Club Arnage

Booked the time off work for next year's race yesterday so the planning can officially commence  ;D

Self Employed... Nuff Said!

It's a given both at work and at home that I have that weekend blocked off.

I presume everybody is guessing that it's going to be on the 15/16 th of June.
That dates been marked in my diary since October 2011.

Yep,  Each time I get a new Manager the first thing I tell them is what ever weekend the race is I won't be working that week (Not Negotiable!) 

t.

Big Stu stayed at my place last night on his way back from the classic to the North East. At breakfast this morning, Brian joined us and we were talking about what we need for next years 24hrs.

Was told by Lee Self, that

12hrs Sebring is normally 12wk of the year
24hrs Le Mans is normally 24wk of the year (but does change occasionally - because they are French)

what amazes me i was sober enough to remember  ;D

And the Silverstone 6 hours was on the 36th weekend and the DfH party on the 48th.

Have just used a google search on all the above comments, and take it from google the race will be held on the first week in November. Just wait and see.

Have a friend who is getting married on the 15th June. Already told him i won't be there  ;D

If you were a real friend you should have told him that HE shouldn't be there too.

Just sayin'

SO do we have a date for it yet

Just so I can book the right time off from being retired :)


And so I can get on with ferry prices soon...

The ACO policy on dates is that the date is provisional until the official announcement (usually in November).

You to start with ;D

I'll be there. ;D

The ACO have already given the dates for the 2013 24 Hours is the 80th 90th year so a special one 15th-16th June. (pressed the wrong key lol).

It was the 80th race this year and next year is 90 years since it started but you are correct, its the 15th and 16th

http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/update/the-le-mans-24%E2%88%92hours-race-will-celebrate-its-90th-anniversary-on-15%E2%88%9216-june-2013-_8162.html (http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/update/the-le-mans-24%E2%88%92hours-race-will-celebrate-its-90th-anniversary-on-15%E2%88%9216-june-2013-_8162.html)

now to choose a campsite i think

I think you get what you're given and lump it!!  :)

F

probably correct  :P

Just booked our ferry out 9/6/2013 back 17/6/2013, yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, with Brittany ferries, Pompey / Caen  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Start of count down.

Good price or are we too early for discounts?

Definitely not good prices, just got a quote for the same journey i did this year, and they wanted £125 more. >:(
Back to the eastern crossing and the drive down I think.
Looking into it in more detail, the price hike seems to be on the Portsmouth/St Malo leg of the journey.

Eurotunnel booked, £5 dearer than last year!
Monday afternoon Calais returns already sold out!

Paid £403 for 3 of us Pompey/Cherbourg out & Caen/Pompey back this year.  Just in reserved seats.

That's £134.33 each.

Quote for next year using the same route the 3 of us works out at £323

That's £107.67 each.

They release more tickets as the year goes on. Same happened last year but we had no problem booking a mid afternoon crossing in April.

No flies on you, are there?  :P

The dates have been in my diary for some weeks.
Definitely no business travel at that time, although I may have to slow down the new house build so we're not moving then!  :o

Checked with LD Lines, they are not taking bookings for 2013 till November

Hope their prices are not to high

Neil,

            You can afford it . Pay the extra and go with a proper ferry company.

This years experiences made up our minds no more LD  for us

So, its a sh!t ferry, but it passed all the tests.  The beer was cold, and it didn't sink.

You now have the option of MyFerryLink (formerly SeaFrance) from Dover, so prices should go down.  I may go from Dover next year, just for a change.  And the old Le Havre boat, Norman Spirit, may go back to Portsmouth, as the extra trade on the Dunkirk route will probably go back to SeaFrance.  Sounds like there could be a price war to me ;D

We are going on Holiday,

we don't need to do " Sh*t ferries"

I need to start looking for a ferry soon i do believe. Just need to decide on what dates im going tho  ::)

DATE CHANGE!!!!

http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/update/date-change-for-the-2013-le-mans-24-hours-_8468.html (http://www.lemans.org/en/races/24h/update/date-change-for-the-2013-le-mans-24-hours-_8468.html)

This is my 'not surprised' face..... ;)

trust them to change the date  ::)

The ACO are swiftly becoming the tail of the FIA dog. My guess is that it moved because of problems with the FIA/WEC calendar. What goes around comes around... have we heard this tune before?

p*ss up and brewery come to mind ???

A.C.O = French
Jean Todt = French
F.I.A = French

There seems to be a link here
Couldn't organize a poo-bar in Epernay

Dover - Calais

Out - Thursday 20th June
Return - Friday 28h June

£55 with DFD Seaways

Thank you that will do me nice  ;D

Just booked the Tunnel out Thursday back Monday night ;D

camping booked with Select motorsport. :)

Houx or Maison Blanch as our usual plot at Karting Nord will be "developed"(destroyed) >:D

Ready to go

So, now that you have an extra week to recover, are all you w**k*rs coming to Sebring?  The offer is still open.  I'll even pack in a rack of Palm for your snooty drinkers if that's what it takes.

