Ready for the off

The Nasc run Springnats is held at the fantastic setting of Drayton Manor Theme park,. It has got to be the best setting for a family Rod Run in the UK. There is free entry for all weekend participants, all weekend, which would cost a fortune on its own. Masses of eating and take away restaurants within a mile or so, perfect camping facilities, great club house, brilliant atmosphere and good company, with no hassle and no knob heads…a few weirdo’s granted, but no knob heads ;o)

Well that’s the scene set, now let me tell you about the weekend from my perspective.

The dogs Frankie and Tess, love going off with us in the Truck and caravan. So as soon as the truck doors were open they were in and you can tell by their faces they really are hoping they are coming with us and not going to the kennels instead this time.

I had the truck/caravan almost loaded and ready to go by Thursday evening, so just needed to add the frozen grub,beer, and dog stuff early Friday morning ready for the off by 6.15am.

Just some of the gear we have to take.

Bad photo but even the caravan gets loaded to the hilt, more weight = less mpg but try telling that to my Mrs.

It was pissing down, but we were off and excited, I love driving the Truck so the drive down is always total pleasure. I have just had the gearbox rebuilt so was even better. We hadn’t done 10miles though when Pudzz thought he had a problem, on quick inspection his newly fitted shox had snapped??? So he chose to drop his caravan in a lay bye and go back home and get his daily. His daughters and boyfriends stayed and looked after the caravan. while me being a good friend fuked off and left them to it ;o)….. Well I did have to get the caravan set up at Drayton and a very large tent for my very large daughter who is 8month pregnant which will take us ages to get all sorted so off we went. My daughter and Boyfriend were to follow down later as he had to work until dinner time (lunch time for you posh folk).

Truck ran like a dream as usual, though oil pressure seems to have dropped over the years and the LPG gauge decided to not play ball apart from that all was hunky dory.

Once at Drayton, we were met by the very friendly and helpful NASC crew and soon were in search of the best place to pitch the tent and caravan. At the bottom of the hill most places were taken. Half way up the spaces weren’t quite big enough for us all and at the top it can get to windy and is to far away from the toilet and shower block. So up and round the bend we went. Until we were right down the bottom of the extra field. The weather was great, as we had left the crappy rain back up north. Finally we agreed on one perfect pitch where we would all fit and was close enough for the showers etc and shelter from the wind.

It wasn’t long before Pudzz arrived and we were still trying to erect camp Holmes. In fact Pudzz like a military machine has his camp set up and was sat having a cold one, watching me and my Mr’s still messing even though we had an hours start on him and his crew. It would be a further hour before, we finally got our camp all set up and before I got my well earned cold cider, boy did it taste good.

We sat round Pudzz camp and had a craic over a cider or three. I put my ghetto blaster on but there was only me who appreciated some Rammstein with my cider, so I put some Psycobilly on.. again only me liked it ;o(….. I tried some Dance and all I got from Pudzz was why the fuk do you have to have it so loud?? So finally I put some Cee Lo Green on, didn’t go down to well either, “switch that crap off” “It’s Cee Lo Green” I said… ” Oh I like him” they said…..errrr go figure. “Put radio 1 on“…. that’s what they wanted.

Pudzz got out the tiniest radio you can ever imagine, just one up from one of those home made ones in a matchbox from years ago, put on Radio 1 and everyone (bar me) was happy. I think it was because most of them wished they had got tickets for the one big weekend that was on up by where we live in Carlisle and thought they were really missing something…. I rest my case. Give me Rammstein any time day or night to rock my party, I cant stand Radio 1 DJ’s they are all proper Knobs.

Having said that we had a good laugh and did what getting away is all about. Then we had our customary walk round.

On our afternoon walk round we found Camp Tony Grayston being slowly erected.

NIce 32 Roadster was camped by us.

This looked a bargain.

Past Springnats winner Fordson was still looking fantastic.

Chris on the left on his was to Strongbow oblivion.

Me cooking up a feast.

Pudzz and the crew, not sure if this is because I had dirty windows or it was raining???? I don’t remember it raining so I must remember to clean my windows next time I get the awning out ;o)

Young Chris Pudzz daughters Fiance, had tried to stay with us on the cider and had passed out on the bog in the shower block, so that was his night over. The rest of Pudzz crew including Pudzz had all crashed by 8pm. So me my wife, daughter, boyfriend and the grand kids went up to the club on our own.

