Geo
Trader - Funster
- Jul 29, 2007
- 11,757
- 14,565
- Funster No
- 35
- MH
- Autotrail Tracker FB
- Exp
- 45 +years with breaks
Well where do I begin?
We arrived at Grange Park Messingham for the Funsters’ Summer Chill Out Meet, on Friday about lunch time after a frantic start to the day, trying to re-capture our Cat Ollie for his first ever run out in an RV (Note to self, load cat at least three days before setting off in future); we planned to get there first so we could get the lay of the land, to make sure we could fit every one of the 11 vans booked but we needn’t have worried, the site is just so large and flat we could have accommodated 20 RVs on hard standing and 30 Euro Vans on very firm flat grass no problem at all, certainly a venue to earmark for a large event. Just as well as Keith and Rose (Pudseykeith) decided last minute to give us an impromptu visit, nice to meet you both, hope you enjoyed yourselves.
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The theme if ever there is one at a Funsters’ meet, as anything can catch the imagination was a Fishing Competition and a Boules Tournament. The fishing got off to a fine start Saturday 10 am with myself (Geo) catching 3 fish with a junior 2 meter pole before the rest got their worms in the water, then the rains came down, and did that slow us down? We are the Funsters remember and we were there to fish, and fish we did come hell or high water; the fishing was fast and furious. Bryan (Admin) our out and out novice caught about 15 fish, but that was only to be expected. When you’ve lashed out £12.99 on a telescopic rod and reel, £1.13p on bait, you expect, Nay, demand results, and results he got, the smile should wear off in 3 to 4 days maximum.
<o></o>
Keith and Jean made the run all the way from Scotland to take first prize of ‘The Most Fish Caught’ numbering 51 in total. There were two sections in the competition and your very own Geo won ‘Biggest Single Fish’ with the lakes very own Moby Dick. Also being a novice with only two fishing meets under my belt it truly made my weekend too.
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Saturday night saw the customary BBQ under the awnings of two of the big rigs sheltering from the warm drizzle and celebrations went on into the late hours, a good day and night was had by all.
<o></o>
Sunday we all woke up (some very early) to the sound of flapping awnings due to the gales that set in during the night. Sunday itself was bright dry and warm - undaunted, we had a Boules competition to get under way. Wind or no wind it was game on. “Who knows the rules?” went out the cry, “Who cares?” was the response. Thankfully we had a semi pro amongst us, Marion, Jims wife (Yoolie) knew the basics and as there were a few of us we adapted very well, there are two ways to play Boules, the French and the Funsters. We had the best of both. The games started with about 14 players, all competing against each other until we got to a play off of the top 5 and 4 going through to the semi finals. Suzy our resident score keeper and referee kept all play fair with no yellow or red cards being shown. The semi’s of course produced the two finalist, those being our world famous Snake Hips Winniebago Tony .Vs. Linda the other half of the elusive thefman. The final round was watched by all in deadly silence as the jack was placed and the boul-ing commenced. First throw was a devastating near boul to Linda, Tony trying as he might could not better the throw until the last boul by Linda was placed even closer than the first, and at that point we could hear a pin drop, as Tony stood to take his make it or break it throw, and yes you guessed in true Funsters spirit he broke it!! And the winner was unanimously declared – Linda took the prize.
Now the question on every ones lips is, “Was Linda a professional, did she sneak in to the tournament to show us all up? maybe the question will never be answered, but let me just say this, as every one was unpacking their Aldi and Tesco bought Boul sets of 2 or 4 or 6 or even 8 Bouls, Linda arrived to announce that if any one wanted a spare Jack she had about 4 or 6 in her pocket, now who but a pro walks around an amateur Boules game with 6 spare Jacks in their pocket????
You decide!!!!
<o></o>
At the end of the games a presentation of trophies was made to the two fishing winners and a bottle of plonk (generously donated by Jim and Marion) was presented to Linda
<o></o>
One other record was set this fine Sunday and a further two attempted. The new record was for RV black tank dumping now held by Winniebago Tony and Ruth, Time taken…………………………………….26 .8 minutes, for the uninitiated it usually takes 3 minutes max if done properly or 1 min flat if you get it totally wrong!!
<o></o>
The other two record attempts were by Bryan and Geo who in an ongoing battle to reduce fuel consumption unfurled there spinnakers on the M180, Bryan choosing the small but effective slide out awning, noticed a small improvement in economy, said after a short stop in a service area to re-position the sail that the time lost on the journey was not balanced out by the fuel saving, and in future he would stick to traditional methods.
<o></o>
Geo on the other hand deployed the big rigs 20 foot side awning and under full sail achieved a fuel saving of approx 8 MPG but said the biggest improvement was in top speed, a little over 25 MPH, was gained but as this was mostly sideways, thought it unfair to add to the results. Next time out we may try both awnings for better balance.
<o></o>
Finally a big thank you to all who made the journey to the meet and I hope a less stressful one home, with out your participation and company it would be just Pammy and I out for the day.