Who's making the trip?  Show of hands?

I'll be on Turn 10 if I make it over - but I'll definitely drop by for a couple of beers with you Gatordad (assuming I can somehow swing an excuse to make it again this year - last year nearly killed me!)

Like said before Gatordad, I'll be there, just waiting for the right flightprice. I expect to book next month.

Just be sure the Palm is COLD, I hate it when it's lukewarm.

one year I'll make it Gatordad, but not next, herself wants a new kitchen  :'(

Tell her she can have a new patio....

......you can work the rest out :)

I'm seriously thinking about giving it a miss next year. I really need to get my life sorted out. I'm almost living at work these days for starters and I have so much clutter surrounding me its all getting a little overwhelming.

I need to stop talking about what I need to do, and focus on getting it done. Get rid of some of my cars and with it the astronomical monthly storage costs for starters.

A year without plans and commitments is what I need. Yeah, it's just a weekend, but it's all the planning, daydreaming, vehicle fettling that takes up all the time.

Hate not going, but I need to sort this sh*t out.

You dont need to miss it out, just get it into perspective!  All the planning etc may be part of the fun for some people, but really all you need is a ticket and a ferry booking ... anything else is just fluff.

F

Getting there will be the big hassle Fran. I'm putting the camper and the Jensen up for sale soon and will be using a 40 year old Land Rover and a selection of bicycles as my only form of transport from now on. It would take quite some time to get to LM using either option.
 Once I sort out all the clutter and work pressure, I'll be rebuilding the Landy with modern running gear. I'll quite happily drive it to LM then, but not in it's current 48mph/12mpg/clouds of smoke state.

I can't justify keeping the camper van. Insurance has gone up again, then there's the tax etc. it only did 3,200 miles last year. I just feel like I'm getting fleeced everytime I drive it. Landy costs £80 a year to insure and tax is free. Smaller bills = less time at work = more time doing what I want.

On the other hand, I might just be having a grumpy week. I stopped smoking 27 days ago. Not had a single draw for almost a month. Not been in the best of fettle this month, but I have to keep telling my self it's for the best.

I see your point.. hadnt taken account of you getting rid of the yellow peril!

Even so, I am sure there will be options nearer the time, with a car share or fly/train if you change your mind!

:)

Edit:  Well done on the cigs, stay strong!

We managed a whopping 1400 miles in ours last year, 1000 of those were taking it from it's semi-permanent home in France to the UK and back again for an MOT. Needless to say, it's in the process of getting French plates now as we no longer need to tow a trailer that's impossible to register in France, so will likely do way less this year!

If you get to a point where you can't handle not having a cig - try these E-Cig things....I did, and whilst I've had the odd smoke with a beer (which is the killer), I've been predominantely smoke free for 6 months - it only took me 2 months to get off of the e-cigs as well.  Just a suggestion, and what works for one, won't always work for another, but they did the business for me!

Just be careful where you smoke them  ;D

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/05/m6-coach-passengers-evacuated-police

(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61402000/jpg/_61402376_megabus_getty.jpg)

I see that the British Grand Prix is the week after Le Mans 2013 according the the latest provisional calender.

And the New Jersey one the week before.   I'm already planning June right now :

8-9 : Le Mans testweekend
10th : finish pictures for CA Guide  ;)
11th : fly to NYC
15-17 : F1
18 : fly back to Brussels
19 : arrive at Brussels, switch suitcases, pick up motorhome and head on to Le Mans
19-24 : Le Mans

It could have been worse  ;D.  

nice :D

I'm trying to fit in the test weekend, as I'll be in France that weekend.  Whilst it only a few centimetres on the map, its a 6 hour drive :'(

I'll have to watch the GP in Maison Blanche.  Presumably an 8pm start - 2pm CET +1 for UK +5 for NY/NJ

PLMT (pre le mans tension ;)) is a bugger mate, just wait until you start flushing as well!...

Just straighten your back and think 'aye-up, had better start tha planning then'

Live long and live Le Mans, you will regret it otherwise...

>Martini...LB

Well, I spent a little time looking at French railway timetables last night. There is an outside chance that I might endulge in a little French Bicycle Tramping next summer. A few days around the Loire cycling from Inn to Inn. Arrive at Le Mans Friday evening. Travelling light with just a bivy, a tarp and a few changes of clothing.

Maybe, just a maybe at this point. Will buy a ticket at the gate.

See how things roll over the next few months.

Looks like it's not such a rush for you now :-(

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/formula-1-ecclestone-new-jersey-gp-073956810.html

Unfortunately not  :(.   Disappointed on the GP being called off, but it gives me a bit more breathing space in the budget for next year.
Might go to the Abu Dabi GP now instead of New Jersey.