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!

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