Detling 2011
Where to start this ‘match report’ ? Well I guess the 1st thing to do is to put a
few things into perspective. This Show is on our doorstep, there isn’t another dedicated
Kit Car Show in the South save for Exeter, so it makes good sense to support the
Event and to use it as an excuse to catch up with old friends. Moreover its easier
to implement what I like to think of as ‘Gentlemans Camping’........that means taking
everything including the kitchen sink!
So the call went out across SKCC and was answered well, we were missing a few key
players due to car issues - although they popped along and got involved in any case.
Arriving at a Show in dribs and drabs seems a shame, so we bolted on a Pre Show Brekkie
and pottered to the Show where we’d already set up our Stand. We wanted to involve
the public a bit more than is usual at these Events and had set up a Scalextric Circuit
and a ‘theatre - the latter showing a looped video that Neil had compiled of our
exploits over the past year or so - I have to say that comments on the efforts we’d
gone to were very encouraging and will look to do the same again.
In the aftermath of the Show I’ve heard via various forums a few groans about the
content and lack of cars & traders, but to my mind its people that really make an
Event, and in that respect we were blessed. Cars arrived and parked up, conversations
were struck up with old and few faces alike - and for once the sun shone, and shone
hard! Such was the buzz on the Stand that many of us didn’t get away to wander for
ages as we stood and bantered. The pics don’t do our Club area justice, 35+ cars
arranged to maximum effect, our little theatre, the ‘Lextric and of course our ‘private
area - the marquee with its own music, bbq and a ready supply of cold drinks ( with
the alcohol stacked in readiness for the evening). It had to be hidden away as we’d
planned a late afternoon run.
As the crowds dispersed at the end of the day so we fired up our steeds, took on
board passengers and headed out for a blast around the Kent countryside, an easy
50 miler with the odd farm track thrown in for good measure . Back at base the music
was fired up, the bbq lit and the cold beers broken open ( did I mention that we’d
taken a freezer for faster chilling - oh yes we like to do things right). With the
sun providing its final warmth of the day we settled back in our chairs to do what
comes naturally - bantering and talking a load of ‘rollocks’. The newer members were
soon relaxed enough to join in the mickey taking, part and parcel of SKCC life, and
frankly one that’s important to us! With the evening chill descending upon us the
fire was lit , providing both warmth and a source of amusement as the firewood was
broken to keep it stoked.
With the night darkening we could finally fire up he projector ( oh didnt I mention
we had a few of those ) and we settled down to watch some music videos - big screen
style in the marquee, well some of us did, there was the occasional foraging party
who deemed it necessary to look for additional firewood - who eagerly returned to
base with new combustible material - but they were a bit a minor distraction to the
Mighty Floyd ( or wheoever else was playing at the time).
Next morning saw a few sore heads, there’d been a rain shower early that morning,
before we got up luckily, but although a tad blustery the weather held. Looking around
the campers over our bacon butties it seemed that only 2-3 were in good form, I’m
not a believer in coincidences, so perhaps this rumour I’ve heard about booze leaving
you feeling a tad jaded is indeed a reality!! One by one the day trippers from SKCC
rolled up and we set about parking them up and of course making them welcome, trying
wherever possible to make sure that they were introduced to as many folks as possible.
Whilst I sneaked off for a couple of passenger rides - in a Busa powered Westie and
one of my all time favourites, a Cobra. As and when you’re at a Show, I’d recommend
that you take advantage of a passenger ride, its a worthwhile experience and most
owners will be all too happy to take you out. With a final BBQ it was time to think
about packing up, the crowds thinned, the sky for once that day turned blue as we
headed our separate ways. It was great to see so many SKCC’ers at the Show, a testament
to the way that Southern Kit Car Club is growing - roll on 2012, what can we do for
that one!
