The Summer Slam at the Ace Cafe

For the last couple of years the Ace Café has been taken over a month or so before the Retro Rides show by the Summer Slam, a chance to advertise the show and get together ready for a weekend of Retro fun. This year Kim decided to join me, the lure of funky rides was too much to resist (as was the scampi and chips!)



We parked up outside and nattered to a few Rrers whilst snapping at the wide variety of cars that had made the trip on a Saturday evening.











With rumbling bellies we nabbed a table inside and ordered, window seats giving a great view of the arriving cars. The Ace served up the usual fine plate of grub, washed down with a cold one.



Then it was back into the carpark for a look round again.





The infamous “Kev From Wales” arrived in his beast of a pickup and promptly filled four spaces.





Ed left his usual four wheeled transport behind in favour of two and added a rather camp mince to his stride!



Kim took up guard in front of the camper to let the bump rest.



The cars spilled out into the road as well.





RR can be very set in “scene” or occasionally steal from many facets of the RR world. Mercedes caps and a subway grab handle styled VW badge on this Golf worked really well together.





Risking life and limb for American RRer Norm, I scaled a rickety fence post to get an elevated view of the meet.





With darkness coming we decided to head home, Kim snoozing in the front seat by the time we hit the M40 I got a fantastic sunset to drive into. Bring on the Gathering in August, I need another RR hit!

The rest of the photos can be found here .

Steve.

Chilled weekend at Camperjam

Back in October last year the first batch of Camperjam tickets went on sale, “Jammy Tickets” were only £15, half the normal price and only 100 would be available. Following 2009s fantastic weekend of cider and laughs we wanted more so I nabbed four tickets so we could take our friends Fiona & Phil as a Christmas Present, little did we know that by the time the show rolled round Kim would be 31 weeks pregnant, but that didn’t stop us!

Organised by the people behind VW Camper & Commercial magazine, the show is set in the grounds of Weston Park in Shropshire. Theres a five minute drive from the main road to the camping areas so theres no noise apart from the thousands of others campers enjoying themselves!

A handy search online revealed bad delays on the M40, so in convoy with Stu & Emily and Malcs, Georgie & Molly we set off West towards Swindon to loop round the long way to the M5, stopping off at feeding time at the stunningly beautiful Birdlip.



By late afternoon we were parked up in Westin Park for the next three days, the pitch wasn’t the biggest, but with the big shelter in the middle we fitted the Campers round the outside adding Frank, Yen & Sammy to the group of happy campers.









Having set up and eaten we wandered off to the traders, unlike some shows they are open till 10pm from the Friday, so we hunted some bargains and mingled with the thousands of other VW owners enjoying the warm evening.



Before cracking open a cold one and relaxing round the camp to natter till late when the R&R beds called.



Saturday dawned sunny and warm, this was going to be a hot weekend! After the usual fry up we made for the show ground and more shopping, camper watching and laughs.







No trip camping is complete without a visit to Crazy Udder for a smoothie or a shake.





Jealous of my fine headgear purchased at Big Bang earlier in the year, Stu went one horn better!



Molly seemed to be enjoying her first camping experience.



Refreshed after a bite to eat and a sit down we ventured out once more to the show’n’shine, amongst the categories were Emergency vehicles.









Into the kids tent Emily and Sammy entered the colouring competition…..and as there was an adult section as well, so did I.





With the others back at camp again I took the opportunity to wander off round the rest of the site, the campers stretched for a long way and I didn’t see it all, but here are some highlights.











By the time I got back the BBQ was in full swing, with a mountain of meat and some token salad shared out to feed the masses.



Fed and watered we again headed off, this time to the funfair, with a Sixteen Stone Pig belting out songs in the background we rode some rides.











Worn out we made our way to camp to sit and chill under the shelter and talk twaddle as we always seem to do, the cider flowed (and so did the orange squash!) and we retired to bed again. Up with the larks again Fiona did us proud with a fry up.



And we packed away the various awnings saying farewell to Fiona & Phil and Frank & Family, the rest of us went back to the show’n’shine for “Five Generations of Camper”











A final trip to Crazy Udder and we were ready to head home.



Our little convoy heading South once more, avoiding the Silverstone traffic and making good time home, we unpacked, tired but happy. Camperjam is a brilliant event, some great traders, stunning show vans, good entertainment and a wonderful setting in the parkland, roll on 2011.

Thanks for looking, the rest of the photos are here.

Steve.