The Disco was not my cup of tea to be honest, but what ya do. My daughter’s boyfriend is a big lad and the chairs in the club house are so tightly packed together you can hardly get between them to sit down. I will give you an idea how big he struggles to fit in the drivers seat of my F100 Truck as his thighs just go under the steering wheel and his knees touch it when his feet are on the floor he makes it look like a toy. So he tries to get into a seat at the club and cant so he had to push a line of seat to make a gap….. he pushed the seat next to him and it set up a chain reaction, pushing about six other seats down the line eventually pushing a guy was sat on a seat further down the line… with such force it knocked him off his seat… fuk he said how did that happen? then looked at Liam and said friggin hell lad you must be strong, er which he is Terrrrrrrr.

The kids slide across the dance floor most of the night, people got up and did very strange dancing to old strange music much to the amusement of the young ones with us (18 – 23yrs) they think everyone is stuck in a time warp and not a very good time warp either. A bit of Ska always sees to get the dancing on hot coals style dancers out and old favorites like the cha cha slide fill a dance floor… is it me who does not know how to enjoy himself or is this inane crap???

Pudzz arrived up at the club house on his own later and did his usual party piece and insulted the door staff, while out having a ciggy (gave up 15yrs now smoking like a gold medallist) he looked at the bouncer’s, then said to a bunch of young lads outside ” Look Lads you cant be a proper bouncer unless you are real ugly like these two” ;o) I don’t know how but he does always get away with it. Last year at the Hot Rod and Hills do, as we walked in the club house, he looked the bouncer up and down who wasn’t ya usual massive bouncer but he looked handy and said “who fuk are you going to bounce?” he just laughed then later he went outside and he was there having a ciggy and he said again to the bouncer “Give us a fag before I knock fuk out of ya! and he did give him a ciggy and just laughed again. That is who Pudzz is he really takes the piss out of some people and usual people you don’t take the piss out of and live yet he does.. every time.. we had a laugh and left when they chucked us out. I took the dogs out for a midnight walk round the woods which I love and when I got back to camp everyone had crashed out and had an early night! So what was I to do on me own? in past years we always had a party till late with loads of people in our awning, now we all go to bed at sensible o’clock…. must be getting old. That’s Friday over.

Saturday……… Cruisin for a bruising

Up nice and early, no hang-over (never do really off cider)… out for a quick walk with the dogs and I couldn’t believe some dog owners had allowed their dogs to kak and not picked it up Grrrrrr That really does annoy me, especially at such a nice venue. The Kak looked like it was from a flying elephant, so must of been from big dogs. They should find the culprits and rub the owners nose’s in it, twats! After the dogs had been walked it was time to get the breaky on!

I did a massive breakfast for us, thought I had put plenty of bacon on and in one helping my mrs took all but 1piece to feed up my daughters boyfriend Liam. So I had to pile a load more on about the same amount for the other 5 of us, she thinks because he is so big he needs feeding up all the time ;o)….

I was looking forward to the cruise out and a blat round Curburough race circuit, but a cock up with the dates (Drayton Manor’s fault) made it so we had to go to a country pub instead.

Cars leaving for the cruise well down in numbers.

Wild freshly imported 1930 steel Model A Coupe powered by a 354 Hemi with a 34 grill, love the Halibrand kidney wheels.

59 Caddy lights and a louvered trunk look ace!

I was surprised how few cars there were on the show field waiting to go on the cruise. There was just a handful of cars when there are usually a hundred or more. Still it was a nice drive out not to far and the pub was very nice with very cheap beer, less than £2 a pint of real ale… oh yes please.

The Custom Car, er Truck. Dave Bickerdyke (CC Editor) has finally gotten his 55 F100 on the road and it looked great fun and its park anywhere finish just makes it even more special!

Cruise Venue Pretty Pigs was great value.

Very Nice 50’s Chevy Truck shone nice in the sunshine that graced the cruise.

Tony Grayston never one to shy away from a drive of his real sweet much modified 34 coupe, with remote door openers and engine start amongst many other tricks, this is one very trick machine, check it out fully if you get chance it will amaze you as it once was a Dooster “shock Horror”

Nice line of 33/34’s I am such a numpty I know the guy with the blue one, met him a few times at Preston cruise. I knew this was his first Rod run in his car and I never sought him out and ask how he was enjoying it. It just did not twig with me I fear I maybe loosing my marbles in a big way. I vaguely remember seeing out of the corner of my eye a heavily tattooed dude (graham the owner) in the shower block in the morning and it still did not twig who he was Derrrrrrr maybe its the cider. Though to be honest I don’t really like making eye contact with men in the showers Ha Ha. I am sure he will forgive me!

