WELSH WEEKEND MEETING 3rd and 4th June 2006

[exdos]

All of you who have said you are coming to the Welsh Weekend Meeting on 3rd and 4th June 2006, please check your emails. I have just sent out the route and instructions to you all. Please reply by email to me if you have any questions.

[exdos]

We have one spare place available for this meeting due to one member cancelling. Would anyone care to join us? If so, please send me a PM for further details.

[Neil_M]

''

[exdos]

I know

[Trundler]

Do any of the southern based ZMC'ers that are going to the Welsh weekend fancy convoying?

:idea: As part of Oxford/A40 is being dug up, I was going to head along the M4 to Swindon, then up through Chelt and on to Tewkesbury, leaving the Junc 8/9 M4 area at about 8:00-8:15, as we need to be assembled at Tewkes for a 10:00 depart ... :?:

So far the convoyers are made up of 'The Animal' and .... myself!! :D
Anymore :?:

[j1muv]

Sorry but I think we're going to spend Friday night in Cheltenham or Hereford/Ross On Wye.

[Lee]

Do any of the southern based ZMC'ers that are going to the Welsh weekend fancy convoying?

:idea: As part of Oxford/A40 is being dug up, I was going to head along the M4 to Swindon, then up through Chelt and on to Tewkesbury, leaving the Junc 8/9 M4 area at about 8:00-8:15, as we need to be assembled at Tewkes for a 10:00 depart ... :?:

So far the convoyers are made up of 'The Animal' and .... myself!! :D
Anymore :?:

we will be travelling from London.... not sure of the best route?? but I am sure it will be on the M4!

[Trundler]

Sorry but I think we're going to spend Friday night in Cheltenham or Hereford/Ross On Wye.
Lived in Chelty for 5 years, highly recommended for an over nighter!

[Trundler]

not sure of the best route?? but I am sure it will be on the M4!
My usual route from Marlow to Chelt is the M40, A40 (takes about 65-75 mins) but the A40 is being 'tweaked', and there is about an hours delay due to the road works.
An alternative is to take the M4 to Junc 15, then the A419 to Chelt. Once in Chelt there are a few routes to get to the Little Chef meet point.

[j1muv]

Sorry but I think we're going to spend Friday night in Cheltenham or Hereford/Ross On Wye.
Lived in Chelty for 5 years, highly recommended for an over nighter!

Thanks Trundler...my company's HQ is in Cheltenham and I've done a few overnighters there. Can you suggest anywhere to stay, things to do, places to eat?

[BEN]

i might be, just depends if i can get the MC, will know in the next day or so, if i do ill join up for a convoy!

exdos ill let you know ASAP whats going on!

dont really want steve1 on his own!

[Trundler]

Chelt entertainments - there's plenty, but I'll PM to stop the thread from wandering!! :D

[steve1]

Just remember chaps, go easy on the pop, you have to drive the following day, ( bloody hell, you can tell I'm the wrong side of 21!! )

Steve.

[j1muv]

Just remember chaps, go easy on the pop, you have to drive the following day, ( bloody hell, you can tell I'm the wrong side of 21!! )

Steve.

What do you mean drive....I thought we were going to stand around in a car park admiring the machinery :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

[steve1]

Just remember chaps, go easy on the pop, you have to drive the following day, ( bloody hell, you can tell I'm the wrong side of 21!! )

Steve.

What do you mean drive....I thought we were going to stand around in a car park admiring the machinery :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

You,ve been looking at Lee's pictures again, ( sorry, couldn't resist it ).

Steve.

[BEN]

well im not gonna have the car in time, so have fun guys, looking at each others machinary! :wink:

[Neil_M]

''

[exdos]

Seems there's no way back for me then, but that's a no brainer.

Thanks girls :)


Please Note
The above posting was made by NeilM then deleted after this reply was posted.

Neil,

You chose to act the way that you did in March and now you may be able to act as if nothing happened, but for most other individuals, including me, we find it difficult to pretend that there is no "history" attached to you if we meet you in person. It's hard enough making the peace with your wife when you've had an argument and it's far harder making friends again with people you know less well than 'er indoors. You must accept that although we "know" each other in the "virtual world" of this forum, in truth we are all strangers to each other when we meet. You surely must have fallen out with people before and vow never to speak to each other again. Why should things be so different for you on this forum? The ownership of an MC doesn't mean that we should suspend normal social consequences of our actions.

