Donington 20-21 April 2013

[Fredjohn]

Thought I'd e-mail CL and check dates. This is their reply:

Hi John
I'm sure that Alan my boss knew this when he sorted out the dates. Hopefully the roads will be OK!
Regards
Jane
Club Lotus

Obviously they don't seem too concerned

[rip]

Oh well, I've just saved several hundred quid towards Goodwood

What Goodwood meet are you thinking of going to? Maybe we can make an LEC event out of it?

Dico made a good point at the last Dony. The festival itself is the same each year & not too exciting at that. The best part is meeting old friends & when it was in August in 2011, the camping made it a good weekend.
They've tried their best to screw up the camping bit by moving it back to April when it's more than likely to rain.

We don't have to rely on Club Lotus for a get-together. We could arrange something ourselves?

[rip]

if the CL trackday at Castle Combe 2 years ago is anything to go by, having that event in the middle of a 3-day MX5 racing weekend wasn't a great idea

No, that cocked things up. I think it may have put some off for good because last year's was better but not as good as before the MX5 fiasco.

[chris.t]

OMFG, I don't believe it. Well this has defo put it in a different light. Doubt if I'll be going Rip good idea let's have a meet at some other time. Not the lakes though it's too wet and I can't stay sober there.

[RayD]

Could someone elaborate on the reasons for not going ... having read the posts a time or two I assume its due to the extra traffic on the roads ... but I may be missing something.

For newcomers to the forum ... Donington is something not to be missed ... Most Elan owners meet up on the Saturday ... the race is on Sunday.

Ray

[dapinky]

I still intend to be at Donington, but would also seek to support a summercamp LECfest somewhere as well.

[rip]

Could someone elaborate on the reasons for not going ... having read the posts a time or two I assume its due to the extra traffic on the roads ... but I may be missing something.

I've become a miserable old git & don't really enjoy a junk fair & the event itself is little more than that. We may mock him, but Dico had a point in 2011 when he refused to pay to see the same old same old.

Castle Combe 2011 was held on the day before an MX-5 race event & I struggled to find a Lotus in the sea of Mazdas on the Saturday there. BTCC is much bigger. There will be related stuff going on there during Saturday & we will be flooded out.
Club Lotus have done the typical accountancy cop-out. Instead of paying a little more to draw in more custom & put on a great weekend, they've gone for the cheap option in the hope we'll just turn up... then they'll wonder why many don't bother.

It's only just over an hour from mine & I'm now doing the clothing, so I'll almost certainly go. I can then clear off when I've had enough. but

We used the excuse of Donington 2011 for a camping weekend. The convoys & camping were great but the only thing I can remember of the festival itself was Graham's Elan getting damaged by LEF's stand. That wasn't good.

[DavidEJM]

I think a summer camping LECfest would be good, maybe the Silverstone classic could be a focus for that. I've been for the last few years and am yet to get bored. If the weather is kinder than last year (and it would be hard to see how it could get much worse) we could arrange a decent sized pitch on one of the cheap campsites opposite the entrance.
Failing that, maybe a beer festival somewhere with an opportunity to camp over?
I really want to try and get out to a few events this year, its been a tough couple of years and I need to make some time for the things I enjoy rather than just making work the main focus!

[rip]

Failing that, maybe a beer festival somewhere with an opportunity to camp over?

I'm sure Graham, Shaun, Stef & I will be camping at Chappel beer fest again in early September.

[nicowalker1]

Im still going regardless,

[RayD]

Could someone elaborate ...

I've become a miserable old git & don't really enjoy a junk fair & the event itself is little more than that. We may mock him, but Dico had a point in 2011 when he refused to pay to see the same old same old.

I understand what you are saying Iain, by coincidence I considered not going into the hall in 2011.

Providing Lotus still have their own separate car park I can imagine the extra activity making it better rather than worse.

I'll see you at Donington.

Ray

[Rambo]

Oh well, I've just saved several hundred quid towards Goodwood

What Goodwood meet are you thinking of going to? Maybe we can make an LEC event out of it?

Rip - my sister is intending to come over from Vancouver for the revival. Still to confirm so at the moment I haven't booked tickets

The SC is indeed a very good event and probably better located for most folks. I think I've done 4 on the trot now and the event gets better and better. Apart from Adam and the Ants that is

[chris.t]

A friend of mine is racing at Dony 2 weeks after the Lotus show so i think I'll save my fuel for then. Shame as I've been to the dony show every year for ages now and it's the only time I get to see LEC members on mass. I fully support the idea of the Silverstone classic and it's at a more camping friendlier time of the year (just).

eta\ I've just realised that it's my 10 year anniversary of LEC membership this year, so i've gone to the lotus show around 9 times on the trot. Yeah I know it says joined 2005 under my avatar but anyone remember when the site crashed and we lost a load of threads and memberships were cancelled.

[jHamshaw]

Guys - there's the usual Summer SELOC event happening at Brands - 22nd to 25th August if anyone's interested :-

Click here for details (you may need to register)

[rip]

Guys - there's the usual Summer SELOC event happening at Brands - 22nd to 25th August if anyone's interested :-

Click here for details (you may need to register)

That site needs a login.
I'll try to find my password....& hope that it still works.

[alan e]

also Soft top sunday at goodwood on 5th May if any one is interesred.

[rip]

also Soft top sunday at goodwood on 5th May if any one is interesred.

At last it moves to the right time of year. Last year was October & in 2011 it was in February. Soft tops in February????

[muley]

But it was a nice day in October..

[G UK]

Now I thought I was a grumpy sod but I'm planning to still make the most of it, I just hope the Friday curry and Saturday meal will be on as the social aspect is a significant portion of the fun. The plan for me will be:

Friday: Help set-up followed by Beer & Curry
Saturday: Convoy then Show followed by Evening meal
Sunday: I'm tempted to go watch the BTCC.

I also echo the fact that Sunday is the busy day for BTCC so no excuse for not coming to the curry and then having a meet-up and chat in the car park on Saturday. If you don't actually want to go into the show you could always pop into Nottingham or Derby and join us for the evening meal or go home early as people have done in the past. Sunday has always seemed to be the quieter day anyway.

[Dico]

Friday: Help set-up followed by Beer & Curry
Saturday: Convoy then Show followed by Evening meal
Sunday: I'm tempted to go watch the BTCC.

Monday: Spend the day with a touch up pen