In a message dated 23/06/98 20:21:50 GMT, you write:
<< Subj: Re: TR International weekend.
Date: 23/06/98 20:21:50 GMT
From: w.davies@virgin.net (William Davies)
To: GuyotLeonF@aol.com
CC: pgillis@cosmedia.ie, triumphs@autox.team.net
Hi Leon,
I went along to the TR International some years ago - 1992 or 1993 I
think. I
only went on the Sunday, but I was most impressed by the state of the camping
areas - there were beer cans and hungover TR enthusiasts everywhere - it
looked
like there'd been one hell of a party on the Saturday.
Regarding the TSSC party at Stafford, it does usually carry on
"unofficially"
well into the early hours in the "lively end" of the campsite, but we are
encouraged to keep the noise down - I'm not sure how many houses border onto
the
Shepton Mallet site, there may be fewer neighbours to complain!!!
Incidentally, I agree about the food at Stafford, but was it last year or
the
year before we had Wadworths on draught? I thought things were looking up on
the
beer front,
Regards,
Bill.
>>
That's very possibly all true Bill, I regret that a few things have persuaded
me to
B & B at Stafford, on the Friday,Saturday & Sunday nights, instead of camping.
and eat away from the site, and indeed away from the town of Stafford itself.
This is not, as some would have you believe: because I am getting too old, far
from it, I always enjoyed the unique Triumph camaraderie and party-ings (sp?)
etc.
But what left me cold was the dreadful traffic betwixt London and Stafford
that always conspires to mess up my life when I have tried to get to the show
on that weekend! I have tried every which way to approach Stafford, but all
are equally awful, I've encountered roads so solid with traffic that they
sieze up totally- we are talking gridlock! I've learnt to avoid Birmingham
completely, I've had freshly gritted roads, where you have to stop whilst cars
going the other way speed pass giving your freshly repainted Triumph a free
gritblasting, whilst you sit and weep.
I've spent a week solid cleaning my Herald for Concours up in Sheffield and
then driven down from the north, and found yet more freshly gravelled roads,
but this time with fresh tar stuck to the gravel, and yes it did stick like a
very sticky thing!
I've left London on the Friday morning, which co-incided with a national rail
strike!
In fact, the only time I've ever approached Stafford without problems was by
visiting the Lake District the week before and by heading south down the M6
motorway from Cumbria.
As for the beer at Stafford, I wouldn't know what they've been serving these
last two years, as the last time I partook, it made me very sick indeed.,and I
have no wish to spoil any more weekends like that, thank you.
As for the food, no way ho-say, I tried their 'hog roast' a few years back,
and it was just undercooked bacon roll at extortionate prices, so undercooked
in fact, I even got food poisoning!!! Never again...
I once took 26 Belgian Triumph enthusiasts and two Germans to an Indian
restaurant in Stafford, but fortunately, only six of them were sick
afterwards,not me that time.
Stafford is NOT renowned for it's culinary delights...
Now, I go elsewhere, but I'm not putting it on this list, or I'll never get
served!
(it's already full of club members each evening)
As for the camping, I'm sorry, but after 4 years of heavy rain every night, I
packed that in, because when you are 'working' all day every day for the club
at the show, and meeting 100's of Triumph folk from all over the world, plus
valuing cars, plus judging concours, or entering concours, or manning stands,
or searching around autojumbles, or actually looking at some Triumph cars! you
don't need to be bothered with tents, cooking breakfast, rain, standing in
line for cold showers that don't work and inadequate dirty toilets etc. No
sir, give me a comfy bed, a nice shower that works, a full cooked English
breakfast, and a quiet pub nearby with excellent food in the evening. I'll
continue to take my choice. thank you.
BUT, you'll see me camping at Shepton Mallet in August.
The party really is great, the beer is quiet acceptable and there is both good
food and excellent driving roads close at hand,oh yes and then there is Becky!
Yes siree...
Leon
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