Kippered - far from it

[keith_h]

The Great Smokie relay is coming to a close even as I type this. The weather has been extremely kind and up to now, apart from Mark Westbrook White snapping off his gear stick and having to limp home with only 2nd and top available all seems to be well. To save the event, Mark, Bob Cawte and I decided to drive up to Lowestoft yesterday so that we could get an early start this a.m.

I put Adrian Bull on my insurance and he came to drive when I didn't feel up to it. I managed to book the 4 of us a 1 day holiday at Pontins, Lowestoft so that we had somewhere to sleep. They wouldn't do it for free but they gave us an evening meal, a packed lunch for breakfast (because we were leaving before breakfast was being served), bed linen and towels all for £30 - plus access to the evenings entertainment which turned out to be none other than Stavros Flatley (a somewhat surreal experience). Jim Marshall joined us at Ness Point this morning and
the Mayor of Lowestoft presented us with the kippr batton and sent us on our way



Passing on the batten at Roxton

[David]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Well done Keith and all.

[Happy_Dave]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Well we made it :-) I'm posting from a phone with poor signal from the aptly named ocean haze hotel near st David's. really good drive yesterday and the weather was extremely kind - only faint rain now. Off for breakfast in a mo then down to the sea again to release the kippers! - unfortunately too late for same day handover, but lots of pics were taken at the destination.

i hope there're lots of pics being uploaded, there should be some cracking on the road shots from the passenger of the red roadster :-)

speak soon
Dave

[listerjp2]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Well done one and all.

I really enjoyed the run and it has now given me extra incentive to finish mine ready for Le Mans Classic next year.

Thanks go to Keith for doing all the hard work and also for letting me drive his Marlin.

I have just had a look at the giving site and we have all raised, so far, £877.88.

I know Keith has to add more so I hope we break the £,1000 barrier.

Adrian

[Mike]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Well done Keith for a superbly organised fun day out for so many Marlin owners, and for such a worthwhile cause.
The attention to detail was never in doubt, but the weather couldn't be guaranteed. Luckily it smiled on us at the start, making it a genuine pleasure to take part, and knowing there was a good cause being supported completed the feel good factor.

Well done to the following relayers - I see that you made it - what time did you arrive in St Davids?

This was my first opportunity to join in a convoy of Marlins, and I loved it.

I was the only new car at Kilverstone, so it was nice to be joined in the car park by a Cabrio (Jim & wife), plus the "pioneers" who had set off from Lowestoft.
Sitting at the back on the second leg from Kilverstone to Roxton, playing "tail-end-Charlie" with 2 roadsters and a Berly in front for 50+ miles was pure pleasure: I had a grin from ear to ear, and from start to finish - I just wished I could have carried on for a few more legs.

It was nice to meet up with fellow members, and see their cars, many of whom I have communicated with via the Forum, and finally put faces to names.

Was it as good as I thought it would be? No - it was better - much better!
Bring on the next opportunity!

Keith, and everyone else who volunteered to make it happen, may I add my thanks to you all.


My only disappointment was that I boobed with the camera so my photos are very poor- hopefully Adrian/Keith/Mark/Bob/Jim/Sue will have more/better examples.

Here are a couple of the better ones:

Kilverstone - 1st handover

IMG_7399[1].JPG


Roxton - 2nd handover

Bob with the "baton"


IMG_7411[1].JPG

The changeover cars at Roxton

IMG_7406[1].JPG


Mike

[listerjp2]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Ok, hopefully these will be ok?

The last one is a Mike GOTCHA
2015-05-30 07.29.53.jpg
The Guys all Kippered up!
2015-05-30 11.15.58.jpg
The Handover at Roxton to Sue
2015-05-30 12.33.23.jpg
Keith Handing over the paper work and Maps to a rather nervous Sue who would take over the lead after this next leg.
2015-05-30 09.43.15.jpg
The Mike Garner GOTCHA, he he

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Well done everyone. I'm gutted that I was unable to take part for various reasons, I know what I've missed having taken part in the pasty run
Well done again.

[djj_engineer]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Glad you all had a good day. Thanks to Keith for organising it

[listerjp2]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Hi all

Jut been on the Giving site we have broken the £1,000 barrier.

£1,017.88

[mark westbrookwhite]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Hi All ,

Thanks to Keith for making this a weekend I will always remember !
I would just like to say a big thank you to the two people at Roxton garden center who although we said at the beginning of the run that it was Top Gear rules (If you break down we leave you behind) they individually offered to drop out of the convoy in order to help me get home.
What a great group of people.
The good news is that My gearbox is fine it was just the bottom of the gear leaver that has snapped off.

Ps. I have a couple of videos of the start so I will get them on here when they eventually upload onto YouTube.

Mark.

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Greetings to all C2C peeps.
Keith,
you made a superb effort with the organisation of the relay and should be justifiably proud of your efforts.

Thanks to all the jolly drivers and crew who drove on our leg(s) from Hereford - Llandovery - St Davids'.
It was a magnificent sight with nine Marlins in an assortment of colours and shapes roaring through the winding Welsh roads. The run has greatly raised the subject of Parkinsons and also brought the Marlin marque to a greater audience en-route and at the changeover points.
It was a shame that we couldn't have a Marlin Owners Club banner with us including the web address but we did what we could by word of mouth.

The other major star was Bob Cawte who drove the entire route. It was only fitting that he was the representative of the owners to hand over the baton to the mayor of St Davids' at Whitesand Bay on the windy Sunday morning. well done Bob.
It was great to catch up with long lost friends on this run. We must do similar again.
Well done all,
Dane.

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Oh, and just to show some of us don't learn from previous mistakes. My face, especially my nose, is very sunburnt despite a full tub of sun block sitting in my glove box. Did the same last June.......idiot!

[keith_h]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Glad you all had a good day. Thanks to Keith for organising it

Thank you for that Derek.

I got the feeling that I was the villain of the peace regarding the promotion of the event. It was bought to my attention that recently there had been all kinds of shenanigans going on on social media sites (which I deliberately stay away from). I came up to the AGM ready to stamp on anything that was raised but as it turned out nothing was put up for discussion.

So, as I say, thank you for your comments and may I suggest that at the next meeting the committee agree a form of words that can be used to show that the club is behind an event but not necessarily responsible for it.

[dave_clutterbuck]

Re: Kippered - far from it

Oh, and just to show some of us don't learn from previous mistakes. My face, especially my nose, is very sunburnt despite a full tub of sun block sitting in my glove box. Did the same last June.......idiot!

Hi Dane when I picked my mate Adrian up in Gloucester his wife gave him suncream and must have told him half a dozen times to wear his hat. We got round the corner he dispensed with the hat and of course forgot about the suncream. You may recall that Adrian is rather bald his wife was totally bemused when I returned him with his head a curious shade of crimson.
Regards
Dave

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Kippered - far from it

I've got a couple of pics prised from the entrails of my truculent Blackberry. Shows our start from Hereford and the end at Whitesands beach East of St Davids.