Rum*

Morning all,

First of all a big thank you to Pete Croney for his part of organising what I believe was an excellent trip to Lloret de Mar in Catalunya. Once again Pete came up trumps in organising a highly successful 2 hour slot with Prodrive at the SWRT H/Q, which gave us all an amazing insight to the cars...along with the chance to meet Peta and Tommi

As far as our trip over was concerned I picked Mossman up on Saturday in Beverley (Hull) and then had a short trip south to Banshi's pad for coffee and chilli prior to heading to the M5 for our overnight accomodation.

We then got up nice and early to meet NeilWRX, Clem Edwards, Chris Cockbill, Banshi, Dave, SteveF, Andy, & Super Slider....we all then set off (after paying something like 4 quid for 2 bacon butties and 2 coffees!!!) down the M5 to meet ChrisL, Scoobychick, ChrisB and Wendy somewhere allong the way...

We all then managed to arrive safely at Plymouth ready for the 24 hr crossing to Santander...

The sea was fairly choppy to start with....so we set about consuming a fair few beers (and/or seasickness tablets) prior to hitting are respective cabins early evening...unfortunately during the night the boat encounterred Force 9 (!!) gales and so when we rose for breakfast we were advised that the trip had been delayed by circa 5 hours!!!....

On arrival in Spain I managed to take half the group out of Santander on the wrong road....whilst ChrisL, Scoobychick, ChrisB and Wendy managed to head out on exactly the right road towards Bilbao...after wasting about an hour, and having been chatting to the loacl fire dept (the fire station happened to be next door to the scrub area that we had parked on) we got an escort out of town with/by the fire brigade, finally found the others, filled up with fuel and were on our way...

The trip East was fairly easy, tho in the dark and quite twisty we managed to arrive in Lloret at about 03.30!!! somewhat later than expected...we had received varioius texts from Richard Askew during the evening and agreed to meet him at Moby's (one of the many bars in Lloret) as soon as we arrived...

A group of 7 cars (3 fully stickered up) arriving outside the bar at that time of night caused quite a stir...not just with the tourists, the locals...but also the bouncers...and police!!

We finally managed to get the cars into the underground secure carpark and ourselves checked into the hotel at about 4 and hit the sack for a well deserved rest...

Pete and 4 other cars were at this point only about an hour behind us...however their trip had taken about 1/3 the time...I believe leaving UK at about 17.30 and arriving at the hotel at about 05.30 on the Tuesday morning...

Basically when we woke for breakfast we had a fleet of 12 Scoobs in and around the hotel.

Tuesday was spent relaxing...a couple of us went for a short drive and cleaned the cars then in the evening we all went out for a great Steak in town...before consuming huge quantities of ale!!

On Wednesday we went of a nice little drive out to where Shake Down was going to take place...then we took a drive up the hills to Angles and beyond for about an hour prior to heading back to town to meet up with Pete and his group for Birthday drinks (3 birthdays in the same week!!)...

Thursday was Shakedown day....somehow we managed to get oursleves right down to the start!!!...I think it had something to do with the STI being covered in stickers!!...

Friday, Sat and Sunday were rally days...on Friday we got out to a great spot along with Pete and all the rest of the group....15 Scoobs parked together about 300 yards from the stage....we had great viewing thanks to Petes directions on a wicked hairpin....then in the afternoon we moved about 1km up the stage to watch the cars heading further down and round the stage...An awesome day to say the least...

Saturday, we all seemed to split up...those of us too lazy to head out to the stages went to Service at 13.00, where we met Travis, Tommi...Prodrive etc etc etc...I was mistaken for a member of the Prodrive personnel on more than one occasion....with loacls asking what had happened to Tommi...etc etc

Banshi, Dave and Slider dissappeared off to Stage 8....which unfortunately was cancelled...however by all accounts its sounds like they had an awesome day all the same...staying put and waiting for the stage to be re-run in the afternoon as stage 11 and sampling a little of the local cuisine and wine!! ...no doubt one of them will post comments re their day out...

Sunday was the final day...we (as in the seven cars with Rum*) set off @ 06.00 to get upto the hairpin for the 3rd/last stages of the day. Our aim was to get as close to the bridge as we could...we managed in fact to park about 20 mins walk from where we set up camp...Pete and his group set off a little later at 07.00 however by the time they arrived we had secured a fairly good "Subaru Camp" about 20 metres from the hairpin...what an awesome day we had....well...most of us...Mossman slept for most of it!!! ...

