

You certainly need to go out into the wilderness of Britain a lot further to get some uninterrupted fun.

That B4000 road above I think wasn't included in the run you did with me Gary. That's the road TopGear magazine did their Bugatti Veyron Spyder test run on this summer. I managed to include it on the last run I did with the guys that could make it.

I still think everyone should compile their own list of local great roads, and then maybe we can join them all up somehow for multiple 2010 drives...

bobfair · Dec 11, 2009

I think being a member of this club provides some great oportunities if you are a petrolhead. I have been driven around Millbrook by a Le Mans winner, I have been driven around Spa by a Formla 1 driver, I have been driven around Silverstone by a Carrera Cup winner, I have driven at speed on snow and ice inside the article circle and I loved every minute inside my 997 Turbo on the clubs trackdays and very much enjoyed watching my daughter drive the car at LLandow.

However the highlight for me this year was the visit to Julias house hospice and seeing how generously our memebers gave up their time to create some magic moments for the families there. Most Ferrari owners I know keep their car in a garage and never let anyone near them but Clive did run after run at Julias house so thank you Clive and everyone else who did passenger runs for the families that day in their cars. As a parent I will never forget that moment when the young lady showing us around said "and this is the room where the terminally ill children spend their last few days" when I get mad about things like delayed cars it helps put things in perspective

If 2010 is as much fun as 2009 then it will be a good year

tscaptain · Dec 11, 2009

ORIGINAL: bobfair
As a parent I will never forget that moment when the young lady showing us around said "and this is the room where the terminally ill children spend their last few days" when I get mad about things like delayed cars it helps put things in perspective

Well said that man. A few weeks later we did a similar thing at Little Bridge House near Barnstaple organized by R15. That too is a children's hospice and we keep in touch with one of the families we met there. We had an exchange of e-mails recently and by the time I got to the end of reading the one from Mum I was in tears. Unbelievable courage.

dereksharpuk · Dec 11, 2009

ORIGINAL: tscaptain

ORIGINAL: bobfair
As a parent I will never forget that moment when the young lady showing us around said "and this is the room where the terminally ill children spend their last few days" when I get mad about things like delayed cars it helps put things in perspective

Click to expand...

Well said that man. A few weeks later we did a similar thing at Little Bridge House near Barnstaple organized by R15. That too is a children's hospice and we keep in touch with one of the families we met there. We had an exchange of e-mails recently and by the time I got to the end of reading the one from Mum I was in tears. Unbelievable courage.

I totally concur. How very well said. Gary/Rob... how about doing something for Helen House Childrens Hospice (Oxford) in 2010. The kids there would love our cars. Sending money is great, but actually lots do that. Taking up some of our time would be more appreciated by those kids who are much less fortunate than ours. Let's give a little back. We should!

bobfair · Dec 11, 2009

There were some highlights at Llandow. Watching one of our members attempt the course backwards whilst rotating and the frequent use of the "oh Sh*t" lane but also listening to the glorious sound that Clives car makes

Rodney Naghar · Dec 11, 2009

ORIGINAL: dereksharpuk

ORIGINAL: tscaptain

ORIGINAL: bobfair
As a parent I will never forget that moment when the young lady showing us around said "and this is the room where the terminally ill children spend their last few days" when I get mad about things like delayed cars it helps put things in perspective

Click to expand...

Well said that man. A few weeks later we did a similar thing at Little Bridge House near Barnstaple organized by R15. That too is a children's hospice and we keep in touch with one of the families we met there. We had an exchange of e-mails recently and by the time I got to the end of reading the one from Mum I was in tears. Unbelievable courage.

Click to expand...

I totally concur. How very well said. Gary/Rob... how about doing something for Helen House Childrens Hospice (Oxford) in 2010. The kids there would love our cars. Sending money is great, but actually lots do that. Taking up some of our time would be more appreciated by those kids who are much less fortunate than ours. Let's give a little back. We should!

I think that's a great idea. I would love to be a part of that if no-one minds

garyw · Dec 11, 2009

Derek, If you have some details could you forward them onto me.. I'm sure the members would once again be willing to visit and assist.

As pointed out sending money whist giving you a feel of doing something cannot ever get close to the feeling of 'actually' doing something with our passion and something we are lucky enough to be able to own can give you.

I only hope our visit to Julias on that day gave them as much joy as it gave many of us.[

]

garyw