One very very nice Moggy Van, pure perfection to my eye. Nice one who ever you are.

49 Merc was a cool sled with all the right mods to make it low and mean all without any Appleton’s to.

The cool bunch that be the Originals Hot Rod club, with a very nice line up and a real nice bunch of genuine people. I had a flashback of calling Arran, Aden the night before in the club house…. jees I hope he didnt hear me properly I am fukin useless with names, mind you with my accent Aden would of sounded like Arran, I hope. I remember faces but can I heck as like remember who they are ;o) Terrrrr

Bugger I thought I had a photo of the rear of this car as its a great looking boat-tail, made from a couple of moggy bonnets, I kid you not a real nice piece of work. The E & J’s really suit it as to be honest I am not a great lover of the look of the E & J lights but they suit this baby for sure.

As we were about to leave and many had already this nice chevy convertible arrived.

After going the scenic route back that just happened to be littered with speed bumps at just the right height to whack my front crossmember and several circuits of the roundabouts (sat nav what sat nav) I was glad to get back to Drayton Manor.

The wife and kids had gone to the Theme Park rides, me and Liam then went and joined them. And did a couple of rides. While we were queuing for one of the white knuckle rides, my phone rang, now that in itself isn’t usually a problem, but as my ring tone is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cyIFMwI-Xs and about 5 people in front was a large group of very loud boisterous Asian lads showing off, it could of got a bit tetchy ;o)…. of course I had zipped my phone up ready to go on the ride and could I hell as like get it out of my pocket quick.. Luckily they were being to loud to hear it, though one lad did sort of look and prick his ears up trying to make out what the sound was and who was making it:o)..

We all spent quite some time in the Theme Park and Zoo the grand kids love it all and as it comes free with the weekend Camping, you didn’t feel ripped off.

It is a Saturday evening ritual at Drayton for us to get a Chinese take away for our evening meal, the kids of course preferred the chippy. The local Chinese I can highly recommend, and the chippy must be the best value in the world. I guy in front of me got a large portion of chips and I honestly have never seen as big a portion ever, it was mind blowing and had to be seen to be believed, it was just the biggest mound of chips you could imagine. Now I am a big eater and I cant imagine anyone being able to eat the whole portion on their own… awesome!

Once back at camp we heard that the feisty Terrier “Scrappy” of some of our friends had been attacked earlier on by a Staffie and was having an overnight stay at the Vets.

After washing the chinese down with a few cider’s, we all got our best togs on ready for the night entertainment, a fukin 80’s tribute band “Groan” .

The club house was fairly quiet when we arrived, despite my wife telling us all we had to hurry up as we wont get a seat as she has seen loads of people going up there early on, then getting another drink when everyone was ready to go ;o)…

They must of been going out for a meal or something as when we did get in the club house there were plenty of empty seats. We got a prime position in the bar area with nice seats all sat together so wouldn’t be disturbed by the sodding 80’s tribute band. We could have a bit of a laugh and mingle with the anyone we haven’t seen for a while that came in to the bar.. but oh no. my mrs had other ideas. RIGHT lets go get some seats in the disco/dance room.. *Groan* and *double Groan*… I bloody really didn’t want to sit in there watch kids running round and sliding on their knees all night all to the sound of some dire music. But being the wimp I am I followed like a dutiful husband. The grand kids do like to run around and slide, so that was why we had to go in there ;o). But within an hour or so they were both fast asleep and we had the joy of listening to the band, stuck in the dance room.

Now I really struggle to believe anyone really likes this kind of crap, but the dance floor was full and I overheard the NASC organizer’s say, these are good aren’t they, we will have them again!!! Oh God! it must be me then, as I would rather have a good skiffle. rock or Rockabilly band or maybe even a Ska band like has been in the past, but these were real holiday camp stuff and did nothing for me, I guess I just do not know how to just enjoy myself.

The proof I don’t know how to enjoy myself as I couldn’t hear anything that would make me wanna dance yet many there did.

And even more…… “Hum” ? Yep I am not of the same planet!

The night was good though we all have a bit of a laugh and a goodly amount of Cider and the like.

Once back at camp I took the dogs out for a run through the woods it was about 1pm I would guess and it’s nice and dark in the woods and real spooky I love it!

But again instead of our usual nightcap or three in one of our awnings like we used to do, I came back to silence everyone was in bed.. What is happening to us? I hate being sensible!

Well that was that really, I hadn’t even bothered during the day to go round seeing people we know round the camp site or look at the cars…. I don’t know why, I just didn’t seem to have time or even want to????.. so roll on Sunday.