It's often said that you only get one chance to create a first impression, and you blew it when you had your "moment" in March. You have given us all the impression that you are a "loose cannon" which might go off at any moment in time, and many of us are fearful that you might "let loose" again in our presence during the weekend which would certainly spoil things for everyone else. Since most of us participants are strangers to each other, we have no way of knowing what you are really like in the real world, so most of us are very much on our guard against you, even though we all might have completely formed the wrong impression of you. I am sincerely sorry that the situation has developed this way for you, and if you had bethought yourself before you decided to "kick-off" back in March, then none of this would've happened.

Your "Thanks girls" comment is absolutely unnecessary and clearly is further proof of your "loose cannon" traits which shows us that you really do lack the social graces to be readily accomodated into a group social situation. You are so ready to issue insults when things do not go your way. Do you suffer from Asperger's Syndrome? (That is a serious question)

Edit See the note above. Clearly NeilM has "reverted to type" by deleting his posts again. We were clearly right in refusing him to join us.

[Neil_M]

''

[exdos]

I do not support or endorse the opinions of the Z3MCoupe cult within this forum

Would anyone believe we actually wasted our time by seriously discussing the possibility of including NeilM in the group of participants for the Welsh Weekend :?: :roll: :roll: :roll: :x :shock: :!: :!: :!:

This guy must be given an ASBO on this forum

[j1muv]

You,ve been looking at Lee's pictures again, ( sorry, couldn't resist it ).


Damn right...it's my PC desktop. Might get some T-shirts made up with the photos too...anyone want one?
:lol: :lol: :lol:

[BenH]

not sure of the best route?? but I am sure it will be on the M4!
My usual route from Marlow to Chelt is the M40, A40 (takes about 65-75 mins) but the A40 is being 'tweaked', and there is about an hours delay due to the road works.
An alternative is to take the M4 to Junc 15, then the A419 to Chelt. Once in Chelt there are a few routes to get to the Little Chef meet point.

Trundler, Lee, j1muv et al - I also live in Cheltenham! Let me know if you still want any info jimbo (I won't be 'avin it large myself, though!).

Would be good to convoy up to Tewkesbury - not too early, mind (not long from here).

Trundler - very interested to read your A40 post - I use that route down to London and am going down this saturday leaving Chelt about 10am. Would we be better off avoiding at that time of day (I've been through a few months ago and it was 40ish for a few miles but not an hour's delay)?

Cheers

[pdwarren]

Trundler - very interested to read your A40 post - I use that route down to London and am going down this saturday leaving Chelt about 10am. Would we be better off avoiding at that time of day (I've been through a few months ago and it was 40ish for a few miles but not an hour's delay)?


Yep - avoid it at all costs. I live just round the corner from this and it's a nightmare. I know of a 3.5 hour journey from Witney to Oxford (that's all of 10 miles). It's calmed down a little bit now, but I'd still avoid it. I'd either blat up the A34 (they've finished buggering that one up now), or come off the Oxford Ring Road at the Marston turning, go through Elsfield and then rejoin the A40 at Forest Hill.

Paul

[Trundler]

A40 - all I know is the traffic reports of the A40 in Ox (near the McDonalds r/about) and its supposed to be a nightmare.
Friends from Chelt came through at 6pm last sat eve and the traffic was terrible ...

Convoy - I was going to head through Chelt, then through B/Cleeve, and have a quick hack around the 'seven bends' (brings you out by the army base) into the back of Tewkes, I used enjoy that little blast!

[exdos]

Trundler, if you are intending coming via the A40 through Burford, why not get a bit of warm-up practice by going through Burford to Stow-on-the-Wold on the A424 then take the B4077 which will bring you directly to the meeting place? This is one of my very favourite driving routes.

[sibeck]

Hi just wondered is it possible to just drop in on this meet ? I have a 6 month old daughter and there's no way id leave her overnight yet but id luv to come meet some other mc owners even for a couple of hours maybe ? Where is the meet starting ?

[exdos]

Hi just wondered is it possible to just drop in on this meet ? I have a 6 month old daughter and there's no way id leave her overnight yet but id luv to come meet some other mc owners even for a couple of hours maybe ? Where is the meet starting ?
I'm afraid it's all or nothing, because we've got various arrangements booked en route.

Can't you leave your baby with her mother rather than leaving the baby alone all night :?: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[sibeck]

I could leave her , if i wanted to sleep on the sofa for maybe 6 to 12 months :lol: Maybe next time , are there any other meet's planned for the near future ???1 day evnts ? Unofficial meets ???

