Sunday 17 July 2011

Damp afternoon in Stoke Row

It wasn’t looking very hopeful as we splashed our way up the country lanes from Reading towards Stoke Row. The village was hosting another of its motorsport days and after last years corking afternoon out we were back for more. The small industrial park, hidden in the village is home to several motorsport and classic car workshops and they all put on a display combined with a classic car show on the village green. As we crested the hill the green was empty but for a handful of modernish sports cars, we were waved on to the grass and asked to park over in the back corner! Were they expecting a sudden influx? Should we have washed the dead insects off from the Camperjam drive? Who knows. We parked and had an indoor picnic as the last of the rain stopped and the sun came out.

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Fed and watered we decided to go for a walk and see the small selection of cars.

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Heading up to the industrial estate the sun was shining and we soon found the rest of the cars from the green. Maybe it wouldn’t be a wasted trip after all.

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In the distance I spotted the familiar outline of the rear end of an F40, it was at this moment that two really large rain drops landed on me and then the heavens opened, no warning, nothing. We were lucky not to all end up like drowned rats in the dash for shelter under the trees. And that’s where we stayed for a good 10 minutes as the cars were washed!

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And then it cleared, the sun came out and the sky was blue for the rest of the day! We were free to wander round once more.

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There was a competition running for quickest pitstop, the cars were wheeled in and the fronts changed, each time the cry of “the locking pins dropped out was yelled” before a winner was declared.

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The local workshops had parked their selection of single seaters and saloons around the site to admire.

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I grabbed a bargain from a trader in the form of the first season of the Dukes of Hazzard on DVD for a fiver and a couple of old Corgi models to adorn the study desk! Then it was time to head off, snapping the cars in the sunshine instead of the rain.

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Even the green had filled up a bit more.

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And with that we loaded up and splashed our way through the flooded lanes home. It wasn’t anywhere as big as last year, but it filled an afternoon in the fresh (if a little damp) air nicely.

The rest of the photos can be found here.

Steve.

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Monday 11 July 2011

Scorching weekend at Camperjam

For the third year in a row we headed North towards Weston Park for the ever growing Camperjam. We’d missed the really cheap tickets as they all 100 sold in minutes, but a birthday present from my brother of a subscription to Camper & Commercial came with a free day ticket, easily upgradeable to a weekend pass for a few quid when I bought the other ticket. Due to bad luck, a holiday and the fact it’s a 300 mile round trip. The usual camping plot was shrunk to just four campers, but it’s the quality not the quantity that counts. With a poor forecast we headed out in convoy with Stu and Millie, again taking the longer way round Birdlip and up the M5 to avoid the British Grand Prix traffic. Rain lashed down most of the way and the view was far from spectacular. We had a mini crisis when Leonard decided that the fast lane wasn’t for him on the M5, and cut out leaving a hairy hazard lit drift to the hard shoulder where a quick check revealed no problems and he restarted and completed the trip without a glitch. Very odd!

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On arrival we joined the short queue to get in and quickly found our pitch for the weekend, it was already occupied by an unknown “cowprint” Bay, we shuffled the vans around to make some space and approached the neighbours, it turned out that Mr Alanbug had invited his nephew and family as well, so all was well and we set up shop for the weekend. The final peg being hammered home as the rain came down once more, it wasn’t looking good for the next three days. In a break in the weather we set off to check out the show grounds, the traders helpfully open all weekend long so we had plenty to see.

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Lily was all smiles as she was wheeled round, ducking into a handy awning as more rain came down.

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Stu spied the perfect kettle for Mikey, the colour match was ideal and he was soon brewing a cuppa.

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Back at camp I reheated the cassoulet made the previous night and we cracked open some cider for tea. Welcoming the last van on the pitch in as Alan arrived.

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With our stomachs full we had an evening wander round the funfair and site before Kim and Lily hit the R’n’R bed for the night and Stu and I chewed the fat till late then turned in, fingers crossed for a break in the weather tomorrow. We weren’t disappointed at all, as the day dawned bright and the sun soon shone down, Lily and me had a play in the awning before a hearty breakfast of bacon sarnies for all.

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Alan and Kaiya settled in for a full English!

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All cleared up it was time to take in the show, it’s a really relaxed affair with couple of aisles of traders and some displays to keep us busy.

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Back at camp we cracked the first cider of the day and had lunch, relaxing under the shelter as the heat really got up. Then it was back out again.

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Oh dear lord!

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Soon it was ice cream time, as we settled in to watch the barefoot chef BBQing away.

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As the others headed back for a snooze I decided to make my yearly hike around the camping areas to see what gems were hidden away in the sea of awnings and Campers. Bumping into Alan we set off, make it down the lake at the far end of the site, a half mile walk from our pitch. Stopping to chat to a lovely copy with an unusual hightopped Bay.

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Back at camp it was BBQ time, with Stu on grill duties as ever (you can’t get the tongs off him!) we feasted on some quality meat and sank a few cold ones.

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Lily was still awake so had a cuddle from Uncle Alan before we captured the group.

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Then it was bed for some and drinkies for others, we nattered till late again before calling it a night.

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Sunday dawned a little overcast, but the sunshine soon burnt through and we were blessed with another gorgeous day. Perfect weather for sitting back and contemplating the world!

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With everything packed away in the vans we set off for the show’n’shine and the traders once more.

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With the sun scorching it was refreshing to catch the spray from the Vanfest T25 fire engine.

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Some caught more than just spray though!

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Stu mucked in to help pack away and Lily and me just couldn’t resist the opportunity to dress up and have fun.

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After watching Alan and Kaiya in the dog competition (you were robbed!) we grabbed lunch and a final walk round the traders and show vans before heading for the plot for one last time.

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With the final bits packed away we said our goodbyes and joined the queue to get out.

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Hitting the road home we took the long way again to avoid the traffic and made it as far as Membury before Lily decided she was going to wake up hungry so we had a pitstop and a photoshoot with a couple of heavy hitters, one much bigger than us!.

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Then it was time for the last leg to home, before the big unpack/tea/washing/bed routine. Once again Camperjam gave us the most chilled and relaxed weekend of the calendar, no rushing around, no schedule to keep, just a few good friends and some cider to enjoy in the sunshine surrounded by some fine vans. 2012 is already pencilled in the diary.

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The rest of the photos are here

Steve.

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