With do-nuts to the crowd...30 degree tempratures...loads of Subaru supporters...top grub...what more could you want...once the laast stage was finished we headed back to Lloret for the after rally party....some managed to party to the early hours....some I believe (Mr Felstead) kept going till after 05.00!! ...some of us whimped out and left early for a well deserved sleep...

Our group then left Lloret at 09.00 Monday morning for our run west for 480 miles to Lloret...and a very relaxing 24 hr crossing back to Plymouth....luckily the return trip was somewhat calmer....with the sea being more of a mill pond than force 9!!!

I have taken loads of photos and will try and get them posted here and on my site over the next couple of days...I am sure that there will be plenty of pics from the other members of the group that were out in Spain playing...along with a few funny moments ??? Wendy playing the tooth fairy?? Mossman playing 2 stroke?? Scoobychick Farting??? You all know what I'm talking about...

Roll on next year!!!

All the best

Tom


[Edited by Rum* - 3/27/2002 3:27:44 PM]

Rum*

Young Felstead catching some zzzz's.....so this is how he managed to stay out till after 05.30 in the morning!!!

For some people they just never seemed to wake up...not only asleep here....but Mossman managed to sleep for 20 hours!!! on the ferry!! (sorry M8...couldn't resist)

A few more pics on http://www.rumbottle.co.uk...the rest will follow once I get the 35 mm developed and then scanned...

Cheers

Tom


[Edited by Rum* - 3/27/2002 3:47:42 PM]

johnfelstead

Hey, at least i sleep prepared for action, pointing the right way, camera at the ready. LOL

Just wait till i get home tonight (i hope!), got a cracker of you catching some zzzzzzzzzzz's.

I had to get some sleep some time, good job too as sunday night was a cracker. I didnt know Burger King stayed open till 5:30am LOL

RB5SCOTT

These pictures are really slowing up the BBS

Great pics Tom, especially the ones of the nappers

Scott

Rum*

Yea,

sorry the pics are a bit large...I'll post the rest as thumbnails as and when I get them developed...or might just add a post/thread to advise that they are all on my website......

I think I might have a few other pics of some of the team...and maybe some of doing strange things....I think I have a similar one of Pete and various ones with a good zoom lens....but then again they might have to be added to a "xxx" section on my site

Cheers

Tom

chiark

Git! Looks superb

Jamie Whitfield

Looks very cool! Or maybe hot??? Hmm I don't know.

Hey, Banshi what happened?

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

My holiday highlight was the drive back from the stage on Friday evening, a long line of scoobies cruising into town led by Rum* The Imposter, SteveF & Banshi. All the local kids (and some adults) had lined the streets to cheer the rally cars home. On seeing the first three they decided we were rally cars so started cheering we gave them a few blasts of the airhorn then all did a lap of honour round the roundabout - they LOVED it!

By the way I'd just like to add that when Tom mentions my farting he is talking about the stuff I bought on the ferry that makes a farting sound when you push your fingers into it and NOT my botty burps of which I do none cos I'm a girl and we don't do them

Sal

Jen

Excellent pics!

Love all the Scooby's..

Jen

johnfelstead

here are plenty of the gang, not a rally car in sight.

RB5SCOTT

Jees, i'm glad ive got ADSL

Some great pics John

I'm glad you got my rock climbing skills in there and some nice shots of mi car i like the wing mirror one, very artistic

and that reminds me, i must lay off the beer

See you soon
Scott

Rum*

Great shots John... I like the one of the cars side by side from the last day....shame the old bill wouldn't let you guys stay put...

And as for Scott....I see what you mean M8....you look like a beached whale....oh no, I tell a lie....that was 2 days earlier ...

Mossman....asleep again!!!

I'll have my 35mm shots back in a couple of days so will post a few of them as well....

Rum*

carl

I was going to say "which of you saddos put a Subaru sticker on the underside of their bonnet", but then I realized it was Makinen's car

And who put graffiti on that poor STi's spoiler?

ChrisB

Anyone would think we just spent all our time asleep on stage

Timo

No photos of me?????

Oh well.....maybe i can be in with the "In crowd" next year!!

Tim

scoob not snob

The thread that pic compression forgot.

300k+ pics?





[Edited by scoob not snob - 3/29/2002 8:52:10 PM]