[exdos]

I could leave her , if i wanted to sleep on the sofa for maybe 6 to 12 months :lol: Maybe next time , are there any other meet's planned for the near future ???1 day evnts ? Unofficial meets ???
sibeck,

Sorry to seem a bit unfriendly, but moving a large group of motorists from A to Z over 2 days and keeping to a schedule takes quite a bit of organising.

You don't want to be on that sofa otherwise your daughter will have no siblings :wink:

All our meetings are "unofficial". There will be other meetings this year. Keep 'em peeled.

[Trundler]

Exdos,
I think that i'm goning to leave the A40 alone, as Oxford traffic is troublesome, but if I come up from the M4 on the A419, and though Chelt I can 'warm up the tyres' on a nice bit of twisty, just East of the meet point. 8)
Agreed the route you have descibed is good - I got married at Wyck Hill House, which is on that route ... just don't tell 'Mrs T' that that was a (small ish) percentage of the appeal!!! :D

[exdos]

Trundler,

How about taking the A44 from Oxford then to Moreton in Marsh then either go to Stow and then the B4077, or, alternatively go to Broadway enter the town (rather than the through route) and then take the B4632 (an awesome stretch especially driven in the opposite direction) to the first roundabout and then join the B4077. Either way excellent fun routes.

[Greenbat]

Just checked the weather forecast and both Saturday and Sunday are just beautiful.

I was dreading a wet weekend.

Greenbat

[exdos]

Greenbat,

I can pick the weather :wink:

The last Welsh Weekend (September 2005) we had one wet day and one dry day. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely. You shouldn't dread the wet, you just need experience of driving in it.

The whole point of our meets (Welsh or otherwise) is for you to come and meet with other drivers of all abilities and have some fun and learn about yourself and your car at the same time. When you drive with another driver who is more experienced than yourself, then you'll find that some of it will rub off on you. You'll be a far better driver on Sunday afternoon when we all depart than you will be on Saturday morning when you arrive.

As it happens you will be paired, at least for a while, with someone who is an instructor for BMWCC at the Nurburgring - what more could you ask for :?: 8)

[Trundler]

... someone who is an instructor for BMWCC at the Nurburgring - what more could you ask for :?: 8)

Is she good looking?? :D

[exdos]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Greenbat]

As it happens you will be paired, at least for a while, with someone who is an instructor for BMWCC at the Nurburgring - what more could you ask for :?: 8)

Nice one, looking forward to it even more. Yeah I dread the MC in wet conditions. I had a 3.0ltr M3 and that was a bit more controllable in the wet. TheMC is just too much of a handful so I would love some practical and theretical tuition.

Cheers

Greenbat

[Trundler]

If any of the southern based attendees of the Welsh Weekend fancy travelling in convoy over to Tewkesbury, The Animal & I are meeting at Reading Sevices (petrol station area) at about 8:00 for a get away at 8:15.

I can pm my mob no. to interested parties if req'd. :?:

Cheers,
Nick

[Lee]

If any of the southern based attendees of the Welsh Weekend fancy travelling in convoy over to Tewkesbury, The Animal & I are meeting at Reading Sevices (petrol station area) at about 8:00 for a get away at 8:15.

I can pm my mob no. to interested parties if req'd. :?:

Cheers,
Nick

I will be there at 8, where in Reading is the services??

Cheers

Lee

[Nessamot II]

I will join as well. Just let me know the exit of the M4 (10, 11 or 12?) for the services

Kind rgds

[Trundler]

In the petrol station area.
The services are between junctions 11 & 12.

[Lee]

In the petrol station area.
The services are between junctions 11 & 12.

see you there, really looking forward to it now!

[Trundler]

In an effort to warm us up, and to scrub off Lee and I's new tyres ( :twisted: ), I have a little route in mind that should be a little more entertaining than just the m/way and dual carriage way.
We have to use the M4 & then the A419, but there is a nice route into the SE corner of Chelt, and with little effort we can almost bypass Chelt and head onto Tewkes ....

[maahny]

Might be joining you guys. Not sure what route we are taking yet. Will have to speak to my navigator later on.

[Trundler]

Just be aware of the roadworks in Oxford/on the A40.

[maahny]

Just be aware of the roadworks in Oxford/on the A40.

Ah ok. I think thats the way we would have been coming from. Will bear it in mind. Nick what part of Bucks are you from?

[Trundler]

Marlow, and would have normally gone up the M40/A40 ...

[maahny]

Navigator tells me we are going towards Milton Keynes and cutting across the top so I'll see you guys there.

[Nessamot II]

In the petrol station area.
The services are between junctions 11 & 12.

