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Reflections on the 2008 trip to Le Mans
Well the weather was better than last year but not as good as 2006. The race was also a good one,
although the real action seemed to take place at a time when we were all tucked up asleep in our sleeping bags. We had
the biggest trun out yet - 3 cars - and the vinyl 'decals' for the cars and the t-shirts were an improvement on previous years.
The first evening was spent in Poole. Never again. On the second day #1 managed to do 'a Hamilton' in the queue
for the ferry at Portsmouth (sorry - Poole - it should have been Portsmouth but #3 managed to book the wrong one - he blames
the travel agents, but we know different). No damage done though. We took the usual route from Cherbourg,
stopping at the usual service station for fuel and power steering lubricant (as you do). A new event for 2008 was
lunch at La Tete au Loup nr. Argentan. We had seen this place on previous trips but usually on the return trip to Cherbourg
on the Monday morning. Each year we agreed that we would return the following year for lunch on the way down - and each
year we managed to go a different way and miss it. This year we managed to get there - just too late for the lunchtime
sitting - but our French interpreter managed to sweat-talk the lady owner and the chef and we were provided with
a 4 course lunch that was fabulous. The best food we were likely to get for the next few days! Arrival
at the official camp site was via the usual route - approaching Le Mans from the south to miss all the traffic and
we were given a nice little plot all of our own near the 'catering facilities'. Thursday evening was spent as usual
in the village and in the grandstand watching night practise. Friday went according to plan also with a stroll
around the pits in the morning and a drive around as much of the circuit as possible (dodging gendarmes and road closures)
with a cheeky beer in the hunaudiares bar on the Mulsanne Straight. Again, as usual, Friday evening was spent at the
barbeque where wewere able to quiz our new friend (brother of one of the Chumleys) on how exactly Chumley #1 manages to have
a GT3 and a DB9 and yet still pretend to work. After watching the support race of amazing Group C sports cars in the
morning we got into position for the start of the real race at 3pm with our now customary picnic on the Porsche curves.
Our French interpreter was feeling the pace and decided to watch the start of the race from the comfort of a chair in the
TV tent. [Witnesses later informed us that he slept through it all!] After much wine, beer and 'nibbles' it was
time for 'the long walk' - again our customary walk from the Porsche Curves to The Village, Tetre Rouge and back to the Campsite
at the Porsche Curves about 7 hours later - stopping off for one of those huge meals, beer, wine, a brief stop at the 'gig'
(Starsailor this year) followed by Crepes, beer and the annual game of who can fall asleep last whilst sitting on the concrete
steps on the start/finish straight. p.s. Our interpreter was already in his bed (at 9pm). Back at the tents (at
about 2:30am) we all agreed to be up at sunrise. And then it started to rain. Sunrise came and went and still
it was raining. Eventually one or two members of the team managed to drag themselves up to the Porsche curves but not
for long. Breakfast was needed. As the sun came out the rest of the morning is a bit of a blur but I think it
was spent sunbathing (sleeping in the open air) before we drove round to Arnage for the last 3 hours. We tried to go
to Mulsanne Corner instead but it was too complicated. This is the hard part - the race is almost over and yet it seems
like it has only just started. Where did the time go? Who is winning which class? What are Peugeot trying
to do? Why are they so bad at pit-stops? Why did they send their best car out on slicks in a thunderstorm?
Why does it have to rain near the end? And then it is all over for another year. The marshalls wave their multi-coloured
flags and we all tramp back to the cars, tired and a little somber. Back at the camp site we wander over to the 'catering
facilities' to see if the jovial host will tell us a few more of his jokes. And then a conversation starts up - how
about we 'break camp' and drive north to find a campsite closer to Cherbourg so we don't have to leave at 5am tomorrow?
After some debate, it is agreed that we will 'go for it'. Our French interpreter (fresh from a weekend
of sleep) books us into 'a Chateau' for the evening. All we have to do is decamp before it starts to rain. And
then it starts to rain. We say our goodbyes, are amused by #3's joke-shop exhaust whistle (!) and set off. We
eventually find some fuel and head North arriving at Le Chateau de Martragny just too late for dinner as the restaurant has
just closed. In steps our (rested) interpreter again and we soon have beef stew, beer and wine - and a TV to watch the
Euro 2008 football. The morning starts with a great breakfast in the dining room of the Chateau and a photo-shoot before
a dash to the supermarket for more wine and a dash to the ferry. #1 manages to not repeat his Hamilton moment and we
all board the ferry promising to do it all again next year. Back in the UK we are reminded how over-populated this small
island is - and how bad the reads are. #2 decides to take a slightly different route but we all land safely back in
Cheshire as planned.
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