<o></o>
Regards
Geo
<o></o>
We arrived at Grange Park Messingham for the Funsters’ Summer Chill Out Meet, on Friday about lunch time after a frantic start to the day, trying to re-capture our Cat Ollie for his first ever run out in an RV (Note to self, load cat at least three days before setting off in future); we planned to get there first so we could get the lay of the land, to make sure we could fit every one of the 11 vans booked but we needn’t have worried, the site is just so large and flat we could have accommodated 20 RVs on hard standing and 30 Euro Vans on very firm flat grass no problem at all, certainly a venue to earmark for a large event. Just as well as Keith and Rose (Pudseykeith) decided last minute to give us an impromptu visit, nice to meet you both, hope you enjoyed yourselves.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o>The theme if ever there is one at a Funsters’ meet, as anything can catch the imagination was a Fishing Competition and a Boules Tournament. The fishing got off to a fine start Saturday 10 am with myself (Geo) catching 3 fish with a junior 2 meter pole before the rest got their worms in the water, then the rains came down, and did that slow us down? We are the Funsters remember and we were there to fish, and fish we did come hell or high water; the fishing was fast and furious. Bryan (Admin) our out and out novice caught about 15 fish, but that was only to be expected. When you’ve lashed out £12.99 on a telescopic rod and reel, £1.13p on bait, you expect, Nay, demand results, and results he got, the smile should wear off in 3 to 4 days maximum.
<o
></o>Keith and Jean made the run all the way from Scotland to take first prize of ‘The Most Fish Caught’ numbering 51 in total. There were two sections in the competition and your very own Geo won ‘Biggest Single Fish’ with the lakes very own Moby Dick. Also being a novice with only two fishing meets under my belt it truly made my weekend too.
<o
></o>Saturday night saw the customary BBQ under the awnings of two of the big rigs sheltering from the warm drizzle and celebrations went on into the late hours, a good day and night was had by all.
<o
></o>Sunday we all woke up (some very early) to the sound of flapping awnings due to the gales that set in during the night. Sunday itself was bright dry and warm - undaunted, we had a Boules competition to get under way. Wind or no wind it was game on. “Who knows the rules?” went out the cry, “Who cares?” was the response. Thankfully we had a semi pro amongst us, Marion, Jims wife (Yoolie) knew the basics and as there were a few of us we adapted very well, there are two ways to play Boules, the French and the Funsters. We had the best of both. The games started with about 14 players, all competing against each other until we got to a play off of the top 5 and 4 going through to the semi finals. Suzy our resident score keeper and referee kept all play fair with no yellow or red cards being shown. The semi’s of course produced the two finalist, those being our world famous Snake Hips Winniebago Tony .Vs. Linda the other half of the elusive thefman. The final round was watched by all in deadly silence as the jack was placed and the boul-ing commenced. First throw was a devastating near boul to Linda, Tony trying as he might could not better the throw until the last boul by Linda was placed even closer than the first, and at that point we could hear a pin drop, as Tony stood to take his make it or break it throw, and yes you guessed in true Funsters spirit he broke it!! And the winner was unanimously declared – Linda took the prize.
Now the question on every ones lips is, “Was Linda a professional, did she sneak in to the tournament to show us all up? maybe the question will never be answered, but let me just say this, as every one was unpacking their Aldi and Tesco bought Boul sets of 2 or 4 or 6 or even 8 Bouls, Linda arrived to announce that if any one wanted a spare Jack she had about 4 or 6 in her pocket, now who but a pro walks around an amateur Boules game with 6 spare Jacks in their pocket????
You decide!!!!
<o
></o>At the end of the games a presentation of trophies was made to the two fishing winners and a bottle of plonk (generously donated by Jim and Marion) was presented to Linda
<o
></o>One other record was set this fine Sunday and a further two attempted. The new record was for RV black tank dumping now held by Winniebago Tony and Ruth, Time taken…………………………………….26 .8 minutes, for the uninitiated it usually takes 3 minutes max if done properly or 1 min flat if you get it totally wrong!!
<o
></o>The other two record attempts were by Bryan and Geo who in an ongoing battle to reduce fuel consumption unfurled there spinnakers on the M180, Bryan choosing the small but effective slide out awning, noticed a small improvement in economy, said after a short stop in a service area to re-position the sail that the time lost on the journey was not balanced out by the fuel saving, and in future he would stick to traditional methods.
<o
></o>Geo on the other hand deployed the big rigs 20 foot side awning and under full sail achieved a fuel saving of approx 8 MPG but said the biggest improvement was in top speed, a little over 25 MPH, was gained but as this was mostly sideways, thought it unfair to add to the results. Next time out we may try both awnings for better balance.
<o
></o>Finally a big thank you to all who made the journey to the meet and I hope a less stressful one home, with out your participation and company it would be just Pammy and I out for the day.
<o
></o>Regards
Geo
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></o>
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