See you at exit 11.5 :wink: @ 8.00.

regards

[Chris H]

Have a great weekend guys - looks like you'll have the weather for it.

Wish I could be there :cry:

[Trundler]

Its going to be awful - you wouldn't have enjoyed it.
I'm mean fast cars, good roads, great weather - I'm only going because I need to break some new tyres in ...
:D

[j1muv]

Great minds....I also have new boots!

Thanks for the info on Cheltenham Trundler & BenH. See you all tomorrow (if I can get the TomTom itinerary loaded :lol: :lol: )

[Greenbat]

Hello guys I think I'm probably the 1st one to get home.

From joining the A49 there was so much traffic that it put a downer on what has been a great weekend.

Really enjoyed meeting everyone and what can I say about the weekend? Absolutely brilliant! Everything from the group to the planning, hotel etc were all top class.

Exdos, don't pair me with a novice next year cos I was so much focused on the road and learning from ZZZEMMCO that I could not observe the directions

Thanks guys

Greenbat

[BenH]

5pm return to Cheltenham may have been even earlier! Fab time as standard - respect to the Dutch grand masters! :D

My milometer made me smile as I pulled into the garage - what a way to have celebrated the car's 8th 10,000 mile birthday! See:
http://www.z3mcoupe.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=931&sort=1&cat=517&page=1

Sorry to hear about Trundler's bad luck - hope you got home alright and the missus is feeling ok? :cry:

[steve1]

As per usual, absolutely bloody awesome, good to meet fresh blood as well, it just doesn't get any better, ( maybe if all the co*ks were off the road, it might get better ), but you still rinsed a few, didn't you animal.
Hope everyone got home alright, and we will meet up again very soon, off to have a bite to eat now and then watch the rest of top gear, ( bloody amateurs that lot :twisted: )

Steve.

[maahny]

What can I say?! Simply awesome. Great roads, good driving and excellent company. Thanks for making my dad welcome. He really enjoyed himself and gave my car a good thrashing!

Was good to meet up the some new faces as well as the old. Can't wait for the next one. Europe here we come!! :D

[THE ANIMAL]

Great weekend great too meet you all enjoyed every minute of it great company thanks all and one last thing the looks in those sheep’s faces priceless. :evil: :twisted: :evil:

[exdos]

As always, a thoroughly brilliant weekend :!:

It's great to meet up with members who I've met before and who have become real friends and it's also nice to welcome some new faces who will also become friends. For me our meets are what this forum and the MC are all about. Absolutely tremendous driving with Lee and THE ANIMAL :!: :twisted:

[Trundler]

Well I eventually made it home at 8pm on the back of a truck, not the ending that I wanted.... :(

After leaving the hotel, Dave & I took a de-tour through 'the' Llanddewi Brefi (of Little Britain fame) for photos, and it was on the road from there to Lampter, the (foot-down-have-it) spirit was strong :twisted: and took a corner a little close, clipped a rock and punctured a rear.

The rest of my day was a sordid tale of remote Wales, Sunday, no tyres within 2 hours and slightly dodgy service from the RAC. :roll:

Had a blast, great roads and a great group to do it with.

:arrow: and .....

One good thing to come out of the situation; The guy who recovered me home was a car nut, and knows a chap who has a new, little known race circuit, not 10mins from where I broke down. (a favourite with Caterham owners apparently).
I have all the telephone numbers required for an afternoon's blat at the circuit and for a stay over, at 2 local pubs.
And its £1 a lap .... :D

I'll ring the circuit owner to get more detail and sort something out for a group, maybe September time ... .. . :?:

[exdos]

Trundler,

Glad you got home safely albeit late. That'll teach you to stick to the route in future :wink:
Dave said you enjoyed the hospitality of a very nice couple :D

Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining: the remote Welsh track would be very nice to incorporate into a weekend.

The stay at somewhere different also appeals to me too. I've just sent a letter to the owner of our hotel expressing my disgust at the way they tried to set me up and embarrass me into paying one cancellation fee as well as my accommodation. I've calculated that I've generated a total of £2,300 worth of business for that hotel in the last 13 months and not had a penny's worth of commission (not that I expect any, because I've organised a cheaper rate for all the group instead), then they treated me like that.

[Trundler]

Due to the RAC's policy on recovering vehicles with no spare wheel, I was offered one tyre (from Bridgend - approx 2hours away) at a cost of £120 + vat + £75 fitting .... :shock:
It took the best part of 2 hours to convince them I need 2 tyres or recovery. They eventually agreed on recovering the vehicle.
It was 3 hours from initial call to collection ... :(

As for getting lost - blame Dave's sat-nav. If I hadn't turned us around, neither of us would have been seen again!! :)

And while I awaited collection, I chilled out in the sun (a little pink this a.m :oops:), and ate a great lunch prepared by the lady of the house! Afterwards I ended up helping her husband dismantle a garden shed!!
All very bizarre, but they could not have been friendlier!

