The Bug Club proved this venue had the merits promised before the previous Noah special rather spoilt things. So that was, for me, the key thing and a vindication of much work.
Within the limitations of this traditional form of Rally it was very good managing a believed 161 cars attending (Statistics to be cross referenced as the organisers deserved to enjoy as much of the goings on as poss rather than getting technical in a tent). As good as it gets these days I would think. Too many reasons to state why but the world is different to that we rallied in 25 years ago. This evidenced by the attention to detail required by organisers with additional toilets, fire positions etc. Example Jeff Ellis trotting round the site at one point politely cutting short chats with 'I've got to go and fill the toilets up.' I thought 'What by your self!' but of course he meant the chemicals and bog rolls. Years ago this was not even on the radar and the judgement of natural activities was evidence by the variable speeds of ant columns of folk moving between the nearest facility or larger building of the venue and helped keep us all fit or it exemplified the added benefits of a working Microcar. I would hope no one complained about these sort of issues this year. If there were organisational probs the majority were not aware of them so a good job done. The compact rally field made pictures of individual cars a little difficult but it did mix folk up which is, I feel, a great bonus and dilutes marque bores. The high spot for me though was nothing to do with the cars but the presence of the Marshalls with good news. So many friends but my absence and inactivity over recent years means there was a huge number of people who I had no idea who they were. So if I could make a suggestion it would be could we have name labels next time, like in Holland. These can double as a rally plaque and are far more useful than those, unless like me you use the thin ali ones as filler applicators.
My only complaint was that I seem to have now paid an excessive amount for what was latter classed as 'The Worst Car at the Show'. Not sure if this pleased Stuart, who was near chucking the car in the ditch at one point in an effort to improve its ergonomics, more than it 'annoyed' me since there was a load of road worthy noshers present far more suited to this honour. The Bamby is practically original throughout and in fact fettled a potential outright concours winner! Maybe there is a challenge there! Clearly the UFO prize has become subject to ever more complex political problems from the days I last won it with a very original unrestored road legal Nobel and for much the same reasons I expect. The depth of filler on noshers is in direct inverse proportion to the thinness of the skins of the owners who have no sense of humour and often as not a jolly fine campervan spread loosely in a yonder field twice the size of that of the stars of the show, the microcars cars, cheek by jowl. (It was commented on even if it mattered not to the traditional Micronaut who is, of course, used to second best. This while enjoying the odd quiet tea in the peace and tranquillity of the area of autojumble stands including the two Schmitt clubs far from the madding crowd next to the museum buildings, oh dear, glum chums with few takers and less sales). Sad as it has made the UFO award less appropriate even if it is still a bit of fun. Perhaps the theft of the original plank of wood years ago is a blessing after all! Hey ho satirical chums!