[exdos]

And while I awaited collection, I chilled out in the sun (a little pink this a.m :oops:), and ate a great lunch prepared by the lady of the house! Afterwards I ended up helping her husband dismantle a garden shed!!
All very bizarre, but they could not have been friendlier!

It all sounds like it could fit somewhere in "The League of Gentleman" :lol: :lol: Are you local?
We already know the Benjamin character :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[ZZZEMMCO]

Good to meetup with new drivers and old timers.Hope all enjoyed their particular favourite sections.Many thanks to Exdos for all the arrangements and plans, we all appreciate the time it takes.

Look forward to perhaps another progress drive later in year.

[Trundler]

ZZZEMMCO,
Would be very interested in the BMWGB event at Silverstone - please let me/us know how we can get involved.

Cheers,
Nick

[BenH]

And while I awaited collection, I chilled out in the sun (a little pink this a.m :oops:), and ate a great lunch prepared by the lady of the house! Afterwards I ended up helping her husband dismantle a garden shed!!
All very bizarre, but they could not have been friendlier!

It all sounds like it could fit somewhere in "The League of Gentleman" :lol: :lol: Are you local?
We already know the Benjamin character :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Would you quit it, you :wink:
My abiding memories of the weekend might be the awesome drives, but Exdos' league of gentlemen impressions will come a close second :lol: :lol:

Look forward to meeting again later in the year (if at all possible, could we make it well before or else after 11 September :oops: - thanks)

[THE ANIMAL]

Well my poor mcoupe is in need of some serious tlc the front spoiler is totally buggerd stone and sand rashed to hell after cleaning it you can see it needs a re spray and 10 mins from home my clutch started to go.

[martlet]

As for getting lost - blame Dave's sat-nav. If I hadn't turned us around, neither of us would have been seen again!! :)
I'm afraid that John Cleese was guilty as charged… the detour had a couple of nice roads, so it would have been great (if the incident hadn't occurred). Glad you got home ok, if somewhat late.

As in the past, a thoroughly enjoyable day, reinforcing once again the need for more money to be spent on raising my confidence in the car… that is, I need more training, the car is still way more competent than I am. This was amply demonstrated in my last blat attempting to stay somewhere close the Steve and Maahny (I ended up nowhere close :oops: ). Shortly after that I went off route (intentionally this time!) and went past the ancestral home (sadly no longer in the family) and over a few of the roads that I remembered from fifty years ago on a bicycle (and a Morris 8 ).

Again, thanks to exdos for putting together a cracking weekend, and great to meet everyone.

[exdos]

Well my poor mcoupe is in need of some serious tlc the front spoiler is totally buggerd stone and sand rashed to hell after cleaning it you can see it needs a re spray and 10 mins from home my clutch started to go.

So both you and Lee buggered your clutches after driving with me :!: :!: :shock: :evil:

[THE ANIMAL]

I dont think the 3 hrs of standstill traffic on the M4 and M40 and north circ helped especially after having caned the poor thing hard all morning and not letting it cool down properly.

[j1muv]

I would like to thank Exdos for organising such a great weekend. Lesa and I enjoyed ourselves so much and are still reminiscing about it!

A massive thanks to ZZZEMMCO for his flawless leadership through the twisties. I can not believe that we could have such different driving styles...I have learnt so much. I find myself mimicking ZZZEMMCO in my daily driving now - just keeping speed around corners and using the revs rather than changing ever two seconds. Hopefully next time my fuel consumption will be on par with ZZZEMMCO rather than me playing red-light bingo and him having half a tank left :roll:

Thanks to Greenbat and Rachael too for making up the three. I couldn't have asked for more.

Finally, as some of you know, I was thinking about garaging my baby and getting a runabout for the week (Clio 172 or something). I was hoping that this would be Lesa's car and mine would be a weekend play thing. She thinks she's found the car that suits her and for me to use during the week....an M Coupe :lol: :twisted: :twisted:
So....if anyone is selling an Estoril or Silver M Coupe for £15k or less please let me know.

[Rags]

good luck finding one of those :lol:

[maahny]

2 M Coupes. Thats plain greedy James! :twisted:

You'll have to compete with Rags and Kevs in finding one. The hunt is on!